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Why give homework?
To re-inforce what the child learns during the day.
To provide a link between teacher and parent.
To develop a child’s concentration skills and develop a work ethic.
Homework is meant to be achievable by a child, i.e. it provides an opportunity to practise work
already done. It is normally prepared by a teacher in class. However, sometimes with senior classes
some homework is designed to challenge children’s ability and provide opportunities for creativity.
Children are expected to do their homework to the best of their individual ability – no more, no less.
How often is homework given?
Homework is given on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays but not on Fridays.
There are two exceptions:
If homework has been neglected during the week
In senior classes some project work may be undertaken at weekends or other times.
Sometimes at the discretion of the class teacher or the principal, children are given “homework off”
as a treat or as an acknowledgement of some special occasion.
Please note extra homework may be sometimes given during the week or at the weekend if a child
has not done homework, not made a suitable effort or presented untidy work.
What is the content of homework?
Ideally homework will contain a balance between reading tasks, learning tasks and written tasks.
This balance can vary considerably from day to day. It should be noted that homework time devoted
to reading and learning is as important as written work.
Homework may contain exercises based on reading, spellings, tables, written work, pieces to be ‘learned
by heart’, drawing / colouring, collecting information/items and finishing work started in class.
Children often feel that reading and learning spellings, tables, etc. is not real homework. Parents can
play an important role in listening to reading and items to be learned ensuring that this work is done well.
How much time should be spent on homework?
The following are guidelines for time spent at homework. It is important to remember that different
children will complete the same homework in different lengths of time. Time spent will vary from
day to day and also from the beginning to the end of the school year. It is the quality and not the
quantity of homework that matters. The following are general guidelines only:
Junior Infants 10 – 20 mins
Senior Infants
Rang 1 20-30 mins
Rang 2
Rang 3 30- 60 mins
Rang 4
Rang 5 60-90 mins
Rang 6
Homework is given from Monday to Thursday. Normally there is no homework at weekends or
on a school day just before a holiday. However, children in middle and senior classes may
sometimes be required to work independently on projects at weekends or other times.
How much help should parents give?
Parents should try to help their children with homework by providing them with a suitable place
and time to do their homework and by preventing interruptions or distractions, like T.V. or other children.
Children should do written homework themselves and parents should only help when the child has
difficulty. If a child has difficulty with homework, the parents should help to overcome the difficulty
with further explanation or examples, but not by actually doing the homework for the child. In this
case the parent should write a note to the teacher explaining the child’s difficulties with the homework.
How often should parents monitor homework?
Parents should check and sign a child’s homework journal every evening.
The pupil’s journal is an important record of the child’s homework. It is also a valuable
means of communication between parents and teachers.
Notices to parents may be placed in the homework journal. Please check your child’s journal for such
notes on a regular basis
Please check that your child records homework neatly and ticks each item of homework when completed.
Ideally teachers like to check homework on a daily basis. However it is not always possible to check
each child’s homework journal every day.
In middle and senior classes homework may also be corrected by children themselves
under the direction of the teacher. This can be a useful part of the learning process for children.
When should parents communicate with the teachers about homework?
When your child cannot do homework due to family circumstances
When your child cannot do homework because she/he cannot understand some aspect.
If the time being spent at homework is often longer than the recommended amount of time.
If homework is a stressful experience between parent and child, something is wrong!
This leads to poor learning and defeats the whole purpose. Should this happen on
a regular basis, please contact the class teacher.