Advantages And Disadvantages Of Giving Children Homework
In this article, we explain the arguments both against and in favor of giving homework to children. The latest statistics from the World Health Organization show that 7 out of 10 students are stressed. These statistics are related to the average of 6.5 hours per day that students spend doing homework.
Researchers are conducting a number of studies in this field. These studies focus on three basic questions: What is the purpose of homework? Does more homework lead to better quality education? Does the parents’ involvement mean a better effort from the child?
Why do teachers give homework?
Understanding why teachers give extra assignments is crucial to explaining the use of homework. We can approach this from two perspectives: homework strengthens what has already been learned or completes today’s work.
The first perspective refers to the fact that children must practice what they have learned. This allows them to consolidate their learning. Homework is the best way to practice new skills. This individual effort is important if the child is at a central stage in his / her language development, such as acquiring literary skills. In this case, practice is the only way to guarantee effective knowledge and continuous improvement.
The second perspective considers homework as a continuation of what the children were already working on in class that day. In other words, they do the tasks they could not complete in class at home.
The Spanish Confederation of Associations of Mothers and Fathers of Students (CEAPA) considers this second perspective to be a failure of the education system. In other words, since teachers do not have enough resources, they must overload students with tasks they should have completed in school.
When are you going to do your homework?
The most practical thing for a child would be to do his homework during school hours. That way, they can dedicate their afternoons to sports, cultural or leisure activities. These activities are just as important as professional work.
But having to do homework after school requires children to learn to organize and plan their work. This is also very beneficial. Little by little, the repetition of this routine encourages the internalization of values such as effort, perseverance and personal involvement.
CEAPA proposes that educational institutions create a number of pedagogical reinforcement programs. They are called support plans for education in primary school and PROA in upper secondary education. Students who have more difficulty at school can turn to them.
Is it a good thing to spend more time on homework?
Time is relative. In general, it is not practical to increase the children’s homework so that it becomes an overload. While it may seem beneficial, congestion can be contradictory.
We must keep in mind that as children get older, the time they dedicate to studying increases. For the little ones, a maximum of half an hour a day is enough to review the knowledge they have gained during the day.
It is also convenient to set deadlines. In this way, the children do not have to be distracted or make excuses, and thus the attention is increased.
Does greater parental involvement mean better performance?
Not necessarily. It is convenient for parents to stay close if the children have questions or do not know how to be organized. But it is not good for parents to sit at the table with their children while doing their homework.
Homework is not the parents’ responsibility. Children must learn to work autonomously and to commit to their responsibilities.
Homework is beneficial for children when it comes to gaining responsibility. Therefore, it is not just about doing the job well. It is also about the discipline that helps them to take responsibility little by little from a young age.
It is important for them to get used to following the instructions and learn to be organized while they are young. Homework is the only way children can learn to take responsibility for their obligations through experience and practice.
