Pre-K Homework

The book above offers general activities that parents can do at home with their children. It includes detailed instructions to the parents for each activity as well as blackline masters.  

The following information will help you implement a

 Pre-K appropriate homework program in your classroom

Introduction

My goal for homework in my classroom is to include parents as partners in their child's education.  It is my responsibility as the teacher to teach the required skills, but it is the parent's job to help support me in my efforts.  In other words, "It takes a village..." 

Different types of homework benefit different populations.  The ideas below have been used successfully in Title 1 schools with at-risk populations. 

As young children learn and grow throughout the year the homework they receive will need to change with them as well.  Therefore, what is sent home as homework in October will look drastically different from what goes home in March. 

In the beginning, some components of a successful pre-k homework program might include:

• First Name Identification & Writing Practice

• Numbers & Counting

• Color Recognition- for those that need it

• Shape Recognition-for those that need it

• Letter Recognition

• Books for parents to read aloud to their child (Bookworm Kids take-home program)

As children mature and their needs change some changes to the homework are necessary, such as:

• Last Name Identification & Writing Practice

• Sight Words

• Little Leveled Readers

• Number identification, 20 and up

• Rhyming & other phonemic awareness skills

• Letter sounds

Of course, differentiation for students performing above or below grade level expectations should always be taken into consideration when assigning homework.

How Do I Get Started?

Step 1:  Prepare your materials.  Prepare the following materials to give to each child. 

Step 2:  Next, you will need to create a system to communicate what activities you expect your students to do each night.  One of the most effective ways to do this is by creating a monthly "Homework Calendar".

 
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You can download free calendars from the internet and customize them to meet your needs, see the resources section at the bottom of this page to download a sample calendar.  In each space on the calendar indicate which activities you want parents to focus on each night.  Notice how "reading" is indicated in every single space.  At the bottom of each space on the calendar there is a place for parents to sign indicating they have helped their child complete the assigned tasks.  You can mark each space with a stamp or sticker to indicate your acknowledgement of homework completion.  The homework calendars are kept in our BEAR books and carried back and forth by the child each day in his or her backpack.

Step 3:  To implement a successful Pre-K Homework Program in your classroom you must meet with all the parents to explain your program.  Do not expect your program to be successful without this critical component.  Have an informational meeting or "Parent Night" and send home flyers to invite the parents.  Make sure to include this event in your weekly newsletter as well.  See the resources section at the bottom of this page to see a sample flyer you can send home to inform your parents of this event. 

When having parent education sessions such as this it is best to have some sort of prior arrangements made for the students and siblings to be outside of the classroom in an alternate location so the parents can focus on the information that is being presented. 

1. After parents have arrived and you have welcomed them and thanked them for attending, show them the homework video (see top of page). 
2. Next, use your document camera to show them the actual materials they will be receiving.  Model how to use the materials and how to do each activity they were shown in the video. 
3. Show them a sample homework calendar and where to sign it each night. 
4. Explain your system for sending materials home in detail, for example will materials be sent home in a bag or a folder? 
5. Make sure parents thoroughly understand the purpose and expectations for your homework program as well as your system. 
6. Allow parents to ask questions and thank them again for attending.

Additional Information

Pre-K homework should last no more than 10 minutes total each night.

Worksheets should never be sent home as homework.  This sends the message to parents that worksheets are an acceptable form of "work" in pre-k and it is a good teaching practice when the exact opposite is true.

Pre-K homework should be fun and children should enjoy doing it.  Advise parents that if their child does not seem to enjoy homework time they should make an appointment to see you so you can help them determine what is wrong and how to make it fun.

Emphasize that reading to their children every single day is the single most important thing they can do as parents.  It is also highly recommended that you show the parents one of the following short video clips about the importance of reading to their children:

                                   How to Help Your Child Read (English)

                                   How to Read Out Loud to Your Preschooler (English)

                                   Como ayudar a tu hijo leer (Spanish)

Additional Resources

Links