Homework Procedures

Hey! I'm Adrienne from Having Class and I'm so excited to be blogging here at iTeach Third today. When I was asked to share something that would benefit other third grade teachers, I knew right away that I wanted to discuss homework binders. This can be a tricky thing for third grade because they come in as babies with a second grade mind set and they leave as 4th graders with drama and a need for deodorant. It is really a big transition year for them. In my county, third grade is also the first year they receive letter grades and will have to take the year-end state test. Not to mention, our curriculum is paced at the speed of light so missing a few days could seriously put them behind. Whew, that's a lot!

It's because of all of this that I have had a really hard time with making homework consistent. I have tried it all sorts of ways in the past four years, but I had yet to pinpoint one method that worked all year. Then I had a revelation, it doesn't need to work all year. It just needs to progress with the students. I kind of piloted this at the end of the year last year, but this year I will fulling be embracing QUARTERLY HOMEWORK.

Quarterly homework doesn't mean I give homework once a quarter, it just means I promise consistency in the type of homework they receive for the quarter. I have had parents in the past who get upset when I change the type of homework I give mid-year. This year I'm starting out by telling my parents that they can expect the homework to switch up quarterly as the needs of their learners grow.

Here's what I have planned:

Quarter 1: Homework Packet
I figure homework packets are a great way to get them used to third grade homework expectations. They can fit in the work around their schedule, just as long as the packet is turned in completed on Friday. I collect and hand out homework packets on Friday so that I only have to do it once a week. So realistically, they could start their homework for the following week over the weekend if they know the week will be busy. Also, if they are absent on Monday then they already have the homework for the week.

In each weekly packet I will include:
-Reading Log: 100 Minutes a Week
-2 Reading Passages: For the first quarter I will stick to the 5W passages (They answer simple who, what, when, where, and why questions about a passage - see picture below.) I have to get them used to comprehension passages and using their strategies. These passages can count toward their 100 minutes.
-2 Spiral Math Pages: I love Evan-Moor's Daily Oral Math and Daily Word Problem books. My county also puts out spiral review but unit for our grade level that I might use.
-2 Pages of Current Math: These pages will review specifically what I am teaching or taught the week before.

I figure if they are pacing it out, it will be one math page a night and one passage/independent reading a night Monday-Thursday.

Quarter 2: Homework Packet
I plan to stick with the homework packet during second quarter, but increase the rigor of the content a little bit. The math homework will stay the same, but instead of the 5W reading passages, students will receive multiple choice passages with increased rigor from Evan-Moor's Daily Reading Comprehension.

Quarter 3: Nightly Homework
Years ago, my school purchased a test-prep/spiral review resource called "Thunks" made specifically for our curriculum. The students have 4 questions a night in each subject. I plan on beginning these third quarter so we can start to review for our state tests. They will be due the next day so we can review them whole-group.

Quarter 4: Nightly Homework
My team always switches to grade level homework as we get closer to our state tests. We choose longer passages to build stamina and multi-step word problems for math. We also send home study guides with a log that shows they studied for at least 20 minutes a night. Every day when a student completes all of their homework, they get a star for their sticker chart in the hallway. 100% of homework for the whole class earns them 5 minutes of extra recess. A whole week of completing all of their homework and their study log earns them a special treat such as kickball or pizza (when we can get local businesses to donate). They love this! We are super strict about earning the reward. Students who miss out one week, typically won't miss out the next.

TEAM Binders
My students will keep their homework in their TEAM (Together We Achieve More) binders. The students are expected to bring their binders to school everyday and home every night. This is my main source of parent communication.

Here is what I include:

*Front Cover: The front cover will have the student's name on a label. It has my contact information as well as rules for the binder.
*Inside Pocket: The inside front pocket is for urgent notes. This is where I put things that I need parents to see right away or sign and return the next day. This is also where my parents can send in money, notes, and forms. I make it clear to my parents and students that this pocket should stay empty, nothing should be in there longer than a day. This helps keep down on clutter.

*Communication Card: I keep track of individual student behavior with communication cards. Students can earn 5 points a day. If a student is having trouble with their behavior, they receive one warning before they start losing points. If I need to take a point, I mark it off on the front and then use a letter from the code on the back to inform the parents of the specific behavior. This card also serves as a weekly agenda where I write in any reminders for the week before I copy. Parents know to check and sign this every night. I check it every morning and stamp it with my date stamp.

*Homework: Student homework is kept behind a page protector that has information about nightly homework, tips for parents, and website usernames.

*Procedures: I use my procedures as the divider before the next section. This sheet has information about how I run things in my classroom and what I expect.

*Study Guides: I give all of my study guides at the beginning of the year for every subject. Students will receive a packet of study guides, by objective, for math, reading, science, and social studies. All of the guides are kept in their binders. I write on their communication card agenda (before I copy it) what pages they should be studying every night. This has really cut down on me forgetting to send home guides at the beginning of the unit or parents who are over-achievers and want to get ahead start on units.

A Note of Checking the Binders Daily: This can be time-consuming, but I've found it is the best way to stay on top of things coming in from home. I call it "check-in" and use it as a way to make sure I spend sometime with each student first thing. After unpacking, the students come to me to "check in". I quickly check their front pocket, check for a parent signature on their communication card, and date stamp on top of the parent signature. It only takes a couple of seconds and I get a chance to touch base with them. Students also have to "check out" before going home for the day. They take their binder off of the shelf and bring it to me. I use a highlighter to quickly color all the points they have remaining and we get to say good-bye and touch base again before they leave. I love this system! It is so worth the 10 minutes it takes.

So there you have it! That's how I found homework and homework organization works best for my third graders. I would love to hear your thoughts and what you have found works best for this age group.