Homework….. As the sun goes down on another day

Homework is HARD for everyone!!! Kids are tired Kids are hungry We are tired We are hungry, fed up, had a big day… There is so much going on Sports/ dancing/music/art/tutoring Dinner has to be cooked Washing/cleaning/baths/pets/phone calls The “last minute change of plan”…

Things to make homework easier Have a pencil tin (pencils, pens, colours, rubbers, scissors, sharpeners, ruler, calculator) Extras that also help – 100s chart, alphabet chart, times tables chart, THRASS chart, handwriting chart, reading ruler, clock, counters

Where does homework happen? Keep the kids close! Bedrooms have distractions You need to train the kids to ask for help – it’s their work, and you are only there to assist if needed. Set them up with food and a drink – do what you have to do with them able to ask for help Help if asked, then move away again…start establishing supported independence early!!

How much should YOU do? Remember it is the KIDS homework!! They have already read through the sheets in class Teachers set homework that has already been covered in classrooms – there should be nothing new PROMPT them, but don’t tell them the answers Ask the kids to read out what they have to do to you…they hear it so it’s 2 ways of thinking about what they are being asked If the kids can’t do it at all – get the child to go to school the next day and ask what to do Make sure they have attempted everything, and that it is a reasonable and readable standard – if its not, ask them to rub it out and have another go – IT WON”T HAPPEN TWICE! Give them some assistance with the “homework box” and the sheets/book

It’s OK if the answer is WRONG!! Homework does not have to be sent back perfect – it needs to show what the kids can do – not what you can do!

Homework Standards It does not have to be perfect !! Teachers don’t appreciate Parent homework – it is obvious as they know their students, and it also doesn’t show them what the kids can do with out teacher and peer prompting

Reading Logs – what to read? ANYTHING!! What are they interested in? -Magazines, factual books, recipe books, younger children’s books to them Take the waiting time for reading – saves time later Read in the car on the way home, sit on the kitchen bench while you’re cooking dinner, read while you’re out watering the yard/cleaning the pool/ doing edges, planting plants, weeding

THRASS It’s not weird/ strange/wrong – it’s just different to start with! THRASS provides different spelling choices for sounds in words – you CAN’T sound out the, Kate, homework Graphemes, phonemes, graphs – all ave meanings that the kids learn and use – adopt them to support their learning (sheet)

Handwriting It needs to be readable and the best standard the afternoon is capable of. It does not have to be Perfect, if it causes more grief! Not sloppy, slack or messy! Setting out is important – don’t writes sentences in columns, write spelling columns, tables should be written out under each other, If it says answer in a sentence – remind them what sentences need (Capital letter and full stop)

Create a CHECKlIST Put down everything that the kids need to do – before/ after school Make the kids mark off each item as its done Have a reward/ or not – remind them you feed them! The world is not perfect, somedays are good, some aren’t – hope for more good than not!

If the homework is too hard… If the kids can’t do the activity – prompt, then write a note If they are having trouble with a maths problem – make it real, tell a story/ pull out the counters/ draw a picture/ use the times tables sheet. Things do change, that’s ok, show them how you understand to do it, and YES it is OK, then ask them to explain how they were taught to do it with an easier example and work up to it. SPELLING – speak the words first – say them, spell them out (can the child say it correctly?) Then write them down!

If it just can’t be done.. Write a note with a reason – tell the truth, we all appreciate it!

Keep smiling! There is always tomorrow to have another go...