Homework Policy Believe it or not even Kindergarteners have homework! However, their homework is not worksheets or studying like the students have in the upper grade levels. Instead, I ask you to read with your child every night for at least 15 minutes. Reading with your child each night will assist them in acquiring the skills they need to become independent readers! The time you spend reading with your child will also help foster their love for reading. It is okay to read the same book every night (reading familiar stories helps students memorize words!). At the start of the year, I teach students three different ways to read a book. They can "read the pictures", "read the words", or "make up a story"! As the students become better readers, please encourage them to use their strategies to solve unknown words.
Home Reading Program Shortly after the school year begins, students will start the Home Reading Program. This program will help increase your child's reading level if it is done every week! Each day your child will bring home a book in their take home folder. This will be a book they have never read before (which I call a "cold read" and at their independent reading level. I determine which level book your child reads based on what text level I am instructing them at during guided reading. Please read this book with your child 2-3 times. The purpose of reading this book is to encourage your child to use the reading strategies they learned at school to solve unknown words! At times, your child might need your help solving unknown words, reading with fluency, sounding out letters, etc. Although you may need to help your child occasionally, try not to just read the book to them! The whole point of this program is for them to work on using their reading strategies and to become independent readers! This should be FUN and provide you with an opportunity to read with your child and help them grow as independent readers!