• Guidelines

    Departmental Guidelines
     
    Homework has substantial positive effects on the achievement of high school students. The time and effort students spend on homework are important factors in obtaining good grades. Homework is successfully completed more often when its purpose has been clarified and the teacher's belief in its value has been demonstrated.
     
    Purposes of Assignments
    • Practice assignments should help students master basic skills that have already been presented in class.
    • Preparation assignments should help students benefit from subsequent lessons.
    • Extensive assignments should require students to use a new skill or concept in a new situation.
    • Creative assignments should require students to integrate many skills and concepts.
    Allocation of Time
    The amount of homework will vary based on the subject matter, nature of the assignment, and varying abilities of the student. Although it is difficult to establish a rigid schedule for completing homework, teachers should consider the time involved in completing a given assignment. With block scheduling, students should complete homework assignments the first night an assignment is given. In this way, they can see the teacher for help, if needed, before the next class.
     
    A suggested guideline for the total average amount of time which a student should be expected to spend in out-of-class study is fifteen hours per week. Daily homework assignments are encouraged. Students enrolled in advanced courses should expect to devote significantly more time to homework.
     
Last Modified on August 3, 2008