LEARNING AT HOME
INFORMATION FOR FAMILIES ON
- How to help at home with homework
- Required skills to pass each subject
- Curriculum-related decisions
- Other skills and talents
SAMPLE PRACTICES
- Information for families on required skills in all subjects at each
grade
- Information on homework policies and how to monitor and discuss
schoolwork at home
- Information on how to assist students with skills that they need
to improve
- Regular schedule of interactive homework that requires students
to demonstrate and discuss what they are learning in class
- Calendars with daily or weekly activities for parents and students
to do at home or in the community
- Summer learning packets or activities
- Family participation in helping students set academic goals each
year and plan for college or work
CHALLENGES
- Design and implement interactive homework for which students take
responsibility to discuss important classwork and ideas with their
families
REDEFINITIONS
- “Homework” not only means work that students do alone, but also interactive activities that students share and discuss with others at home.
- “Help” at home means how families encourage and guide children, not how they “teach” school subjects.
RESULTS FOR STUDENTS
- Skills, abilities, and test scores linked to classwork, homework completion
- View of parent as more similar to teacher, and home in sync with school
- Self-confidence in ability as learner and positive attitude about school
RESULTS FOR PARENTS
- Discussions with child about school, classwork, homework, and future plans
- Understanding curriculum, what child is learning, and how to help each year
RESULTS FOR TEACHERS AND SCHOOLS
- Respect of family time
- Satisfaction with family involvement and support
- Recognition that single-parent, dual-income, and low-income families
can encourage and assist student learning
Type
4—Learning at Home practices implemented by our members
© Copyright 1996-2006 The Center on School, Family, and Community Partnerships at Johns Hopkins
University
