I can't stand homework - do you think it's a good thing?

[mydoorisalwaysopen]

DS1 (year 5) gets the same homework every week.... "This week we have been learning about X. Tell me what you know." Every week I have a battle to get him to do it and it just doesn't seem worth the effort. Marking is usually a tick and a smiley face. DS2 (year 2) gets a more detailed description of a task but very often it's a poster for this, that or the other. Marking is perfunctory but does occasionally contain a comment.

What are your thoughts on homework? I wish they didn't have any at primary school mainly as I think what they are set is of limited value and the main lesson being learnt is that mum will sit you down and drag it out of you. I won't be doing that every night for a couple of hours when they go to secondary school.

DS is 5, and gets homework every night (Mon-Thu) it's a nightmare & can take more than 30 mins to complete, with much bagging & frustration. Really gets on my tits when it comes back unmarked!!

But if you don't set it, guess who complains? Not the children, other teachers or head. Lots of (not all) parents!

But is that a reason for setting it?? Should schools pander to what parents want or do what's right?

Joining this debate late, but I also hate homework for little ones. My reasons -

• they've worked long enough during the school day and should be able to relax completely in the relatively short time between end of school and bed

• it can be stressful for parents to get their dc to do homework which creates a horrible atmosphere. Far better for parents to enjoy the after school time with their child.

• just because children aren't doing set homework, they are still learning in a less formal way. Just chatting to your child, reading, playing together, doing other activities such as cooking are all valuable sources of learning and much more relaxed.

• lots of homework requires a high degree of parental help/intervention, e.g. craft projects. If homework has to be set, it should be something the child can do more or less unaided.

I would also be interested to know if there is a link between doing primary school homework and educational achievement. Anyone know?

I agree, dancergirl. Schools should be allowed to do the job they are supposed to do without the interference of parents. And children and parents should be entitled to free time outside school without the interference from school.

What I don't get is this. If so many parents object, why are schools still doing it?

School/homelife is a balance. The crossing of work ideas and opinions shouldn't be seen as interference. If it is seen that way it's both sad and sub-optimal.

If a customer takes a faulty vacuum cleaner back to the store it's not seen as interference. It's born out of a recognition that there must be some interaction between the home and the store. Schools don't operate in an unrelated environment.

Haven't read the whole thread, so apologies if I repeat a question that's already been asked...

What happens if you refuse to let your child do the homework? Obviously, all schools are different, but if you started out saying "my child will not do any homework" what would a schools reply be?

I suppose it depends on your school Visualisehorse. I refused to do my child's homework. He sat down with it for the allotted time and whatever he produced was sent in. My rationale for this was, if he couldn't do it then teacher needed to know, by me doing it she wouldn't have a realistic idea of his abilities.

The problem is visual lots of children, my own included, want to do the right thing and wouldn't feel comfortable not handing in homework. And lots of schools have a partnership agreement with parents that they'll support their child with homework.

If it's not set in the first place then wouldn't be a problem. I was born in 1972 and of the generation where primary school homework was rare. And yet we all coped ok at secondary school. That was the expectation: primary school = no homework, secondary school = homework, we all managed fine with that.

I would be happy with no homework (other than reading) up till Year 5. Then maybe a bit to get them used to working independently at home.

OK I have to admit I haven't read everything and I'm on the pro-homework in the sense of extending learning in school & timely, targeted practice to improve understanding/ skills.

What I've liked about the debate:

agreement that mangeable, age-appropriate work for the child should be assigned (idea that the homework should be achievable by the child on their own).

idea that optional homework (so giving parents the freedom to opt in or out of homework is available) - have to say a nearby school went optional and uptake was 97% across the entire school (3 forms each year).

agreement that project work often ends up involving the parent more than the child and may not necessarily be transmitting good habits/ attitudes/ experiences to children & can be stressful to busy parents.

What nobody (admittedly haven't read it all) seems to be saying is that it's a balance - there needs to be time for children to muck about doing nothing useful, time for chores, time for play, time for parties/ play dates, time for family time (cooking, cleaning, working in the garden, playing games, doing puzzles, watching a favourite tv show together, etc...) and time for reading for pleasure.

I do think many parents however are making a mistake that all homes have a wide range of books/ reading material available or regularly provide children with the opportunity to visit a library.

I'd love to go to our local library - it's a really sweet place - but it's opening hours don't work with my life - can't get there in time during working week and it's a rushed visit at the weekend because DDs have swimming at different times which means most of a.m. is lost to hanging around the swimming pool.

Finally nobody is saying it - so I will. I had homework in primary - maybe 5- 10 maths problems, a reading book (we were told read 5 pages, a chapter, etc... from a young age) and projects (little assignments - often about US history - so presidents, bill of rights, constitution, first colonies, etc...) - and I adored it all. Our projects were achievable - maybe a map sent home with the assignment that we were to colour in the first 13 colonies (later states) and find out their capitals. Yes, my Mum helped by getting out an Atlas and helping me to look up things at age 8 - but I really enjoyed this process. I liked books and learning and getting a star on my homework.

So although I totally respect many of the excellent reasons against homework - I just thought I'd add I was that kid that loved homework and couldn't wait to get home and start in on it.

HTH

I think homework in general is a necessary evil, but when it should start being given and the difficulty, well thats less clear.

I think reading and spellings are important so long as it doesn't get too ridiculous. I think that HW in secondary would be beneficial, but in Primary I think it can/has caused more harm than good at such a young age.

If my Dc marvel (by which I don't mean live in fear of not completing it!) in HW that's great, and I support all the way. If my Dc are unable to complete the 'extension of school work' at home, I allow 30 minutes to complete independently (warts and all) before putting a note on and moving on to more enjoyable family activities so the CT will have an idea of what targets to set for my Dc. If my Dc don't bring their HW home I will chat to them about the consequences they may face at school but there will be none at home regardless of how much CT's try to use parents as threats.

As a parent I don't think me 'helping' would benefit my Dc because I do things the old fashioned way and I believe this would/has caused confusion with their learning, I also don't particularly want to spend my families quality time googling how to do things the 'new way', I did my stint at school 27 years ago and I don't intend of doing it again for a further 17 years!

past you have a point about the assumption that homes are equipped with lots of books and supportive parents. Not all schools will enjoy the same sort of parental support, so what happens then, I wonder? We are also assuming that because parents are supportive, that they will also be supportive of homework. And what of those parents who don't have the skills/ motivation to "help" with homework?

well I never did homework in primary, did any of you? Yes, I had homework from reception up and had a lot more than DD gets ( I got 3 pieces a week plus times tables, spellings and reading) I thought everyone did?

I'm amazed how many of you are complaining that it ends up being parents doing the homework, DD is expected to do hers by herself and the teachers have made this very clear to the children and the parents, the most we are allowed to do is help them read the question!

We've never had unmarked homework back though, that would annoy me.

So good to hear parents with views like mine. Happy to read, do spellings and timetables. The rest frankly seems to add little value and when they are young is really tricky. I always thought they should do it...but so much parental help is needed it becomes a joke.
DD1 now in y5 is able do it independently. So maybe for older ones. Think there time is better used perusing hobbies they enjoy and having time out from school.

Ps I do care about achievement and we have loads of books so a lot of reading goes on.

I agree with you Morebiscuits achievement is important and we have lots of books to so we read a lot as a family both DC love to read.

I think homework at such a young age puts some children off education rather than encourage it.

The provision of homework in primary school holds water if it adds value to the pupils. In my case I was able to provide better and stretching Eng and Maths provision for DS1 in years 4 and 5. I had an agreement with the school that homework would resume in year 6. DS1 is also on course to achieve level 6s in his SATS. DS2, in year 4, has now been withdrawn from homework and he too will resume his school homework in Year 6.

In a nutshell, I have provided supplementary work that has added value, whereas the school homework is issued simply for the sake of issuing it.

Homework isn't compulsary in primary school, but I think I made a bit of a mistake letting my son know this, as I've given him too much bargaining power! Homework on top of after school club and weekend activities, including every other weekend at his dad is just too mcuh though, though especially when they get an extra project, on top of their usual homework.
It causes arguments and tears in our house. As he is doing well inschool his teacher agreed that he doesn't always need to do it but the whole homework thing leads to stress, and now I'm worried that he will try and pick and choose what homework he does at secondary school.

Biryani
That's a good point. What happens to those kids is that they are put at even more of a disadvantage.

From the Sutton Trust who published a study by Durham University:

SMALLER CLASSES, UNIFORMS, AND PRIMARY HOMEWORK AMONG THE LEAST EFFECTIVE WAYS OF BOOSTING SCHOOL PERFORMANCE

What really matters is quick and effective feedback. Unmarked, long-winded projects are a total waste of time.

charlie that's what I was thinking. I do wonder what happens to kids in homes where education is not felt to be particularly important, where perhaps there are problems, or where there are already low levels of educational attainment. How do schools engage with parents in these homes?

And if there is no evidence of a link between homework and school performance, why are schools bothering to set it?

And if there is no evidence of a link between homework and school performance, why are schools bothering to set it?

I think because some parents and schools perceive it as being an indicator of being a "good school". It goes along with strict school uniform. These are seen as articles of educational faith to many.

They also have the advantage of not really costing the school very much at all. Parents pay for school uniform and homework costs nothing if it isnt actually marked.