Homework, or not …
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- Homework :
- There appear to be three groups when it comes to homework : those who are passionate about it, those who don’t see any point to it and those who simply go along with whatever system operates at that particular time.
- At this point in time, most education systems tend to favour some form of homework. The amount and frequency varies from school [system] to school [system] and from level to level within these. You will be able to establish what levels apply to your own situation.
- In many instances, the concept of what constitutes ‘good’ homework does not appear to have been clearly thought through.
- There can be beneficial homework, but what is requested, how it is to be done and what happens as a result of doing it [including correction, follow-up, longer term benefits] needs to be clearly understood by Everyone involved in the process - students, staff and parents.
- This article, When Homework Works, is fairly short, but seems to cover the discussion given below and may be of interest. While it was done in 2003, it is still relevant.
- The following thoughts [based on experience over many years and covering various viewpoints] are offered for your consideration and possible discussion. They may well change over time as we review them. You may strongly agree or disagree with any, or all, of them. However, when making your own decision they may provide some assistance in coming to an appropriate and well thought out conclusion.
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Should there be any homework ?
- At certain levels of schooling, the only possible “homework” should be to read a book [or have one read to them - parental homework !]. At others, homework in many guises will prove mandatory in order to complete all that is required of a student.
- There is considerable debate at present about whether there should be homework or not, with many both inside and outside the profession arguing for one side or the other. See later questions for further detail regarding the value and use of homework.
- Homework Helps Students Succeed in School …
[As Long as There Isn’t Too Much]
This report on a study of research over a 16 year period is fairly brief, sensible and actually bases itself on facts rather than perceptions. It is well worth reading. Done by Duke University, in the US.
What are the arguments For homework ?
- Parents want schools to give homework.
They see value in it for many reasons, including the need to ensure their child is able to achieve their maximum, it’s what they did when they went to school, ‘there is so much more to learn nowadays’, ‘they need to do more so they can keep up’. Some see it as a way of keeping children doing something ‘positive’ so they do not become involved in things of less value or acceptability, become a more sedentary person, …[see comment in the Against section to follow]; - Some people [parents and experts] perceive the practice of homework as a time when children and parents can interact, a situation which they otherwise see as occurring less and less. Many of these people do not look at homework as just being “schoolwork” but see it also involving other aspects of family life as well, i.e. developing relationships and support mechanisms;
- Some people look at the changing world, including that of schooling, and see homework as being a link to the past, providing a sense of stability. This is seen as existing, whether an actuality or not.
- It is believed that doing homework will lead to the development of practical, beneficial study patterns among students. This includes development of work habits, time management, research skills, re-inforcement of known techniques [e.g. writing skills, mathematical skills], …;
- The belief that with the knowledge explosion, it is not possible to keep up with what has to be learned, therefore you have to supplement what is done during school time with work being done outside. This probably occurs in the latter periods of schooling rather than the earlier sections. It can especially occur in secondary schooling where individual teachers are generally concerned solely with their own explicit subject areas.
- The belief that repetition and rote learning are still valuable tools for learning, especially when you are laying the groundwork for later learning [e.g. tables, spelling, poetry].
What are the arguments Against homework ?
- Homework is only being set because parents expect that homework should be set. Many parents pressure schools to set homework, often from an early age, because they believe it should be done. The strangest aspect is that in many cases parents end up doing a considerable portion [if not all] of the homework which has been set, meaning that the students gain no benefit;
- The time being demanded for homework is beginning to reach ridiculous proportions, even in some primary schools, but certainly in most secondary schools, with more than two hours of work being set in many cases. In primary schools, it is not necessary. In secondary, it requires a greater deal of co-ordination between multiple teachers in order not to create an overload of homework;
- It is not possible to learn everything ! ;
It is not possible to learn everything we need to know now and certainly not possible to learn everything we need to know in the future [much of the knowledge that will be required in the future has probably not yet been discovered, as we have found over the last decade for present knowledge]; - Just learning bunches of facts [e.g. the Prime Ministers of Australia], is a waste of time. What students should be learning is the capacity to find relevant information when it is required : from texts, from the internet, from other sources, … and then being able to put that knowledge to use;
- “One Size Fits All” homework doesn’t suit or benefit all students.
- The brightest and most capable students will ‘whizz’ through it and may [?] get some benefit;
- The least capable may not even be able to successfully complete it and gain nothing but re-inforcement of a sense of lack of achievement and capacity;
- We now know enough about learning styles [and multiple intelligences] to know that students will learn in different ways and therefore setting ONE way of doing homework may not benefit a number of students;
- A supportive home environment may not be available for every student. Some homes not only do not encourage homework completion, they actively generate the belief there is no value in doing and therefore you shouldn’t. Some children simply ‘survive’ life without having to worry about homework.
- You should also check the Criteria section that follows for other points that relate to reasons why homework should not be set.
What should be the Criteria for homework ?
- If there is no purpose, don’t set homework ! The purpose of the work has to be clear, firstly to the teacher setting the work and then to the student who has to do it. If it is not clear to both then it should not be set;
- If homework is set, then students should have at least a basic knowledge of the topic in order to be able to complete it.
To do otherwise is an absolute travesty, especially for those students who do not have great capacity.
Imagine a scenario if you knew nothing about cars except how to drive them and were giving an assignment [homework] to fix a major engine problem by the next morning. How would you feel ? Imagine how a student would feel in similar circumstances ? - The value of the process should also be clear. Will students simply be able to regurgitate facts or will they be asked to think about the topic and develop greater understanding of it ? The first format has no real value except to use up time. The second can provide benefit and will re-inforce the sense of purpose noted in the first point in this section;
- Be certain that everyone knows the scoring process Before the work is done. Rubrics are recommended. Students and teachers [and also parents] should know specifically what is required to score particular results. This benefits everyone and eliminates the ‘why did I get that result, why didn’t I get … ?’ process;
- Enough time must be allowed for satisfactory completion !
For example - setting an essay or a major project and only allowing one night for completion is quite inappropriate ! Everyone has other things they must do and cannot necessarily drop everything to complete something which should not have been set in the first place. By setting enough time, it allows a degree of flexibility and scope, especially in secondary schools where students have multiple teachers [all of whom should be considering this before setting any homework or assignment]; - Be clear about the closing date and what occurs if it is not met. This could easily be part of the marking rubric. Very little else creates more problems than if you have a flexible approach which doesn’t, in the long run, treat everyone fairly;
- If work is set, it has to be marked. If it isn’t going to be marked, then it shouldn’t be set. Commitment has to work both ways. Most marking, to be effective, requires some level of commentary as well so this also has to be factored in. And …
- Marking levels/scores should also be common between staff members, so that a given mark means the same whoever grants it. For example a ‘B+’ shouldn’t mean the best possible score from one person and something that is really worth nothing from another;
- It has to be marked And returned within a known, acceptable period of time. It is no use giving homework and either not marking Or marking and giving back only scores [you would have to ask - ‘Did they mark it or just give a score ?’] or not return results for several weeks. Again this is an essential part of an effective process and has to be built into the overall package;
- There should be follow up wherever this is required, whether it is with individuals where there is need, with the group for common difficulties/achievements, or as a connector between what has been done and what may flow on from this either as something new or planned;
- Everyone must be treated equally, whether some students are more likeable or capable than others or not.
- All of these criteria, plus others which are appropriate within each setting, should be clearly set out in a Homework Policy which is freely available to all members of the school’s community.
What should Not apply with homework ?
- The negatives of all the points listed in the previous section;
- Brand new, uncovered work should never be set;
- Work should be of a level and suitability that students can and do complete, rather than parents doing it;
- Homework should never just be set because “Parents want us to” or because that’s the way everyone thinks it should be - see the section on ‘purpose’ above.
Should children have homework in the early years of school ?
- There should be No Formal Homework in the first years of schooling;
- Children should be encouraged to read and to discover. Almost any sort of reading material is suitable. Involve parents with this. Use Reading Schemes, free reading, topical material, reading material about other curriculum areas, virtually anything;
- Work with parents and encourage them to provide opportunities for children to have a wide range of experiences both around the home, in the community, within the family and within the wider community, then to involve their children in talking about and recording their experiences. This could also include simple numerical activities e.g. counting, helping to pay for purchases, measuring things, etc.;
Should there be any homework in Primary schools ?
- Within the primary setting, it would be our contention that it should be quite similar to the indicators provided for the early learning area.
- At this stage there is really no specific requirement for formal homework. There is adequate time to cover all relevant work within the school setting and the basics for future learning should be covered there;
- However - having said this, we would encourage people to maintain the following emphases :
- Reading - with a developing understanding of what is being read;
- Writing - about experiences, discoveries, …
- Mathematics - encourage them to practise and demonstrate their knowledge of mathematical concepts and skills [e.g. tables, combinations, etc., and applying them to daily life].
- If a school expects formal homework then there should be strict time limits placed on this covering both length and frequency. Individual Departments of Education, as well as individual schools, have policies on this. You should refer to these for clarification.
- Fostering a thirst for knowledge - general knowledge, specific knowledge areas, how to …, etc.;
- Helping children to strengthen their understanding of where to find knowledge - books, people, libraries, media, the internet. Also help develop an understanding that no single place is always best or correct;
- Develop an understanding that no-one can or does know everything, but that we can always find the answer to our questions somewhere [see above point].
Should there be any homework in Secondary schools ?
- It is highly probable that there will be homework in most secondary schools, though a number of schools have trialled, or are trialling, ‘No Homework’ positions, particularly in the lower secondary years, often with quite stunning results. Again we would refer you to policy documents from your own Department of Education and, of course, your school;
- Whatever the situation, the emphasis should be on co-ordination between staff [across subject areas] so that students [and parents] are not overwhelmed with the level of homework either at specific times, or throughout the year. If this occurs, then it is really incumbent on people to raise these concerns with the school;
- We would also see a continuation of the position stated in the latter part of the section on Primary school, as well as refer you to the Criteria section, with regard to how this should be approached.
- The following article called Helpful Info provides a well thought out view of secondary level homework. It was created as part of a New Zealand support site.
How much homework should there be ?
- There should be No Formal Homework in the first years of schooling;
- In the Primary school, we refer you to the relevant section above, but stress that even if there is work to be completed, this should be of a minimal nature, certainly until the last year of primary schooling. Even then, there should be strict limits on the amount and frequency of what is required;
- In the lower secondary years, we would again suggest that there is limited amounts of homework, even going so far as to recommend consideration of a ‘No Formal Homework’ Policy, as results of several trials would suggest positive academic results can stem from these [organisational skills to finish work within the school setting; willingness to do additional work without the formal component being involved; involvement in related, often family oriented activities, etc.];
- Again we would refer you back to the previous points in the Criteria section and to the need for co-ordination between staff. No students should be provided with so much homework or ‘additional’ work that they become stressed and fail to have the opportunity to achieve their maximum.
How much help should parents give with homework ?
- There is nothing wrong with parents having a level of involvement in any form of homework and, within reason, they should be encouraged to do so. However, in saying this, take note of the following :
- Any homework that is set, is set for the student not the parent, and unless the student does the work they cannot possibly benefit from it;
- The parent’s role is to provide encouragement, support and advice [where appropriate] to facilitate the completion of any work. For example, see the section on ‘Where should my child do homework ?’ below;
- If there are difficulties - too much homework, lack of understanding, lack of time, stress, … do not hesitate to make contact with the school and discuss the difficulty being encountered with the class teacher/grade supervisor/other appropriate school personnel. Do not let it continue and create ever increasing difficulty.
- Don’t do their homework for them - it can be truly embarrassing not to get a good result when you do, and it is usually pretty obvious who has done the work !
Where should my child do homework ?
- Minimise the distractions available - television, other children/pets/visitors/…
- Provide appropriate tools to work - desk-table, suitable chair, lamp/lighting, computer, stationery, choose a designated area taking note of point 1 [this could be a room, part of a room, etc.];
- Be prepared to make use of other appropriate places such as libraries or resource centres;
- Set a convenient time that fits in with individual and family needs. Be prepared to have some level of flexibility, though a common time can develop good habits;
- Endeavour to make the process a consistent, comfortable and wherever possible an enjoyable and rewarding experience.
What is a student’s responsibility with homework ?
- Every student should do whatever is required to complete such work to the best of their ability;
- This is no different to any other aspect of their life, whether it is schoolwork, sport, leisure or family commitment. To do any less is not being fair to themselves.
- If there is genuine difficulty of some kind [not just a desire not to do it !] talk firstly to your parents about this and gain their support. Then arrange to discuss the matter with your class teacher/grade supervisor/other appropriate school personnel and see what can be done;
What is a teacher’s responsibility with homework ?
- Refer back to the Criteria section, as we feel this covers the major points required;
- Again, we would emphasise :
if there is no purpose for it, don’t set it !.
