Parent Guide to PNPS 2014 | Page 11

     Take an interest in your child’s homework. Check that he/she has completed his/her homework and sign the diary regularly. Participate in school activities, thus helping him/her to see how important education is. When books are sent home to be covered, do so promptly. This engenders pride in school work. If you are unable to cover them straight away, please send them back to school the next day. We will keep on sending them home until they are covered. Read your newsletters. Look for notes in your child’s school bag. Encourage him/her to point these out to you. Return reply slips promptly. Encourage your child to be independent. Give him/her chores and responsibilities at home and don’t do everything for him/her. Help your child check that they have everything they need for school each day. HOMEWORK          Grade 1s and 2s have homework books in which we stick weekly homework grids. The Grade 3 to 7 pupils use the school’s official diary. Homework books/school diaries must be at school every day. Please sign these diaries daily. Establish a homework routine. Set aside time in the afternoon and find a quiet spot for your child to work. Praise your children when they make an extra effort or show improvement. Always look for a reason to praise them. Take time to answer their questions and encourage them to discover ways of learning for themselves, e.g. making use of books and the internet. Always let us know if there is a problem with homework. Try not to let it become a point of tension in the family. Find ways to make it enjoyable. Please assist with homework but don’t do the actual work. There is no homework on a Friday, unless your child has incomplete work or assessments to learn for. ICT IN EDUCATION PNPS has come a long way over the past several years. On many levels PNPS is a very privileged school that has invested critical funds to lay a good foundation for IT work at the school. We acknowledge that we have much to be grateful for and we are thankful to those that have worked hard to allow the school to get this far. As we considered the implications of our limitations we could see that our children don’t interact with technology enough. This has very serious implications for learning outcomes in a modern society. We know that almost all of our pupils have access to a PC at home which greatly assists them in acquiring the foundation on which to build future IT proficiency. This foundation requires an effort at school and at home. Pinelands North Primary School 11