Homework, including daily assignments as well as long-range projects and responsibilities, is an integral component of the educational program in the Hingham Public Schools. The effectiveness of homework is directly related to the quality of the assignment, the clarity of instructions, and the level of engagement that is required of the student. In order to make this endeavor productive and profitable, there must be equal involvement among students, teachers, and parents in their respective roles.
While the type of homework varies by subject, course, level, and teacher, its purposes should be consistent. Tasks should focus on:
- practicing a skill
- gathering information
- reinforcing a concept
- enriching an experience
- extending an idea
- completing a research task
- introducing a topic
- studying in a productive manner
- establishing readiness
- reviewing actively and efficiently for tests and quizzes
In general, middle school students will average two hours of homework per week in each core subject; high school students will average three hours of homework per week in each core subject. Understandably, the amount of time spent on homework will depend upon the level of the course, the learning style of the individual, and the nature of the assignment.
While teachers may design their own systems for monitoring the completion of homework, students should clearly understand that they are accountable for the work assigned. Evidence of a checking, annotated checking, or grading system should be observable in separate sections of teachers’ rank books. Each teacher’s policy on the weight assigned and the impact that homework has on grades should be distributed in writing to students and to department directors. A copy of this policy should be kept in each teacher’s rank book for reference purposes.