How much homework is too much?
It is not surprising that the majority of students hate being given homework at school. In fact, the root cause of this discontent lies in 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 of 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 varies 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 and become accountable for keeping the homework safe, completing it, and turning it in. Homework also provides an opportunity for 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 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 homework per day, which increases with about 10 minutes in each of the subsequent grades of elementary school (GreatSchools Staff, 2016).
When does homework become too much?
The 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 student’s ability to comprehend the subject of homework. Thus, the majority of parents may tend to believe that their children are given tons of unnecessary homework.
What should be done?
Parent’s role
Parents provide a 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 making consistent contact 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 students to embrace the significance of homework, which impacts their overall grades positively (Los Angeles Times, 2016).
Secondly, parent-child motivation helps to eliminate various kids’ distractions when doing their homework, such as TV, computers, and phones. It creates a positive bond with the kids that assist 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 confidence and competency. This also helps students in elementary schools to understand the purpose of homework, with a 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 advocates. This enables the students to identify when and how to complete each of the given homework without complaining. This only comes about when both parents and teachers meet, discuss, and come 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?
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
