At Aramac State School we believe that independent home study is an essential part of every student’s day. We encourage you to support your child to time manage homework commitments to ensure there is a balance between family time and homework requirements. It is expected that all students are set homework activities in order to develop good home study habits and practice. Homework provides students with opportunities to consolidate their classroom learning, pattern behaviour for lifelong learning beyond the classroom and involve family members in their learning.
Homework tasks differ dependent on year level. Homework will be given weekly- out on a Friday and be due in the following Thursday.
The Assessment and Reporting Framework recommends the following times:
- Prep - 3 (approximately 15 minutes per night)
- Years 4 - 5 (approximately 30 minutes per night)
- Years 6 – 7 (approximately 45 minutes per night)
- Years 8 – 10 (approximately 1 hour per night)
Keeping in Touch Book
Each week teachers send home a keeping in touch book attached to their homework. This provides parents with information about what they are been learning in class and their spelling, maths facts and behaviour marks for the week. Parents are expected to sign this each week before returning to school. Important notices are also attached to this for families if required.
Parents are encouraged to use this to communicate with teachers or encourage students with their work.
The Role of Parents and Caregivers
Parents play a vital role in monitoring, guiding and assisting their children with the completion of homework tasks. Offering encouragement can greatly assist children to develop the right attitude toward homework and learning in general.
Parents and caregivers can help their children by:
- reading to them, talking with them and involving them in tasks at home including shopping, playing games and physical activity
- helping them to complete tasks by discussing key questions or directing them to resources
- encouraging them to organise their time and take responsibility for their learning
- encouraging them to read and to take an interest in and discuss current local, national and international events
- helping them to balance the amount of time spent completing homework, watching television, playing computer games, playing sport and engaging in other recreational activities
- contacting the relevant teacher to discuss any concerns about the nature of homework and their children's approach to the homework.
The Role of Teacher
- Consider students' other commitments when setting homework
- In determining homework, it is important to acknowledge that students may be engaging in many different activities outside of school. These include a range of physical activities and sports, recreational and cultural pursuits. Some students have responsibilities as caregivers.
- Homework appropriate to particular phases of learning
- ‘Read with Me (Please note: Home readers that are sent home will be a level or two below their reading level as home reading should be enjoyable and focus on fluency and comprehension)
- Literacy/Numeracy activities (revision and critical reflection to consolidate learning (practising for mastery)
- Sight Words /Spelling
- Number facts
Addition and subtraction to and from 20
Yr 3- 1x, 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x, 6x, 9x, 10x
Yr 4-6: consolidation of all tables.
Yr 5-6: division facts.
Yr 7-10: consolidation of all tables.
Working on Assessment tasks during Homework
Assessment tasks may be set for homework. This includes students completing drafts and or a final copy. Students are encouraged to gain teacher feedback through the assessment process. Students will be issued with a task sheet and a criteria sheet in class. The task sheet and a criteria sheet helps the student identify what the assessment is about and what they need to include. Students are also given an “A” exemplar to help demonstrate what the assessment would look like and include.
Homework Club
Weekly Homework Club is available for all students to attend and is supported by teachers and teacher aides.
Extra Homework/Work during Absences
Extra homework will not be given for students. Teachers’ priority is teaching and learning of students in school hours, and providing the homework as per the Aramac State School Homework Policy as outlined above. Please see below for suggestions.
(Suggestions for Parents)
Reading
Take home 1-2 extra Home Readers or Library book (from school Library or local Library).
Read the Local Newspaper or age appropriate magazine
Purchase a ‘NAPLAN’ style reading comprehension textbook
Writing
Write a daily recount or diary of the days’ events. (Attention should be paid to – sentence structure, punctuation and vocabulary.)
Spelling
Using your child’s homework words (either from previous weeks or current weeks) Purchase a Spelling Textbook – relative to your child’s academic or year level.
Number
Write out the (+ -) Facts and/or Write out Times Tables Facts (x ÷).
Write your child some operations (+ - x ÷)
Include ‘Time’ of events and ‘Costs’ of days’ events with child’s diary or recount experiences.
Purchase a Maths Textbook – relative to your child’s academic or year level.
Internet Sites
There are usually fees involved for parents to sign up – but check with your child’s teacher – their class may already be registered with a Log In.
Literacy/Numeracy
iPhone/iPad apps
- Literacy (there may be a fee involved – if not search for ‘FREE’ apps/android programs)
- Eggy 100 (Reading Eggs program)
- Eggy Alphabet
Homework and Kit Book Example – Secondary
Homework is recorded in student diaries each day for students. Teachers record homework tasks on the board and have students copy this into their daily diary entry. Student diaries are provided to all students at the start of the school year.