Episode 107: Unraveling the Homework Debate — Balancing Stress, Equity, and Effectiveness in K-12 Education

Ever wondered if homework is really helping our kids, or if it's just adding to their stress? Join me as I pull back the curtain on the ongoing debate over K-12 homework practices. In this episode of K-12 Education Untangled, I navigate the complex landscape of homework's value, the "homework gap" caused by unequal access to resources, and the impact of homework on student well-being. I’ll explore research findings on student stress, the quality versus quantity conundrum, and the 10-minute rule for assigning homework. Plus, I discuss the implications of potentially eliminating homework, especially how it might affect low-income students.

In another intriguing segment, I delve into the crucial role of parental involvement—its benefits and pitfalls—and share actionable strategies for developing effective homework routines. As the episode wraps up, I introduce a handy downloadable checklist with five top homework hacks to make your child's homework routine more effective. Don't forget to subscribe for more insights and tips on K-12 education!

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Chapters

• 0:54 Debate Over K-12 Homework Practices
• 12:23 Importance of Parent Involvement in Homework
• 24:55 Unlock Homework Success Through Free Resource

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:55

Welcome to another episode of K-12 Education Untangled. My name is Dr Kim J Fields, former corporate manager turned education researcher and advocate, and I'm the host of this podcast. I got into this space after dealing with some frustrating interactions with school educators and administrators, as well as experiencing the microaggressions that I faced as an African-American mom raising my two kids, who were in the public school system. I really wanted to understand how teachers were trained and what the research provided about the challenges of the public education system. Once I gained the information and the insights that I needed, I was then equipped to be able to successfully support my children in their educational progress. Support my children in their education progress. This podcast is at the intersection between education, research and parental actions. If you're looking to find out more about the current trends, issues and themes in education that could affect you or your children, and you want to know the specific actions you can take to support and advocate for your children, and you want to know the specific actions you can take to support and advocate for your children, then you're in the right place. Thanks for tuning in today. I know that staying informed about K-12 education topics is important to you, so keep listening.

Speaker 1: 2:26

In this episode, I'll be discussing the appropriateness of homework, the ongoing homework debate, the homework gap and the future of homework. Is homework valuable or a waste of time? Maybe, maybe not. The topic of homework can elicit fears and frustrations, for parents as well as children. Is homework assigned in kindergarten too soon? Maybe, maybe not. One thing is for sure the homework debate is not going away. Neither is the fact that teachers will continue to assign homework. As with most things in life, there are benefits and detriments pertaining to homework. In this episode, I address these questions and issues, as well as the non-academic benefits of homework. Let's untangle this.

Speaker 1: 3:30

The homework process is complex and requires the participation of three main parties teachers, parents and students. Each of them has their own objectives and behaviors that may come into conflict with the other parties. Homework preparation involves complicated interactions between a large number of factors, more so than any other teaching tool. Overall, many factors affect homework quality, such as student abilities, motivation, study habits, classroom level, the amount and quality of homework and its goal. Even the lighting in the student's home and the level of noise and availability of space without distraction are factors.

Speaker 1: 4:20

Homework that's assigned generally follows the Common Core state standards, but it seems to overwhelmingly focus on rote learning. For example, in the study of nearly 200 pieces of homework that were collected nationwide, researchers examined the skills required for each task. Most of the math homework 76% involved performing procedures, while another 11% involved memorization. None of the math homework asked the students to solve non-routine problems or to make connections between the homework and life skills. In language arts homework, 47% of the homework involved memorization and 33% involved performing some procedure Of paltry. 18% of the homework asked students to demonstrate understanding and only 3% of the homework involved showing both sides of an argument.

Speaker 1: 5:26

Homework is one of those never-ending debates in the K-12 education space. Most of the debate centers on whether students have too much homework or whether there should be a cap on how much homework is assigned, with a sprinkling of those in this debate that feel that homework should be eliminated altogether. That homework should be eliminated altogether. Parents and teachers argue that having too much homework puts unnecessary stress on students and may not help them learn. But maybe the focus should be on quality instead of quantity. A new analysis from the Center for American Progress indicates that what should be examined is what the student is being asked to do in take-home assignments and how well the homework supports learning goals. One of the reasons that homework seems to be of lower cognitive demand is because many teachers believe that homework should be for practicing content that is already known and not for learning something new. This seems to be their attempt at helping to close the quote-unquote homework gap that has come about because some students have access to help with technology, while other students don't have that same access. This is not to say that memorization doesn't have its place in learning, but homework should be thought-provoking.

Speaker 1: 6:54

The homework gap defined is basically the inequality between students who have internet at home and those who don't, and the difficulty that students without access face in completing assignments. Students without access face in completing assignments. It's another concept that shows the disproportionality of impact on students in low-income households, students of color and students in rural areas. Sixteen percent of Hispanic teens reported that they were unable to complete homework because they lacked reliable computer or internet access, as compared with 7% of Black teens and 10% of White teens. Hispanic teens were also four times more likely than White teens to say that they had to complete their homework on the cell phone or use public Wi-Fi for homework, according to a recent Q report.

Speaker 1: 7:53

So is there a right amount of homework to be assigned. A recent article in the journal Education Next indicated that many American students don't have too much homework. In fact, they have too little. While some students may have upwards of three or four hours of homework per night, findings indicate that low-income students aren't getting enough homework, which would have a direct impact on them suffering academically as a result. If the approach is to eliminate all homework, this probably wouldn't be a big problem for high-income kids, because their parents can expose them to whatever they might not be getting in school. However, lower-income students will be the ones that are hurt because of the potential to a lack of access or exposure to other learning experiences.

Speaker 1: 8:49

A widely endorsed metric for how much homework to assign is the 10-minute rule. In other words, it dictates that you should receive 10 minutes of homework per grade level, so the first grader would be given 10 minutes a day, while a senior in high school would be given 120 minutes a day. Again, this is the generally accepted guideline, and there are other studies that indicate variances within these guidelines per grade level. Also, these metrics obscure the range in assignment work between low-income and high-income students, wherein disadvantaged students in the US spend three hours less per week on homework than advantaged students, which boils down to five hours versus four hours per week. Low-income students at low-performing schools often receive minimal homework, such as one or two worksheets or textbook pages, an occasional project and 30 minutes of reading per night. This is not high-quality homework that advances learning, the type of homework that allows students to problem-solve and develop strategies for working through difficult problems. One of the benefits of homework is that it can help prepare students with the perseverance they need to hold jobs in the future. Other benefits of homework include goal setting, self-regulation and resilience in the face of challenge. These skills become more important as students progress into higher grades when there's greater expectation for autonomy.

Speaker 1: 10:38

There is a battle afoot about whether assigning homework to kindergarteners is too much, too early. According to researchers, including a Duke University psychology and neuroscience professor, homework has minimal academic benefits for children in the early elementary years. The 10-minute metric that I mentioned earlier applies to first grade and beyond. That guideline doesn't even mention kindergarten. Parents and administrators are at odds with each other on this topic. Some parents feel that 30 minutes of homework per night for a kindergartner is too much. On the other hand, administrators and parents at the Arlington Traditional School in Arlington, virginia, for example, have an expectation that kindergartners will have 30 minutes of homework per night. Monday through Thursday, the homework consists of 15 minutes of reading, and if the child isn't reading yet, then the parents are expected to read to them. The other 15 minutes is spent doing things like dictating a story to their parents using words that start with the sound that they've been learning in class, or exercises that involve circling that letter. There's a waiting list for parents eager for their children to attend this school, yet some kindergarten teachers continue to remain firm in their opposition to mandatory homework. Most kindergarten teachers assign nightly reading of the child's choice, usually two books. In any case, the assignments need to be short, simple and lead to success, so that children don't get frustrated with homework at such an early age.

Speaker 1: 12:24

Another example involves the Seaview School District in Washington State, which spent two years discussing the value of homework in elementary school. At the end of that two-year discussion, the school district decided to move away from the traditional model of homework and introduced wonder, reading and play, or RAP, which was intended to be more equitable and authentic. The goal was a more equitable learning experience through RAP was a bold initiative, a paradigm shift with the potential and promise of students of all backgrounds. Although changing the culture of homework for all stakeholders, including teachers, guardians and students, was a challenging endeavor that required effective communication and time, this approach was implemented during the 2018-2019 academic year. The district achieved success in reading due to an already established culture of reading. However, due to a lack of structure, consistency and accountability, in wonder, play and content areas other than language arts resulted in limited success. So what's more important than just hearing about this homework discussion, applying it? With that in mind, how does what I've just discussed apply to you? Here are the action steps you can take regarding this topic.

Speaker 1: 14:34

There's a plethora of information and research on the effects of parent involvement in homework, such that when parents are involved in helping their children in homework, it results in higher rates of homework completion, few homework problems and potentially improved academic performance among elementary school children. The research also suggests that different types of parent involvement in homework have different relationships to achievement, and type of parent involvement changes as children move through the next grade levels. Despite many of the positive effects of parent involvement, some researchers have highlighted that involvement may lead to negative experiences for both the parents and the students. On the negative side, the research highlighted high tension between the parent and the child, mostly mother and child, since the preponderance of the research indicates that mothers are the ones that assist their children with homework. Increased fatigue and frustration for the mother and increased pressure on the child, particularly when the child was a low achiever. When parents overreach in homework assistance, for example by giving correct answers or completing the entire assignment themselves, this may impede learning as well as hinder the development of self-regulatory skills if the child comes to rely on their parents for correct answers or external regulation and motivation, to say the least. Research suggests the relationship between parent involvement in homework and achievement is complex. There are conflicting findings within the literature on parent involvement in homework and factors such as the type of involvement, the subject matter of the homework, the achievement outcome assessed and the ability level of the child. These are all variables that affect whether parent involvement in homework will positively or negatively influence achievement. The positive effects of parent assistance in homework with academic achievement outcomes for students in elementary school grades two through three has been noted in the research. It's important to consider the developmental stage of the child when parents become involved in assisting with homework. Additionally, the parent's skills in subject areas may be an important consideration in the effect of helpfulness with the child and his or her homework tasks.

Speaker 1: 17:13

I certainly found this to be true when I provided any necessary assistance to my kids when they were in elementary school. My goal was to establish a routine in which the time and space were set aside for dedicated homework, and I also provided the expectations that homework would be completed to the best of each child's ability and with high quality. The need for challenging homework is not going away. The academic and non-academic benefits far outweigh any downsides. When teachers were not providing what I considered to be challenging homework, I provided supplemental homework, usually purchased from workbooks and other materials that I got from the teacher supply stores for my children so that their academic skills remained above grade level.

Speaker 1: 18:07

If at all possible, I encourage you to provide an appropriate workspace or common area. Minimize distractions and make yourself available for questions when your child is doing homework, should any questions arise. Set aside a regular time of day. Use a kitchen timer to give your child a better sense of the time spent. The idea is to establish a routine so that your child associates the routine with doing homework. These routines can provide security and comfort and can last a lifetime. Many people who are highly accomplished attribute their success to deliberately establishing effective work ethics and routines. Also, make sure that your child's homework is complete and represents their best work, which includes small things like putting his or her name on the assignment and making sure that their work is neat and legible. Here are this episode's takeaways.

Speaker 1: 19:22

Ideally, homework should not be assigned as a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, it should be assigned considering the student's individual developmental characteristics and in accordance with the level of students. Giving homework that's unsuitable for a student's level teaching activities may cause some students to develop negative attitudes toward homework. Homework generally includes three basic categories practice and drill, preparation and further study. Practice and drill homework builds mastery in a given subject area. Preparation-type homework provides background knowledge that can support classroom learning, and homework for further study adds extra knowledge and learning experiences beyond what was learned at school, so that students develop independent thinking, imagination and creativity. A unique role for homework in a modern era is to provide social communication and connections among peers, as well as self-regulatory processes such as budgeting time and prioritizing tasks. Self-regulation also involves controlling emotions, bringing a positive attitude to the task and developing effective strategies for processing information and solving problems. Homework involves important social, cultural and educated issues.

Speaker 1: 21:01

Teachers have always assigned homework and always will, because homework is an out-of-school learning experience. The dynamics of homework are different because of the home settings involved. Some children do homework at libraries, some on buses, some in the homes of their friends. That this academic work is done outside of school provides an interesting opportunity to bring out the best and worst of school, as well as other settings. There are certain properties that homework acquires because it comes from school. For example, homework is work, not play. In general, it's not supposed to be fun, although with the right combination of challenge and skill it can be made gratifying. Homework is academic in nature and academic work is more mental than physical. It requires cognitive organization of objects and events. Teachers expect their students to take on homework to the best of their abilities and to return their work as one way to gauge student progress. Children who do additional academic work outside of school are likely to become more acclimated to the academic rigor of homework.

Speaker 1: 22:25

A certain amount of complexity is important in homework assignments. There's a balance in this, as too much complexity can lead to frustration. Frustration is the stress of complexity causing anxiety and self-consciousness. On the other hand, homework can be too easy and bore students. The opposite of frustration. Boredom is the stress of tedium signaling the need to buckle down. Many times, boredom leads to distractions and daydreaming. Beyond the nature of homework, there are surrounding expectations to consider, like the expectations of teachers, parents, peers and the students themselves. Expectations exert powerful effects, some negatively, as when parents and teachers hold the expectation that every completed assignment must be perfect. Relentless pursuit of perfection wreaks havoc on well-being when children are just starting out in school. They often benefit when adults check their homework. This assistance should decrease over time so that the child knows that they are the ones responsible for both completing the homework and the quality of the homework.

Speaker 1: 23:49

Homework could be considered a bridge for knowledge to travel back and forth between school and home. The learning that occurs outside the classroom is just as important as the academic work inside of the classroom. Fishing trips, soccer games, community service projects and other activities are all experiences that children can apply to school lessons. Unfortunately, it's rare for teachers to utilize these experiences and learnings in an applicable homework assignment. There's no good reason for a one-way homework bridge. Parents and siblings who help their family member with homework can provide an opportunity to model and reinforce the mannerisms of a careful and dedicated learner. The bottom line is homework remains an indispensable component of the education system.

Speaker 1: 24:56

I have a free resource that you can download that gives you five hacks to help with homework. You can download my checklist of five helpful homework hacks from my website, liberationthrougheducationcom. Again, be sure to download my checklist of five helpful homework hacks from my website, liberationthrougheducationcom. If you don't want to miss out on any of the content that I've provided and what I will provide next, then be sure to subscribe to my podcast on whatever platform you're listening to this. Thanks for tuning in and listening to this episode. This Thanks for tuning in and listening to this episode. I hope you'll come back for more K-12 educational discussions with even more exciting topics to untangle. Until next time, aim to learn something new every day. You