Homework

1. The purpose of homework at Koromatua School is to provide the students with an opportunity to show parents and family what they can do and to celebrate their achievements and successes. Homework should be low pressure, enjoyable and fun. Homework also provides an opportunity to revise and consolidate the learning of the day/week/year and to develop regular personal study habits, while allowing students to do other things besides schoolwork each night.

2. Homework will consist of recreational reading, spelling and maths consolidation.

3. If a child is behind in their class work they may be assigned catch-up work instead of the regular homework as long as it is at the recreational level and they are excused from the set homework tasks.

4. How much homework should be given? The following table gives the expected time in 'minutes per night'. There may be some occasional variations but the following should be the norm. Students should not be receiving hours of homework. Of course, if the student or parent wishes more homework it is their prerogative to set some more.

Year

Total homework time including recreational reading

Yr1-2

Yr3-4

Yr5-6

Yr7-8

10 minutes

15 minutes

20 minutes

30 minutes

5. Homework will commence on day one of each term, and will be done four days per week, Monday to Thursday. Homework may be issued at the start of the week or each day and marked accordingly. Homework is not expected for the last week of the school year.

6. All homework is checked weekly and any feedback comments to students and parents noted in the homework book or electronically (as applicable).

7. Homework will be set for all children, and all children are expected to complete it (but see #8 below)

8. Complete or incomplete homework? Many students have busy after-school lives. It is left up to a parent to decide if their child has spent enough time on homework during that week. Accordingly, if a parent has put their signature to incomplete homework, the teacher will accept that homework as being complete.

9. Teachers are sometimes requested to prepare homework for children who will be away on family trips etc. The school guideline in these cases is for the parents to have their child(ren) do simple activities that help them to engage with and experience the trip itself. Examples of these tasks are: keeping a photographic and/or written journal and sharing it when back in class; emailing the class with daily updates of your adventures; collecting items or souvenirs relevant to the country and preparing a brief written or verbal report to present to the class; tracking your progress on a map; drawing interesting things; reading, talking, playing, etc. The trip itself is the education and the homework.