Research by Darling-Hammond & Ifill-Lynch, 2006, “The goal shouldn’t be to eliminate homework, but to make it authentic, meaningful and engaging.”
There is a glaring nexus between homework and learning process, but mere assigning homework to students doesn’t influence their learning capacities and capabilities. All that matters is the quality of homework, not quantity thereof. The quantity of homework doesn’t ensure high scores in academics. In fact, as per the feedback received by parents and teachers, voluminous homework accounts for the high level of exasperation in students. According to Central Board of Secondary Education, there are many students and parents out there who find homework only a time-consuming activity, bringing along a lot of burden for their children. Nevertheless, CBSE doesn’t obviate assigning homework by schools as excluding homework is not the remedial measure for the root cause.
.JPG)
Mire of Homework and Its Effects
It has been observed that there are many schools out there which focus more on academic-centric content rather than community-centric content; thus, students hardly get the chance of learning in a literal sense. They are able to complete their homework and assignments on time, but sadly, completion is not tantamount to acquiring or gaining. Submitting assignments on time fetches no desirable result but only ensures obtaining marks pre-determined at the end of the submission. As far as students’ intellects are concerned, they are hardly stimulated by such voluminous assignments. Moreover, students hardly find ample time to spend with their families, to invest in their hobbies, and self-study.
 Parents are also asking |
How about the quality of homework or assignments given to do at home? Isn’t it time to weigh the quality of assignments given by schools to complete at home? Answer Now
Loopholes in Traditional Homework Practices
Though traditional homework practices keep a student amidst a competitive environment but in no way fructify learning process. In fact, it hampers one’s learning. High quantum of homework only makes it counterproductive and lessens its efficacy. Lack of purpose and advantages makes the conventional homework practices feeble and demands to redefine them. Some prominent problems associated with such old-school practices are:
1. High amounts of assignments and homework do not let the students fulfill their developmental needs.
2. Students find very less quality time to spend with their families, friends, and kins.
3. The high volume of work demands them to drop their favorite activities and doesn’t let them enjoy their leisurely things.
4. Humongous homework also affects their health, causing severe health issues such as weight loss, headache, stomach-related issues, fatigue, sleep deprivation, and many more at the young age.
5. Many students complain of facing stress whose root cause is nothing but a great amount of homework.
6. Assigning high amount of work leads to mediocre or poor performance.
The quantity of homework without adding value must make way in the PTA agenda too.
Why Quality of Homework
1. Quality homework helps students reinforce what they learned in schools.
2. Quality homework lets the students know and explore the real world in depth and correct manner and establish a connection between them and the things around.
3. If an assignment is catering to students’ needs and addressing their interests, then it is termed as ‘quality homework’.
4. Quality homework envisages pre-defined learning goals. Thus, it is result-oriented.
5. Quality homework also entails completion strategies to teach a student how to complete an assignment on time by fulfilling all his/her learning and developmental needs.
6. Quality homework also allows a student to take some time out to interact with his/her family and create learning opportunities at home first. With the help of active role of parents, a student’s progress can be assessed timely and improvised accordingly.
7. Quality homework strengthens critical thinking prowess.
8. Quality homework inculcates management skills.
9. Quality homework teaches students how to solve problems independently.
10. Quality homework also allows teachers to keep a track of students’ progress.
Getting high points is not the ultimate goal of a learning process. Developing skills, discovering things, reinforcing concepts, generating new ideas, establishing new connections, fulfilling interest, personal & social needs, and ensuring growth are the goals we are looking forward to accomplishing through our learning process. All this can be only achieved by adding quality to our assignments, projects, homework and eradicating high quantity of the assignments. In this way, we can ameliorate the unsatisfactory traditional norms of homework and stimulate the learning process of students. Moreover, it will impart meaning and authenticity to homework without eliminating it altogether.
Adopt 10 minutes homework rule, works very well for parents and educators, remember what research says. Homework, where parents have to spend hours completing a difficult assignment along with children, can be completely skipped. Intrusive and controlling parental involvement also hurts child’s learning. Discuss with teacher, administration and school if you see signs of more redundant homework.
What are your thoughts?
Reference: Linda Darling-Hammond & Ifill-Lynch (2006) If they'd only do their work
You may like to read
Too Much Homework
Register as a school member
School Membership of NexSchools comes loaded with many free benefits, insights and 
ideas