Thursday, June 21, 2012

Weekly Homework


First of all I realized after I blogged about the giveaway that I had made the first task on the rafflecopter a must do.  It was like my Facebook page.  I realize that not everyone is on FB so I will be having a birthday freebie later this weekend.  So I apologize for leaving anyone out.  It was my first attempt at Rafflecopter so now I know what NOT to do this next time.  I'm sure I will have another giveaway or two before school starts. Thanks to all you have entered the giveaway so far.  If you haven’t entered yet be sure to check out the post below this one.

Homework has always been a struggle for me especially getting kids to read every night.  I was always getting excuses as to why “Johnny” couldn’t do his homework.  The past year I tried some new things and it helped tremendously.  Hardly had anyone not complete the homework.

The first thing I did was go to a weekly homework packet instead of giving out homework every night.  I have always been hesitant about weekly packets.  That would mean I would have to know exactly what I was going to teach that week.  (I’m one of those teachers that is always erasing/scratching out plans and changing them.)  But I ended up doing was keeping my homework simple.  Every week students had the same spelling activities to complete, I gave a few math sheets which were just a review of the previous week’s lessons, and nightly reading. 

Nightly reading that has always been a struggle.  This is the 2nd thing that I tried last year that worked out wonderfully- My Reading Bookworm.  Every week I sent home a reading link sheet.  After students read they brought in their reading link(s).  They could bring them in as they read or all at once.  It didn’t matter to me as long as they turned them in.  When the student turned them in we stapled them to the bookworm that went around our classroom.  The students loved seeing the bookworm grow every day.  It was a great incentive. Of course I still had some students not read, but it was a lot less than in years past.

 Once we completed the link around the room we had a classroom celebration.  Celebrations could be as simple as a pajama day or you can tie it into another celebration like I did and we had pizza for our Winter Party before break. 





If you are interested in this packet it is now available for sale at my shops. 

Overall the weekly packets/reading bookworm was successful I will be implementing them again this year.  Of course I will make some changes.

This year I am trying to save on paper so I took 4 of the spelling activities that I used and I will be running the copies back to back.  Click on the image below to download in google docs. 
Does anyone else have any great ideas they tried last year that was a successful?  Leave a comment and tell us all about it.  We would love to hear from you.


10 comments:

amy said...

I like how your math homework was a review. I think it makes it easier for the children and it becomes beneficial for you to know areas of weakness.
Amy
Where Seconds Count 2nd grade blog

Unknown said...

Yes, and it cuts back on the emails from parents saying my child didn't understand. If they don't understand with the review then it's a red flag for the parents since they know it's a skill that has been taught.

twilliams said...

HI! Thaks for stopping by my blog! Believe it or not, my school district frowns on homeowrk, which I do not agree with. I only give reading homeowrk everynight and it is similar to yours. I give a homeowrk sheet on Monday that lists what they will read each night and it has to be signed by parents or the person they read too. I am now following you!

Teresa

twilliams said...

HI! Thaks for stopping by my blog! Believe it or not, my school district frowns on homeowrk, which I do not agree with. I only give reading homeowrk everynight and it is similar to yours. I give a homeowrk sheet on Monday that lists what they will read each night and it has to be signed by parents or the person they read too. I am now following you!

Teresa

Unknown said...

Thanks Teresa for following my blog. I'm not a big homework person, but I think students should have some. That's why I like the weekly packets. Students can work on it all at once, a little each day or is able to skip a day if they are busy.

Amanda Kendall said...

Hi Sandy! Thank you for your post about your homework packet. I have done homework differently every year because I changed grade levels or moved to a new school and I always just wanted to match my team. I think I am going back to the homework packet idea like you use. Of all the battles I fight everyday, I hate fighting a battle that I have very little control of. I hope to find the same success you did with more kids turning in homework.

Amanda
The Teaching Thief
Fiction Friday: A Celebration of Children’s Literature

Chrissy said...

I do a weekly homework packet too. 2spelling papers, 2math review, and a cover sheet with the high frequency words for the week. It seems to work well, but this year I' m going to try sending it home Friday and having it due back Thursday. I've heard some parents really like having it on the weekend in case the week is busy. Thanks for sharing your spelling pages.
Chrissy
Firstgradefoundme.blogspot.con

Unknown said...

Amanda- Yes, I agree about the daily battles of having homework daily. That's why I really liked the homework packet.

Chrissy- Didn't think about sending homework on Friday. I like that idea.

a passion for primary said...

I am one of those weird teachers who don't like homework. I do send spelling homework though and it goes nicely with your spelling homework. I call it super spellers and it goes into a spelling spiral. I just posted yesterday about it!! check out my blog to see it. I took bits and pieces from all over and fit it for my class needs. I love your blog btw...

rene'
A Passion For Primary

Unknown said...

Renee- I would love to see read blog, but I couldn't get the link to work. I will googling your blog to see if works. Thanks for stopping by my blog.