English Department: Homework Rationale:

According to research done by the National Education Association (NEA), “at the secondary school level, student homework is associated with greater academic achievement.”  Not only does homework support students in developing core skills as readers, writers, and thinkers, it supports them in building a strong work ethic and developing time management skills that lead to ongoing success, especially in college where much of the work is done outside of class.  In alignment with the NEA’s guidelines, our homework assignments usually fall into one of three categories: “practice, preparation, or extension.” The goals of homework assignments include practicing in order to master skills introduced in class, preparing for success in both the short and long term, and extending learning through completing assessments that are always started in class.  Students are generally given more than one day to complete homework assignments and given opportunities to work with teachers during callback to receive clarification and support. It is without question that “we learn by doing” (Aristotle); therefore homework plays a vital role in furthering the education of students that occurs both in school and at home.