Homework packets are typically sent home on Friday in the “Friday Folder.” The completed homework packet is to be returned, in the Friday Folder, by the following Thursday. The homework packet contains three parts: a list of choices, a reflection and a reading log.  I have given details about these three parts and a bit of my homework philosophy below.

Choices: I feel that learning to make academic choices is an important skill for children to develop and my homework is designed with this in mind. Sometimes there will be a required item, but usually students will be able to choose between 4 and 6 options. The homework will be designed to support the things we are working on in class, as well as give students the opportunity to be creative. I also try to encourage family involvement in the homework. Choices will include math, literacy skills, creative writing, poetry, art, topic and seasonal items, games and interactive activities. Sometimes students will even be able to create their own choices, which may be used in later assignments. The amount of homework and expectations will increase slightly as the year progresses.  I do feel some responsibility to prepare kids for the increased homework expectations in third grade.

Time Management: My homework is also designed to help kids learn time management skills. They have a week to complete their assignment, and it is too much for most to do in one night. It will be helpful to work out a schedule for completing homework that works for your family. Some families choose to take the weekend off and do one choice each weeknight, while others prefer to get it all done on Saturday morning.   District expectations are that students spend about 10 minutes a day, per grade, each night on homework. This does not count reading. So, second grade students should spend about an hour and a half total on homework.   It is often helpful for students to have a designated homework spot. This way they can have all their supplies in one place and can focus on their work. Homework should not be done in front of the TV or with other distractions.

Reading: In addition to the choices, students should read 5 nights a week for at least 15 minutes. This includes the student reading independently, being read to or a mixture of both. Please help your child record their reading on the reading log. (I know this can feel tedious, but this information is important to me.)

Reflection: One of my goals is to help students learn to reflect on their learning and behavior.  To help with this, students will reflect on one of the choices they completed each week.  These reflections will have different focuses, such as: makes you feel proud, was difficult, was fun, etc. Although I will check that homework is complete, I will only give feedback on the choice they used for their reflection. I will comment on the quality of their work, give complements and note anything that needs to be done differently next time. Please review these comments with your child. (I will try my best to keep up with this, but things come up and there are weeks that I am not able to review homework.)

Homework Should Not Be Stressful: My main goal is to help kids develop responsibility and time management skills. I try to make homework fun and encourage family involvement. If something seems too difficult or your child is getting frustrated, please set the timer for 20 minutes and stop when the time is up. I would rather have homework turned in incomplete with a note than create a system that makes kids and families frustrated. I also understand that things come up, so please send me a note if homework couldn’t be completed.

Homework Breaks: I think it is important to remember that second graders are still quite young and they have the rest of their school careers to do homework! They work really hard at school and sometimes they just need a break. (I am trying to keep this in mind, both as a teacher and as a parent.) For this reason, I generally will not give homework over a three day weekend.

Communication: Please let me know if homework becomes a struggle at home or if the expectations seem inappropriate for your child. Depending on your child’s progress, homework expectations may be increased or decreased on an individual basis. Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns.