When we set homework we usually know who will bring it back having attempted it by themselves, those who will have had their parents do it and those who will never bring it back full stop. In this blog I want to question the benefit of homework and its overall educational value.
So, what do we want to gain from homework? Is it just added workload on teachers? I am not a fan of weekly homework because I think the setting and the marking in itself is a large task. It also makes me wonder about its educational value. I do, on the other hand, think that topic work set for the half term is a great way to involve the whole family about the topic their child will be immersed in for the coming half term.
Setting a research project for the half term where the children can work with parents, friends and family is a really important part of learning. I would hold a parents meeting where I could explain what their children are going to learn about and how they could support them at home.
They can go to the library, draw pictures or do internet research and then at the end of the topic I would hold a show and tell to the next class - even if a child has done a small amount at home they can say what they have learned in class. This, in my opinion, is far more valuable than a weekly tick list of who has returned their homework.
What are your opinions on setting homework?
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