Hello everyone! It has been nice to enjoy some spring weather and some outdoor recess. A couple of parents recently asked why I didn't make students do their missing homework at recess. Although I do occasionally have some students come in and do their work at this time, it is rare and it is for reteaching, not punishment. Research has shown the following about taking away recess:
If your child is having difficulty getting homework done, or getting it back to school, there are some things you can do to help him/her:
I am always available to sit down with you and develop a home-based homework plan with your child. Children will have more and more homework as they age, and it is important that you help them to develop good study habits at an early age. ~ Mrs. Mark
- It does not change behavior. It is the same 4 or 5 children every day who are not doing their homework, and taking away recess will not make them start doing it. Only the family can change this behavior.
- This is my 20 miinutes of lunch time, and I like to use this time to connect with students and families, eat with children who need some counseling, talk to clinicians, etc. It is a better use of my time to help children deal with anger, loss, and trauma and reduce behavior problems in class.
- Homework is expected to be completed at home. It is the responsibility of the family to make sure that it is finished and returned to school. I provide the assignments, post it on the board, review it, and post it on my website.
- Students NEED exercise to learn. Exercise helps the brain to connect to new material and retain it in their memory and play helps to develop creativity and cooperation. For many students this is the only exercise they get each day.
If your child is having difficulty getting homework done, or getting it back to school, there are some things you can do to help him/her:
- Schedule a specific time for homework, and do not waiver from this time. Most children do better if they go home and have a snack and then do the homework. Make sure it is well before bedtime. If your child does their homework somewhere else before coming home, schedule a time to check it over.
- Do not allow your child to watch television or do other leisure activities until you have checked the homework and have supervised it being packed into the folder/bag.
- Make it your child's responsibility to do homework. I only assign work that we have already reviewed, and so you should allow your child to do the work independently. If he/she cannot complete the assignment, it is important for me to know that. Just write a note on the paper and I will reteach it to him/her.
I am always available to sit down with you and develop a home-based homework plan with your child. Children will have more and more homework as they age, and it is important that you help them to develop good study habits at an early age. ~ Mrs. Mark
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