Homework

Fourth graders are expected to write in their agendas on a daily basis.  All homework is posted on the white board along with a list of what your child needs to bring home.  If your child takes their job as a student seriously, there should be no issues with "forgetting" to write in the agenda or "forgetting" to bring items home.  If your child comes home with a blank or inaccurate agenda, you should refer to your home rewards/consequences to set up a goal.  It has been part of our end-of-the-day routine that children write in their homework, bring their agenda to me to sign, and they pack their bag. 

Homework is a tool used to practice skills used in class.  Therefore, your child will have nightly homework that should take the "average" student 50 minutes of UNINTERRUPTED time to complete. Yes, there will be weekend homework.  No homework will be given on religious holidays.

In addition to the homework, This does not include the 20 of reading activities (Read to Self, Read to Someone, and Listen to Reading).  Read to Self is pretty straight forward - student reads silently to themselves to build stamina.  Read to Someone allows them an opportunity to practice fluency.  They can read to anyone or anything - a family member, a pet, a stuffed animal, a picture, Skype/Face Time with another person, etc.  Listen to Reading gives students an opportunity to hear a better reader.  A more experienced reader at home can read, they can listen to audiobooks, or go online to search for stories.  Some sites I've found are:

• Story Line Online
• Reading is Fundamental
• Magic Keys
• Read to Me
• Speakaboos
• Mighty Books
• Storynory
• Signed Stories
• Book Pop
• Johnnie's Story Page

Save these links on your computer :)

If homework is not completed, an Academic Ticket will be issued.  You will be notified via the Friday Reward Letter of any tickets your child earns.  If your child is a repeat offender, we will need to work together to get them on track.

As always, contact ME, not Mrs. Reilly, with questions or concerns about homework.  It is not my intention to overload the students, but I do want them to have practice at home.  If you feel the homework is not a useful part of your child's day, let me know and we can make alternative arrangements.