It's more about what kind of homework students have and how much. To be effective, homework has to meet students' needs. For example, some middle school teachers have found success with online math homework that's adapted to each student's level of understanding. But when middle school students were assigned more than an hour and a half of homework, their math and science test scores went down. Researchers at Indiana University discovered that math and science homework may improve standardized test grades, but they found no difference in course grades between students who did homework and those who didn't.
These researchers theorize that homework doesn't result in more content mastery, but in greater familiarity with the kinds of questions that appear on standardized tests. According to Professor Adam Maltese, one of the study's authors, "Our results hint that maybe homework is not being used as well as it could be.
So while many teachers and parents support daily homework, it's hard to find strong evidence that the long-held practice produces positive results. In an article in Education Week Teacher , teacher Samantha Hulsman said she's frequently heard parents complain that a minute homework assignment turns into a three-hour battle with their kids. Now, she's facing the same problem with her own kids, which has her rethinking her former beliefs about homework.
Today, Hulsman said, it's more important to know how to collaborate and solve problems than it is to know specific facts. Child psychologist Kenneth Barish wrote in Psychology Today that battles over homework rarely result in a child's improvement in school.
Children who don't do their homework are not lazy, he said, but they may be frustrated, discouraged, or anxious. And for kids with learning disabilities, homework is like "running with a sprained ankle. It's doable, but painful. Barish suggests that parents and kids have a "homework plan" that limits the time spent on homework.
The plan should include turning off all devices—not just the student's, but those belonging to all family members. One of the best-known critics of homework, Alfie Kohn , says that some people wrongly believe "kids are like vending machines—put in an assignment, get out learning.
Last year, the public schools in Marion County, Florida, decided on a no-homework policy for all of their elementary students. Instead, kids read nightly for 20 minutes. Superintendent Heidi Maier said the decision was based on Cooper's research showing that elementary students gain little from homework, but a lot from reading.
Homework in high school should always relate to the lesson and be doable without any assistance, and feedback should be clear and explicit. Teachers should also keep in mind that not all students have equal opportunities to finish their homework at home, so incomplete homework may not be a true reflection of their learning—it may be more a result of issues they face outside of school.
They may be hindered by issues such as lack of a quiet space at home, resources such as a computer or broadband connectivity, or parental support OECD, In such cases, giving low homework scores may be unfair.
Since the quantities of time discussed here are totals, teachers in middle and high school should be aware of how much homework other teachers are assigning.
Psychologist Maurice Elias sees this as a common mistake: Individual teachers create homework policies that in aggregate can overwhelm students. He suggests that teachers work together to develop a school-wide homework policy and make it a key topic of back-to-school night and the first parent-teacher conferences of the school year.
If a parent has positive attitudes toward homework, their children are more likely to share those same values, promoting academic success. Small Benefits for Elementary Students As young children begin school, the focus should be on cultivating a love of learning, and assigning too much homework can undermine that goal. Moderate Benefits for Middle School Students As students mature and develop the study skills necessary to delve deeply into a topic—and to retain what they learn—they also benefit more from homework.
Cooper suggests that parents ask teachers to follow his rule of 10 minutes of homework per night per grade -- 10 minutes in first grade , 60 minutes in sixth grade and so on -- which research shows is optimum for learning. Be alert for the signs of homework burnout: constant frustration, loss of motivation, and a diminished interest in learning.
And be prepared to speak up. You have to do something before your child starts to hate school. Most experts agree that the point of take-home assignments is to review and reinforce the lessons covered in class that day. Ideally, homework should also instill a sense of curiosity and teach kids to study effectively -- including how to apportion their time between hard and easy tasks, and test themselves for retention -- so that they can become lifelong learners.
But the vast majority of teachers have had no training on what kinds of assignments benefit students most. According to Harris Cooper, research suggests the most effective homework should do the following:.
Mix it up. Assignments should have simple questions here and there rather than group all the tough ones together. Kids will feel the work is easier and enjoy it more. Address specific needs. Yes, tasks should be age appropriate -- for example, shorter assignments in lower grades to accommodate limited attention spans. But the amount and difficulty can be adjusted upward if students are high achievers. Be spread out over time. Kids retain more knowledge when they review material in brief, repeated bursts over several weeks rather than reviewing it right after learning it that day.
The best assignments not only develop key skills like reading, writing, analysis, and critical thinking, but they also get students to tackle subjects they really care about. The goal is to keep them engaged. Your children need smart guidance, not someone breathing down their necks.
Take our expert advice on the right ways to lend them a hand. Used with permission from the September issue of Family Circle magazine. Hi Mary, I must say I know that feeling all too well. It is interesting seeing your perspective on children and homework as I myself am still a student and am going through the exact struggles you mention.
I enjoy how for every problem that is mentioned you have some sort of solution or remedy and I agree with every point of yours. It seems not enough parents show positive re-enforcement when it comes to homework so I enjoy the fact that you suggest to grab a book along side with them.
It seems many schools today care more about how a child performs academically than they do their sanity. Having grown up while going through all of these changes shorter recess; more homework etc. I can safely say the school systems need to change. It would be interesting to create some sort of survey and see how other parents feel regarding this topic! May I add maybe even one survey specifically for parents, one for students and another for teachers.
Before trying to solve the problem I think it is important to see where every one stands, what do you think? By Mary Mohler June 11, Save Pin FB More. Credit: Shutterstock. The Homework Crisis Gisela Voss always thought that all the griping about homework overload was way overblown. Do the research.
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