I designed this page to clarify what the homework in my classroom will look like, why I assign homework, how it is graded, and what my policies are. It is my goal for students and families to know exactly what is expected each night so that I can eliminate missing assignments and confusion. Please view the sub-pages for more detailed descriptions of homework in each subject area. If at any time something is unclear, please do not hesitate to call, email, or stop in and chat.
Math: Students will be assigned a math homelink regularly. Occasionally students will not have a math homelink. This may be because a particular lesson took longer than one day or because we took an end of the unit exam. Students will also need to study their math facts every night to increase their fact power. Reading: Students are asked to read for at least 15 minutes every night. The amount of time will increase as the year progresses. Students will occasionally be asked to complete a reading take home task to practice the reading strategies we are learning in class. Students need to record all of their reading in the reading log and turn it in at the end of the month. This requires a parent signature to count.
Spelling: Students will complete four spelling assignments each week. They may choose three activities from the spelling packet per week and complete a practice test in the spelling packet every Thursday. This packet is due on Friday, before the test.
Special Projects: From time to time there will be special projects assigned. I will explain these assignments in class and send all materials home with students, including the rubric I will use to grade the assignment. Some of the special projects we will do include book reports, mystery state research, constructed response journal entries, writing tasks, skill practice tasks, family heritage research, and community research. Students will also be asked to study for exams during each major unit of study. These will be announced well in advance of the exam. *In the event that we do not have a full week or month of school, I will have students turn in their spelling packets or reading logs earlier. All homework assignments will be written in your child's planner every day.
Our Classroom Homework Policies
You should expect that your child will have homework regularly this year. You will always find the homework assignments written in your child's planner that is kept in their T.E.A.M. Binder. You can visit the page on T.E.A.M. Binders to get a detailed description of our classrooms awesome system for organizing work.
I encourage you and your child to set up a scheduled time for homework each day. Students should be able to do most assignments independently, but do help if it is completely necessary. If you notice that your child is not able to regularly complete assignments on his or her own, please send a note or jot a note to me on the assignment. In addition, if you notice that an assignment is sloppy or not done to the best of your child's ability, please ask that it be done over. Neatness is very important!
It is my belief that homework should be a practice of the skills we are learning in class. I will never send an assignment home that has not been introduced, modeled, and practiced in class. I will explain all special assignments in class and send all materials home with students, including the rubric I will use to grade the assignment. Students are encouraged to use their class time wisely. However, if a student does not finish an assignment in class it may be sent home for homework.
Late, Missing, or Incomplete Assignment
I view homework as an important part of your child's development as a learner. Responsibility for homework should be taken very seriously. It is important to remember to do homework and hand it in on the date that it is due. At times we all make mistakes, something comes up, or we just plain forget!
Each day that a student does not turn in an assignment, they will receive an "Oops Notice" along with an extra copy of the assignment if needed*. The assignment should be completed and returned the next day. If assignments are still missing by the end of the school week, students will receive a Homework Notice listing the missing assignments, along with extra copies of the work if needed.The Homework Notice serves as a last reminder for missing homework. It will need to be signed by a parent and returned with the missing assignments the first school day of the following week. If the assignments are still not turned in they will be awarded zero points. In addition, any unfinished classwork will be sent home as homework. If incomplete class work that is sent home to be finished as homework does not get returned, students will be asked to complete it during their recess time.
*I will keep additional copies of assignments in a central location for students to pick up if needed. However, I will not be providing multiple copies of lost assignments to a student on a regular basis. If this becomes an issue, a parent-teacher conference may be scheduled to develop a homework plan.
Grading
I believe that homework should be designed for students to practice their skills, extend their learning, or develop their understanding of a concept. For this reason, I do not assign actual grades on the regular homework. I do check every piece for completion and understanding. Students do receive points for every neatly completed, turned in assignment. These points are part of how I assess your students productivity grade on the report card. They are also weighted and averaged in with your child's grade for that subject area. For example, your child's math homelinks will count as one point per homelink and counted as 25% of their total math grade.
Special projects are graded a little bit differently depending on the assignment. I will send home the rubric I will use to grade these assignments so that students and parents know what is expected of them.
Mrs. Randall's Third Grade Classroom Meridian Elementary Home of the Mighty Mustangs!
