The question of what constitutes too much homework is a vexing question.
Reports have shown that children are being burdened with hours of homework every week, but, says one academic, the extra load doesn’t actually provide any benefit.
“The quantity of homework is a critical issue for kids and their enjoyment. If we overload them, then they aren’t going to be happy and they won’t enjoy it.
“There are other things kids can do that they enjoy which are of value for their growth and maturity,” said Dr Patrick Waller, associate professor, Sydney University.
“Really, only senior high school students should be doing a couple of hours of homework.”
Dr Waller draws on research that shows, in countries where they spend more time on homework, the achievement results are quite often lower.
But what happens when a student goes through primary school and junior high school without the routine of homework and suddenly gets hit with hours of homework each week when he or she reaches year 11?
“Apart from the stress encountered in this situation, it’s the logistics of fitting everything in that becomes a hurdle for many families,” says John Sumner, director of Red Tick Education.
John believes routine, time management and establishing good habits are key. Homework is an obvious part of good habit forming and it sits inside an overall plan.
The earlier that children form good study habits, the better. “It’s not necessarily a discussion about how many hours a week, but about how you manage those hours that can make the difference.
Faced with so many distractions and extra-curricular commitments, juggling everything becomes a challenge. Students need the tools and the skills to help them deal with this. These are adult and real-world challenges,” he said.
Looking at goals and a term-length plan, can help a student to break their workload into manageable pieces, enabling them to take control of their own routine. The confidence gained in doing this is invaluable.
Take a look for yourself and you can download a sample of just what is available, to help students manage their load, at www.redtickeducation.com.