Homework Policy

 

Homework Tips:

1. Set aside a quiet, regular time, ideally shortly after your child arrives home from school.

2. The child should be sitting comfortably at a table.

3. Encourage your child to keep books and copies clean and tidy.

4. If your child is working independently – be available to help and show an interest in what is being done.  Praise your child’s efforts at every opportunity.

5. If, when working with your child you feel yourself becoming impatient – stop, do not show your annoyance, this will only have a negative effect.

6. If your child is persistently having problems with homework, or if the homework is taking a long time to complete, contact the teacher and discuss difficulties.

7. If, for exceptional reasons, homework cannot be done please let the teacher know (a note in homework journal).

8. Parents must sign the homework journal (1st – 6th classes) to confirm that all homework has been completed.

 

Types of Homework:

1. Written Work: Written work should be presented in a neat, careful manner in joined writing.

2. Oral Work: Parents can help children in this area by encouraging discussion and by questioning the child on the given topic.

3. Reading: We want reading to be an enjoyable experience for children.  We would encourage parents to listen to their child as they read aloud, in both English and Irish, at all class levels.  Children often feel that reading and “learning by heart” is not real homework.  Parents can play an important role in listening to reading and items to be learned ensuring this work is done well.

4.  Spellings: In school we encourage children to use the following method for learning spellings:

• LOOK (at the word with intent to
• remember)
• COVER (the word and picture it in your mind)
• WRITE (write the word from memory)
• CHECK (with the original to see if correctly written).  This process should be repeated if the child fails to write the word correctly.

Spelling is, generally speaking, a visual skill.  Repeatedly spelling the word aloud will not guarantee long – term retention.

5. Memorisation: The nature of certain work lends itself to rote learning e.g. tables.  The student should be able to recall the given work in an automatic, confident fashion.

 

Time Spent at Homework (Guidelines):

Infants: 15 – 20 minutes

First & Second: 15 – 30 minutes

Third & Fourth: 30 –45 minutes

Fifth & Sixth: 45- 1hour & 15 minutes

 

Homework is given Mondays to Thursdays but not on Fridays. 

There are some exceptions:

• If homework has been neglected during the week

• In senior classes some project work is undertaken at weekends

• Sometimes at the discretion of the class teacher or the principal, children are given “homework off” as a treat or as acknowledgement of some special occasion.

• Please note extra homework may sometimes be given during the week or at the weekend if a child has not done homework, made a suitable effort with work or behaviour or presented untidy work.

• It is school policy not to give homework if children are sick or on holidays.