How much homework
is too much?
It is not surprising that majority of
students hate being given homework at schools. In fact, the root to the cause
of this discontent lies on the amount of homework given to the students. Homework
policy is part of the best education practices for the majority of
schools (GreatSchools Staff, 2016). While the core importance of homework is to
reinforce learning, too much homework may interfere with their family time. It may
create avenues for stress, frustrations, and negative attitude towards
education experience among elementary students in grades 1 through 4.
Striking a balance between the benefits
and drawbacks of homework begs the question how much is too much? What is the value
of their children’s assignment? How much homework should kids be doing anyway?
What
is the point of Homework?
This depends on the grade of the child.
Kids from different grade schools are given homework that vary with respect
to specific education curricula and homework policies provided. In elementary
school, homework aims at establishing responsibility among the kids. It helps
to teach the children to follow the given instructions, become accountable for keeping
the homework safe, completing it, and turning it in. Homework also provides
opportunity to the kids to understand their day’s lessons without direct help
from the teacher (Los Angeles Times, 2016).
How
much homework should kids be doing?
The amount of time that students spend
in completing a particular homework reflects how much assignment they are
given. The recommendation by the National Education Association includes the
“10-minute rule.” This requires the schools to comply with the best homework
policy of 10 minutes as the child’s average of homework per day, which
increases with about 10 minutes in each of the subsequent grade of elementary
school (GreatSchools Staff, 2016).
When
does homework become too much?
Majority of cases for too much arise
when students fail to complete the given homework within the reserved time
recommended for different school grades. This may be attributed to distractions,
lack of motivation, and students’ ability to comprehend the subject of homework.
Thus, majority of the parents may tend to believe that their children are given
tons of unnecessary homework.
What
should be done?
·
Parents’
role
Parents provides critical source of
emotional support to their kids and enhance their problem solving skills. They
are the first to interact with their kids and evaluate how well they comprehend
certain things than the teachers. Therefore, parents should commence in making
consistent contacts with the teachers in different grades of elementary school.
This helps in impacting motivation and creating opportunities to address various
homework concerns. It also serves to students to embrace the significance of
homework, which impacts on their overall grades positively (Los Angeles Times,
2016).
Secondly, parent-child motivation
helps to eliminate various kids’ distraction when doing their homework such as
TV, computers and phones. It creates a positive bond towards the kids that
assists them in becoming organized and consistent in tackling their daily
homework (Today Parents, 2013).
·
Teacher’s
role
Like parents, understanding the students’
ability to perform in different grades is vital in learning. It brings about
student-teacher interaction that helps teachers to determine the different
assignments from similar topics, which the students can handle with confident
and competency. This also helps the students in elementary schools to
understand the purpose of homework, with better understanding and improvement
of grades enhanced (Los Angeles Times, 2016).
·
Helping children
to become their own advocate
Sometimes, students’ may feel that
particular homework may be too much. However, parents and teachers must always
endeavor to encourage the kids to become their own advocate. This enables the
students to identify when, how to complete each of the given homework without
complaining. This only comes about when both parents and teachers meet,
discuss, and some up with a collaborative solution to the children’s learning
issues (Today Parents, 2013).
What is your perspective on the amount of giving students homework?
What is your perspective on the amount of giving students homework?
All the best,
Steve
Citations
GreatSchools Staff (2016). How much homework is too much? Retrieved
on 13th September, 2016 from http://www.greatschools.org/students/homework-help/slideshows/1941-grade-by-grade-homework-guidelines.gs
Los Angeles Times (2016). Yes, there is a limit to how much homework
your child should do. Retrieved on 13th September, 2016 from
http://www.latimes.com/local/education/lausd/la-me-edu-too-much-homework-20151116-story.html
Today Parents. (2013). How much homework is too much? Retrieved
on 13th September, 2016 from
http://www.today.com/parents/education-nation-how-much-homework-too-much-I382927
