Scholars have conducted a lot of research on homework in elementary school. The debate is informed by a concern about the age of kids at this level and the burden that homework places on their bodies and minds. It is a valid question with answers supporting both ends of the discussion.
Should kids have homework?
The starting point for the debate is the age at which students should have homework. The answer lies in the benefits of homework to the kids, parents, teachers, and the entire education system. Here is a summary of the reasons elementary homework is important to the kid:
- It ensures that the kid keeps thinking and working on academic work away from class. It is the best way to ensure that learning does not only happen in class. The student continues engaging with books in anticipation of the next lesson.
- Elementary school assignments assist students to think independently, and especially be creative in finding solutions. The absence of the teacher means that the student has to find a way out. Students look for answers on the internet, in other books, and from friends. It turns such students into problem solvers.
- Homework pushes students to look for new and diverse learning materials. In class, the student is restricted to books in the reading list. Outside the class or at home, he can study new books, lectures on the internet, documentaries, and apps, among other materials. The engagement provides new ideas that enrich his academic knowledge. Elementary school homework will produce a student with wider ideas and thinking than a student who only depends on the teacher.
The benefits of homework elementary school go beyond the students. Parents have a stake in the completion of homework and stand to benefit from the process. Here are the benefits to parents and guardians of kids in elementary school:
- Parents engage their kids when doing homework. Kids at this level cannot handle the assignments alone. It takes the assistance of parents and guardians to complete the work. Homework moments, therefore, become a time to engage with the kids.
- Parents understand the challenges students may be facing in class. If learning only happened in class, the parent would never know how the child is fairing. homework for elementary students allows parents and guardians to work with their kids. In case the parents identify a problem with academic work, they can engage the teacher.
- Above all, it is a chance for parents and guardians to demonstrate the value of education to their children. If the parent is involved, then education must be important.
The education system and the teachers also stand to benefit through the following ways:
- Homework in elementary schools allows the teacher to assess the effectiveness of his teaching methods. Poor performance will call for a change in strategy.
- Homework results give parents and teachers a common ground to discuss the student. Since the results are clear, they can collaborate towards finding a solution or helping the student to achieve his potential.
No student is too young for homework
The assignments issued in class benefit the student, parent, teacher, and education administrators. It is upon all these stakeholders to make homework easy and enjoyable to reap the benefits it promises. All these benefits would be lost if there was no homework in elementary school.