…developing individuals to meet the challenges of a global community

         With school back in full swing, “Do you have homework?” or “Is your homework done?” are common questions in most homes nightly. The task of getting kids to take homework seriously can be difficult. Parents often are unfamiliar with what the teacher expects or how much to help their child. Fitting homework in to the evening schedule is also challenging.

         Homework, when assigned and completed correctly, is a highly effective instructional strategy (McRel) that boosts learning. However, excessive homework is counterproductive and stressful. Parents gain good insight into what is going on their child’s classroom through homework. Students learn responsibility with consistent homework expectations.

         Cathy Vatterott, author of “Rethinking Homework: Best Practices That Support Diverse Needs” provides guidelines on what parents should know about homework:

         How much should I help?

         Monitor, don’t hover or micromanage. Jump in when frustration builds, before

the meltdown stage. Praise the effort.

What’s good homework?

Work that has a clear academic purpose, not busywork or work that’s overly

tedious. Work that can be done without help.

How can I get my child to do it?

Explain to your child that the homework is not your job. Help your child with

organization. Rethink your child’s schedule of outside activities.

How much time to spend on it?

Keep to the 10-minute rule of thumb, 10 minutes more per night at each grade. (That’s 30 minutes for a third-grader, more than two hours for a high school senior.)

         Garden County Schools are committed to preparing students for real life. College will have homework and many occupations may also require extra responsibilities with deadlines.

Our goal is to make homework meaningful and increase learning for all students. This requires ongoing and two-way communication with our parents to see how we are doing. Please contact your child’s teacher if you are struggling with homework concepts or completion. By working together, your child will be more successful!

-Dr. Paula Sissel,

Superintendent/Elementary Principal