Research indicates that homework offers little to no advantages for young children, so why are we insisting they complete it? As a parent of elementary-aged kids, I’ve made a clear decision: they won’t be doing homework. The reason is simple: schooling is compulsory, but homework for little ones isn’t mandatory. After spending six hours in school, I don’t see the point in making my five-year-old sit down to tackle homework. It’s a choice I can make.
There are numerous issues parents are grappling with today, and they’re justified in their concerns. Recess is disappearing, and the pressure of standardized testing is taking a toll on both educators and students. In my local district, children receive a mere 20 minutes of recess each day and physical education only once every four days. While we can’t storm the school and demand more playtime, we can establish rules at home that protect our kids’ free time from the burden of homework designed to instill “responsibility” at such a tender age.
Anyone who has attempted to help an elementary student with their homework knows it often turns into a lengthy session of pleading for them to focus and complete their tasks. I’ll pass, thanks. Is my child going to fall behind because he skipped circling shapes or counting trucks? I highly doubt it.
Many parents have probably pondered the absurdity of their grade-schoolers returning home with excessive homework. But did you know that opting out is a viable option? Too often, we fall into the “we have to follow the rules” mindset regarding bureaucracies and overlook the fact that we actually have a say. What if we took a step back and listened to the research suggesting we stop assigning homework to our young children? I’m certain it wouldn’t cause the world to turn upside down.
In an insightful piece titled, “Why Parents Should Not Make Kids Do Homework,” Lisa Grant, a self-proclaimed “advocate for play,” emphasizes that young children shouldn’t be burdened with hours of homework each night. Citing a comprehensive review of 180 studies by Duke University psychologist Harris Cooper, she notes that homework’s benefits fluctuate with age: high school students may gain from under two hours a night, middle schoolers see slight academic boosts, but for elementary kids, it’s often best to abstain altogether.
We often hear complaints about standardized testing, yet with its increasing emphasis, our children are sent home with assignments intended to prepare them for these exams. The reality? Parents are struggling, and kids are becoming frustrated. If you conducted an informal survey at school pickup next week, you’d likely find many parents have completed their child’s homework for them this week—whoever doesn’t raise their hand is probably not being truthful.
Extensive research conducted by Valerie Strauss, a former education reporter for The Washington Post, indicates that: “No research has ever found a benefit to assigning homework (of any kind or in any amount) in elementary school. In fact, there’s no positive correlation between having younger children do homework and any measure of achievement.” If we’re making five-year-olds do homework, it raises a significant question: are we misinformed, or do we believe kids should be doing homework despite the evidence?
So, what are we really achieving? The answer is straightforward: we’re doing what we’re told. We receive homework folders and feel obligated to enforce them. But why? If we know our elementary-aged kids aren’t concentrating on their homework or benefiting from it, why insist they complete it?
Recently, a teacher’s no-homework policy went viral, highlighting our collective desire to relieve both ourselves and our young ones of this burden. With studies pointing to the futility of homework at this early age, why not take a stand?
In a few weeks, I plan to inform my kindergartner’s teacher that he won’t be participating in homework assignments. I can only imagine how that will go over.
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In summary, as parents, we need to reevaluate the necessity of homework for our young children. Research is clear that it doesn’t aid their development, and we have the power to opt out. Let’s prioritize play and free time over unnecessary assignments.
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