Our classroom will follow a fairly standard formula for determining the appropriate amount/time spent
on daily homework assignments: ten minutes per grade level (10 x 4 = 40). Therefore, you may expect
approximately 40 minutes of homework per school night. These assignments typically consist of ELA
word-work (spelling, vocabulary, editing/writing) and math practice. Due to the variety of tasks and
consistent changes in an elementary school day, there will be times when your child has more or less
homework. I try to give more than one-day advance notice for quizzes and tests so that families can
review material over a course of a few days. Please let me know if your child is either spending
significantly less or more time than the 40 minutes, as I want to be certain that your child's specific
academic needs are considered.
Homework assignments are to be recorded in each child's daily assignment book (within their Take-
Home Binders). Parents/guardians are to check to be sure their child has both written the daily
assignment(s) in the book and then completed the homework before they initial the Take-Home Binder
Log. I make a daily record of students who are practicing good homework habits. When a student fails
to complete an assignment, he/she makes an entry in his/her Homework Diary as to the reason why it
was not done and turned in. I then manage consequences accordingly. For example, if a child is
consistently missing homework, then he/she will stay in from recess until the work is finished. And if a
problem continues, I contact parents so that specific plans can be designed and implemented. Please
remember that students must have turned in all their homework on time each month in order to be the
recipient of an Oak Street Jaguar Card!
Read, read, read! Many 4th graders (and their parents) have asked whether or not the 40-minute
homework philosophy includes independent reading practice - it does not. I believe that reading
should be a part of life and not a homework assignment. Therefore, please support your child's reading
efforts so that he/she is reading an additional 40 minutes each day (weekends and holidays too). This
can be any genre or type of publication - nonfiction magazines, picture books to younger siblings,
directions for baking cookies, etc. Please contact me for title, author, or subject recommendations.
Fourth graders should begin to prefer certain authors or book series, and there are many available at
their reading levels!
