

As a result, parents had a sense of ownership and were highly supportive of any assignments made. Decisions included how much homework, what subjects to emphasize, grading practices, and other similar issues. We would meet periodically throughout the year and establish policies and practices regarding homework assignments. In my classroom, we had a “Homework Council” composed of several parent volunteers. Based on a review of many of those documents, I'd like to offer the following suggestions regarding the role of parents in homework: Some schools and many districts have written policies regarding the degree of involvement parents should have in their children's homework. Teachers are either very supportive of the notion of parents helping children or they are dead set against it.

The question of parent involvement in the completion of homework is often one of those black or white issues for teachers. Consequently, if you follow this formula, you will need to coordinate your homework assignments with other secondary teachers so you don't overload your students. The “Homework = Grade level × 10” formula refers to the total amount of homework per student-not the amount of homework per subject. No research suggests that homework at these levels is necessary or productive. Students in kindergarten and first grade should not receive any homework. For example, if you teach fifth grade, you would assign 50 minutes of homework per evening (5th grade × 10 = 50). This means that the amount of after-school homework (in minutes) is equivalent to the grade you teach times 10. The burning question is: how much homework should teachers assign to students? There is no clear answer to that query, but I'd like to offer the following simple formula, which has been suggested by many teachers: Homework = Grade level × 10 That statement comes with a caveat that is, the amount of homework assigned needs to be tailored to the students' age and grade level. Nevertheless, we know there are measurable gains at both levels. Some educators argue that homework does not have as much of an effect on the scholastic achievement of elementary students as it does on secondary students. How Much Is Enough?įrom studies of effective teaching, we know there is a positive correlation between homework as a learning tool and student achievement in the classroom. (3) It communicates to students that learning happens in places outside of school as well as in school. (2) It fosters positive attitudes toward school. Teachers often report that the value of homework is threefold: (1) It helps develop good study habits.
