Ask any schoolchild whether homework should be banned and you’ll probably hear a resounding ‘Yes!’. However, many parents and teachers are also beginning to question what role homework really plays in education. So should homework be banned?
Yes – Clara
My children get given so much homework it regularly cuts into the time that we’d like to spend as a family. The kids often have to give up entire evenings and weekends just to get their homework completed in time and I think family time is equally, if not more important.
I don’t think homework is healthy for children’s emotional wellbeing either. I’ve often seen my children get really stressed by homework. And the older they get, the harder it becomes for me and my husband to help them when they get upset. Surely it would be better to let them work through the activities in the classroom where the teacher can step in when needed.
I know some will say that homework helps to prove that children have absorbed the things they’ve been taught during the school day but really I think a lot of a child’s success comes down to how much their parents are able to help with homework. It isn’t fair that some kids gain an advantage because their parents are available to give them a hand.
Homework also puts an extra burden on busy parents – I work full-time and don’t have the time to check homework diaries every day. Equally, I’m sure setting and marking homework must put a huge burden on teachers and their time could be better spent elsewhere.
No – Max
Homework is a vital part of a child’s education. It is important for proving that kids have retained and understood what they have learnt in class so any problems can be addressed. Often a child may appear to have understood something in class but perhaps their friend has helped them, or maybe they haven’t been brave enough to ask the teacher for help. By setting homework, teachers can check that all the children have in fact understood the lesson.
Children need to learn self-discipline and whilst it may be easy to sit down and get on with schoolwork in the classroom, children also need to be able to be disciplined enough to turn off the TV and sit down and do homework by themselves. This process prepares them for revision at exam time and will also help them perform well in the workplace.
The classroom can often be a noisy place with lots of distractions. Some children may be put off by these distractions and for them often the only time they can really show what they are capable of is through their homework.
I don’t think homework has to take time away from family life. Homework is often the only opportunity parents have to talk to their children about what they are doing at school so rather than competing with family life, homework should be an integral part of family life.