No written homework?

is_that_so

I came across this piece on a school in Dublin.

A Dublin primary school which has introduced a no written homework policy for the majority of its students has said the change is "going well" so far.

Loreto Primary School in Rathfarnham, an all-girls school with more than 500 students, is currently trialling the policy.

Speaking on RTÉ's Drivetime, Sister Maria Hyland said the decision was taken after a lot of discussion about the stress caused by homework.

https://www.rte.ie/news/education/2019/1105/1088882-school-homework/

Granted though it is only a trial it seems to fly in the face of the concept of homework reinforcing what's been learnt. It's also interesting to note the apparent reason for the trial policy - stress. Is it genuinely an issue? My own recall of homework as a child and an adult never involved any stress. The concern is that it seems a little ad hoc and as the article states that 6th class don't get out of it anyway.

Here's a link with thoughts on the use of homework.

https://researchschool.org.uk/huntington/blog/homework-what-does-the-evidence-say

byhookorbycrook

I think properly differentiated written homework, in small quantities is worthwhile. It also allows a parent to see how their child is progressing.

heldel00

byhookorbycrook wrote: »

I think properly differentiated written homework, in small quantities is worthwhile. It also allows a parent to see how their child is progressing.

100% agree. I NEVER give anything "new" for homework. Parents are aware of this from the start of the year and know that if a child is unable to complete the little bit I do give, then this needs additional attention.
Quality rather than quantity, imo.

dooroy

I think this is a great idea and hopefully more schools will take it up.
Homework does cause a lot of stress and worry to both pupils and parents - the parent(s) who are trying to help may have different methods etc from their own time in school and this can cause many problems.
Giving homework to 6th class is also to be recommended as the homework load in secondary is cruel - too many subjects etc. Pupils going in to first year and finding they have maybe 10 subjects to contend with feel overwhelmed with a sense of ' I can never get through all this'.
It's sad to hear some parents judging a school on the basis of how much homework the pupils get ; the saying 'more doesn't always mean better' comes to mind.
There are no official guidelines on how much homework should be given - there are countries who don't give any homework apparently and pupils/students are performing just as well.

Kathnora

My views are that of a 50+ yr old primary teacher with a good few years under my belt....

The purpose of homework as I see it is to consolidate and practise skills learned in school. One simple example for Maths homework might be .... 4 sums given to the student to test their knowledge and understanding of the concept of area v perimeter. Now, some may say this can be done at school. True. But ... the child may well "cog" the answer from another child or have a good memory and simply remember how the teacher did the sum on the board. When the same sums are given for homework it tests whether the child really knows and understands the concept a few hours after doing it in class. Of course the teacher should be reasonably sure that the concept has been grasped by the majority before assigning the homework in the first place. And, for those with difficulties in Maths differentiated work should be assigned. Having to practise a new concept at home allows the parents to keep in tune and up to date with what the child is doing at school as well as giving them the opportunity to see how well their child grasps new concepts. If there are difficulties then these should be addressed at school the next day. Most teachers can tell whether a child has genuinely tried to do the Maths or not. There shouldn't be an element of fear or stress if the child discovers that they "thought" they knew how to do the homework but discovered they didn't later that evening. It is of course up to each teacher to ensure that children are rewarded for trying and that they are not in fear of going to school the next day if a genuine difficulty arises.
The parents of children who get little or no homework can sometimes live in "cuckoo land" and assume that their children are doing fine at school because that's what their children tell them. A shock can await them at the annual P/T meeting. But, regular written work will keep them informed and up to speed (provided they check the work, of course).
Homework also means that the child is getting more practise time at new skills... the teacher with a very overloaded curriculum has a limited amount of time during school hours to give the children for practising a new skill. An example of this might be if a child had to write a short "Recount" story having learned the skills of that genre in school.
Now teachers aren't naive enough to realise that some children get a lot of "help" from parents with homework. Not much can be done about that and sure the truth will out when it comes to the test!
Homework is also a discipline for children in managing their time at home after school. It takes self discipline for the child to assign a particular time after school for homework and then leave themselves free for play etc. Is that not a good skill to learn? Don't we all need self discipline when it comes to our work and meeting deadlines ? Weekend homework (given in 6th class in my school) means that the child has to decide whether to do the work straight away and then be free to enjoy the weekend or procrastinate and leave it until Sunday evening. I have to make those decisions myself when it comes to school paperwork and housework and it's not easy! But, it's a good discipline.
The Loreto school in Dublin is experimenting and the results may be interesting to see.... I'm glad to read that they don't intend to abolish written homework for 6th class as they realise that the children need preparation for secondary school. If children enter second level without having had written homework I can see that it may take some children most of the year to actually get used to it and in some cases discipline themselves to produce it on time for each subject teacher.
I am not in favour of homework for homework's sake. I despair when I hear some of my colleagues say they are stuck for homework material. Some feel they have to give busy work and not practise work on newly learned skills. My school has a policy of 30 mins homework for 3rd class rising to 1hr -1hr15m for 6th class. To the best of my knowledge 1st yr homework in secondary takes about 90 mins to 2hrs.
Parents complain about the stress of homework. Sometimes it can be the complaining child or the child that doesn't like school that causes the stress. They don't like homework (who does?) and fuss about it at home. They shout loudly about it... often when their parents are tired themselves after a long day's work. Mam and Dad react to this by agreeing with the child or complaining to the teacher and the child gets their own way. Children are very clever when it comes to knowing what buttons to press. Parents feel guilty perhaps at not having enough time to spend with their children and "cave in" too easily. I am well aware of my good luck at being a teacher and the great advantage it was to be home early in the evenings to assist with and supervise homework. I presume children who attend after school care get their homework done during that time. But the stress occurs when it doesn't get done for some reason or when a difficulty arises. It is our duty as teachers to ensure that homework is differentiated for children. We know too well by now that they all have different levels of abilities, needs and difficulties in some cases. There will always be children who ( in spite of having suitable homework ) lack the discipline to do it or get distracted by play, tv or social media or simply hate school and all school work. Was it any different back in my primary school days? NO! But nowadays I can say that homework is differentiated and definitely reduced. My own children who are in their 20s got more homework in primary than children get today. But society is still complaining ....
There's nothing wrong with a bit of stress or a bit of pressure. We can't wrap our nation's children in cotton wool and expect them to deal with what life throws at them later on in adulthood. We can't make life too easy or cosy for children in primary school or they will never meet the demands of secondary ...and what about the Leaving Cert? It could be simplified but then would the students be fit for 3rd level???
Parents as primary educators and teachers have a responsibility to teach and prepare children to become well adjusted adults with the skills necessary to meet life's challenges. Homework is just a part of this process.

heldel00

Excellent post. Voice of experience and sense.