I watched years ago on a tv documentary about how children were taught in schools in countries like Sweden, Norway, scandinavia in general, and then thought, our schools are so draconian and self destroying of our pupils. They did not have homework, not like our country, our children coming home with many pieces of homework a night, staying up late to finish it, struggling with it, and the same again every day. Then teachers having to mark not just one classes homework, but many daily, piling up on their desk during teaching hours , and pupils needing any help during class are not able to get the one to one assistance because the teacher is too busy marking homework daily during class.
The amount of homework is huge, and our children are tired, been at school all day, then have to come home, eat dinner and start school all over again, sometimes up to and even beyond midnight 2 to 4 or more lots of homework.
Its unbelievable.
In the other countries they do not believe in homework, the countries in scandinavia. They say their work is finished at the end of the day, and the children go home, to then relax, and come back refreshed the next day. The homework is not even necessary, because it is not going to be of any consequence towards their eventual exams, nothing in the homework is at all worth learning, as what matters are the basic literal knowlwege of common sense in their education.
Yes learn maths, but not maths that becomes so far fetched in respect of it never being part of an adults life at all.
I remember my child asking how to work out a maths question, my husband was good at maths at school but could not comprehend those questions as were just so rediculous, so I asked the teacher about it, she quietly said I do not even understand it. So what is going on ...??
Who are the people who create these newfangled rediculous mathematical questions that even the teachers do not get? Also, the schools are not preparing the children for the real world, all they want is top marks from children in drumming in so much information that they will never need in their life after school.
The other countries ie scandinavia do not do homework, they even stick with the same teacher from primary to leaving school, no uniform but sensibly dressed, the teacher is called by his or her christian name, they learn alot outside the class as opposed to always being in the classroom, so they are hands on in reality of life of what is to come, they also eat fresh good lunch at school, so they eat well, are treated as equals with the teacher, and respect is between both the teacher and pupil, no homework!!!
So the children do not have to be so tired the next day coming into school after doing several pieces of homework every night. So if you wonder how do they do in their exams, well they are the highest achieving in results in europe and beyond. That is why our schools are failing, our teachers are stressed, our children having mental issues and labelled this that and the other, its our way of education that fails.!!! Change it.
No more homework , teach what they need to know in life, do workshops in and out of school that teach different hands on subjects, they will understand and enjoy, but will need. Teach French and if want other countries languages but not one or 2 lessons a week and expect them to take those exams and pass! Teach in primary classes, daily, because all French and other European countries do this so then they can speak fluent English by the time they've left school.!! Ours have to struggle to try and put a sentence together in any other language.!