Homework Policy
This policy was devised by teaching staff of our school following consultation with parents and children.
We feel that homework continues to be an important part of the work of the school, reinforcing what is done in school and helping children to learn to work independently in preparation for further education.
Why give homework?
How often is homework given?
What is the content of homework?
How much time for homework?
The following are guidelines for time spent at homework. Different children will complete the same homework in different lengths of time. Time spent will vary from day to day and also from the beginning to the end of the school year. It is important to remember that it is the quality and not the quantity of homework that matters. The following are general guidelines only:
Junior Infants 0 - 10 minutes
Senior Infants Up to 20 minutes
Rang 1 Up to 30 minutes
Rang 2 Up to 40 minutes
Rang 3 Up to 50 minutes
Rang 4 Up to 1 hour
Rang 5 Up to 1 hour 15 minutes
Rang 6 Up to 1 hour 30minutes
Homework is given from Monday to Thursday. Normally there is no homework at weekends or on a school day just before a public holiday. However, children in middle and senior classes may sometimes be required to work independently on projects at weekends.
How much help should parents give?
How often should parents monitor homework?
How often do teachers monitor homework?
When should parents communicate with the teachers about homework?
When should homework be done?
RememberIf homework is a stressful experience between parent and child, something is wrong! This leads to poor learning and defeats the whole purpose. Should this happen on a regular basis, please contact the class teacher.
Homework is not linked to behaviour but occasionally children are rewarded with reduced homework if they have worked/behaved well.
The Special Education Teachers may give homework as a reinforcement of their work.
If homework cannot be completed on a particular night, parents are asked to forward a written note.
If homework is not completed, a child may be asked to finish it during break time at school.
Parents are advised to supervise and check homework nightly and sign journals and tests and reading logs.
Signed :________________ Date:___________________
Homework Guidelines for St.Dominic's N.S.
This is a general guideline for homework in Saint Dominic's including:
Allocated Time/General Content/Allocation of homework /Corrections
Junior Infants
0-10 mins
Monday- Thursday
Phonics
Pre-writing Writing
Maths
Folder sent home with weekly plan of homework
Corrected by teacher at end of the week
Senior Infants
Up to 20 mins
Monday- Thursday
Reading
Phonics
Handwriting
Maths
Folder sent home with weekly plan of homework
Corrected by teacher at end of the week
1st and 2nd class
Up to 30 mins
Monday- Thursday
Reading
Spelling
Tables
Maths
Writing
Pupil writes homework in journal (begins in 2nd class)
Teacher may upload to Aladdin or Seesaw
Self correction
Peer correction
Teacher correction
3rd and 4th class
Up to 40 mins
Reading
Spelling
Tables
Maths
Poetry
Drawing
Collecting Information
Projects
Pupils writes homework in journal
Teacher may upload to Aladdin or Seesaw
Self correction
Peer correction
Teacher correction
5th and 6th class
Up to 60 mins
Reading
Spelling
Tables
Maths
Poetry
Drawing
Collecting information
Pupil writes homework in journal
Teacher may upload to Aladdin or Seesaw
Self correction
Peer correction
Teacher correction
This policy was devised by teaching staff of our school following consultation with parents and children.
We feel that homework continues to be an important part of the work of the school, reinforcing what is done in school and helping children to learn to work independently in preparation for further education.
Why give homework?
- To re-inforce what the child learns during the day
- To provide a link between teacher and parent
- To develop a child’s concentration skills and develop a work ethic
- Homework is meant to be achievable by a child, i.e. it provides an opportunity to practise work already done. It is normally prepared by the teacher in class. However, sometimes with senior classes, some homework is designed to challenge children’s ability and provide opportunities for creativity
- Children are expected to do their homework to the best of their individual ability – no more, no less.
How often is homework given?
- Homework is given on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays but not on Fridays. There are two exceptions:
- If homework has been neglected during the week
- In senior classes some project work is undertaken at weekends
- Sometimes at the discretion of the class teacher or the principal, children are given
- Please note extra homework may be sometime be given during the week or at the weekend if a child has not done homework, made a suitable effort or presented untidy work.
What is the content of homework?
- Ideally homework will contain a balance between reading tasks, learning tasks and written tasks
- This balance is not always possible and can vary considerably from day to day. However, it should be noted that homework time devoted to reading and learning is as important as written work
- Homework will regularly contain reading, spellings, tables, written work, pieces to be “learned by heart”, drawing/colouring, collecting information/items and finishing work started in class
- Children often feel that reading and “learning by heart” is not real homework. Parents can play an important role in listening to reading and items to be learned ensuring this work is done well.
How much time for homework?
The following are guidelines for time spent at homework. Different children will complete the same homework in different lengths of time. Time spent will vary from day to day and also from the beginning to the end of the school year. It is important to remember that it is the quality and not the quantity of homework that matters. The following are general guidelines only:
Junior Infants 0 - 10 minutes
Senior Infants Up to 20 minutes
Rang 1 Up to 30 minutes
Rang 2 Up to 40 minutes
Rang 3 Up to 50 minutes
Rang 4 Up to 1 hour
Rang 5 Up to 1 hour 15 minutes
Rang 6 Up to 1 hour 30minutes
Homework is given from Monday to Thursday. Normally there is no homework at weekends or on a school day just before a public holiday. However, children in middle and senior classes may sometimes be required to work independently on projects at weekends.
How much help should parents give?
- Parents should try to help their children with homework by:
- Providing them with a suitable place and time to do their homework
- To prevent interruptions or distractions, like T.V. or other children
- Children should do written homework themselves and parents should only help when the child has difficulty
- If a child has difficulty with homework, the parents should help the child to overcome the difficulty with further explanation or examples, but not by actually doing the homework for the child. In this case the parent should write a note to the teacher explaining the problem
- Shared reading is not homework in the regular sense and it is simply meant to be an enjoyable exercise between parent and child. If it’s not enjoyable, shared reading should not be done.
How often should parents monitor homework?
- Parents should check and sign a child’s homework journal every evening
- The pupil’s journal is an important record of the child’s homework. It is also a valuable means of communication between parents and teachers
- Ideally, all written messages to your child’s teacher should be put in the homework journal (additional pages available at the end of the journal)
- Please check that your child records his/her homework neatly in the correct page and ticks each item of homework when completed
- Newsletters and other letters to parents are folded and placed in the current day of the homework journal. Please check your child’s journal for such notes on a regular basis.
How often do teachers monitor homework?
- Ideally teachers like to check homework on a daily basis. However with large class numbers it is not always possible to check each child’s homework journal every day
- As children get older and learn to work independently, some items of homework are checked less often e.g. every second day or once per week
- Some items of homework (and classwork) may be checked by children themselves under the direction of the teacher. This can be a useful part of the learning process for children.
When should parents communicate with the teachers about homework?
- When your child cannot do homework due to family circumstances
- When your child cannot do homework because she/he cannot understand some aspect
- If the time being spent at homework is often longer than the recommended amount of time.
When should homework be done?
- Each family situation is different - both parents working, child minders, etc. Ideally, homework should be done before any television is watched soon after school while your child is still fresh, however, some children need a break before starting homework
- Homework should never be left until morning time before school
RememberIf homework is a stressful experience between parent and child, something is wrong! This leads to poor learning and defeats the whole purpose. Should this happen on a regular basis, please contact the class teacher.
Homework is not linked to behaviour but occasionally children are rewarded with reduced homework if they have worked/behaved well.
The Special Education Teachers may give homework as a reinforcement of their work.
If homework cannot be completed on a particular night, parents are asked to forward a written note.
If homework is not completed, a child may be asked to finish it during break time at school.
Parents are advised to supervise and check homework nightly and sign journals and tests and reading logs.
Signed :________________ Date:___________________
Homework Guidelines for St.Dominic's N.S.
This is a general guideline for homework in Saint Dominic's including:
Allocated Time/General Content/Allocation of homework /Corrections
Junior Infants
0-10 mins
Monday- Thursday
Phonics
Pre-writing Writing
Maths
Folder sent home with weekly plan of homework
Corrected by teacher at end of the week
Senior Infants
Up to 20 mins
Monday- Thursday
Reading
Phonics
Handwriting
Maths
Folder sent home with weekly plan of homework
Corrected by teacher at end of the week
1st and 2nd class
Up to 30 mins
Monday- Thursday
Reading
Spelling
Tables
Maths
Writing
Pupil writes homework in journal (begins in 2nd class)
Teacher may upload to Aladdin or Seesaw
Self correction
Peer correction
Teacher correction
3rd and 4th class
Up to 40 mins
Reading
Spelling
Tables
Maths
Poetry
Drawing
Collecting Information
Projects
Pupils writes homework in journal
Teacher may upload to Aladdin or Seesaw
Self correction
Peer correction
Teacher correction
5th and 6th class
Up to 60 mins
Reading
Spelling
Tables
Maths
Poetry
Drawing
Collecting information
Pupil writes homework in journal
Teacher may upload to Aladdin or Seesaw
Self correction
Peer correction
Teacher correction
- No weekend homework
- Pupils sometime encouraged to work on projects independently
- Active homework and Digital Homework sometimes allocated
- Teachers sometimes use Seesaw or Aladdin portal to upload homework/links