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Importance of Homework for School Success

Research has shown that students achieve academic success more consistently when parents are involved in their child’s education. The influence of the home on a student’s success at school is profound, and exerts a very strong impact on his or her long-term academic success. Homework is one vehicle for involving parents directly and strengthening the partnership between home and school.

Positive attitudes about school and about learning routines are enhanced through the application of effective homework practice.

How much time should students spend on homework?

The following chart is suggested as a general guide. It should be noted that times will vary from individual to individual, at various times within a school year.

What kinds of homework can students expect?

There are several forms that homework can take to develop, extend and reinforce skills and knowledge.

1. Completion

• To keep up-to-date with classroom work

2. Preparation

• To prepare for the next day’s class work or for coming lessons

3. Practice and Application

• To develop, review, and reinforce specific skills
• To transfer skills or concepts into new situations

4. Extension/Creative

• To enrich classroom experiences and deepen student’s understanding
• To provide opportunities for problem-solving and critical thinking
• To integrate skills

How does the home/school partnership support homework?

In order for homework to be an effective extension of the school program, the school, teachers, parents and students share the responsibility for developing and maintaining good homework practices.

The teacher:

• explains to students the purpose and importance of homework and its connection to school success;
• provides homework that is clear, meaningful, purposeful, and understood;
• assigns work that is appropriate to the student’s age, developmental level, learning style, maturity, skills, and individual needs;
• teaches skills necessary for the student to complete homework (e.g., note-making, preparation for upcoming test);
• provides support to parents and students on establishing homework routines and effective study habits (e.g., time management, using school planner);
• helps parents to support younger children’s learning at home;
• co-ordinates with school librarian access to appropriate resources;
• uses homework as a vehicle for developing and reinforcing learning, not as a punishment
• for misbehaviour or failure to perform as expected;
• monitors, checks, or evaluates homework, as appropriate;
• works collaboratively with other teachers to assign reasonable amounts of homework, and to avoid overload in rotary class situations;
• is aware of days of significance, e.g., Holy Days when assigning homework;
  communicates regularly with parents;
• summarizes and reports on homework completion in the Learning Skills section of the Provincial Report Card.

The parent:

• provides encouragement and appropriate support, without doing the homework for the student;
• expects the student to complete homework regularly;
• provides an environment (i.e., workplace, block of uninterrupted time), usually in the home or in an alternate setting, e.g., Homework Club;
• shows interest in the student’s schoolwork and progress;
• maintains regular contact with the teacher;
• continues to read to and with the student in English, French (French Immersion), or in the home language(s) of the family throughout the early years of a child’s schooling.

The student:

• ensures that he/she clearly understands the homework (i.e., assignments, criteria, timelines);
• asks for help if homework assignments or expectations are not clear;
• completes homework regularly;
• prepares appropriately for upcoming lessons;
• participates actively in all aspects of the school program;
• manages time and materials appropriately (e.g., uses school planner, submits homework on time, organizes necessary materials);
• studies appropriately for tests and examinations;
• communicates regularly with teachers and parents;
• monitors progress and sets goals, as appropriate;
• assumes appropriate responsibility for homework completion as he or she proceeds through school.