Homework is useless, according to Experts

[alng]

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/s ... 6311860123

[graciousbear]

yes learning should be mostly in the classroom

[optimistforum]

To a point I agree with withdrawing from school homework - if the provision is poor. My DS2 was bordering on illiteracy and innumeracy in September. I withdrew him from school homework, and used resources from around the world to significantly improve him. I continually baseline him against his older brother DS1, when he was at the same age. DS2 is only a couple of subgrades behind DS1 (here in the UK) with a full term to go. DS2 may catch up with DS1. DS1 is now an overachiever at school so it is not a bad yardstick for measuring DS2.

If I left it to the school, he would still struggle to do simple maths and english. Therefore, homework is only useful if it is challenging, achievable and adds value.

[Beatrice_NoQ]

I believe homework is only effective if the student's mistakes are explained to him in great detail - something that schools are unable to do as the teacher's attention is split between 40 students. This concept does work for 1-to-1 tuition though.

[buds]

[slmkhoo]

Funny! I don't like the way that many kids feel that doing homework is for the sake of teachers or parents, not for their own benefit. I have always tried to tell my kids that homework is for their sake, and try to make them more positive about it. Of course, 'busy-work' or excessive amounts are hard to justify, and I will sometimes have to frankly tell them that I think some homework is a waste of time. In those cases, I emphasise the value of obedience, working smart, that maybe other kids need the repetition, and will sometimes help!

[starlight1968sg]

Hope the relevant authorities can comment on "homework is useless".

[janet88]

I believe homework is only effective if the student's mistakes are explained to him in great detail - something that schools are unable to do as the teacher's attention is split between 40 students. This concept does work for 1-to-1 tuition though.

AGREE!
homework is effective for 1-1/small group tuition...the topic is taught and reinforced through homework which is then marked and corrections are explained. though math is about practice but if just piled on, I find it really stupid.

one more thing...don't pile kids with homework when there is a public holiday...kids deserve that break, just like everyone.

[SAHM_TAN]

The kiddos' school shared that the teachers will work together and make sure that the homework set for each week does not exceed X time. I forgot the amount of mins / hrs but my impression at that time when the P announced it was, wow so little har LOL.

In reality, the kiddos do not have much homework per week. They are in lower primary so I do not know what the P told the upper primary kiddos parents.

I don't give much homework to the kids too becos this yr I'm too busy with 2 kids in formal education and 1 kid in kindy, it is strange but this is the case for me.

BUT, the homework that I do happen to see, dd1 I let go le, the work is useful to them. I can see the gaps and I will fill it. For my kiddos, becos of who they are, there are certain gaps that the teachers may not be able to manage. But I refuse to teach in advance because I want them to learn how to learn in a classroom environment. I come in when the gap is repeatedly shown and taking into account of what I know about my kiddos, I will intervene.

So far for this yr, most of my kiddos' time are spent on what they like to do, even on school days.

[janet88]

I prefer to be the backup and revise what has been taught.
hubby and I share the same mentality...so every night, we will each take one to ask what has been taught in school...revise and reinforce. if my kids are taught in advance, chances are they might not listen in class.

surprisingly no school homework today...so daughter just did the English comprehension I gave...now she is free.