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An Observation
I have talked with many parents over my years in teaching and a common and often surprising theme among those parents has
been the amount of support their children have needed during the first three years of the intermediate program, grades 4,
5 & 6. This is especially true for boys.
Many parents see a decrease in the amount of support they give their child from grade 1 to grade 3 and naturally assume
that support will continue to decrease as their children get older, but this is very often not the case.
Many children require more support in the early Intermediate grades because of:
1) the increased work load
2) the added responsibility of completing assignments at home
3) the dramatic increase in class size population - approximately 25% more students in the classroom and
4) consequently far less time with the teachers
NO HOMEWORK DAYS
If your child does not have unfinished school work to complete at home or assigned homework, (I usually do not assign
specific work to do at home until the third term), it is still an expectation that students will spend an appropriate amount
of time on home study such as reading, journal writing, reviewing etc.
The Ministry of Education recommends 30 minutes of home study for children in grades 4 to 7. However, some students will require
more home study time and some less. There are many factors involved, among them, your child's ability to focus on tasks during
class time.
Some children require more time and support than others and this is not always a reflection on intellectual ability or parenting
styles.
Home Study Guidelines
Developing the ability to work independently, to take responsibility for ones learning and to develop organizational skills
are some of the benefits that I believe are derived from a home study program. I also believe that home study is not a replacement
for social and community activities, these are important parts of a child's development as well. In an endeavour to bring
clarity to the notion of home study the following guidelines have been developed with input from staff and parents.
School work done at home may involve:
-required activities intended to be done at home i.e. home reading program, spelling etc.
-completion of class work;
-optional activities intended to be done at home or selected study activities;
-interactive activities such as board games, card games etc. that involve number sense, cooperation/reading.
Home study may also take many forms including, but not limited to:
-word problems, worksheets and drills,
-reading, writing, thinking and discussing, observing etc.
-research and projects,
-studying for quizzes and tests.
Home study should be appropriate to the age and abilities of the student. It is not intended as a form of accelerated
academic learning nor is it intended to be punitive. It is intended to be productive for the child related to the classroom
program. I appreciate that time with family members is valuable and can also provide rich experiences that are equally important.
Students, parents and teachers all carry responsibility for home study.
As the teacher I will:
-communicate, in September, the nature and extent of home study.
-provide clear instructions and feedback.
-encourage students to develop responsibility with increasing independence.
-ensure that home study is relevant and at the appropriate level for the student.
-make an effort to balance home study assignments throughout the year and with other teachers that may share in your child's
education this year.
It is the students responsibility to:
-take the agenda, books and materials home and return them to school.
-understand what is expected and ask questions to clarify expectations when necessary.
-complete homework by the due date and return it to school
The British Columbia Ministry of Education suggests that parents:
-support the completion of tasks by checking the student planner assignment sheet.
-support the development of time management skills; i.e. completing work in an appropriate amount of time and at an appropriate
hour.
-provide a quiet work space, and routine regarding time etc. when needed, clarify concepts being learned (this should
be the exception and not the rule though)
-assist with proofreading and editing written work when appropriate
INTERMEDIATE GRADES
In the intermediate grades home study will move from guided practice activities to more independent work. Although students
are encouraged to develop independent work habits it is still appropriate for parents to clarify concepts and assist with
homework when needed. Established literacy and numeracy activities begun in the primary grades may be continued as homework,
but homework may also include completion of work not finished during class as well as research and project work. During these
years the time spent on homework will increase, about 30 to 45 minutes per day on average, not including the weekend, for
Grades 4 and 5 students. In Grade 6 and 7 about 45 to 60 minutes per day on average and not including the weekend.
THESE TIMES ARE GUIDELINES.
The amount of home study will fluctuate throughout the school year depending on factors such as your child's ability to
concentrate on completing tasks in class time provided.
A BALANCED PLAN
As part of a time management plan and a balanced lifestyle program students should examine their time allocations and
determine a schedule that works for their home life and their school responsibilities.
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