Homework

(Be sure to check 'Events' for daily and/or weekly homework assignments)


           First grade is a magical year in which your child will make tremendous learning gains. It is also a time in which he or she will continue experimenting with their budding independence while venturing down the long and sometimes arduous road to becoming responsible, productive members of society.  I want to thank you, in advance, for all of the support you give your child to ensure their social and academic success. 
          
          The following is an attempt to clear up any confusion you may have regarding homework and the notorious “Homework Folder.”

 
Homework Folder
 
Your child’s Homework Folder has two pockets. The left pocket is for all items that must Stay Home and the right pocket is for Homework and any papers that are to be completed and returned. 

          At the top of the Return side you will notice there is a Behavior/Responsibility Calendar. This calendar is a way for you to monitor your child’s daily behavior and level of responsibility. Each day your child ends their day on green, a green star will be awarded and placed on the calendar date. If they did not end their day on green they should be coloring in the date with the color of the Behavior/ Responsibility card on which they ended their academic day.
          
Homeroom Homework
 
          I, your child’s homeroom teacher, will be responsible for assigning, checking, and/or collecting any and all homeroom homework and keeping track of completed, incomplete, and/or missed homework, as well. 

          Since our homework is related to our instruction during the day, all homeroom homework is to be completed that evening and is due the following school day. Homework not turned in on time will result in loss of free choice time. I can almost guarantee that there will be math homework every night. However, there will be occasional exceptions.
If you are confused about not receiving homework in math, be sure to call or email me with your concerns.

          I, however, will not be responsible for physically taking the Homework Folder out of his/her backpack at the start of our day or physically putting your child’s Homework Folder in his/her backpack at the end of our day. 

          I routinely stress at the beginning of each day to take the Homework Folder out of their backpack and put it at their table to be ready for reading. I routinely stress during our closing activity to put their Homework Folder in their backpack.
 
Reading Homework
 
Your child’s reading teacher will be responsible for assigning, checking, and/or collecting any and all reading homework. Your child’s reading teacher will keep track of completed, incomplete, and/or missed homework. Should you have any questions with regard to reading homework, please contact your child’s reading teacher directly.
 
For My Reading Students

          Reading homework will consist of reading aloud with an adult for at least 20 minutes each day (7 days a week). On the first day of a new unit your child will recieve a homework page with four days worth of homework (they will only receive one homework per unit so care should be taken not to lose it [see 'Make-Up Homework' below]). 

          Students are expected to read only the homework pages that are circled (top left corner of the page). However if your student is absent they will be held responsible to practice homework assigned on the day/s missed. The only exception will be if they miss the first day of a new unit and have not received the unit homework. Homework should be read aloud at least 3 times to an adult and it must be initialed by the adult after each reading, (homeworks 1-3 have 3 spaces that must be initialed [one for each reading], homework 4 has one space). The homework must be returned every day as we use this completed homework for partner reading until the next unit reading homework is given out. Students will recieve a gold star if all spots on a page are initialed by an adult. If all spots per page are not initialed they will receive an 'X'. If  homework does not accompany your child every day or is not initialed loss of recess will occur (no exceptions).

          Once a new Unit Homework is given out your child should keep the previous unit at home, placed in a safe spot to be used for continued reading practice. By the end of the first grade reading program, and depending on what unit your child began instruction, you should have upwards of 148 stories and/or practice pages to keep your reader reading.

          Starting with Read Well Unit 14 through 34 there may be 4 days of written homework per unit. At times the written homework may be sent home one page at a time and will be due the following day. Other times the homework may be sent home in a packet of 4 pages (2 pages copied front to back) and is meant to be done one page per night. These packets will be due on the 5th school day after receiving the packet. 

          In addition to the reading curriculum, I highly recommend that your child be exposed to reading other text outside of their Read Well homework. The local library has many wonderful books that would appeal to your student and at the same time help increase their reading proficiency and vocabulary development.

 
Make-Up Homework
 
Due to the high cost of copying (and the limited amount of copies I am allowed to make), make-up homework will only be sent in the event that your child was absent on the day it was assigned (lost homework will not be replaced).
 
Personal Responsibility
 
          Homework Folders are to accompany your child to class every day. Coming to class without his/her Homework Folder, may result in loss of recess, especially if the homework that is due is not returned as a result. 

Organizational Skills
 
          Please help your child keep all returned work at home when it it has been checked by me or their reading teacher. This will help to keep the Homework Folder neat and tidy.
 
          I hope this clears up any and all questions you may have about homework and the Homework Folder. Please feel free to contact me at (253) 571-1690 or dkirby@tacoma.k12.wa.us if you have any questions or concerns with regard to your child’s first grade experience. Thank you again for all you do to support your child's learning.