The purpose and effectiveness of homework have long been debated. Some argue that homework teaches kids multiple skills and is necessary for academic achievement. Others disagree, arguing that homework is detrimental to student growth and causes unnecessary stress resulting in declining mental health.
If a poll were taken at a randomly chosen school in Colorado Springs, there is no telling which opinion might have more votes from parents or teachers.
So, what is the purpose of homework and what does the research behind it say?
Homework Research
Harris Cooper, Ph.D., is a social psychologist at Duke University. He has studied the correlation between homework and academic success and has found it to be positive. University publication, Duke Today, has published Dr. Cooper’s findings. “Duke University researchers have reviewed more than 60 research studies on homework between 1987 and 2003 and concluded that homework does have a positive effect on student achievement.”
Cooper suggests that teachers follow the “10-minute rule.” This is explained as, “Teachers add 10 minutes of homework as students progress one grade. In other words, a fourth-grader would be assigned 40 minutes of homework a night, while a high school senior would be assigned about two hours.”
Many schools adopted this principle and focus on assigning homework in consideration of a quantity that is appropriate for the grade level.
Frustrations
Homework can have benefits depending on how the teacher approaches it. The frustration that comes from some students and parents, and even some teachers, is that the homework is tedious and carries little meaning for the child.
If a child in fifth grade is taking home tasks that are expected to take approximately 50 minutes, but that student does not understand the concept, it may take significantly longer than the expected time period. Parents begin to get frustrated when they need to spend more time in the evenings helping their child make sense of the work, while they may have other children who need attention or other parental duties to complete.
Many students also have extracurricular activities or have siblings that do, and that can consume a decent amount of time after school hours that can’t be spent on homework.
Benefits
Teachers are becoming more aware of the frustrations as well as the limited access to assistance, time, and other resources some may have. Several schools are focusing on assigning more meaningful homework assignments that are not meant to be tedious or time-consuming. This work is meant to practice skills that students have learned in class and are able to approach independently.
Teachers are also understanding of individual student abilities and home lives and are willing to communicate with students and parents about the support that is needed.
While the 10-minute rule is helpful to keep in mind for teachers of various grade levels, elementary students will have different expectations for this time than middle and high school students.
Elementary students benefit from the time management, independent practice, and accountability that homework offers. If the student comes home and knows that they need to read for 20 minutes, alone or with a family member, they are practicing that responsibility. Not all elementary students will come home with a worksheet to fill out. Many times, the teacher will want them to practice a skill learned in class such as reading fluently or practicing math facts.
Regardless of grade, content, frequency, or time spent on homework tasks, all students benefit from independent practice. They will learn time management, problem-solving, responsibility, and study habits that benefit them. This is the main purpose of homework in many teachers’ eyes. That student will be able to apply skills and strategies learned in the classroom to be confident and capable to do the same in the world around them, including in higher education and their professional lives.
