Student Success at Home & in Class
A tip sheet for homework, assignments, and testing!
Greetings from your Parent Liaison Team
Hey Families!!
We hope that you are off to a great start this year! For the month of January, we wanted to highlight some helpful tips when it comes to helping your child with their homework. We also wanted to provide some resources for the upcoming Georgia Milestones for the 3rd-5th grade parents. We hope that these resources will encourage you to work with your student! Please let us know if you would like any assistance or additional resources by emailing us at katie.hooks@gscs.org or candice.mann@gscs.org. Thank you!
1. Limit Distractions. Create a homework zone for your students that is away from the T.V. and other places where there could be distractions such as pets, people coming and going and loud noises.
2. Provide Tools. Make sure the materials your student may need are readily available. It’s helpful to have a stash of pencils, pens, a dictionary, etc. available. Check in regularly and make sure that any special materials needed for class projects are provided so their work won’t be disturbed.
3. Help Manage Time. Establish a set time for doing homework. Don’t wait until just before bedtime to do homework when students are tired and easily distracted. Think about using a weekend morning or afternoon for working on big projects, especially if the project involves getting together with other classmates.
4. Be Positive. The attitude you express toward homework will be the same attitude your child acquires. Make it a habit to tell your child that the work they’re doing is important.
5. Do YOUR Homework Too. Show that the skills they’re learning are related to things you also do as an adult. If your student is reading, you could be reading too. If your student is practicing math, you could balance your checkbook.
6. Teach Don’t Tell. It’s important that when asked for help you give guidance but not answers, that way your student learns the material and concepts. Remember that a lot can be learned from struggle and that too much help can teach your child that when the going gets rough, someone will do the work for them.
7. Cooperate. Teachers will often ask that you play a role in your child’s homework. Make sure you’re being an advocate for the teacher and follow their direction so you can show that school and home are a team.
8. Foster Independence. Some homework is really intended for students to do alone. Homework is a great way for kids to develop independence and accountability for lifelong learning skills.
9. Communicate. Make sure you talk to your child’s teacher and understand the purpose of homework and what the class rules are.
10. Build Metacognitive Skills. Help your child decide what homework is hard and what is easy, then encourage them to work on the hard stuff first so they’re most alert for challenging work.
11. Set Break Time. Watch your child for signs of failure and frustration. Let your child take a short break if they’re is having trouble keeping their mind on the assignment. Build perseverance but set time limits to avoid burnout.
12. Reward Progress and Effort. When your child has been successful and is working hard, celebrate success with a special event to reinforce positive effort.
How Much is Really Enough?
These numbers are estimates and the actual time doing homework at night can vary with each child’s motivation and interest level.
- K-2: 10-20 Minutes
- 3-6: 30-60 Minutes
- Mid/High School: 60 Minutes,but varies greatly based on class load
The Georgia Milestones Assessment System is a comprehensive assessment system spanning grades 3 through high school. Georgia Milestones measures how well students have learned the knowledge and skills outlined in the state-adopted content standards in English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies.
Students in grades 3 through 8 take End-of-Grade (EOG) assessments in English language arts and mathematics. Students in grades 5 and 8 take the EOG assessment in science, and students in grade 8 take the EOG assessment in social studies. High school or middle school students enrolled in courses designated by the State Board of Education take End-of-Course (EOC) assessments.
Georgia Milestones is designed to provide students with information about their achievement and their readiness for their next level of learning – be it the next grade, the next course, or postsecondary endeavor. Parents, schools and districts, the public, and policy makers can use the results to monitor progress and support the improvement of Georgia's education system.
Highlighted Resources
Georgia Milestones Parent Resources- Learn More
Georgia Milestones Achievement Levels- Learn More
Georgia Milestones Educator Resources- Learn More
Georgia Milestones Technical Documentation- Learn More
Experience Online Testing Georgia- Learn More
Georgia Milestones Statewide Results- Learn More
Georgia Milestones Resources
Additional Georgia Milestones resources, including test blueprints, assessment guides, achievement level descriptors, and writing rubrics are available in GaDOE Inspire.