Thank you so much for sharing this as there are so many misconceptions on homework. I go by the 10 minutes per grade level rule. It is easy to understand and reduces homework stress in families. As a school board member, we have integrated that into our policies.
Thank you so much for this post! My preschooler was just assigned homework (!!!!!!?!!!?!) and we’re organizing our approach. You’ve offered a great shortcut for translating this for any conversations with teachers or the school board.
I find this so fascinating. I had a friend whose backpack was bigger than her... true story, she was climbing up a flight of stairs and her backpack tipped her backward and down she fell. She was totally fine and it’s hilarious to imagine. A hilarious story belying the truth that we need to manage the amount of work. I do agree on homework teaching time management skills and study skills but the amount that kids need to sift through is insane. But frankly it’s such an epitome of our culture, we demand this of our kids because employers expect this when they become workers.
I remember this too. At my school, high school students petitioned to allow rolling backpacks because of the amount of homework. Instead of solving the root of the problem (why so much homework), the school spent time talking about appropriate ways to where your backpack to not hurt your spine!
Love this! I wish schools prioritized considering this research. Implementing this research I believe would significantly improve the education system and alleviate stress in young children!
This is such important information. Many educators (including me) have moved away from assigning homework due to this research — and yet I often hear that it’s still being assigned “because the parents want it.”
I would encourage any parent who does NOT want it to bring this up to their child’s teacher or school and to make it known that it’s ok to take this off kiddo and teacher plates or substantially reduce it. Schools may be more amenable to change than you’d expect.
That said: if the teacher/school is resistant to revising the policy for the whole group/school but it is making life miserable for your own child, you can also request a 504 plan to reduce the load. (I prefer collective approaches because they also benefit children whose parents cannot assist them at home due to language barriers or work schedules, but at the end of the day parents should feel they can do what’s right for their child.)
I agree 100%. Parents need to advocate to their teachers their desires on homework. School boards guide the policies on these issues so it is important to also share the research and your opinions with your local officials.
Great post as always! Really interesting info about how parents should help kids with homework. I'm always shocked when I hear stories online about parents doing their elementary school kids' homework for them--sad that the parents aren't giving their kids the opportunity to learn any of the skills associated with homework, but also a reflection of kids being given WAY too much work!!
That is a great point you make that did not come up in the research but probably should-parents' level of participation of in homework from not at all to completing the work for the child.
I'm in my early 40s and as a child and teen attended a private school that gave a LOT of required homework from a very young age. It created SO MUCH stress and monopolized my time, even though overall I did well in school. I also had untreated adhd and struggled with time management. The endless homework and studying for tests compounded my constant feeling of being behind.
My children both attend our local public school and I've been really happy that they don't begin to give homework until middle school, with the exception of asking that kids read 20 min a day with a parent/caregiver or on their own.
Thank you for sharing your personal experience. You bring up a very important point--homework for children diagnosed and not diagnosed with ADHD can be so stressful for children and parents. We want children to love school and learning, and too much homework can cause stress and anxiety which can then cause love of learning to diminish.
Thank you so much for taking the time to respond to this newsletter. I agree that we are not using homework in the right amounts or for the right reasons in the US. In addition to the stress it places on the children, it also puts stress on parents and caregivers who may not have the time or the background to provide support to our children.
Thank you so much for sharing this as there are so many misconceptions on homework. I go by the 10 minutes per grade level rule. It is easy to understand and reduces homework stress in families. As a school board member, we have integrated that into our policies.
I love that you are including research based practices in school board policies!
Thank you so much for this post! My preschooler was just assigned homework (!!!!!!?!!!?!) and we’re organizing our approach. You’ve offered a great shortcut for translating this for any conversations with teachers or the school board.
Homework in preschool?! That is not okay! Unless it is a caregiver reading to a preschooler, there is nothing that is appropriate to assign.
I find this so fascinating. I had a friend whose backpack was bigger than her... true story, she was climbing up a flight of stairs and her backpack tipped her backward and down she fell. She was totally fine and it’s hilarious to imagine. A hilarious story belying the truth that we need to manage the amount of work. I do agree on homework teaching time management skills and study skills but the amount that kids need to sift through is insane. But frankly it’s such an epitome of our culture, we demand this of our kids because employers expect this when they become workers.
I remember this too. At my school, high school students petitioned to allow rolling backpacks because of the amount of homework. Instead of solving the root of the problem (why so much homework), the school spent time talking about appropriate ways to where your backpack to not hurt your spine!
Love this! I wish schools prioritized considering this research. Implementing this research I believe would significantly improve the education system and alleviate stress in young children!
I agree. We need to start advocating for policies backed in research.
This is such important information. Many educators (including me) have moved away from assigning homework due to this research — and yet I often hear that it’s still being assigned “because the parents want it.”
I would encourage any parent who does NOT want it to bring this up to their child’s teacher or school and to make it known that it’s ok to take this off kiddo and teacher plates or substantially reduce it. Schools may be more amenable to change than you’d expect.
That said: if the teacher/school is resistant to revising the policy for the whole group/school but it is making life miserable for your own child, you can also request a 504 plan to reduce the load. (I prefer collective approaches because they also benefit children whose parents cannot assist them at home due to language barriers or work schedules, but at the end of the day parents should feel they can do what’s right for their child.)
I agree 100%. Parents need to advocate to their teachers their desires on homework. School boards guide the policies on these issues so it is important to also share the research and your opinions with your local officials.
Great post as always! Really interesting info about how parents should help kids with homework. I'm always shocked when I hear stories online about parents doing their elementary school kids' homework for them--sad that the parents aren't giving their kids the opportunity to learn any of the skills associated with homework, but also a reflection of kids being given WAY too much work!!
That is a great point you make that did not come up in the research but probably should-parents' level of participation of in homework from not at all to completing the work for the child.
I'm in my early 40s and as a child and teen attended a private school that gave a LOT of required homework from a very young age. It created SO MUCH stress and monopolized my time, even though overall I did well in school. I also had untreated adhd and struggled with time management. The endless homework and studying for tests compounded my constant feeling of being behind.
My children both attend our local public school and I've been really happy that they don't begin to give homework until middle school, with the exception of asking that kids read 20 min a day with a parent/caregiver or on their own.
Thank you for sharing your personal experience. You bring up a very important point--homework for children diagnosed and not diagnosed with ADHD can be so stressful for children and parents. We want children to love school and learning, and too much homework can cause stress and anxiety which can then cause love of learning to diminish.
Thank you so much for taking the time to respond to this newsletter. I agree that we are not using homework in the right amounts or for the right reasons in the US. In addition to the stress it places on the children, it also puts stress on parents and caregivers who may not have the time or the background to provide support to our children.