Denyse Whelan, an education specialist and former principal, wrote a post titled "Is Homework Helpful or Harmful?" and like her, I am torn about its worth. Whilst I believe that homework should increase as children get older, I maintain that it needs to be something more than monotonous revision. Sitting and writing things out over and over is not the only way to revise a concept.
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I also believe that there is no need for formal homework in the infant years of primary school (Kindy-Year 2) - shoot me now! Apart from reading (reading to them and having them read) and verbal counting, I do not believe it is necessary for children as young as 5 to be coming home and doing written work. Anybody with young children, knows how much energy they have. They learn through exploring the world around them - and using all their senses to take it in. The last thing they want to do after 6 hours at school (where for a lot of the time they are sitting), is sit down and do more work. Even really bright children need a break! Too often whilst I was teaching, I would see children as young as 8 rebelling and playing up because they had been pushed too hard and made to do too much.
Learning is a life-long process. If we want to raise people with a thirst to learn more, we need to stop stunting their educational growth by burdening them with "beige and boring" as their first experience of learning.
Let kids come home and run outside to play - they'll build things, collect things, question you about things. They will be learning - and having fun at the same time! After they wind down, they can play a board game or something on the computer or iPad - again, there are so many great educational games out there that children love! They can then end the night with a bedtime story. Life would be more harmonious, at least in this household.
Don't get me wrong. Of course, children need to have formal lessons to help them learn to read, write, spell, work out mathematical problems and so on - but that's what they are doing at school. Or, at least should be doing.
I don't blame classroom teachers for homework policies as they are often dictated to by principals, but I would love to see more schools like the ones mentioned in the comments section of Denyse Whelan's post - schools that are flexible and provide options for homework.
What do you think about homework?
Do you love it or loathe it?
Is it beneficial? Or just an afternoon headache?
Great post...what a cool kid "beige and boring". Now write a sentence using that word...LOL. Don't mind me. You and I both know what I mean. You are sooo right. I liken what children are being "set for homework" to parents coming home and doing another part of their work day at home. Children need space, time and the opportunity to "think" and process the learning that is taking place.
ReplyDeleteThe school principals as you rightly say, in NSW government schools, must have a homework policy, as per NSW Department of Education policies...but it is "how" it is interpreted, and implemented that is a school-based decision. I do not think that too many people on either side (parents & teachers) are having enough dialogue about this.. let's keep this conversation going... I am going to link your post now in mine. Thanks Cathy!
Yes, yes, yes - the education system often run by people who don't know how to think is intent on putting everyone in a box. The kid who is a bit different and doesn't fit the box finds it hard...things like NAPLAN ... But that's another post!
DeleteAnd yes, I agree that it depends on how principals interpret the homework policy issue. I worked for a Principal that advocated a "no homework" policy (just reading and spelling from memory in early years) because the literature she was reading supported that as beneficial for children.
Hey Cathy,
ReplyDeletei agree with you on homework, i think lives are sooo busy now and when kids are little they just need time to be, to explore, to play and u are 100% right, they are still learning and growing while playing, exploring, interacting with sibs or friends. I think the discipline of homework needs to be in place by high school but maybe kick off homework in upper primary. And i had no clue that it was principals that direct teachers on homework requirements, thats has certainly given me pause for thought.
Yes, different principals have different degrees of input. Some may leave it entirely to teachers but others may state what they want. See comment above from Denyse Whelan, a former principal.
DeleteI despise homework. I hate it. Makes our house turn in to an unnecessary angry house. I prefer to not do it. I wrote a not to the teacher last year telling her "Quiet frankly I'm over it and we won't be doing it this week." I am always up and the school complaining about it. My kindergarten kid has more than my year 4 kid!
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean Katrina! Good on you for having the courage to say something!!
DeleteI love the comment beige and boring!It certainly has given me something to think about.
ReplyDeleteHomework...... I don't like setting it and I don't like having to argue with a certain 6 year old each night. Children seem to be so much busier these days and it's important for them to be out and about being active and having fun. I believe that the fundamentals should be covered in the Infant Years ( K - 2 ) Reading , sight words and simple verbal number activities. I find that reading is always a tricky one for us, as my son will read his bug magazines and animal books for hours BUT reading the home reader is a challenge!
As long as he's reading Rosa, what does it matter what he's reading. Why does everyone have to fit into a box?
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