Isn't it about time we got rid of homework, at least for the under 14s?

[Solopower1]

Just heard on the radio (PM Programme, Radio 4) that there are moves afoot to stop setting HW in France. They did this years ago in Spain. Didn't catch any more details (eg what age children) but they are considering lengthening the school day by half an hour so that the kids can do their HW before they go home.

Apparently there is no research that proves that doing HW benefits a child! (Which isn't to say that it doesn't, of course, but still).

I think it would be a great idea to abolish homework, at least for those under 14. It has always been a huge burden in our household, and caused so much tension. Plus the school day is really short. In Scotland there are no classes on a Friday afternoon - not even for sixth formers.

It wouldn't stop parents from going over their kids' HW if they wanted to, nor would it prevent anyone from doing any amount of extra research. What it would do, however, is make things just that little bit more equal. It's not fair, imo, that children from disadvantaged backgrounds who get no help (or might not even have anywhere to do their HW), are still expected to produce the same quality of work as a child whose parent does it for him/her.

What do other people think?

Thank you very much for the links ponders, very kind of you, I will take a look.

I agree with solo, I don't see reading as homework really. In fact now that DD can enjoy chapter books, I really enjoy cuddling up at bedtime and reading to her. We're reading The Faraway Tree at the moment and it's lovely to see her enjoying it do much.

Schmaltzing but what about the ones who don't have parents who help them or make them do it; don't have anywhere to work - might not own a book or have a pencil in the house? Surely you can't say pupils 'ought' to do anything, if some of them can't?

Wouldn't it be fairer to make the school day longer so that the homework that needs to be done gets done by everyone? Nothing is stopping parents doing extra with their kids when they get home if they want to.

Certainly when they're young I think the only homework they should have (if any) is consolidating what they've done, e.g. reading, or learning some spellings, or a few sums. None of this "research the history of Egypt" type rubbish that relies heavily on parental help.

exactly, solo. that's the point that the teacher on the PM item seemed to be missing. presumably at his school all the children do have access at home to everything they need for homework (including helpful supportive parents)

"prep" in school was where this thread started - it's what's being proposed in France

Sorry, Schmaltzing, I misunderstood. What you wrote sounds like a good idea. Also what AllPastYears says.

brdgirl Am pleased to see a like-minded person! Maybe that's because we're both academics and educators, as you put it, we see school education at the other end, when they come to university (those who come). And for us, it's a certain continuum (for me at least).

You start around 7 or 8, and gradually complexify what you can do on your own, as your homework, consolidating things, working them through. It is a very slow and gradual process. I can't see how it is possible to suddenly start with homework at 14 (or whatever age was suggested), where would the skills come from? Skills of working with text, orientating in text, crossreferencing, evaluating what you need to do and planning your work, organising yourself. It's not enough time to do everything in a school day, and it is also good to be able to learn in different environments and styles...

They could still do private study/homework after class at school, Olguis. There are many parents who don't have the skills you mention ...

Yes.

Except for:
reading (lots of it)
number bonds to 10 and 20 and times tables (all automatic recall)

And talk talk talk about anything under the sun - communication homework.

And playing with their friends - social homework.

And exploring the woods and parks - risk, co-ordination and environmental homework

And constructing - technological homework

And board games with their family and friends - counting and sharing homework.

I could go on, but you get the idea.

I agree, I don't think primary aged children should do homework at all, aside from reading. My children are at school from 8.50 to 3.15 every day. They only have a couple of hours after they are home from school to PLAY before it's time for bed! They are children for such a short time, i see no reason to burden them with homework when it is completely unnecessary, not to mention the pressure it puts parents under.

I like your thinking alcofrolic. and it rings very true.

May I add arguing? -debatng homework.

I definitely agree...I hate the amount of homework my dc's have had over the years. There have been so SO many times when we've wanted to do something nice as a family in the evening but it has been impossible because of the burden of homework. I have found over the years it has caused so much tension, and has brought NO good to us as a family whatsoever. I understand for the two GCSE years it would be important, but until then I feel it is unnecessary.

That is so true Seen. The weekends are football and homework now. DS1 plays Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon and does homework.

We live in Canada now and neither of my children have regular homework. Sometimes they have things to complete that they didn't get finished in class (which is a good incentive to pay attention IMO) and sometimes they choose to do extra work on things that they are really interested in or that they are doing in a group with friends. ds is 13 and will not start formal homework until next year, I expect he will use the skills he has gained from the last eight or nine years of school. The school runs extra sessions for children who get behind, and communication about what they are learning seems about as good/bad as when we were in the UK. Educational standards are very high here.

We all hated homework in the UK. ds is dyslexic so all the reading and writing related tasks stressed him out hugely and we all hated the craft projects (we are not a naturally arty family!). It was a relief when dd was old enough to do them for him. Mainly the problem was that as working parents the children weren't home until relatively late and none of us wanted to get into homework related fights. So then we ended up having them on the weekend or in the morning. Not great.

When we lived in the US both children had 2 hours every night (at 7 or 8!). The only reason it was vaguely possible was because one of us was at home. For families with extra curricular activities or other commitments the main result was that the children went to bed very late and were thus very tired at school. I'm sure that damaged their ability to learn far more than any possible benefit from all the homework.

This page here summarises current research quite well. www.memory-key.com/improving/strategies/children/homework essentially homework has been found to have benefits for children over 14, is equivocal for those aged 11-14 and has no benefit for younger children.

A good discussion here too.

Totally agree Seen - it makes school life a route-march for pupils and parents and is the biggest cause of conflict in our house.

I am just praying that there is no homework for the holidays as DD wil be away Mon-Fri, and is at gym all day both Saturdays, DS has various things lined-up as well as footy training, plus we have a houseful of guests Wed-Sun.

You just know that some awful project will be set on Friday Tilly. Involving loads of research and somebody you have never heard of. A couple of years ago we had an art one-about Gaudi, I actually dreamt about it in the end.

I agree too the amount of stress and anxiety it causes in our house is ruining dds childhood and I'd far rather be enjoying out free time together.
Dd is not hugely academic so most homework needs us to support her so I also wonder about kids whose parents can't or don't do this. We have just completed a mammoth project and dd was telling me some of the clever kids had bought in about 20 pages whilst some of the less able had about 2 that can't be good for their confidence can it

Just another point is that less academic children will often earn a living using extra curricular activities. Ds3 is a dancer and all his training was done after school so was hard to fit around homework which it turns out was of little benefit to him

sparkling I could have actually coped with the Gaudi one - I lurve his architecture/sculptures!

And ledkr, so agree about after-school stuff being so important. Even to the brighter ones. Even if it "just" becomes an interest they pursue in adult life.

Tilly DS1 had to recreate them. He is quite artistic but he struggled to find any of Gaudi's creations that were drawable. I just looked on helpless.

Russell Brand Prospero was almost a relief.