• WordPress.org
  • Documentation
  • Learn WordPress
  • Members Newsfeed

homework club work

How to Set Up a Homework Club

homework club work

Homework clubs can be a fantastic way for students to get together, help each other, and stay motivated to complete their school assignments. If you’re considering setting up a homework club, here are some steps to guide you through the process.

 Define the Purpose and Goals

Before you start a homework club, it’s important to determine why you’re starting it and what you hope to achieve. Do you want to provide a quiet space for individual study, or are you aiming for collaborative learning where students help each other? Setting clear goals will help guide the structure of your club.

 Choose a Location

A suitable location is critical. This place should be quiet, have enough space, and be easily accessible to students. Libraries, community centers, or empty classrooms are excellent places as they provide a formal atmosphere conducive to studying.

 Set a Schedule

Decide on the days and times that the homework club will meet. It’s important to consider when students are most likely to attend — after school or in the evening. Be consistent with the timing so that students can build it into their routine.

 Gather Materials

Make sure you have all the materials necessary for effective studying: textbooks, reference books, stationary supplies like pens and paper, computers with internet access if possible, printer/scanner facilities, etc.

 Establish Rules and Structure

Creating a set of rules helps to maintain order and focus within the group. For instance, settle on rules regarding noise levels, toy usage during club time (like phones), or bringing snacks. Additionally, decide how the time will be structured—whether there’ll be a quick briefing at the start of each session or if students break off into groups.

 Recruit Members

You’ll need to promote your homework club to gather members. You can do this by creating flyers and posters to advertise around your school or local community centers. You could also use social media or word-of-mouth to get the word out there.

 Find Supervision

Having an adult supervisor like a teacher or parent can help oversee the club activities. This person can provide homework help if needed or mediate any disruptions that arise during study time.

 Secure Funding if Necessary

If you require funds for materials or snacks, look into potential sponsorships from local businesses or educational grants available in your area that support after-school programs.

 Monitor Progress and Solicit Feedback

It’s important to keep track of how well the homework club is meeting its intended goals. Ask for regular feedback from members and adjust your strategies accordingly. This ensures that the club remains effective and continues to meet student needs.

With careful planning and management, a homework club can be an invaluable resource that fosters community support among students as they work towards academic success.

icon

Related Articles

Classroom Reward Systems and Intrinsic Motivation

In the realm of education, fostering a positive learning environment is paramount…

no reactions

Mindfulness has become an essential part of many people's lives and is…

79

Sustainability is a crucial topic for today's youth, as they are the…

homework club work

Pedagogue is a social media network where educators can learn and grow. It's a safe space where they can share advice, strategies, tools, hacks, resources, etc., and work together to improve their teaching skills and the academic performance of the students in their charge.

If you want to collaborate with educators from around the globe, facilitate remote learning, etc., sign up for a free account today and start making connections.

Pedagogue is Free Now, and Free Forever!

  • New? Start Here
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Registration

Don't you have an account? Register Now! it's really simple and you can start enjoying all the benefits!

We just sent you an Email. Please Open it up to activate your account.

I allow this website to collect and store submitted data.

Subscribe for Free Resources

Hello Fifth

A Teaching Blog

Homework and Homework Club 101

January 8, 2022 by Jill Shafer

homework club work

Hello, friend!  Let’s talk about homework club and what it looks like in our classroom.

I have used THIS with students in grades three through five but, like with anything, tweak it to meet the needs of your kids .

Disclaimer to start: I’m not here to argue for or against homework.  We have a district responsibility and understanding that homework is a component of the day and not to exceed a certain length of time.  For us, it’s ten minutes per grade level so by fifth grade, no student should be spending more than 50 minutes on homework each evening.

I will, obviously, modify homework for students, as well as provide time in class for homework completion.

Homework is never anything new; it is always review and for us, it’s very predictable, which I’ll share below.

For our room, here’s what is assigned:

-Reading Plus (a program used district-wide): Our fifth graders are responsible for completing three SRs and three RA assignments each week.  They can work at their own pace but we HIGHLY encourage doing at least one each evening.  This is OFTEN done in class but takes anywhere from five (the vocabulary assignments) to twenty minutes.

-Language: There is either a brief spelling activity (first semester) or Wordly Wise activity (second semester). This should take about ten minutes.

-Math: Students are assigned 6-10 review problems, which come straight from their workbooks.  This is usually content that was taught in class about a week ago.  We are constantly spiraling to review.  Once a week, students are asked to do only Jiji, another district-wide math program.  They do this in lieu of a workbook page that night.  Regardless, it takes about twenty minutes.

homework club work

Okay!  So with that said, homework is always on our May Do board, meaning that if all their other assignments are completed, they can go ahead and work on their homework.  They may not know the math workbook page that night but they can always do Reading Plus, Jiji, or Wordly Wise.

We fill out our planners every afternoon, right before we clean up to go home (our district provides students in grades three through five with the same planners and I model it every single day under the document camera).

I am well aware that students go home to varying levels of parental support and I do not ever want a child to leave feeling like the homework is unattainable.  I am always available to help, whether that’s checking in after-school or being available before school.

Additionally, math in our room is never graded for correctness.  Student get their point if it was completed and effort was shown.  After our math warm up, we go over answers and students will ask for certain problems to be worked out together.

homework club work

I have homework checkers (two students) that go around during math and star the page if work is shown and the problems are completed.

For Reading Plus, spelling/Wordly Wise, and Jiji (ST Math), I do not check for completion until Friday morning. This gives students an opportunity to practice daily habits (math workbook) with time management throughout the week (reading and vocabulary).

Now, on Friday, if all assignments have been completed, this is where the homework club kicks in.

During soft starts (you can read more about that HERE ), I call students up.  ALL students get called up one by one.  We either go over missing assignments OR they get a punch for their card.

These cards are kept in pencil boxes and treated very seriously.

homework club work

The resource contains so many different options but I like to use these, pictured.  In order to get a punch (I have some fun ones in HERE ), all assignments must be done.

Missing one or two?  It’s okay.  We talk a lot about the reasons why it might have happened, what we can do next time, or how we can reach out for help if needed.

Not all kids get their cards punched every week and that’s okay.

We celebrate homework club every six weeks.  This gives kids a chance to “catch up” if they missed something one week.

Coming to homework club means they have their card with all their punches and they’re ready to celebrate!

Homework club can look a hundred different ways and I try to switch it up so that it stays exciting and motivating.

homework club work

Here are some ideas we’ve done in the past:

-Eat lunch with the teacher

-Muffins/breakfast before school

-Trade your homework club card for a homework pass

-Lunchtime movie or craft (they LOVE the crafts and I’m always looking for inexpensive ideas on Pinterest)

-Board game tournament after school or at lunch

-Special games at recess (I’ll get out THESE things and they’ll play together)

-Popsicles after school

-Trade your homework club card for a small surprise (they love fidgets, puzzle erasers, play dough cans, slime, fun pencils; I have a ton in HERE )

You really can modify it to work for YOU and your class but it’s another little layer of motivation.  It also gives me an opportunity to talk to kids about time management skills.  My kids leave elementary school and head off to middle school, which is a new ballgame with changing classes and having multiple teachers.

So, I try to keep homework doable and relevant, accessible and meaningful.  Homework club is just a little bonus!

Any questions?  Ask below!

homework club work

January 23, 2022 at 4:11 pm

Hi Jill! Thanks for the blog on homework. I’ve been wanting to spruce up my program, and I even looked for homework ideas on here last summer. I do similar stuff with math review, spelling, and book talk prep. I do have a question… what kind of planner do you use? I think I’ll start using planners next year, but I wonder if there are really simple, cheap ones out there. Also, have you had kids lose their planners? Right now, we use homework folders, and I have three kids who are always misplacing their folders and needing a new one. Those repeat offenders are working on responsibility and organization 🙂 and they’ll get it eventually. Thanks again for all of the great ideas. I may even implement a homework club soon! Andie

Join the Newsletter

Love freebies? Subscribe and gain access to the FREE resource library

homework club work

IMAGES

  1. How to Set Up a Homework Club

    homework club work

  2. Homework Club

    homework club work

  3. Homework club

    homework club work

  4. How to Set Up a Homework Club

    homework club work

  5. Homework Club

    homework club work

  6. The Homework Club

    homework club work

VIDEO

  1. the work vs homework vs the text #rubikscube #cube #cubing

  2. homework class work and test

COMMENTS

  1. How to Set Up a Homework Club

    Monitor Progress and Solicit Feedback. It’s important to keep track of how well the homework club is meeting its intended goals. Ask for regular feedback from members and adjust your strategies accordingly. This ensures that the club remains effective and continues to meet student needs. With careful planning and management, a homework club ...

  2. Homework and Homework Club 101

    -Trade your homework club card for a small surprise (they love fidgets, puzzle erasers, play dough cans, slime, fun pencils; I have a ton in HERE) You really can modify it to work for YOU and your class but it’s another little layer of motivation. It also gives me an opportunity to talk to kids about time management skills.

  3. Finding an afterschool program with good homework help

    A separate work area where kids can work on their own. A research area with computers so kids can look up information or type assignments. A comfortable place to read. A structured homework routine . A good program dedicates a specified amount of time for kids to complete their homework. That may mean about 30 minutes a day for grade-schoolers.