Why do we have homework in Fourth Grade?

There are a lot of opinions about homework. In general, many educators agree that homework is helpful as a way for you to practice skills learned in class and maintain skills or knowledge you have learned. The more you practice, the more proficient you become, and the better you will be able to use the skills or knowledge in new situations.

Sometimes homework is an extension of something you have already learned–an opportunity to combine and apply skills you have learned to complete a project or task.

Another use for homework is to prepare you for something we are going to be doing in class.

BONUS! There are additional benefits that come from doing homework.  It helps you take responsibility for your learning and it builds perseverance (that means you stick with something even when it’s difficult). Homework gives you opportunities to practice managing your time.  You can also enjoy feeling a sense of accomplishment for a job well done. Those are all important things to carry with you into middle school and into the rest of your life!

I take homework seriously in Fourth Grade, and I expect my students will take it seriously, too.

Here is what you can expect from me:

• Homework will be assigned on Monday –Thursday, and will include 20 minutes of independent reading, as well as math practice and work in one other content area on most nights.
•  There may be occasional weekend homework such as a long-term project or preparing for an upcoming test.
•  In class, I will write the daily assignments on the whiteboard for you to copy into your assignment notebook.
•  I will post on the classroom calendar the due dates of projects and upcoming quizzes and tests.
• I will give you feedback on your homework.

Here is what I expect from you:

• Copy the homework assignments neatly and completely in your GO Binder each day.
• Make sure you take home any books or materials you will need to use.
• Do your work in a quiet, comfortable place where you won’t be rushed or distracted. 
• Complete work in pencil or type it on the computer. It should be neat and easy to read. 
• All work must be labeled with your first and last name and the date. It will be marked incomplete if these are missing.
• Please be sure to check over your work. If you are stuck, check in with a family member for clarification.
• Bring your completed work back to school on the day it is due. 
• If work is incomplete, it will be returned to you for completion.

        

IMPORTANT: If you have spent some time working on an assignment and are feeling very frustrated or just are not getting it, please write me a note explaining the situation, and we can talk about it the next day.

  

Here are ways that parents and caregivers can help:

While we expect that students in 4^th grade will spend about 40 minutes on homework, we realize that this will vary depending on the student and the work assigned. Your child is expected to read for 20 minutes each night as part of his or her homework. This may include reading with you or using an audio book.  

I ask students to try all of the assignments given, even if they are challenging. Please remember that homework is meant to be done independently. However, if your child has persevered, and you have offered clarification, but he or she is feeling frustrated and upset, please have your child STOP working on the assignment. I encourage students to self-advocate, and this is a good opportunity for a student to write a brief note explaining his or her situation to me. If your child is too upset to do so, please feel free to contact me yourself.

It is important that your child hand in work on the day it is due. I understand that on rare occasions extenuating circumstances may interfere with a child’s ability to complete his or her work. Please contact me if that should be the case.

To support your child’s efforts to complete his or her homework, please work together to set aside a special distraction-free place in your home where your child can work on homework. I discourage students from trying to do their homework on the bus or while traveling to outside activities. Some considerations to keep in mind as you plan this space:

• a clean work area free from TV, cell phones, computers, siblings who may distract, etc.
• adequate lighting
• basic school supplies such as lined paper, pencils, erasers, stapler, tape, glue stick, scissors, calculator, ruler, protractor, etc.
• access to a computer with printer for occasional assignments
• calendar to note upcoming due dates
• comfortable chair

From time to time, I will ask your child to have you review a test they have recently taken, and get a parent/guardian signature on it before returning it to me. Thanks for your support with this.  I appreciate the partnership we share in helping your child master the content and skills taught in Fourth Grade while developing solid, lifelong study habits.