At TKHC, we nurture students who can demonstrate strong approaches to learning (ATL) skills as we believe that this will help them learn more effectively and also help prepare them for life beyond school. ATL skills concern how students learn just as much as the actual skills they develop or possess. With this in mind, we have deliberately and carefully designed our homework policy to encourage students to practice and integrate ATLs in their day-to-day learning.
The Five Approaches to Learning
Every Monday afternoon, students receive a list of homework tasks on ManageBac, the learning platform we use at TKHC. Homework tasks often have a research element and the tasks are always directly connected to what is currently being taught in lessons. Homework is submitted to their teachers by Thursday of the same week.
Through this flexible arrangement, students can apply their self-management and thinking skills to plan ahead and think how to prioritise their homework. Every Tuesday and Wednesday, students have timetabled PREP lessons where they can complete their homework at school under supervision. This also gives individuals ample opportunity to seek help from their peers and teachers in person before homework is due. PREP is also a great way for students to develop communication and social skills in an academic context outside regular lessons.
No homework is assigned for Friday and the weekend. Rather, this time is reserved for independent reading and consolidation. An oft-heard lament nowadays is that students get so much ad-hoc or daily-set homework that it leaves very little room for students to read independently and pursue personal interests – not so at TKHC! We have thought very carefully about the skills we want our students to develop and how we can best provide an environment in which they can develop their ATL skills in an effective and natural manner.
