Research findings on the effects of homework on kids
As schools open and children return, arguments are on the rooftop once again on how kids should devote the time after they have left school classrooms each day. There was surprising news of no-homework rule for second grade from Texas. Apart from the story earning the teacher admiration from parents from all over the country who complain of huge workload assigned to students, it also went viral. Teacher Brandy Young informed parents that she would no longer allocate homework assignments to her students this year. She further advised her students to play a lot outside, take supper with the family, and retire to bed early enough. However, the question of the quantity of homework assignments children ought to do outside school is still controversial; many parents worry about the issue of no-homework rules because they think their kids will lose potential academic benefits. Concerning homework assignments, the following are what we need to understand.
The issue
Since time immemorial homework assignments, principles have been the 10-minute policy that recommends the highest for 10 minutes homework assignment per grade each day. For example, second-grade children should do approximately 20 minutes for homework assignments each evening. On the other hand, senior high school students are to finish about 2 hours of homework assignments each evening. Both the national education association and national PTA are in support of the policy.
The good news for some is that a couple of schools have started to give young children to break from homework assignments by implementing no-homework policy. An elementary school in Massachusetts, for example, announced that a no-homework trial program begins next year, and at the same time, lengthen the school-learning day by 2 hours so that they can deliver more classroom instruction. The principal, Jackie Glasheen of Kelly elementary school, said they want school children’s brains to get tired, proceed home at precisely four o’clock, enjoy a good time with their families, play fulfilling football or soccer practice, and above all retire to bed early.
An elementary public school in New York City executed the same policy the previous year by abolishing standard homework assignments instead of quality family time. The changes angered and outraged a few parents; however, it got overwhelming support from education leadership and most parents.
Approaches and new solutions to homework assignments vary from community to community. Furthermore, these arguments are involved, as evidenced by the fact that education specialists do not agree on children’s rights.
The research
Professor Cooper Harris of psychology from Duke University conducted a comprehensive study on homework assignments from 2006 meta-data analysis. The research found an indication of a positive connection between student achievement and homework assignments. It means that children who complete homework assignments achieved high scores in school. One notable thing about this correlation is that it is durable for senior students – in 7th to 12th grade than for young grade students. The relationship is weak between homework assignments and performance.
Professor’s analysis considered how homework assignments influence academic performance, for example, in test scores. The research report found that homework assignments tend to boost school attitudes, inquisitiveness, self-discipline, independent problem-solving abilities, and study habits. On the contrary, the study noted that homework assignments might cause emotional and physical fatigue, deny leisure time for kids, and negatively affect studying. To avoid all these negative consequences, parents can simply pay for a tutor or buy homework for their children.