“Carefully study to present thyself approved unto God, a
workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).
The
golden thread that links the family, the local church, and the Christian school
together is the primary ministry of discipleship. Part of the classical
Christian school’s responsibility as part of this disciple-making team is to
encourage a balance of the time and energy demands of all three of these
partners on caring parents. Here is a brief summary of the classical Christian
view of homework in the learning process.
Please
note the overlap in grades below is because we should begin to transition
students into the next stage at age-appropriate times.
In the
Grammar stage (Grades K4-6), homework serves to reinforce the
mastery of important facts and information that students will begin to work
with in later stages of learning. There is much repetition and memorization in
Grammar stage homework. Most Grammar stage homework should be completed in
class, leaving more time for study and test preparation with the encouragement
of parents at home.
In the
Logic stage of learning (Grades 5-8), homework introduces students to the
relationship between facts as they explore and discover God’s perspective and
sovereignty over His creation. There is more student responsibility for
organization, time management, reading, research, and reporting in Logic stage
homework. Logic stage students are expected to begin doing a little more
homework at home in order to begin to develop self-directed study habits.
In the
Rhetoric stage of learning (Grades 8-12), homework challenges students to begin
developing communicative skills through working with the facts. Creativity,
productivity, speech, writing, debate, and more are the essence of homework in
the Rhetoric stage. Rhetoric stage students are preparing for university and
beyond, where most learning actually takes place outside of the classroom and
is increasingly more self-directed.
Grammar stage homework and study time should take 30-60
minutes each evening.
Logic stage homework and study time should take 60-90
minutes each evening.
Rhetoric stage homework and study time should take 90-120
minutes each evening.
It
should be the classical Christian teacher’s common practice to:
Communicate clearly with parents regarding
homework assignments and expectations, and to listen closely and responsively
to parent concerns regarding homework.
Use class time to make sure students understand and know how to
complete the homework assigned. In addition to homework, daily classwork not
completed in class will be sent home to be completed and returned the next
school day. This enables teachers to observe and guide students in the work
they might have to complete at home under the supervision of parents.
Respond promptly and individually to students who may be having
difficulty completing assignments or taking too much time to complete homework.
Learning
is the primary vocation of your child at this special stage of their life.
While your child’s learning happens at many times and in many places, the
primary arena of their learning is the home and the school. This is where
homework can be a valuable tool in preparing them for learning success in thirteenth grade (college or career) and beyond!
