So many of us rarely stop to think about the added homework assignments that are given to students. More importantly negative aspects of homework are not often discussed. Alfie Kohn, author of The Homework Myth discusses some of the detriments of homework assignments.
- Students only feel frustrated and exhausted
- Leaves students with very little time for other activities
- Loss of interest in learning
- Parent/child relationships can suffer
- Kohn claims that there “is absolutely no evidence of any academic benefit from assigning homework in elementary or middle school.”
Of course, looking back, I credit actually doing my homework to mastering the material I had or for allowing me to realize the areas that I needed to work on. I wonder then, what is necessary for homework to be beneficial to students? What is the purpose of homework in middle and elementary school?
Some proponents of homework state
- It reinforces what students know
- Teaches students how to time manage
- Teaches students self-discipline and responsibility
- Encourages home and school connections
When I was student teaching it was often difficult for me to hold all of my students to the same standard with homework. I knew all of the students really well and I knew that some of them were not able to complete their homework at home due to their at home responsibilities. How do we as teachers still treat all students equitably but fairly at the same time? (Specifically in relation to homework?)
Kohn states, “anyone who believes that homework is beneficial should be willing to test that assumption by investigating the consequences of its absence.”
What do you all think? What is the value of homework? Is it necessary? What makes homework constitute as “busywork” Is giving the same assignment to all students beneficial if the ability level of students does not match? Should homework policy be consistent throughout the school/grade level?
7 comments:
As with every subject we have discussed thus far, it depends. Everything depends upon context, and homework is no exception. Think for a moment about two imaginary and radically different classrooms:
1. Classroom full of motivated learners who see the value in learning and have supportive parents that encourage them to succeed in school.
2. Classroom full of unmotivated learners who see no to little value in school success and who have little parental support at home.
Does homework affect each cohort of students equally? No.
I believe that for the first classroom, homework would be a very beneficial method to allow the students to practice what they learned in class. They are motivated, will likely complete most of it, and will find support from their parents.
The second group however is a radically different story. In my opinion, homework for the second cohort can be more detrimental than beneficial. It is unlikely that many of them will complete it and they will receive little support from their parents even if they wanted to.
Teachers need to know their students and tailor the amount and complexity of homework accordingly.
Thoughts?
Mathew, the second classroom you described is exactly why homework is so important. Students in those classrooms are unlikely to get support to their schoolwork in any other fashion besides homework, and things can be done to enable those students to do the work, from after school homework sessions and study halls, to homework help hot-lines. Just because the parents are not involved does not mean that the students shouldn't be given a sense of accountability. While the teacher in these situations should be more understandable of incomplete homework, I do not feel that there is any detriment in assigning the work.
I have been told in one of my schools, from the board's research, that there should be only 10 minutes of homework ( including studying for tests)based on grade level. That means that First Grade should only have ten minutes, Second Grade should have no more than 20 minutes, 3rd grade no more than 30 minutes etc. I know that as a Math teacher, I am able to understand more clearly what the students do not comprehend based on their errors in homework. To me, it is a guideline for my curriculum, as well as any review. However, I do not assign homework in any other subjects since I feel that hands-on learning in the classroom is more applicable to those areas ( Science, Social Studies). So, I guess my view is that it depends on the subject area.
Moreover, I feel that any school project should be done at school, not at home, so that any lack of parental involvement is not detrimental to the child's grade earned.
I agree with Amy that homework depends on the subject. I think it also depends on the type of homework you're assigning. For instance, reading a chapter in a math book is probably not going to mean much to the student, but, since math is largely performance-based, practicing math problems at home is an important way to make sure you understand the material. If the teacher uses homework as a way to check students' understanding and to reinforce what goes on in the classroom, it will be meaningful and effective. But it has to be used appropriately. Assigning busywork just to have something to grade or to make yourself feel like you are doing something as a teacher will only make the students resent you and the material.
I agree that homework has the potential to help reinforce the lessons that were taught during the day, and maybe help students retain what they have learned, but I wonder how much homework is actually necessary. If a student does not understand the material to begin with, working 20 problems incorrectly will be just as unhelpful as working 6 unrelated problems. Plus, teachers sometimes forget that students have other courses (and thus, other homework), as well as lives outside of school. Balance, as in much of life, seems to be the key that is so hard to find.
As Amy mentions, homework presents another form of assessment in order to better understand students' thinking and formulate instruction. I also have to agree that homework in some subjects such as reading seems more necessary than others.
However, I am hesitant to fully back the practice of assigning homework. In Alfie Kohn's book, The Homework Myth, he makes a convincing case against homework. It's an interesting read if you all ever want to pick it up. He emphasizes the point that homework actually diminishes students' learning and can turn children off from schooling rather than help them.
Although a "no homework policy" would probably not fly in a school, I think minimal amounts of homework with reasonable expectations are ideal (and no homework on Fridays!).
Emily mentioned that two reasons for promoting homework are:
1) Teaches students how to time manage
and
2) Teaches students self-discipline and responsibility.
I personally would agree with these reasons. I think children need to have a sense of responsibility and be held accountable for what they are learning, as Chuck mentioned. The fact of the matter is as they grow up and get older they are going to have to be held responsible for even larger assignments, whether it is papers in high school/college or assignments for their job. I think homework teaches responsibility and forces the child to engage in learning outside of the classroom, even if they don't really enjoy the subject matter.
But I think the quantity of how much HW is necessary is crucial. I definitely agree with Amy in that the amount of HW should gradually increase as students get older. However, how much is too much? That I do not know.
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