Heavy Homework May Not Improve Your Child’s Grades
Posted November 1, 2006 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
While education experts note that practising reading, writing and arithmetic outside of school hours can improve your child’s performance in class, others are questioning how much is too much and whether home assignments for younger children are even necessary at all.
The merits of homework have been debated in many magazines, books, and studies, some suggesting the after school work is not a key to a child’s academic success.
Dr. Lyn Sharratt, Superintendent of Curriculum and Instructional Services for the York Region District School Board, says studies can be misleading and recent research shouldn’t dissuade parents from encouraging their kids to brush up on their studies at home.
“I think research studies can prove whatever we want them to prove,” she said.
“I know that students who practise and review and read are successful.”
But when homework becomes a burden it can turn kids off and grade thee/four teacher Linda Cabral says the assignments can easily pile up.
“Often homework can get out of hand, teachers sometimes forget that lives of children are busy,” she said.
But one thing all educators can definitely agree on is the quality of the after school assignments is essential – it shouldn’t involve endless repetitive questions or material that hasn’t been covered in class yet. And probably most importantly, it shouldn’t be boring.
School boards usually recommend the 10 minutes per grade guideline.
To read Education Specialist Cynthia Mulligan’s blog on homework, click here.
Here are some suggestions for how you can help your youngsters cope with their workload:
Turn off the TV: If kids try to watch TV and study at the same time, guess which thing will get all their attention? That’s right. Unless their test is on characters from The O.C., it’s best to keep the two things separate. Have them study in a TV-less room, so the temptation won’t be there to flip it on.
Control the length of phone calls: Sure, your kids will probably want to chat after school about the day they had – even discuss assignments or homework. But monitor the length of those phone calls and keep them to a minimum to ensure there’s enough time in the evening for schoolwork.
Designate a specific area for homework: It should be clutter- and distraction-free. A desk in their room is a good option – so long as you know they’re going to get to work. Other possibilities include a kitchen or dining room table. The key here is that they’re not going to be distracted by what’s going on around them – whether that’s noise or activity.
Invest in a bulletin board or planner: If your child writes down when assignments are due, there’s less chance he or she will miss a deadline.
Keep extra supplies on hand: Find out what regular materials your child needs to properly complete his or her homework. Make sure you have plenty of it so you’re not running out last minute for paper (or pens, pencils, etc.). Also have a good dictionary available for your child to reference – especially if they’re doing reading assignments.
Establish a routine: It’s important your child knows that a certain time in the afternoon or evening is ‘homework time.’ Try to organize supper at about the same time every night – and have your child crack the books either beforehand, or afterward.
Allow breaks: Depending on their age, younger children may not be able to focus on their studies for as long as high school students. Consider breaking their homework time up by subject or by section.
Watch for frustration: Sometimes, no amount of quiet will help your kids understand a subject they don’t get. Consider speaking to their teacher about it, or perhaps a private tutor could be helpful.
Parents can help: That doesn’t mean do your child’s assignments for them – it means calling out words to help them prepare for a spelling test, or check to see why a math problem they’ve tried to solve isn’t giving them the right answer.
Courtesy Child Development Institute
