Updated: May 18, 2020
Originally Published: March 11, 2016
Research indicates that homework offers little benefit to young children, so why are we compelling them to do it? My elementary-aged kids won’t be doing homework, and here’s why: it’s not a requirement. School attendance is mandatory, but homework for young children is not. After spending six hours in the classroom, I don’t see the point in forcing my 5-year-old to focus on assignments at home when I can choose not to.
There are numerous issues parents are rightly vocal about these days — recess is disappearing, and the pressure of standardized testing weighs heavily on both teachers and students. Creative subjects like art are being sidelined, and physical education classes are infrequent. In my local district, kids get just 20 minutes of recess and a P.E. class every four days. While we might not be able to storm the school to demand more playtime for our children, we can establish boundaries in our own homes. That includes not taking away our kids’ valuable free time by insisting they complete homework at such a young age.
Anyone who has attempted to help a child with elementary homework understands it often devolves into endless pleading for them to stay focused and finish tasks. No thanks, I’m not interested. Will my child face consequences for not completing an assignment that involves drawing 14 triangles or circling different vehicles? I highly doubt it.
You might have considered how excessive homework for young students is absurd, but did you know you can opt-out? It’s easy to get caught up in the mindset of “we must adhere to the rules” when navigating school policies, but the truth is we have options. What would happen if we heeded the advice from the majority of research and ceased assigning homework to elementary students? The world would keep spinning.
In her article, Why Parents Should Not Make Kids Do Homework, author Laura Bennett argues against enforcing homework on young children, particularly for extended periods. A comprehensive review of 180 studies by psychologist Harris Cooper shows that the benefits of homework vary by age: high school students may benefit from up to two hours nightly, middle schoolers see slight academic gains, but elementary-aged kids? It’s better to hold off, Bennett suggests.
We’ve all heard the gripes about standardized testing. With such a strong emphasis on this, students are often burdened with homework intended to “prepare” them for these assessments. How about an informal poll at school pickup? Just ask how many parents have completed their child’s homework for them this week. I bet few will admit they haven’t.
Education journalist Valerie Adams notes, “No research has found any advantage to assigning homework to elementary students. There’s no correlation between completing homework and any measure of success.” If we’re making five-year-olds do homework, it’s either due to misinformation or the belief that kids should simply have homework, regardless of the evidence suggesting otherwise.
So, what are we doing? Essentially, what we’re told to do. We receive those homework folders and are instructed to enforce them. But why? If we know our young kids aren’t fully engaging with their homework, let alone benefiting from it — why continue this practice?
Recently, a teacher’s viral no-homework policy sparked excitement online, showcasing our collective desire to alleviate this burden from both ourselves and our young learners. With evidence suggesting homework for this age group is largely ineffective, why not embrace this?
I’ll report back in a few weeks after I inform my kindergartner’s teacher that he won’t be participating in homework assignments. I can only imagine how that will be received.
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In summary, while the pressure for young children to complete homework persists, it’s essential to reconsider its value. Research indicates minimal benefits for elementary-aged students, and as parents, we have the power to choose what is best for our children’s well-being.