Homework Philosophy

The staff at Tiffany Park believes that homework increases responsibility by developing organization and study skills. Homework encourages independent learning while appropriately involving parents. Homework promotes and supports the classroom curriculum while encouraging students to become lifelong learners.

Responsibility/Expectations

* Homework is to be completed independently with support only when needed.

* Students are expected to return all homework. Due dates will be determined by individual classroom teachers.

* As homework fosters responsibility, failure to return homework may result in consequences as determined by individual classroom teachers.

* Homework will not be assigned over holidays, weekends, or breaks.

Guidelines for Time Spent on Homework

Kindergarten: A weekly assignment + read one story Monday-Thursday nights.

1st Grade: 20 minutes of reading Monday-Thursday nights.

2nd Grade: 15-20 minutes of homework 2-4 times per week + 20 minutes of reading Monday-Thursday nights.

3rd Grade: 25 minutes of homework 2-4 times per week + 20 minutes of reading Monday-Thursday nights.

4th Grade: 30-45 minutes of homework 2-4 times per week + 20 minutes of reading Monday-Thursday nights.

5th Grade: 30-45 minutes of homework + 20 minutes of reading Monday-Thursday nights.

Make-up work

Per district guidelines, absent students are expected to make up work missed in their classes in order to maintain academic progress.

Homework Ideas You Can Do At Home

* Taking family field trips (museums, library, theater)

* Participating in community service

* Promoting hobbies

* Working with students to strengthen specific skills

* Discussing current events

* Encouraging children to write on their own (journal/diary, letters, thank-you notes)

* Getting your child his/her own library card and visiting the library regularly to check out books you can read to your child or that they can read alone or to others

* Teaching computer skills (word processing, keyboarding, learning games)

 

Reading

Washington State's learning standards and our staff's commitment to strengthening students' reading skills are the foundations for our school-wide reading emphasis. The minimum 20 minutes of home reading time, four days a week, may include any of the following:

* Students may read aloud to someone

* Students may read to themselves

* Students may listen while another person reads aloud to them.

* Students may listen to a book on tape.

Mathematics

In order to provide your child the richest and most challenging mathematics program, the Tiffany Park Staff would like to inform you of and ask your assistance in helping us reach the following instructional goals.

Grade Level	Tiffany Park Students Should Be Able To Demonstrate The Following Math Skills By The End Of The Indicated Grade Level
Pre-Kinder	Read digits 0-10 Count objects through 10
Kindergarten	Read and write #'s 0-30 Understand the concept of more and less Know addition facts through sums of 5 Count to 100 Solve + and - facts to 10 using objects.
First Grade	Know addition facts up to the sum of 12 Read and write #'s 0-100 Count by 2, 5, & 10 to 100
Second Grade	All addition facts through 9+9 Subtraction facts through 18-9 Read and write #'s through 1000 Count coins to one dollar
Third Grade	Read and write #'s through 100,000 All multiplication facts through 10x10
Fourth Grade	Know all multiplication facts through 12 X 12. All division facts through 144 divided by 12
Fifth Grade	Read and write #'s through 100,000,000 Maintain fluency in multiplication facts through 12x12 Maintain division facts through 144 divided by 12

 

Research

With regards to homework, researchers generally agree that:

* Homework should be necessary, useful, developmentally appropriate, motivational, well explained and clearly understood.

* Homework in elementary grades should emphasize establishing good study habits.