Written by Michelle Most

Homework. Just saying the word can conjure up many feelings and thoughts, from happiness to great resentment. Research shows, however, that a reasonable range of homework does benefit the child and their achievement levels, and when done effectively, homework is of great benefit to student, parent, and teacher.

According to Marzano (2007), research studies show that the relationships between homework and achievement are stronger in upper elementary and high school levels than at the primary level. Results do not really begin to show up until the sixth grade, and then they increase substantially beginning in ninth grade. For junior high and high school students, 7-12 hours of homework per week is beneficial, with too much homework being counterproductive. Surprisingly, parent involvement does not necessarily add any value to the homework.

Homework should have different purposes at different grades. Homework for young children should help nurture positive habits, character traits, and attitudes toward school. It should also allow for parent involvement and reinforce learning of simple skills introduced in class (Cooper, 2006). For students in upper elementary grades, homework should play a more direct role in development of improved school achievement and communicate to the students that learning can happen at home as well as at school. In sixth grade and beyond, homework should play an important part in improving grades and standardized test scores (Marzano, 2007).

Homework should only be assigned if teachers can justify that the assignments are beneficial. Teachers should involve students in helping to decide what homework and how much homework will be assigned (Marzano, 2007).

Using Vaterott’s (2010) five characteristics for useful homework (has clear academic purpose, efficiently demonstrates student learning, promotes ownership, instills a sense of competence, and appears enjoyable and interesting), let’s look at some standard homework assignments: writing out spelling words three times each and writing definitions for science words. How well do they follow the five hallmarks of good homework?

The purpose of the spelling assignment is to practice spelling the words correctly and memorize them. Writing out spelling words three times may work for some, but does it work for all? A better way may be to allow students to design their own task for practicing the words or give them some options: Write or type the words three times, use Scrabble tiles to spell them out, or trace them with your finger.

What about the vocabulary words? Does writing definitions really help students learn the meanings? Students will learn them best if they are used in context. Have the students use the vocabulary words as an application task after the lesson by writing them in sentences or a story (Vatterott, 2010).

When teachers assign projects like dioramas, models, poster displays, reports, PowerPoint presentations, or travel brochures, they have the best of intentions. But if they do so without a rubric that clearly spells out the content required, the homework becomes more about artistic talent than content knowledge, and it does not allow the homework to efficiently demonstrate learning, nor does it allow the student to take ownership (Vatterott, 2010).

Teachers must abandon a one-size-fits-all approach. If students cannot do the homework on their own without help, then it is not good homework. Teachers must differentiate assignments so they are at the appropriate level for each individual student. Struggling students and those with learning disabilities may require fewer questions or less reading and writing.

“A simple means of differentiating is to make homework time-based instead of task-based.” (Vatterott, 2010, p. 14) Instead of asking students to complete all 20 problems, have them complete as many as they can in 15 minutes. If they only have 30 minutes for math, science, and reading homework, but the reading is the most important, tell them to work on reading first. If time permits, they can use it to finish what they can in the other two subjects (Vatterott, 2010). A good rule of thumb for amount of time to spend on homework is 10 minutes times the grade level. The benefits of homework start to decrease once students go beyond that amount of time (Cooper, 2007).

Homework is an irregularity that crosses the boundary between family and school. There is no other area in a child’s life where an authority figure other than the parent has so much bearing on what happens in the home. Teachers need to be mindful of what it means to exert so much control over what happens in the home (Goldberg, 2007). Teachers must plan carefully and assign homework in a way that makes the most of the potential for student success.

Michelle Most is a Martin Luther College graduate student. She earned her BS Ed with a science concentrate from MLC in ’00 and has served as a teacher and substitute teacher in WELS schools. Currently, she is a stay-at-home mom with her 3-year-old son and teaches art classes for children and adults at the local park district.

References

Cooper, H., Robinson, J.C., Patall, E., (2006). Does Homework Improve Academic Achievement? A Synthesis of Research. Review of Educational Research. 76(1), 1-62.

Goldberg, K. (2007) The Homework Trap. Encounter: Education for Meaning and Social Justice. 20(4), 32-40.

Kohn, A. (2006). Down with Homework. Instructor. 116(2), 43-45.

Marzano, R., Pickering, D. (2007). The Case for and Against Homework. Educational Leadership. 64(6), 74-79.

Vatterott, C. (2010). 5 Hallmarks of Good Homework. Educational Leadership. 68(1), 10-15.