There are many schools of thought in regards to homework. Homework in Kindergarten can open a whole different can of worms.
Here are my thoughts, no matter what grade...
- homework needs to be meaningful- you shouldn't give homework just to give it.
- it should never be something the kids haven't had prior experience doing. In other words, you don't assign an addition page if you've yet to introduce it in your own classroom.
- it should be fun- you want the kids to want to do their homework.
My homework...
- is always an extension of something we have been learning about at school.
- is always a format they are already familiar with
- doesn't take long to complete
- is sent home daily, in order to develop a routine
- is something my students want, even on Fridays.
As kids get older they will have homework and they will need to study. There's no better time than kindergarten to start developing good homework and study habits. Part of the homework routine for my classroom is to complete the homework, then place the homework folder back into the backpack to return to school the next morning. The daily routine helps set the foundation for later school years.
I'll be honest, this is a LOT of work, but it is worth it. I used to be all about the homework packets until I had my own kids. I'd watch my kids rush through all their pages on the very first night or worse, wait until Thursday night when we had multiple pages to complete. It wasn't until my daughter was in first grade that she had nightly homework. At first, I was annoyed, but it didn't take long to realize how nice it was to have her sit at the table each day doing her homework, while I was feeding the baby and making dinner. With the daily homework, my kids developed an after-school homework routine.
Here is what my homework binders look like. My kids are so proud of these.
I use the poly binders from Walmart or Office Depot. I added a label on the front and a few clear page protectors with reference pages. I teach my kids how to use the reference pages at school, so they will be able to use them at home.
If you like my Kindergarten Homework system, you can purchase it from myTpT store. It comes with reference pages,editableflash cards, labels, and covers which can be adhered to folders or inserted into clear view binders.
