Weekend Warriors: Math Homework Routine

I've teamed up with some of my bloggy pals to bring you this *NEW* blog hop:
We'll have a new theme each month, so make sure you check us out on the last weekend of every month! This month, we're focusing on math ideas. Check out my other post about organizing math cards!
In today's post, I am sharing how I assign math homework. As a teacher, I understand the importance and value of practicing reading and math concepts at home. I also understand, value, and appreciate the importance of students participating in after school sports, music lessons, clubs, and good, old-fashioned family time. As a mom, I know how busy life can be after school. My four-year-old is doing some kind of activity 2-3 nights every week-- and he doesn't even have "school-assigned" homework yet! Mom-assigned homework... well, that's another story!

So here's what I do: I give one week to do most homework assignments. Routine homework in my second grade class includes reading, spelling words, and math. By allowing the week, I'm giving my students and their families the flexibility to complete the homework when it works best with their schedule. And let's face it; some days, we come home from work and just want to plant our bums on the couch and do nothing. Kids are the same way too!

I use the EveryDay Math program, and each lesson comes with a HomeLink. I average four lessons per week, so on Fridays, I take the Homelinks from all four lessons I taught that week and staple them together in a packet.
Then I use my date stamper (which I'm pretty much obsessed with!) and stamp the following Friday's date on the HomeLink packet.
Random Side Note: if your date stamper runs out of ink, DO NOT throw the stamp pad away! You can't replace the stamp pads!!! Instead you buy a little bottle of ink (that smells really bad BTW), and squirt a few drops on the stamp pad. I learned that one the hard way...

Some kids go home Friday night, do all the pages, and bring them back on Monday. Some kids take the weekend off and do one page a night. Some kids wait until the last minute and try to crank them all out Thursday night (that would've been me if I had this option growing up...). Whatever works for them, works for me! As long as the packets are returned by the following Friday. I allow them to bring their packets back at any point during the week because, again, if it were me and I was done right away, I would probably lose the packet if I had to hold onto it all week. 

My goal is balance: keep the kids practicing the skills and concepts we've already learned, as well as giving my students and their families the option and time to complete the homework when it works best with their schedule. 

To kick off our new Weekend Warriors blog hop, we're each giving away $10 to spend in our TPT shops! So after you enter my Rafflecopter, make sure you check out my the rest of my bloggy pals!
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6 comments

  1. Hey Angela,
    So do you give the math pages the Friday after you've already taught all the concepts that week or is the homework packet for the concepts you will be teaching the following week?

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    Replies
    1. The homework sheets are from the lessons I taught that week. Sorry I wasn't more clear on that- just updated the post :)

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  2. I love giving my students some flexibility in their homework choices too. I like how your idea reviews the skills you just taught that week. Students benefit from the spiral review too. Love it!
    -Jaime
    Bright Concepts 4 Teachers

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  3. What a great way to do homework.... and I love the use of the date stamper....I think I would be obsessed too!

    Christy
    Crayons and Whimsy

    ReplyDelete
  4. I always toss my stamps! I love the idea of stamping your homework - so smart!

    Slainte,
    Molly
    Lucky to Be in First

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  5. I use a weekly homework packet too! You are so right about kids and their after school activities and energy levels after school. I think I need a date stamp too!

    Aimee
    Primarily Speaking

    ReplyDelete

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