As we try assure the success of every Klaipėda Lyceum students we are changing the contents and volume of student homework
Ist part
Homework, and its contents are differentiated taking into account a student’s skills and achievement level. Ist-IInd secondary-school-grade-student homework is differentiated taking into the students’ skills as well as the area of studies they have chosen to focus on.
We recommend you give students homework consistent of two parts:
- necessary homework (differentiated based on the skills and achievements of the students)
- recommended additional exercises, which are not mandatory (based on the work tempo and learning abilities).
Mathematics, English language and Lithuanian homework is advised to be given based on the number of lessons students have in a national educational system:
- Mathematics: 5-8th grades and Ist-IInd secondary-school grades have 4 classes, IIIrd-IVth secondary-school grades have 5-6 classes;
- English language: 5-8th grades in state schools have 4 classes, Ist-IInd secondary-school grades have 5, and IIIrd-IVth secondary-school grades have 5-6 classes;
- Lithuanian language: 5-8th grades in state school have classes, and IIIrd-IVth secondary-school grades have 5-6 classes;
The amount of homework from subjects such as biology, chemistry and history in IIIrd-IVth secondary-school grades, because of the increased number of lessons, is decreased, making sure that no homework is given from at least one lesson out of the weekly lessons. (E.g. if a student has 6 weekly lessons they only receive homework from 5 of those lessons)
It is advised to not give any homework from mathematics, lithuanian language, English language or biology, chemistry and history on Fridays. If the students have two subject lessons on Friday then no homework is given from at least of those lessons.
Time, designated to the completion of the homework, is designated based on the size of the class and the nature of the subject:
5-8th graders should only spend up to an hour and a half on homework per day; Ist-IInd secondary-school graders should only spend up to two hours per day; IIIrd-IVth secondary-school graders up to two-and-a-half to three hours per day.
5-8th graders should spend around 20 minutes each on Mathematics, Lithuanian language and English language; nature and social sciences – around 15 minutes;
Ist-IInd secondary-school graders should spend around 25 minutes each on Mathematics, Lithuanian language and English language; nature and social sciences – around 20 minutes.
Homework from music and the arts:
- Are given to students not more often that every other, every third week. It is recommended that homework from these subjects not be given at all – to, instead, provide recommended activities that are not mandatory;
- Homework should be assigned individually, making sure the students get to do assignments that are more interesting to them, and can be framed as recommended tasks
- Students who do not participate in music or art classes do not have to complete previous assignments and do not end up with an incomplete; in these cases the assignments can be given to students only as recommended projects.
There is no homework to be had from P.E. classes. Homework is to be replaced by recommendations which are not mandatory.
If there are two class periods of the same subject per day – homework is to be given from only of those classes.
One day out of the moth is to be determined to be completely free of homework. There is to be no homework on the last day of school before holidays.
There is to be no homework before Public holidays.
Agreements on projects:
- Students can only be actively working on one project at a time;
- Projects have to planned ahead of time and need to be included in the project schedule;
- Students in the 5-8th grades are given projects that last no longer than two weeks, Ist-IVth secondary-school students are given no more than three weeks to work on a project;
- The amount of time students work on projects at home have to be counted towards the sum total of the time given for the project’s completion;
- It is advised that a part of the classroom time be used for projects (for research gathering, organising workload, consultation on the project progression, etc.)
- Nature sciences’ and other projects that require technical equipment (for construction, modelling, glueing, and alike) and recommended to be integrated into technology or art classes, and other subjects, and should be completed during the lessons of the other integrated subjects.
IInd part
Homework exercises and tasks should be:
- Well-thought-out and deliberately chosen (to retain, review, summarise or to prepare for a test, etc.)
- If possible – integrated (according to the chosen subject group focus, interdisciplinary integration)
- Modern (connected with today’s topics)
- Encouraging of student creativity
- Always checked
- If students are given long-term homework assignments then there should be soe homework-completion check-ins, the homework should be presented
Homework from Music classes should be given out individually, making sure to complete more interesting creative tasks. 8th grades and Ist-IVth secondary-school grade students should also be allowed to use mobile devices/tablets for some of the tasks.
Art class time should be used effectively by the students for the completion of creative tasks. Students will be asked to bring in tools for their self-expression and art assignments.
Students learn about art history, art-related definitions and concepts, the different types of art and their techniques during class time.
In MYP and Pre-IB classes, about 30-50 percent of homework (depending on the class) comes from English language tasks, 50-70 percent – Lithuanian language homework. Because students learning in the MYP programme are given long-term homework assignments (1-2 month-long tasks), it is necessary to keep close attention to the students’ completion of the tasks (the class has to establish dates for completion, when the students have to present the specific part of their homework),