Homework is an important component of your child’s educational progress at the Lower School.  Homework is a reality at every grade level, and when approached correctly, it provides a great deal of benefit to the students in a college preparatory school.  Not only does homework help our students develop the skills needed for rigorous academic pursuits, the students also learn to balance, prioritize, and juggle involvement in outside activities.  Students become more self-disciplined as they organize their time more efficiently.  A student’s study habits and foundational skills improve in proportion to the priority given to the work.

Because all students differ in their ability to focus and understand, as well as their pacing abilities and time management skills, the Lower School does not set time restraints on the amount of homework. Some study activities require more time than others, some students are more involved in outside activities, and all home environments are not the same. Homework can be as simple as collecting or assembling things at home that will be used in the classroom learning, or it can be as involved as a higher level thinking project-based activity. Whatever the task, it is important for our children and our parents to understand that we value and support what is assigned by the teacher.

As parents, we need to remember that there are skills that need to become automatic, and there are concepts to master, as well as processes to develop before our children can really apply higher level thinking skills.  Everything cannot be accomplished during classroom time. Homework reinforces the learning that takes place in the classroom. It is academically purposeful, and it is not punishment or a time filler. Homework is directly and explicitly connected to the current learning goals of the class.

We also need to remember that parents are not expected to be the content experts or teachers of the material. We can guide our child somewhat, but we should not do the work for the child. We want our children to develop ownership of their learning. We also want them to develop a positive work ethic and effective study skills. We should provide a place and a regular time to accomplish homework. We also need to make sure distractions are limited. We can break homework into short segments, 15-20 minutes, instead of one long stretch of time. We can ask questions about the assignment. This helps clarify the assignment and also helps the child use critical thinking skills. We can check over the work when it is completed. Most of all, we can encourage, be helpful, be patient, and be proud of the work.

Remember, school is a PK-12 process. As Brook Hill Lower School parents, we need to be committed to our children completing homework because it is an extension of what is being taught in the classroom. It will assist in our child’s development of responsibility, self-discipline, and study habits. Children know when parents support something. When they know we do support homework, they will be positive and eager to complete what is assigned.