Homework assignments and nightly reading are a regular part of your child’s education. The types of assignments, their length and frequency, will depend on the age of the child and his/her particular needs and abilities. Some homework is designed for parent participation, while other assignments are to be done independently by the child. The recommended homework times below pertain to students performing at benchmark, and do not included the recommended 20-30 minutes of nightly reading. Time may vary for students performing below benchmark. The teachers will inform you of the standards and expectations of each assignment.
Generally, daily time spent on homework should be:
TK/K/1st 10 minutes
2nd 20 minutes
3rd 30 minutes
4th 40 minutes
5th 50 minutes
Teachers attempt to plan assignments that are appropriate for each child. However, we know that all children learn and work at their own pace. If your child is spending more than the recommended time each night on homework (but not wasting time), talk to the teacher and he/she will make modifications. Remember, too, that on any given night you have the authority to stop your child’s labors after the appropriate time, and simply write a note to the teacher explaining that the homework was too difficult for your child.
It is also imperative that your child reads every night for at least 20 minutes. If your child is not reading yet, this would be a great opportunity for you and your child to spend time reading together.