Homework
Homework is an essential part of our approach to education. Our homework tasks are exciting and interesting – more than just a chance to rehearse what is taught in the classroom. We want our pupils to look forward to completing their homework tasks, and the specific feedback they will receive on its completion. A note here, we believe that process praise is just as an important as a letter grade or a simple mark. Such praise might be: “I like the way you tried all kinds of strategies on that maths question until you finally got it right.” Or, for the pupil who gets an A without trying: “All right, that was too easy for you. Let’s do something more challenging that you can learn from.” Moreover, for the student who works hard and doesn’t do well: “I liked the effort you put in. Let’s work together some more and figure out what you don’t understand.”
We believe that the timing should be appropriate – we want focus rather than whole evenings lost to repetitive tasks. We want our pupils to have time to read and play, and interact with family, once they get home.
Homework helps to teach key skills such as time management, organisation, task completion, as well as responsibility. Pupils get the chance to demonstrate mastery of material without the assistance of a teacher. Moreover, we want parents to be involved – in the right way. Through homework, parents can actively engage in their child’s education.