Is homework necessary?

[Nowmum43]

Just that really?
My dd is in year 7, she's good at school work but has very little self confidence (assessing for ASD) presumes she can't do the work and has very little focus.
Currently trying to get her to do some homework and every single time it results in arguments, her screaming and kicking and getting anxious about the work.
I don't know any family where the homework is an easy task! Parents get home from work and then spend hours in battle with their children to get the work done. It makes for a very unsettling family life when after school and work should be a nice time for families to enjoy being together.
Maybe it's just the people I know and some children can just sit and get on with their work (I am so jealous of those families!)
But in my mind I think homework should be done away with and all learning should be done in school time.

I'm not sure I can get through the next 5 years of battles and can see already it's making my daughter start to hate schoolwork which is sad as she's a very clever girl.

Why not just leave school to deal with it?

I can see what homework my DD (Y8) has via the app and if she has submitted it or not. She knows she'll get a detention if homework isn't submitted, so if it's approaching a deadline I might suggest that she get it done but nothing more than that.

Back off completely and she might surprise you.

Look at the homework and pick a reduced amount of it to do.

If your Dd is being assessed for ASD is she struggling with school work being done in the home environment? That's very common among children with ASD, she might be more comfortable and successful going to homework club at school and keeping the school work in the school environment.

I'm fortunate DD is in Yr 7 and enjoys doing homework and gets on with it with no fuss. At Dds school homework is not mandatory, they are rewarded for completing it and test each week on the content - those who regularly do well get rewards at the end of half term.Those who don't do it aren't sanctioned but aren't rewarded either, they have access to homework club everyday and all students have knowledge organisers to help them complete the task.
I think when it can be completed without stress then it is very important for reinforcing classwork, improving the memory and recall of the content and leading to greater success and better self esteem at school. However if the act of completing homework is stressful then all of those benefits will be lost and there is very little point.

I think it does.

My ds yr9 grumbles but it's become routine now. We get home at about 6pm. He starts homework at the kitchen table while I find him a snack and start supper.
We talk about it. Sometimes I help with suggestions, sometimes he wants to do it on his own. I test him on French & German revision. Yesterday we did the steps to extract sodium chloride from naturally occurring rock salt. We ended up heating brine to see salt crystals appear.
Reviewing something without the rest of the class there can help the ideas make sense..

Thanks for your replies
I'm so very jealous of you all who's children just get on with their homework
We have talked about just letting her deal with it and if she doesn't complete it she doesn't and she will have to deal with the consequences. But I'm worried this will lead to school refusal. We had this in year 6 and honestly didn't think she would cope with high school as well as she is, she's doing amazing. She already is negative about a lot of her teachers and if they started having to tell her off for no homework and detention them she would stop wanting to go.
She's also tried homework club but couldn't focus and just chatted with friends so she stopped going!

We are only just filling in her paperwork for a referral so we are a long way off diagnosis, I don't know if it's something we can talk to the school about because it's making home life really really miserable. It's also heartbreaking because she's so clever but doesn't allow herself to be.

And absolute wow to the school that doesn't enforce it, I really believe this is the way to go. If there is no pressure on them then they are more likely to do it and just try their best.

I also don't know how families who's children do clubs and stuff find time to do it, it feels like a constant and there's so much to do!

OP I have one dc who just gets on with it; they are not the one with a ASN! (In my case, ADHD). It makes it all so much harder.

@nowmum43 Don't be jealous of other people's children, yes my Dd comes in and gets straight on with her homework which is fab but I have other concerns about her. Shes an only child, found the last 18 months very isolating and I think, found solace in the routine of school work. She was never great at putting herself forwards to make friends and enjoys her own company but seems unwilling to make any new friends outside of her two BFFs after the last year and I'm concerned for her social skills.

All children have things they are great at and things they aren't, just like adults so don't despair. Absolutely talk to the school, my school would be very understanding if you explained the impact homework is having on your family life and her attitude to learning.

Definitely talk to the school about the issues you're having. Homework shouldn't be having such a negative impact on home life. You should also let them know that you are getting her assessed.

Agree with talking to the school, if you explain the history of school refusal previously they may be to make some allowances for her. Dont have a child at secondary myself but can you contact someone whos in charge of her pastoral support? Would that be her form tutor? Also what you could try is say we are only going to spend x amount of time on it. Like 30 mins and then even if its not complete at least shes done something.

I’m a teacher and I personally think, apart from revising, homework is pretty pointless.

And totally agree about saying to school ‘we spent x amount of time on it’.

A surprising number of teachers agree @Haggisfish3 - i am also a teacher and agree.

It tends to get set because schools think parents want it!

Shit homework is pointless, but not all homework is shit.

I think homework can be difficult for autistic children because some see a clear delineation between school and home and don't like the line being crossed. Also if they have an expected routine in the evening and all of a sudden they're being told to write an essay, that can also cause issues.

Pity that homework club didn't work out as that would be ideal. Is there an inclusion base where she could go after school to complete homework instead?

I do think schooling should just be for school it's too much sometimes for them. If they cut out half the stuff that's not really required unless they wanted to study a specific field in college they could focus on the most important whilst they are at school. There is so much that is taught that is just such a waste of time and is rarely used in everyday life.