The Fish 9075 Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 I found this pretty interesting. I disagree with the American's view, but he's far more educated than I, so I'm not going to say it's preposterous as I'd come out looking ridiculous. The Big Question: Are children set too much homework, and does it hinder their education?By Richard Garner, Education Editor Published: 30 January 2007 Why are we asking this question now? A new study to be published in the UK this spring claims that too much study after school turns children off education and sparks family rows. The book, The Homework Myth, by American academic Alfie Kohn, also claims that it does not help them to do well in tests, either. Is he right about homework? There is international evidence to suggest Alfie Kohn may have a point on the test scores, if children are set too much homework. The Third International Maths and Science Survey, published in 1998, found that children who did a moderate amount of homework did a little better than those who do a lot or very little. For instance, the Finns, who do less homework than the British, score considerably better in international tests - coming top of almost every table for maths and science achievement through the ages of compulsory schooling. The Italians, who do more homework than the British, do less well. However, Kohn, a lecturer and writer about education, psychology and parenting from Belmont, Massachusetts, would argue there should be no homework set at all. "Kids should have the chance to relax after a full day at school," he says. Primary school children should do no more than read for pleasure once they get home, he adds. Should teachers not set homework, then? If you had asked that question of David Blunkett when he was Education Secretary, you would have got very short shrift indeed. He was the first UK Education Secretary to draw up homework guidelines for every single age group. His blueprint, which is still in force today, recommends that four- and five-year-olds should have 20 minutes homework a night - 10 minutes reading with parents and 10 minutes' reading alone or doing sums with their parents. By age six and seven, this should be increased to 30 minutes - 20 minutes reading with parents and 10 minutes reading alone and practising sums. For eight- and nine-year-olds, this should be increased to 40 minutes - split 20/20 between reading with parents and homework. The amount should increase until 15- and 16-year-olds studying for their GCSEs are doing between one-and-a-half and two hours a night. He described critics of his homework policy as revealing "blatant elitism dressed up as well-intentioned liberalism". His argument was: "Surely it is not a lot to ask an 11-year-old who spends three hours in front of the TV to work for half an hour?" The verdict given in Homework: The Evidence by Sue Hallam of London University's Institute of Education - considered by many people to be the most detailed study of homework - is: "Studies comparing homework with supervised study have generally found homework to be superior in increasing attainment but there are exceptions - particularly at elementary school level." Maths is the subject children are most likely to improve in through homework, she adds. Have homework guidelines worked? Mr Blunkett's decision to produce the guidelines was based on research which showed that only 5 per cent of schools in the UK set maths homework three days a week for nine-to-ten-year-olds, compared to more than 80 per cent in other countries such as France, Hungary, Switzerland and the United States. The comparison was more even in secondary schools, although the UK still set less maths homework than other countries. There is evidence that more homework is now being set - although that first emerged even before the blueprint was published. In 1983, figures from the Schools' Health Education Unit at Exeter University showed that just over half of boys aged 14 and 15 said they had done some homework the previous evening - compared to 68.7 per cent in 1998. Increasingly, in schools in England, homework clubs are being set up so pupils can finish their work before they go home. Marlowe Academy in Ramsgate, Kent - set up to replace the worst-performing secondary school in the country, Ramsgate, where less than 5 per cent of pupils got five A* to C grade passes at GCSE - has initiated this as a recognition that pupils from poorer homes may not have anywhere suitable to study at home. Results have improved dramatically. In addition, growing numbers of inner-city schools have set up clubs at their local football club - all the Premier League clubs are taking part in this initiative. As an incentive to do the homework, the pupils are allowed a kick-around on their team's hallowed turf afterwards. These initiatives have mainly focused on helping struggling pupils catch up in class and, according to the National Foundation for Educational Research (one of the most respected research organisations in the country), have had a marked effect in improving literacy and numeracy standards amongst slow learners. Are teachers setting the right kind of homework? There is evidence that a number of schools in the UK are moving away from traditional homework to more "fun"-based educational activities - such as organising out-of-school trips to museums, theatres etc. This goes hand in glove with a change of climate in educational thinking, which has recognised that new Labour's regime of compulsory reading hours and maths lessons and tests may have been a little too rigorous. Ms Hallam argues that homework needs to be "meaningful", adding: "Homework, if taken to the extreme, can completely disrupt family life." Kohn would go much further than this - arguing children should engage in things like creating their own work of art using recycled materials, design a poster with their parents about their favourite toy and devise a maths quiz to play with other pupils. He would outlaw exercises such as learning times tables, lists of spellings and completing a set of sums from a textbook out of school. Will Kohn's book change anything? Whether there will be more lasting change is debatable. Experts have disagreed over the value of homework for more than a century. In 1883, after "payment by results" for teachers was introduced, time spent on homework rose sharply until social reformers campaigned for a reduction. In 1929, a leading educational journal was asking "is homework necessary?" after a survey found that 11-year-olds were doing up to 12 hours a week. By 1935 school inspectors were recommending a reduction for the under-12's. The climate had changed again by the mid 1990's - hence Labour's commitment to rote learning and the introduction of the homework charter. However, the Government's guidelines still only recommend a maximum of 7.5 hours a week for 12 and 13-year-olds. Should schools continue to set homework? Yes... * Homework helps pupils develop independent learning skills - which they need for secondary school exams and higher education * Well thought-out assignments have been shown to improve performance - particularly in maths * Homework, particularly during the school holidays, ensures pupils do not forget what they have learned No... * Homework can increase tension between children and parents, leading to family rows * Homework turns children off education - they should relax with more "fun"-based activities * Too much homework can do positive harm, as has been noted in a subsequent fall-off of scores of in test performance Thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renton 17907 Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 Thoughts? You expect us to read that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemmill 35070 Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 Half an hour's homework a night is a bit much for a 6/7 year old tbh. Can't remember when I first got homework but I was a lot older than 6 I'm sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Patrokles Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 There's little enough time for people to enjoy life as it is, I don't think it's fair to clutter childhood with too much work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ally 0 Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 Don't think I ever got homework until I was in Year 6, whats that 9/10? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meenzer 14117 Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 Yeah, I don't remember getting homework until middle school and it hasint effected me in the slitest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catmag 336 Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 Yeah, I don't remember getting homework until middle school and it hasint effected me in the slitest. I'll bet it actually pained you to write that sentence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottish Mag 3 Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 Half an hour's homework a night is a bit much for a 6/7 year old tbh. Can't remember when I first got homework but I was a lot older than 6 I'm sure. I find it hard to imagine you doing any homework, you find it hard enough doing any work full stop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemmill 35070 Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 Half an hour's homework a night is a bit much for a 6/7 year old tbh. Can't remember when I first got homework but I was a lot older than 6 I'm sure. I find it hard to imagine you doing any homework, you find it hard enough doing any work full stop. How dare you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meenzer 14117 Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 Yeah, I don't remember getting homework until middle school and it hasint effected me in the slitest. I'll bet it actually pained you to write that sentence So true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob W 0 Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 Half an hour's homework a night is a bit much for a 6/7 year old tbh. Can't remember when I first got homework but I was a lot older than 6 I'm sure. aye - they should be up chimneys or doon the pit if they have any spare time... I was........... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jusoda Kid 1 Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 Half an hour's homework a night is a bit much for a 6/7 year old tbh. Can't remember when I first got homework but I was a lot older than 6 I'm sure. The bairn has just turned five and she gets that already, I'm already struggling with some of the stuff tbh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radgina 1 Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 Half an hour's homework a night is a bit much for a 6/7 year old tbh. Can't remember when I first got homework but I was a lot older than 6 I'm sure. The bairn has just turned five and she gets that already, I'm already struggling with some of the stuff tbh I got a phone call from my sister and brother in law last week as they were stuck on one of my 7 year old nephew's homework questions !!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fish 9075 Posted January 30, 2007 Author Share Posted January 30, 2007 Half an hour's homework a night is a bit much for a 6/7 year old tbh. Can't remember when I first got homework but I was a lot older than 6 I'm sure. The bairn has just turned five and she gets that already, I'm already struggling with some of the stuff tbh I got a phone call from my sister and brother in law last week as they were stuck on one of my 7 year old nephew's homework questions !!!! what the hell were they ringing you for? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Radgina 1 Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 Half an hour's homework a night is a bit much for a 6/7 year old tbh. Can't remember when I first got homework but I was a lot older than 6 I'm sure. The bairn has just turned five and she gets that already, I'm already struggling with some of the stuff tbh I got a phone call from my sister and brother in law last week as they were stuck on one of my 7 year old nephew's homework questions !!!! what the hell were they ringing you for? to see if I knew any pseudos who could answer the question Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeordieMessiah 0 Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 May as well get the kids used to the whole concept of taking their work home with them - it's all part of the broader socialisation process they need to go through to become full-blown jaundiced, extremely cynical, throughly alienated adults. Although I personally can't wait for the European Parliament to step in eventually and order that schools must observe the European Working Time Directive or some scholastic equivalent which they'd be bound to create... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thompson 0 Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 I think i started to get homework around 6 like, but it was just to draw a picture... Still never did it like Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Fish 9075 Posted January 30, 2007 Author Share Posted January 30, 2007 I think longer school days with the last couple of hours dedicated to "homework" would benefit the kids, the parents and the teachers. Teachers could get on with lesson planning, and be there as a last resort, staffroom assistants could be there for the general help-giving role, the parents would have more time to prepare food/get back from work/etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fordy 1 Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 never did get the point in spending 6 hrs of the day in school and then when you finally get home your expected to work even more lets be honest homework is a joke we all did very little of it and are better people despite it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midds 0 Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 At the end of the day, the kids who do their homework stand a better chance of achieving their targets than those who just ignore it. I think setting homework for kids of 7 or 8 is bit much. Far better to encourage them to develop their social/communication skills/manners. Some people have absolutely no idea what goes on in secondary classrooms nowadays. Home is the only safe, conducive learning environment some kids get due to the shitheads who spoil lessons and disrupt the education of dozens of kids on a daily basis. The nicer kids do the homework, learn the skills, take them into the exam hall, and produce the results - the rest get the results the deserve, and will thus have the life they deserve. Q.E.D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom 13885 Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 They should encourage more young people to play guitar and grow their hair.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Carr's Gloves 3234 Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 I did no homework as a kid. That is not an exageration. I was an angry young man angry at the teachers for striking angry at the government for what it was doing to the miners lots of stuff. I got no schooling really worthy of the name. I came out with nothing and ended up a soldier. One of the reasons for not doing homework was my extremely low boredom threshold and the crap way I was taught. There has to be a middle ground. I am loathe to put too much stress on children. Childhood is such a short period of time anyway and should be used for social learning rather than educational. And children should be allowed to enjoy being children without the stress of an education of success or failure. Homework should kick in as set homework at about 12 at the oldest. Before then parents should be encouraged to assist learning at home. Of course parents should be encouraged to take responsibility for their children as well (a bigger bug bear of mine than homework). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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