Hello Parents and Teachers! Season’s Greetings and warm wishes for this festive month of October! If you have chanced upon this Blog article before listening to the linked Podcast by the same name, we strongly recommend that you first enjoy Making Homework Work – Part I, before reading further.

When and where did HOMEWORK begin?

While we aren’t exactly sure about who invented homework, we do know that the word “homework” dates back to ancient Rome when Pliny the Younger asked his followers to practice their speeches at home. We do that even today, don’t we? Memorization exercises and scriptures as homework continued through the Middle Ages and Enlightenment by monks, saints, rishis and other scholars.

In the 19th century, students of the German Volksschulen or “People’s Schools” were given assignments to complete outside of the school day. This concept of homework quickly spread across Europe and was brought to the United States by Horace Mann, (the father of American education, and a major force behind establishing unified school systems), who saw the idea in practice in Prussia.

Then in the early 1900s, progressive education theorists, criticised homework’s negative impact on the physical and mental health in children. This led California to ban homework for students under 15 until 1917. In the 1930s, homework was portrayed as child labour, which was newly illegal, but the prevailing argument was that kids needed time to do household chores. Helping mum was more of a priority those days!

Later in the 1950s, US Public opinion swayed again in favour of homework due to concerns about keeping up with the Russians in their technological advances during the Cold War. And in 1986, the US government included homework as an ‘educational quality boosting’ tool.

As you can see, homework is NOT new, but the purpose and objective behind it has changed. For better clarity, let us now consider the pros and cons of ‘homework’ being an Educational Quality Boosting Tool!

HOMEWORK is GOOD

Student achievement is impacted positively with home assignments: Many studies conducted the world-over have shown that home assignments have improved students’ study habits for regular revision and improved achievement in assessment results, as well as the likelihood of easily making it through to higher education.

Homework helps to reinforce classroom learning, while developing good study habits and life skills: Students typically retain only 50% of the information teachers provide in class. At-home assignments help students to independently revisit & practice, to internalize the concepts. The outcome of such assignments provides valuable data to teachers about the depth of understanding by each learner.

Homework allows parents to be involved with children’s learning: Home assignments help parents to connect with what’s happening in school, as well as their ward’s strengths and weaknesses. Positive, motivating parental involvement in homework and school academics is directly proportional to student achievement. At times, learning disabilities become apparent when parents observe their children attempting homework and the challenges they are facing. So, one thing is clear – Tuition classes aren’t homework; nor is homework meant for the Tuition teacher to solve.

HOMEWORK is NOT a MUST

Homework – harmful if too much: Psychologists have reiterated that children should have a chance to just be kids. It is absurd to insist that children must be engaged in constructive activities every minute of the day, right up until their heads hit the pillow. Too much homework can lead to sleep deprivation and other health problems such as headaches, exhaustion, weight loss, stomach problems and in some cases loneliness, including depression. This, in turn, defeats the purpose of helping student learning – particularly when older siblings and parents complete the homework for the child who is exhausted, unwilling or cranky.

Homework gap due to lack of equity in access to digital resources: Much of the homework assigned today require students to access the internet for online material. This increases the digital divide – the technical and financial ability to utilize available technology for learning, along with access (or a lack of access) to the Internet. Completing homework for such adversely affected students is very difficult, since locating a safe place with an internet connection, or borrowing a laptop, or waiting till the parent returns home with the family’s only available digital gadget, can be challenging.

Actual efficacy of homework for very young and high school students is questionable: According to an NAEP study, 4th grade students who did no homework got roughly the same score on the math exam as those who did 30 minutes of homework a night. Students who did 45 minutes or more of homework a night actually did worse.

Like everything in life, there are varied views about Homework; there is a favourable side to it and an unfavourable one. Having said that, if Homework has a targeted purpose, is holistically designed, and is well-balanced in terms of quantity, difficulty level, time required and learner specificity, then the pros clearly outweigh the Cons.

Conventionally, Homework has been assigned mainly for 4 reasons: completion, practice, preparation and extension. However, to really make Homework ‘work’, we need to consider paradigm shifts across the following areas, that all stakeholders need to make:

• Change in Mindset: parents, students and teachers alike, need to appreciate the long-term benefits of learning, driven by balanced, well-timed, well-designed, purposeful, meaningful homework with scope for independent internalisation of learning at home.
• Change in Curriculum and Pedagogy: Curriculum planning and pedagogy must have a fresher perspective of looking at home learning being just ‘that little bit more’ than classwork. Homework must be designed with activities which, while being cognitive extensions and expansions of what was learned in class, must also embrace development of 21st century skills, independent life skills and build confidence.
• Change in Goals and Objectives: For years homework has been designed to complete answers of pending questions behind a chapter, or voluminous practice questions in math and science with the repetitive foci, styles and concepts –as if to live up to the adage “Practice makes perfect.” The adage holds true only if one is able to apply the concept and perform with consistency & confidence across different scenarios, including real-life applications.
• Change in Approach: Teachers must also rise to the occasion to design home assignments that are customised to address the specific learning gaps of each student and at the pace that allows them to view and celebrate incremental advancements and achievement.

A Note for TEACHERS:

In order to make homework ‘work’ for your kids, we recommend that you take a close look at the quality and purpose of the tasks by asking 8 basic questions. These questions apply to whether learning is happening primarily at school, at home, or a hybrid of the two:

1. On thinking back in time, during your student days, what kind of homework…

• … truly helped you in advancing and cementing your learning?
• … did you find redundant, a drudgery and a waste of time?

2. Do students understand the purpose and value of the assignment designed?

• Teachers can increase interest and participation by explaining the purpose of the work and by giving students the freedom to choose which problems to do or which topics to research.
• They can also allow students to stop when by self-assessing they are sure that they understand the concept.

3. Will all students be able to do the task independently?

• Students are more likely to put aside and be unwilling to complete a task when the homework feels either too hard or too easy. Teachers can use a variety of strategies, such as student check-ins and daily exit tickets to strive for the “just-right” challenge for each student and ensure that homework can be done without help from parents or tutors.

4. Is this assignment better done in class versus as homework?

• Skill practice, such as learning when and how to apply algorithms in math or parsing difficult text passages, might be more effective during class, where teachers can clarify doubts, misunderstandings and provide proper individualised coaching.
• But some other activities such as reading a book-chapter/notes or researching on some additional facts to prepare for class discussion, or interviewing a community member for an oral history project – can’t be done effectively or efficiently in class. These tasks might be better to assign as homework thereby allowing students to complete the task at their time & convenience.

5. How much time should this assignment realistically take?

• It is important for educators to consider how much time the assignment should take and recommend an appropriate cut-off time for students without penalty. ‘Purpose of the assignment’ as well as student ‘age’ and ‘ability’ should be the factors to suggest cut-off time limits.
• One can even have students start the assignment in class to help estimate how long it may take different students to do it and if they need help.
• Since students may have homework from several classes each night, try to plan, schedule and distribute large assignments and assessments with other teachers over a longish time period, and be lenient on submission schedules or allow “homework passes” when workload or home obligations are heavy.

6. What kind of additional resources would the student need? Does it allow for reading, research, analysis and independent solutions?

• When planning homework that requires students to look for more information, it is good idea to set up collaborative groups with each student fact-finding on a specific aspect. Then they can collaborate and put together the complete task with their individual contributions. This allows for time well spent, distribution of tasks, individual and group skills, and of course accountability for a common cause.
• Avoid assigning homework that is shared at a short notice, resulting in emergency situations for parents to handle – like internet access, buying stationery items, complex model-making, meeting people in the community (which may need adult presence), etc.

7. In what way is this task empowering students and making their learning relevant for the future?

• Homework, across subjects, should allow students to engage in the task of planning, prioritizing and scheduling the completion of home assignments. The assignments shouldn’t be too short, too easy or too mundane. Moderately challenging tasks that are a wee bit out of their comfort zone excites them.
• Design activities that allow students to develop very important life skills that will help them in adulthood – the 7 golden habits (being proactive, beginning with the end in mind, put first things first, seek first to understand and then be understood, synergise, sharpen the saw), PLUS accountability, autonomy, discipline, time management, self-direction, critical thinking, collaboration, and independent problem-solving.

8. What kind of feedback should you provide on the homework?

• Feedback or even grading homework can be challenging. Some students may have organizational issues or other reasons beyond their control due to which they don’t turn in the homework, give excuses or do it incorrectly. Others may have relied on outside help to edit and perfect the work, which you may not be aware of, thereby leaving gaps in the child’s core conceptual understanding.
• If grading the homework, ensure that you provide actionable and timely feedback on assignments and offer students opportunities to revise and resubmit. Aim to return graded assignments prior to the next assessment so students can learn from their mistakes.
• Don’t forget to make your comments specific and constructive enough for students to identify the flaws and make self-corrections. E.g. Just a tick or cross won’t help; add a comment suggesting they redo the work and show you or explain that they need to add more supporting evidence to a paragraph to strengthen their answer.

Teachers, here are some ideas of alternative strategies for engaging learners in meaningful homework –
https://www.classcraft.com/blog/alternatives-to-homework/
https://www.teachthought.com/pedagogy/alternatives-to-homework-a-chart-for-teachers/

A Note for PARENTS:

Parents often struggle with getting their children to complete their daily homework and in many homes, it turns into an unpleasant battle of sorts! Frankly, there’s no standard, magical solution for this daunting task, but here are some tips that could help parents figure out how best to utilise the ‘after school time’ that includes Homework.

Give your child time to unwind after school. Most children left alone after entering home from school tend to play home soccer, build a Lego set, watch TV, or engage in imaginative play. It is their way of saying – “I need my space, time and chance to chill!” The brain and body need that time to settle before being ‘expected to work’.

Always make sure they have had a snack. You want to make sure kids have some snacks / food before they start with the work they are being asked to do. Refuelled children are happier and more pliable!

Involve them in making the plan: Parents often think that by involving their kids in decision making, they are relinquishing control and authority. Wrong! Collaboration is known to make children feel included, heard and valued. When children feel they aren’t just being told what to do, they are more likely to want to participate.

Ask them what they think would help them get their homework done. Imagine getting the answers from the them! Obviously, some boundaries will need to be set; you certainly don’t wish to allow your kids to do homework in front of the TV or while listening to some loud modern sound tracks. Make a plan together, try out that plan, and reassess it after a set amount of time.

As the parent, ensure YOU are going into homework time stress-free. Parents set the tone, and if YOU are regulated and calm, it is more likely your children will follow suit. Take time, deep breathe alone, decompress and feel happy before helping your child complete their homework. These days homework is perceived as a source of stress and if your mood at the onset is keyed up, it will be a double whammy for the kids!

All work, no play is no fun. This could be challenging! Perhaps between your spouse and you, one of you is better at it! Homework is meant to be a review of things already taught and learned, so bring in a bit of slap-stick humour to it. Think of creative ways with which you can get your child to complete the homework – revisit your school day goof-ups, your academic boo-boos and how you overcame them (or did not).

‘Homework time’ is time for bonding with children. This is not even fit for argument! Who wouldn’t want to bond with one’s kid? But we know, life gets busy, and homework has to get done. As hard as it sometimes is, try to remember that homework isn’t just a chore but also dedicated time to spend time with your child. Make time for it!

So in the end, one thing is for sure – homework is here to stay. With mutual understanding, cooperation, a supportive environment, due diligence and care – we can all Make HOMEWORK Work in the interest of our young ones!