Homework Philosophy and Purpose

Homework should be a valuable tool in the learning process.  Homework provides opportunities to apply learning and to experience necessary practice.  It develops student responsibility and accountability by developing work habits essential for succeeding in life.  Homework offers teachers, parents, and students the opportunity to be involved in and support the learning process outside of school. 

I strive to make each homework assignment meaningful and purposeful. To that end, homework gives students the opportunity to practice skills, prepare for a new topic, or elaborate on material already introduced. The purposes of homework are:

Practice - Students must reach a level of self-sufficiency in performing a learned skill.  This type of homework typically increases speed and accuracy.

Preparation - Students must access prior knowledge about a topic to be learned.  The focus of this type of assignment might ask a student to reflect on previous learning or think about what they want to learn.

Elaboration/Extension/Enrichment - This type of homework might require students to conduct research, compare and contrast items, support a position, or develop a graphic organizer of information.  These challenging assignments allow students to demonstrate their knowledge in creative and varied ways.

Reading - Students must spend time reading to increase fluency and comprehension while  preparing for discussions and writing assignments while developing a life-long love of reading. 

Study - This type of homework requires students to review material in notes and assignments to commit key information, ideas, and concepts into long-term memory and enhance the understanding of a subject.  Students will need to review and make connections between information and assignments to further enhance their understanding.

Students should know the type of homework and understand the purpose of each assignment.  The type/purpose of homework matters more than the amount - it should help students master classroom learning and spark their imagination, while leaving time for other activities. 

Click here to read the CV School Board Policy on homework.