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Should there be more homework?
As a kid I hated homework as much as anyone, and never really wanted to stop watching Bodger and Badger for work when I had already spent a whole day at school.
However, there are definitely valuable skills and lessons that can be taught at home, especially with independent learning, or with school/home interaction that allows kids to do better at school. I value the times now when my mum would sit down and read with me.
On the flip side, many people claim kids already do too much school activity in their youth and we should be allowing them more free time to 'live' as opposed to getting them learning even more.
Thoughts? More or less homework?
However, there are definitely valuable skills and lessons that can be taught at home, especially with independent learning, or with school/home interaction that allows kids to do better at school. I value the times now when my mum would sit down and read with me.
On the flip side, many people claim kids already do too much school activity in their youth and we should be allowing them more free time to 'live' as opposed to getting them learning even more.
Thoughts? More or less homework?
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No. My school killed us with homework
I don't necessarily agree with the idea of giving children more homework. Although I do think children should be encouraged to do more self-research, independent learning and reading outside of school. Can such things be encouraged without the need for homework?
From my experience at school, homework (such as being assigned a book to read), often resulted in me being less productive. Instead of spending my free time readings book I would liked to have read, instead I was required to read a book I didn't particularly enjoy and my interest in reading dissipated. I went through school hardly reading any books at all, and yet when I left school, and was no longer getting assigned books to read, I found myself reading voraciously.
From my experience at school, homework (such as being assigned a book to read), often resulted in me being less productive. Instead of spending my free time readings book I would liked to have read, instead I was required to read a book I didn't particularly enjoy and my interest in reading dissipated. I went through school hardly reading any books at all, and yet when I left school, and was no longer getting assigned books to read, I found myself reading voraciously.
(edited 8 years ago)
I don't quite think more homework is the solution but harder school, I look back on my school days and realise that the sum total of my education pre A-level accounts to not that much really. UK has a really bad education system pre-university.
(edited 8 years ago)
Independent learning process needs to start earlier; too many people failing to adapt in year 12
Original post by Magnus Taylor
Independent learning process needs to start earlier; too many people failing to adapt in year 12
Completely agree, I failed my first attempt at Year 12 I stayed back a year and managed to actually pull myself together. Truth is that before Year 12 I felt like I could do nothing and get acceptable (not good really but good enough for me at the time) grades.
Original post by GuppyFox
As a kid I hated homework as much as anyone, and never really wanted to stop watching Bodger and Badger for work when I had already spent a whole day at school.
However, there are definitely valuable skills and lessons that can be taught at home, especially with independent learning, or with school/home interaction that allows kids to do better at school. I value the times now when my mum would sit down and read with me.
On the flip side, many people claim kids already do too much school activity in their youth and we should be allowing them more free time to 'live' as opposed to getting them learning even more.
Thoughts? More or less homework?
However, there are definitely valuable skills and lessons that can be taught at home, especially with independent learning, or with school/home interaction that allows kids to do better at school. I value the times now when my mum would sit down and read with me.
On the flip side, many people claim kids already do too much school activity in their youth and we should be allowing them more free time to 'live' as opposed to getting them learning even more.
Thoughts? More or less homework?
I think the main problem with this whole thing is that as a STEM subject I feel like my education was so easy up to university even, my first year of Maths could have easily been understood in year 12 provided we actually taught Maths like a real subject before then. I imagine the same is true for the other STEM subjects, school education was so simple especially before A-level.
However a lot of art people feel like School was too difficult, I constantly get updates on my friend saying things like "let kids be kids" that sort of thing. I don't know if it would be possible to separate people into subjects earlier but keeping everyone at the same-ish level up to A-level prevents any actually difficult content being taught. Chemistry was one of the worst for this I think my pre-GCSE consisted of mixing these two things makes pretty colours.
Gone a bit off-topic but I have been wanting to write this down for ages.
However a lot of art people feel like School was too difficult, I constantly get updates on my friend saying things like "let kids be kids" that sort of thing. I don't know if it would be possible to separate people into subjects earlier but keeping everyone at the same-ish level up to A-level prevents any actually difficult content being taught. Chemistry was one of the worst for this I think my pre-GCSE consisted of mixing these two things makes pretty colours.
Gone a bit off-topic but I have been wanting to write this down for ages.
I used to be the worse for never doing/forgetting to do homework especially with PE and maths.
So, I would perform poorly in the class. However, few months before the run up to exams for these subjects I did the homework and it paid of in the end.
I didn't really have much homework however this year, I just did a lot of independent study for my classes instead. Since, doing highers you must do it yourself.
my opinion - I think schools should give homework moderately and regularly. But, don't overkill it.
So, I would perform poorly in the class. However, few months before the run up to exams for these subjects I did the homework and it paid of in the end.
I didn't really have much homework however this year, I just did a lot of independent study for my classes instead. Since, doing highers you must do it yourself.
my opinion - I think schools should give homework moderately and regularly. But, don't overkill it.
For the record: more homework and a higher standard of education are not the same thing. Also, homework does not at all (necessarily) encourage independent learning, quite on the contrary in some cases.
Does no one else have the experience that school drains you of all motivation/energy? Homework only makes that far worse, in my case, to the point that I would not anything after school hours besides trying to get my act together for the next day while staring at a television screen. So far for encouraging independent learning. In fact, school and homework used to take away my motivation and curiosity.
Does no one else have the experience that school drains you of all motivation/energy? Homework only makes that far worse, in my case, to the point that I would not anything after school hours besides trying to get my act together for the next day while staring at a television screen. So far for encouraging independent learning. In fact, school and homework used to take away my motivation and curiosity.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by Zefiros
For the record: more homework and a higher standard of education are not the same thing. Also, homework does not at all (necessarily) encourage independent learning, quite on the contrary in some cases.
Does no one else have the experience that school drains you of all motivation/energy? Homework only makes that far worse, in my case, to the point that I would not anything after school hours besides trying to get my act together for the next day while staring at a television screen. So far for encouraging independent learning. In fact, school and homework used to take away my motivation and curiosity.
Does no one else have the experience that school drains you of all motivation/energy? Homework only makes that far worse, in my case, to the point that I would not anything after school hours besides trying to get my act together for the next day while staring at a television screen. So far for encouraging independent learning. In fact, school and homework used to take away my motivation and curiosity.
I kind of agree.
I remember homework when I was in primary school was mostly things such as reading a book (usually a very short one) and there was no test about the book in class or whatever. It was just a case of being told that something is good for you and you should probably do it - but not being tested on it or punished if you said you didn't do it. I didn't mind that type of homework and on 99% of occasions I read the books.
But then as you progress in the upper primary years and into secondary school it seemed to me that teachers gave homework for the sake of giving homework and they made it compulsory and offered out punishments (i.e. less dinner time/detention) for people who didn't hand it in. I totally disagree with that.
It's such a negative way to teach kids and most of the assignments between year 7 to year 10 were always repetitive and didn't teach anything.
The best teachers I had didn't give out masses of homework - because they taught so well during class hours that they didn't need us to go away and get our heads around what we'd covered. When they did give homework it was useful and we weren't punished for not doing it. I swear that some teachers just gave out masses of homework for the sake of it and when you study so many different subjects you end up up to your eyeballs in it. Children should have a childhood - not be chained to a desk 24/7 - they'll get enough of that when they're adults.
It's different at A-Level/Degree level because the work that you do outside of class/lecture times is your work - e.g A-Level projects/Coursework/Exam revision and university essays/projects/dissertations/exam work. But prior to GCSE kids ought to do classwork, go home and be kids - maybe be given the option to read a few books per term or do some research into something they like e.g. in primary school we had a 'make a book' project and we chose a topic of our choice - included pictures, coloring/decorating and writing in the project book.
Learning has to be fun and rewarding - traditional homework gives kids the wrong impression of education and takes away their childhood.
(edited 8 years ago)
We need to encourage independent research and work from an early age, but I think quality is more important than quantity in that area, and simply piling on more homework probably won't help.
Kids need time to be kids. Significantly increasing the amount of homework they get is a bad idea for similar reasons that lengthening the school day is a bad idea.
Kids need time to be kids. Significantly increasing the amount of homework they get is a bad idea for similar reasons that lengthening the school day is a bad idea.
I always found homework a bit restrictive, especially in later years when I was getting upwards of 2 hours a night. Sometimes you need to have a teacher there to be able to explain things to you, or at least the answers so you can tell if you were doing the right thing. And sometimes you want to be able to go off and do your own revision or wider reading on other subjects and topics, but homework always insists that you do a very specific thing and don't have time left over to do anything else
We should be encouraged to read books we enjoy more which will naturally lead to more people wanting to find out more about their favourite subjects. Forcing people to read books they do not enjoy will put them off independent learning because that will be a fresh memory of independent learning for them.
lol I wish I was given more homework... but only the 'correct kind' of homework.
E.g. Example of GOOD HOMEWORK: maths exercises, past paper essay questions
These are productive and make you better at the subject:
BAD HOMEWORK:
Group presentations (learn nothing except how much you hate your classmates), having to research some junk and write about it (lmao independent learning...), e.t.c.
E.g. Example of GOOD HOMEWORK: maths exercises, past paper essay questions
These are productive and make you better at the subject:
BAD HOMEWORK:
Group presentations (learn nothing except how much you hate your classmates), having to research some junk and write about it (lmao independent learning...), e.t.c.
Original post by Scarlet Sword
BAD HOMEWORK:
Group presentations (learn nothing except how much you hate your classmates), having to research some junk and write about it (lmao independent learning...), e.t.c.
Group presentations (learn nothing except how much you hate your classmates), having to research some junk and write about it (lmao independent learning...), e.t.c.
University and employers love group and independent learning though, and as much as we hate it there are very valuable skills for students future in both education and employment by doing these.
Being stuck on a work sheet at home isn't learning in my opinion.
Sometimes I felt there was too much homework in the school as it was usually three peaces a night give or take however it hasn't done me much harm.
If you have a strategy to do it then it is easier this is why I am putting a timetable in place for next year at my school we get 'flats' in 6th form and that is where we can work my plan is
7:50 be in school and look over what did last lesson / homework
8:45 school day starts go to lessons and if any frees work
4;00 school day ends so go to the flat to do homework
5:30 leave school
with a clear structure it is easier to follow what to do so it doesn't get too much!
If you have a strategy to do it then it is easier this is why I am putting a timetable in place for next year at my school we get 'flats' in 6th form and that is where we can work my plan is
7:50 be in school and look over what did last lesson / homework
8:45 school day starts go to lessons and if any frees work
4;00 school day ends so go to the flat to do homework
5:30 leave school
with a clear structure it is easier to follow what to do so it doesn't get too much!
At primary other than reading books I don't believe any homework should be given to pupils. It is absolutely ridiculous that four year olds are expected to complete weekly homework, on top of reading their book and learning spellings. Even at the other end of primary school I think written homework is an unnecessary burden placed upon children to impress parents and box tick for OFSTED.
I think at secondary school up till year 10 you should receive a group project each half term and that is it. Then during GCSEs on top of the group projects I support children being set past papers as homework.
I think at secondary school up till year 10 you should receive a group project each half term and that is it. Then during GCSEs on top of the group projects I support children being set past papers as homework.
I think independent learning is a good idea, because sometimes homework can prevent a kid from developing their interests and becoming an interesting person; i have kind of felt this myself as i was bogged down with school work limiting my time to spend with family and friends and limiting my social development and stuff, so honestly i dont think less would be a bad thing 
however if a kid needs to finish off work they were supposed to finish in class or they want to do extra work then i support that too, but isn't there psychological evidence that playing and socialising etc helps kids develop? which is what i think homework prevents sometimes
however if a kid needs to finish off work they were supposed to finish in class or they want to do extra work then i support that too, but isn't there psychological evidence that playing and socialising etc helps kids develop? which is what i think homework prevents sometimesRelated discussions
- Homework: Share your experiences!
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- Homework and revision blog to motivate me to actually do stuff
- alevel biology and chemistry
- Grind to GYG
- tackling homework and revision
- Study hours outside of class
- Having trouble with my A-Level decisions..
- past papers
- 85 days until A-levels
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- do you think we should do homework in detention instead of punishment essays ?
- When should I start revising for gcse?
- A level studying
- Alevel physics
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- Struggling with WJEC Further Maths A Level
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