The Great Homework Debate
By Sandra Feldman

If you want to start a lively discussion that brings out strong opinions in teachers, parents and students alike, bring up the topic of homework. You'll get an earful of whether there is too much, too little or even the right kind of homework in a given setting.

The intense feelings homework arouses may be proportionate to its important role in a child's education. Numerous studies testify to the powerful link between homework and improved student achievement. Homework has also been shown to help teach students to work independently, encourage responsibility and develop good study habits. The appropriate involvement of parents in their children's homework has the added benefit of strengthening the home-school connection.

Maybe it's time to revisit the way you design, assign and review homework. While many teachers seamlessly weave homework into their repertoire, let's face it, for some of us, thinking about homework takes a back seat to the time we spend with students in the classroom.

The following simple guidelines can help maximize the benefit students receive from the homework policies and practices you set.

• Assign homework regularly and consistently. It's easier to get students in the habit of doing homework when schools and teachers establish a pattern.
• Communicate your policy. Send your homework policy home for parents to read, sign and return to school.
• Build in flexibility. It's important to establish clear expectations for homework assignments, but rules such as not assigning homework on weekends or holidays can prove overly restrictive. These are often the perfect times for in-depth projects or to work with parents or peers.
• Make it count. If students don't do their homework, they can't reap its many benefits. Unfortunately, if students know they'll get the same grade whether or not they turn in their homework, many won't do it.
• Make homework varied and interesting. Try to avoid assigning the same kinds of homework every night such as 20 math problems or 10 reading questions at the end of the chapter.
• Find the appropriate level of difficulty. Research suggests that homework assignments should be designed so students can be expected to complete most of the task successfully. Teachers can accommodate varied ability levels by making some assignments optional and by allowing students to choose among several options.
• Give feedback. Research shows that students who received personal, targeted feedback about their homework errors outperformed students who received only scores on their assignments.
• Involve parents. Parents often need advice about how to help support their child's learning at home. Discuss the importance of setting aside a quiet place to study, reading with and to younger children, discussing homework assignments and monitoring children to make sure they complete their homework.
• Don't assign homework as a punishment. Be sure that you also never use homework to complete what you couldn't finish during class or to introduce students to new or complicated subject matter.

With all the other things to which teachers must attend, what students do after school is sometimes an afterthought. The potential benefits of homework are indisputable. With the right focus, the work students do at home can reinforce the lessons they learn in school.

Sandra Feldman is the President of the American Federation of Teachers.

February, 2004. Volume 34, Number 5.