THOUGHTS FOR PRE-SERVICE AND BEGINNING TEACHERS (19)

Homework is an issue that has been doing the rounds of education for decades. There are educators who believe in homework’s importance, others who would like to discount it altogether. Similarly, some parents appreciate homework while others would like to see it given the big flick. Those in favour of homework believe it reinforces and consolidates learning through extra practice that happens away from school.

Opposition to homework comes from those who think ‘enough is enough’; that beyond the school day, children should be freed from learning tasks. Some parents and commentators suggest that homework is the teacher’ s way of handing their teaching responsibilities to parents.

What do you think? Should homework policies be supported or discounted? What should be the prime purpose of homework? Is homework something for students to do or does it become a task for parents to complete on behalf of their children?