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August 29, 2007

Homework Issues - How Much is Enough?

Every year advocates hear from parents battling with their children to get homework done each night.  A lot has been written recently about the push to give children more homework.  How much is too much? The general rule is 10 minutes per grade, so a 1st grader should have about 10 minutes a night, a 12th grade 120 minutes.  Students with disabilities should have their homework adapted to accommodate their learning strengths and needs.  If homework time is a nightmare, you need to find out why.  Children should be able to do their homework independently.  If you are facing nightly tears, tantrums or are doing your child’s work, there is a problem.  Below are some online resources on homework.  The bottom line is that homework should be part of a positive school and learning experience for a child.

Homework: How Much is Too Much?
This National Pubic Radio series examines the increasing workload for young students, and has links to the recorded broadcasts on this topic.

So Much Homework, So Little Time
This article offers tips on excessive homework, including how to approach your school about its policies. This story is listed on www.parents.com, which covers a broad array of parenting issues, including more homework articles.