Why give homework?
It acts as a form of communication between home and school.
It helps to revise and reinforce work done in class
It helps the child to become an independent learner.
What will homework consist of?
It is based on concepts or ideas that have already been covered in class.
It will consist of a combination of oral, reading and written work.
If your child attends a Learning Support Teacher or Resource Teacher, that teacher may also mark work for him/her.
How much time should homework take?
Homework is generally given Monday to Thursday night inclusive, with the exception of special occasions and holidays.
Sufficient time will be allocated for pupils to write down their homework in a journal or notebook each day.
All homework is corrected and checked by the teacher.
The following are guidelines for time spent on homework. Different children will complete the same homework in different lengths of time. Time spent will vary from day to day and also from the beginning to the end of the school year. It is important to remember that it is the quality and not the quantity of homework that matters. The following are general guidelines only:
Junior and Senior Infants: Parents are encouraged to check their child’s books for work marked by the teacher. It may be to complete an activity, colour a picture or tell a story: 20 minutes approximately.
First and Second Classes: 30 minutes approximately.
Third and Fourth Classes: 45 minutes approximately.
Fifth and Sixth Classes: 1 hour approximately.
Advice for Parents
∙ Set aside a regular time for homework and choose a quiet place where a child can sit comfortably at a table. Do not allow children to watch television while doing homework.
∙ Children should be encouraged to complete the homework independently. If they have difficulty, your help should generally take the form of prompting and guiding them towards completing the task that is set.
∙ Oral work such as reading, tables, spellings, songs, poems and prayers should not be overlooked.
∙ Discuss and monitor your child’s homework on a regular basis.
∙ A parent /guardian should check that homework has been done and then sign the homework journal/notebook. Add a note for the teacher if homework is incomplete, stating the reason.
∙ If you have concerns about your child’s progress, or if there is a persistent problem for your child in doing certain homework, you should make an appointment to discuss it with the teacher.
∙ Notes or letters to parents are placed in the current day of the homework journal. Please check your child’s journal for such notes on a regular basis.