WELCOME FAMILIES OF 2024 TO GREENVALE SECONDARY COLLEGE!
In the next few weeks Parents and Teachers will meet and the question asked most will be: “Does my child get homework? If so, they say they don’t have any.” Greenvale Secondary College has a Homework, Revision and Preparation policy (Found in: School documentation in Compass) that states that for students in Years 7 to 9 should spend “45 to 90 minutes on homework per day”. This can include finishing off work not finished in class or set tasks from the teacher. Another important part of homework is revision. This is where students should spend some time reading over classwork, making mind maps or flashcards for new vocabulary.
Homework is about helping the brain move information from short to long term memory. Multiple exposures to new information is a way of imbedding information or skills into that long term memory.
ACTIVITIES THAT COULD BE INCLUDED AS HOMEWORK TASKS:
- Making dinner by following the instructions on a meal kit
- Finding the best buy whilst shopping at the supermarket
- Reading for half an hour (at least) – assigned texts or free choice
- Practicing times tables – on an app or answering questions
In the later year levels students will need to spend time studying for longer and longer periods of time to achieve study scores that will ensure that they can enter a tertiary institution of their choice. And then the hard work starts! Just like a sport where you need to practice often to get better at a new skill, homework is that for the brain. It is the tool to build stamina for concentration, it takes practice.
SOME OF THE WAYS YOU CAN SUPPORT YOUR STUDENT AT HOME IS:
- providing a place and a desk for homework and study
- encouraging them to set aside a regular daily session to read and complete homework on time.
- checking whether homework has been set and ensuring they keep a homework diary
Homework should not cause stress at home. If you and your student have done your best to try and complete a task and have not been successful, write a note to your student’s teacher (in the school planner) asking for more assistance or extra time.
