First of all: the planner. Every single day students are expected to write in their planners. Teachers tell them exactly what to write so that the assignment is clear to both students and their parents. We have a class planner which is displayed on the board for the students to copy, and we have time set aside each day to write down the assignments. Students are expected to have parents sign the planner each day to check in with the homework. Each morning, students turn in their planners for me to check for assignments, signatures, and any notes left for me to read. Feel free to communicate with me through the planner, and I will also write notes to you. We find that it helps keep everyone in the loop: students, teachers, and parents.
Second: the reading log. Each student selected/designed their own reading log to use for this year. Some have even changed logs as they have settled into the routine for this year. Students should be reading everyday (even weekends). They should record everything they read. This is a document of their reading and helps us make sure they are reading, choosing appropriate books, and reading at an adequate rate. Research shows that the more minutes students read just-right books independently, the better they read, which also improves their academics overall.
Math: Students should be doing FASTT Math at home 4-5 times per week. They each have a calendar for you to initial when they do FASTT Math. If students don't have access to computers at home, they can use computers at school before or after school or during recess. FASTT Math should take about 10 minutes. Once students have passed all the levels of FASTT Math, they should do the Stretch portion of FASTT Math 4-5 times per week. Students will also have daily math homework from their math teacher, which should be recorded in the planner. It should take them about 20-30 minutes, as long as they have been using their time in class well. If you are seeing that it is taking significantly longer, please communicate with your child's math teacher about how to proceed.
If you want more resources about homework, please check my class website. I have posted resources for Type to Learn 4 (TTL4) and spelling which will kick off soon. There are also links for the Math In Focus materials online.
In conclusion, our homework is designed for students to complete independently. We encourage the students to take on the ownership of their learning and assignments. After all, they are the ones in fifth grade, not their parents and teachers. Thank you for partnering with us in our work this year to keep them on the right track!
 |
| Apple of your eyes! :) |
