Part II: Heads-Up Homework Hints for Administrators and Parents

Debbie Willingham
Jun 07, 2010

Homework is often the "four-letter-word" for parents, sometimes even more so than for students. Parents know that the time their children have available between leaving school and bedtime is limited and filled with extra-curricular activities, family time, church events, and just time to wind down and relax. On top of all that there is the implied expectation that parents should be supportive of teachers' assignments and facilitate time for their children to complete homework. What we hope they realize is that giving homework on a regular basis increases achievement beginning at least by second grade, with the impact on student achievement increasing as students advance through the grades. In the primary grades homework should emphasize study habits and learning skills, and traditional homework assignments (pencil/paper work) should be given sparingly. Students should be able to complete homework with minimal help from parents; parents should be supportive when students get frustrated or discouraged, but they should not do the work for them. This is important in terms of building students' capacity and efficacy in feeling confident that they can complete such assignments.

Parents' role in homework is to set aside a regular study time and location that is not interrupted by family plans, school or extracurricular activities, television or computer time, and with a definite beginning and ending time. They should establish a study area, away from household distractions, with good light and space for studying, with the materials their children need to do assignments and with a safe place to store them. Parents can also help their children organize school materials and help them keep their bookbags cleaned out. Parents can provide ongoing support by emphasizing the importance of reading, encouraging their children to read independently and reading aloud to them. When there is no specific homework assigned, they should take the initiative to make reading a daily event.

Administrators have the job of juggling the roles of teachers, students, and parents when it comes to homework. They should ensure that homework policies and regulations are shared with staff, students, and parents from the first day of school. They need to promote coordination, consistency, and articulation among teachers within grades, teams, and departments. They should help develop and support programs and practices that assist students in successfully completing homework, and they should make homework a topic of parent and faculty meetings. Administrators can best help all parties concerned by being clear on homework expectations and consistent in their personal expectations. Homework should be an integral, consistent, and pervasive part of students' education, and it should be a positive expectation rather than the burden is sometimes becomes.