Every few
years, usually at the start of the school year, researchers, parents, teachers
and students debate the value of doing schoolwork at home.
There has
been a shift towards less homework recently. Schools have different policies,
but most of them have children do 10 more minutes of homework for each grade
they complete. Some districts, do not allow homework up to Grade 3. However, by
Grade 12, most students will take home two hours of work each school day.
Critics of homework
point out that it can create an uneven playing field between students. In
shifting learning from the classroom to the home, we risk of shifting benefits
to middle and upper-middle class families. With a parent close by, a
computer and internet access and a quiet, organized space for homework, kids in
upper-middle class families have a real advantage. The effect of homework on
families in general found that it often punishes students from lower-income
families.
Researchers may
differ on where homework is best completed, yet there is general agreement that
children need to time to practice the skills and reinforce the information they
learn at school. Children also need to learn how to set aside time for
important work, plan large projects and discover information on their own.
And in addition to
that teachers play a big role in assigning homework that fit their students,
Here are some
homework guidelines
- Homework works if it gives
an opportunity to practice skills or reinforce information learned very
recently.
- Too much homework is bad,
especially in younger grades. Children find it hard to sit still and
focus, especially with the distractions of home around them.
- Homework should not be used to introduce new
material or difficult tasks. Parents should not be responsible for teaching
the school curriculum.
- Homework should never be used to punish a
child or to fill time.
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