"Homework, Homework...give me a break...It's almost summer!"

Welcome to June's asset of the month: Homework - where all children spend at least one hour or more per week doing homework! I can hear the groans from here! I actually know some kids who wish they had only one hour of homework per week! The truth is this: homework actually keeps those learning juices flowing...I know that many kids might think that homework is simply an extension of teacher & classroom "torture"...But, homework is actually designed to teach kids the skills of independence and responsibility. Sure, there are some teachers that tend to "overdo" the homework thing at times, but overall believe it or not, it is because they want kids to be successful, independent, & critical thinkers! Just because summer vacation is only moments away does not mean that learning time should be over! This is the time when kids (you) can take control of  their own homework assignments. There is much to learn outside of a classroom in a school building! Expanding our knowledge can happen all summer long...in museums, on hikes, at the beach, visiting new places on vacation...and of course through reading! Whether you are an old fashioned gal like me who still loves the feel and smell of a real book in my hand, or you are more apt to download books to your tablet, Ipad, phone, Kindle device, or you are a traveler that listens to audio books...the worlds of both fiction and non-fiction offer all of us a very diverse menu of fact, fantasy, mystery, intrigue, drama, comedy, biographies, & so much more. Books make us laugh & cry....invoke passion and incite anger....As human beings we are emotional beings and the power of the written word sometimes affects us the same as the spoken word...sometimes even more!So take control of your summer homework assignments and grab a book and a beach chair and as my Mom used to say: "Get crackin" on that homework"! Visit www.montvilleschools.org to check out the list of suggested summer reading books broken down by grade. See you in July! ~ Barbara