Whether you are a brand-new teacher or a veteran, here are 5 tips to help you create a mindful homework policy.

1) The 10-Minute Rule – The recommended amount of time for a child to spend on homework is 10 minutes for each grade level. According to this guideline, a 1^st grader should have no more than 10 minutes of homework each day, a 2^nd grader no more than 20 minutes, and so on.

NEA Reviews of the Research on Best Practices in Education

Research Trends: Why Homework Should Be Balanced

2) Choose Quality Over Quantity! – Look for homework that is worth your students’ time. Avoid sending work that is just fluff, busy work, or a worksheet that has too many of the same things on it.

Quality homework should be a short review of the curriculum that you taught, preferably spiraling through several standards and skills.

It should be engaging, age appropriate, and take just a short amount of time to complete.

Be mindful of assignments that require students to have supplies at home - like scissors, glue, and crayons – as many students don’t have them.

Assigning nightly reading in leu of skill reviews is also an accepted practice in many schools.

3) Be Consistent! - The time and effort you put upfront to find homework for the WHOLE YEAR will save you a considerable amount of time and stress later on.

Avoid “finding homework as you go” at all cost. Consistent and cohesive homework is better for your students and their parents, and definitely easier on you!

Download samples of my homework to see if they are a good fit for your students.

4) Foster Independence! – Many children do not have help or supervision when they do homework. In some cases, language barriers prevent willing parents from helping.

To increase homework completion, choose homework that has child-friendly directions, examples of how to complete the assignments, and create a predictable routine for handing out and turning in homework.

On that note, since the conditions in which our young students do their homework is so diverse, avoid attaching grades to homework in lower elementary classrooms.

5) Watch Those Copies! – Be mindful of how much paper, ink, toner, staples, and electricity the homework you select will use in the course of a year. Consider the layout and the homework content on the sheets you assign, so they’re not too taxing on the budget or on the environment!