Basically homework just opens the divide between the haves and the have-nots even further. When you have an educated mum and dad with no money worries and plenty of access to technology, you'll probably get the bloody homework done fairly quickly and efficiently (whether it achieves anything useful is another question...). If mum and dad and the rest of the family are working long hours to try to make ends meet, and the house is cold and you haven't had enough to eat and it's noisy and crowded, homework either isn't going to happen or it's going to be done in haste and with a lot of resentment. I was a high achiever at school, and all those decades ago we didn't have the volume of homework kids seem to be afflicted with now, but it still wasn't any fun, and from a distance, it also wasn't much use. Most of us would have been far better off with a bit more thinking and reading time, a bit more time for music, drama, and creative activities in general, and some community service that let us get a clearer idea of what we wanted as a career.
Oh my gosh, the time for creative pursuits outside of school is going to become so much more important now,because the current government doesn't value the arts, grrr
My eldest wasn't interested in doing homework at all and it did my head in because I think homework is ridiculous but every afternoon we went through this drama. So in answer to the idea that people with the time, knowledge and technology having it easier that was a definite no from this mum.
I won’t name the school my daughters went to, but they followed the studies that show homework doesn’t work. The *most* they ever had was finishing something from class time, usually because they had been away sick or something - not *extra* work, just the work.
With their time in the evenings they’d actually still do stuff like reading for pleasure, or even some school project work *for fun*. When there’s no pressure associated with doing it, they actually enjoyed it 🤷🏻♂️
My kid started school last year and a few months in she got a "learning with your family" pack that included things like cards, a snakes and ladders board, some recipes and laminated alphabet and number sheets with a whiteboard pen so kids could practice shapes. We've enjoyed using it, but anything more would be stressful! Dinner is pretty much as soon as we're home on after-school-care days. When are you supposed to fit in homework?!
I'm so grateful that our school does it this way. Our brilliant neurospicy 6 year old masks/regulates herself so strictly at school and after school care that most home time is exploring BIG FEELINGS and needing tight cuddles. These needs are incompatible with work sheets!!!
OMG THIS. It's like school learning is a specific kind of learning not the only kind of learning and without the other kinds, it's just cramming. It makes no sense. But some parents are so bolshy about it - I honestly suspect that they want it because it means they don't have to engage with their kids in activities. And/or they had it and they turned out ok. BAH.
Teacher and my children go to the school I teach at, I don’t even do the homework my colleagues set 😅 and it’s reasonable and age appropriate but I still don’t do it..,
To clarify, it wasn't homework. It was a sheet the teacher had given me to fill out - like an evaluation of where the kid's level was when at home... I couldn't figure out what I was being asked, so my UNIVERSITY MATHS TUTOR had a look and also had no idea wtf was being measured.
My children are now 40 and 38 and I’m still triggered by the mention of homework! My daughter was quite academic who found homework ok-ish (don’t get me started on assignments due at a particular time😱) - my son was also clever in an entirely different much more practical way and would say ‘WHY do I need to do homework! I’ve been at school all day!”
It didn’t help that I was mostly a solo mum during their school years. UGH! DOWN WITH HOMEWORK!
100% agree on homework. There’s research to suggest there’s no real benefit to homework, so we’re expecting kids to be slaves to academia for no good reason! Meanwhile the benefits of free play, being in nature, getting enough sleep etc are overwhelmingly clear.
I’m currently looking at intermediates for my oldest and asking about homework policies. Off topic but what has shocked me is that everyone I have come across seems to measure schools purely on academic results. I’m not so sure that’s the most important thing to me. I’d love to see some research on what aspects of education actually lead to good humans.
I recently had my son’s parent teacher interview and thought the same thing, so strange to just hear “in maths he’s here, in writing here’s here, in reading here’s here”. Yeah but what about the important stuff lol
My Year 9 son gets all his homework through Education Perfect and from what I've seen it's completely pointless - and its not marked by the teacher on the most part so he just has to run through it so it gets tagged as completed. This seems to take away any semblance of meaning, like feeding the robot. But if he doesn't do it he gets a bad weekly grade. His primary school didn't have homework, which was great!
I have a 7 and a 5 year old at school and even getting them to read a book is torturous enough. They are both so tired when they get home and just want to watch tv or play with their toys. Their school also sends home ‘home learning’ tasks every couple of weeks and over the holidays and the kids hate them.
I am a high school history teacher and never set homework! For one it just means more marking and no one needs that... also like explained, I want my students doing other things after school! Things that support their wellbeing and sense of self.... Also, a lot of my students work most days after school so homework just adds an extra stress to their days which they don't need. Down with homework!
Exactly! Our students have 6 different classes! Obviously when assessments are on students sometimes need to be working on them in their own time, but I always give them more than enough time to complete them in class with no expectation to do them at home
The best argument for homework that I’ve heard offered (still not convinced, mind) is that homework is time to cement in what kids have learnt in class, by practising it independently. Well, maybe, I suppose, in principle – but how on earth does that mesh with homework that invariably needs parents’ extensive input? Either it doesn’t at all, and the homework simply doesn’t align with classroom learning; or, if it does, then the “how” is not being taught well enough to equip the kids to apply the “what”. Or maybe parents are just expected to make, or be, the crucial bridge between content and transferable skills ….?
Hated homework when I was in school then hated trying to get my son to do it. To be honest kids have so little free time now from day care starting as babies through to controlled after school activities, sport etc. when do they just get to be kids?
Basically homework just opens the divide between the haves and the have-nots even further. When you have an educated mum and dad with no money worries and plenty of access to technology, you'll probably get the bloody homework done fairly quickly and efficiently (whether it achieves anything useful is another question...). If mum and dad and the rest of the family are working long hours to try to make ends meet, and the house is cold and you haven't had enough to eat and it's noisy and crowded, homework either isn't going to happen or it's going to be done in haste and with a lot of resentment. I was a high achiever at school, and all those decades ago we didn't have the volume of homework kids seem to be afflicted with now, but it still wasn't any fun, and from a distance, it also wasn't much use. Most of us would have been far better off with a bit more thinking and reading time, a bit more time for music, drama, and creative activities in general, and some community service that let us get a clearer idea of what we wanted as a career.
Oh my gosh, the time for creative pursuits outside of school is going to become so much more important now,because the current government doesn't value the arts, grrr
I didn’t even think of that Toni and it’s so so true!
My eldest wasn't interested in doing homework at all and it did my head in because I think homework is ridiculous but every afternoon we went through this drama. So in answer to the idea that people with the time, knowledge and technology having it easier that was a definite no from this mum.
Well said Judy!
I won’t name the school my daughters went to, but they followed the studies that show homework doesn’t work. The *most* they ever had was finishing something from class time, usually because they had been away sick or something - not *extra* work, just the work.
With their time in the evenings they’d actually still do stuff like reading for pleasure, or even some school project work *for fun*. When there’s no pressure associated with doing it, they actually enjoyed it 🤷🏻♂️
My kid started school last year and a few months in she got a "learning with your family" pack that included things like cards, a snakes and ladders board, some recipes and laminated alphabet and number sheets with a whiteboard pen so kids could practice shapes. We've enjoyed using it, but anything more would be stressful! Dinner is pretty much as soon as we're home on after-school-care days. When are you supposed to fit in homework?!
That sounds so much better than work sheets but still…as you say, how do people fit it in!
I'm so grateful that our school does it this way. Our brilliant neurospicy 6 year old masks/regulates herself so strictly at school and after school care that most home time is exploring BIG FEELINGS and needing tight cuddles. These needs are incompatible with work sheets!!!
Finished high school nearly 42 years ago. Still have the odd anxiety dream that I haven't finished my homework. Nah.
I still have exam anxiety dreams!
OMG THIS. It's like school learning is a specific kind of learning not the only kind of learning and without the other kinds, it's just cramming. It makes no sense. But some parents are so bolshy about it - I honestly suspect that they want it because it means they don't have to engage with their kids in activities. And/or they had it and they turned out ok. BAH.
Teacher and my children go to the school I teach at, I don’t even do the homework my colleagues set 😅 and it’s reasonable and age appropriate but I still don’t do it..,
Haha this makes me feel better 😅
Yes! Teacher here - well, retired but still doing a bit of relieving. I agree with everything you say. It is simply a burden!
I showed a maths sheet of a Y3 to a friend who tutors university mathematics... even they couldn't understand wtf was being asked of the kid.
That makes me feel slightly better. I mean it was an English task and I’m a writer and I still struggled lol
*Y3 math sheet 🙃
Y3! My primary kids don't get homework and I'm so grateful!
To clarify, it wasn't homework. It was a sheet the teacher had given me to fill out - like an evaluation of where the kid's level was when at home... I couldn't figure out what I was being asked, so my UNIVERSITY MATHS TUTOR had a look and also had no idea wtf was being measured.
My children are now 40 and 38 and I’m still triggered by the mention of homework! My daughter was quite academic who found homework ok-ish (don’t get me started on assignments due at a particular time😱) - my son was also clever in an entirely different much more practical way and would say ‘WHY do I need to do homework! I’ve been at school all day!”
It didn’t help that I was mostly a solo mum during their school years. UGH! DOWN WITH HOMEWORK!
100% agree on homework. There’s research to suggest there’s no real benefit to homework, so we’re expecting kids to be slaves to academia for no good reason! Meanwhile the benefits of free play, being in nature, getting enough sleep etc are overwhelmingly clear.
I’m currently looking at intermediates for my oldest and asking about homework policies. Off topic but what has shocked me is that everyone I have come across seems to measure schools purely on academic results. I’m not so sure that’s the most important thing to me. I’d love to see some research on what aspects of education actually lead to good humans.
I recently had my son’s parent teacher interview and thought the same thing, so strange to just hear “in maths he’s here, in writing here’s here, in reading here’s here”. Yeah but what about the important stuff lol
My Year 9 son gets all his homework through Education Perfect and from what I've seen it's completely pointless - and its not marked by the teacher on the most part so he just has to run through it so it gets tagged as completed. This seems to take away any semblance of meaning, like feeding the robot. But if he doesn't do it he gets a bad weekly grade. His primary school didn't have homework, which was great!
Oh, that really does sound like not a good use of the service that the school will be paying for...
I have a 7 and a 5 year old at school and even getting them to read a book is torturous enough. They are both so tired when they get home and just want to watch tv or play with their toys. Their school also sends home ‘home learning’ tasks every couple of weeks and over the holidays and the kids hate them.
I just think play is so important at that age! And their little brains just get so tired!
Play is learning. Absolutely (and at all ages). Playcentre was a magnificent revelation for my understanding of this. Incidental and fun as well. 🥰
I am a high school history teacher and never set homework! For one it just means more marking and no one needs that... also like explained, I want my students doing other things after school! Things that support their wellbeing and sense of self.... Also, a lot of my students work most days after school so homework just adds an extra stress to their days which they don't need. Down with homework!
High school is a whole other kettle of fish... If every teacher sets homework, how much time does that end up taking?
Exactly! Our students have 6 different classes! Obviously when assessments are on students sometimes need to be working on them in their own time, but I always give them more than enough time to complete them in class with no expectation to do them at home
My grandchildren go to a Montessori school and there is no homework at any age 😊
The best argument for homework that I’ve heard offered (still not convinced, mind) is that homework is time to cement in what kids have learnt in class, by practising it independently. Well, maybe, I suppose, in principle – but how on earth does that mesh with homework that invariably needs parents’ extensive input? Either it doesn’t at all, and the homework simply doesn’t align with classroom learning; or, if it does, then the “how” is not being taught well enough to equip the kids to apply the “what”. Or maybe parents are just expected to make, or be, the crucial bridge between content and transferable skills ….?
Hated homework when I was in school then hated trying to get my son to do it. To be honest kids have so little free time now from day care starting as babies through to controlled after school activities, sport etc. when do they just get to be kids?
Exactly!