Do you ever hear the word “homework”(especially for Prek and Kindergarten) and wonder what the right thing to do is? Most people have strong feelings about homework. Either you are really for it, or you hate it! There are a lot of conversations and research both for and against homework.
I would like to give you MY opinion about homework.
I have formed this opinion after reading a plethora of research on the effectiveness of homework. Also, over the years I have assigned homework in many different formats.
One method that parents seemed to like was making a packet of one math and one literature/phonics worksheet per day for Monday-Friday. Students had the entire week and weekend to complete the packet. That way if students had soccer practice or dance class during the week, they didn’t have to be pressured to complete the work that day. Here are some ideas for math or language no-prep sheets if you would like to use this method.
All of this is fine and everyone has their own ways and beliefs about what homework should look like. However, my opinion (and one that parents LOVED) was for students to be children first and enjoy the short time they have with their families during the week.
Working parents are stressed when they get home late, have dinner to prepare, lunches to make, clothes to wash, extracurricular activities etc. Children should be given time outside of school to have experiences that help them grow, develop, and have fun with real-life experiences. This includes applying and reinforcing skills they are learning at school in everyday situations.
Therefore, I started giving my prek and Kindergarten students a monthly homework calendar.
Each day the task is a hands-on, interactive activity that is done with an adult.
Students check off the activities as they complete them. They don’t have to complete the tasks in order and it is optional whether or not they return their completed calendar. If they bring it in, they get to choose something from the treasure chest. I had 99% of my students bringing them in!
You can have these calendars (which are FREE) sent directly to your inbox each month so you don’t have to remember to “hunt” them down. During the summer months, other activities are sent.
Go HERE to tell me where to send your FREE monthly calendars. Just remember, if possible use your personal email address as some schools will send them to spam.
What are your thoughts on homework for pre-k and kindergarten students? Let me know in the comments!
Looking for more tips for pre-k and kindergarten? Check out my post on giving assessments to younger students here.
Where should I send your calendar?
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