The Battle over Homework

What is the purpose of homework?  I am sure that as a parent you may have asked yourself this on more than one occasion.  Don't fret because you are not alone.  Homework has been a debatable topic since 1750 -- 30 years before we even had what we know as school today.  In the 1780's Sunday Schools were established to teach reading, writing, arithmetic, and religion.  Monday through Friday was time for children to work, not to learn.  This leads to the debate, what is homework, how much homework is good, is homework even important?  From the 1780's to the 1900's every possible answer has been given and supported, from all work at home to no work at home and all work done at school to no work to be done at school.

In 1937, a New York elementary school report stated students who did not have homework in elementary school obtained lower grades in high school.  The report stated that there were no short term results on homework and increase of learning at the elementary level.  It was shown as an effective strategy for enabling students to acquire basic knowledge and skills.  Homework is an opportunity needed for the student to gain mastery.

What kind of homework is needed?  Typically there are four types of homework: 1) preparation 2) practice 3) extension and 4) creativity.  Preparation - enables the student to be ready for the classroom lesson even before it is presented by the teacher.  Research indicates that a student learns more if they had the time to review the material in advance.  Practice - the repetition of work to the point of an automatic response, sometimes called "overlearning".  Practice is  protection against forgetting.  You do need to be careful that the assignment isn't boring.  Extension - challenges the student to "go beyond."  It stretches the student creative and analytical abilities by doing more than required. Creativity - acquires reasoning and critical thinking skills.  It is the link that put together skills and concepts in new and different ways.  Based on Michael Pohl 2000 a.d. book "Learning to Think" Bloom's New Taxonomy on learning creativity is the highest order of learning.

So what does that mean at CTK?

Homework is a vital link between the school and family.  In younger children, homework fosters positive attitudes, habits, and character traits.  In older children, homework facilitates knowledge acquisition.  It should be a regular part of the teacher's instructional process.  Child, teacher, and parent must work together to see the benefits of homework.  It is important to set positive guidelines for the child.  Teachers need parents as much as parents need teachers.

What about at home?

Parents can create a learning environment that promotes independent study for the student.  Set a physical and mental culture at home for the child to be successful. Be a resource for your child.  Give them tools to do the job they need to do.

As a staff, we are continually discussing assessment.  We are continually asking ourselves what do we want CTK to stand for academically and how do we get there.

Let the debate over homework continue for another 200+ years.

Gibbs, Ollie. Homework: Assignment to Assessment. 1994. ACSI Whitter, CA.