As a teacher, I would like to list the benefits of homework.
*Homework is not punishment; it is recapitulation and reinforcement of what is taught in class. The child writes only that subject matter which he has learnt in class. By doing this, he gets to enhance his ability of understanding school lessons.
*The parents also get to know what is being taught in school. This gives them an opportunity to know how the lessons are being taught. Is the pace of teaching very fast or very slow for the child? Is their child coping well or not?
*When the parents sit with the child and observe how he is doing his homework, they also get to assess the child’s capacity. If the child is able to do the homework on his own, then it indicates that he is able to understand what is being taught in the classroom. If the child finds it difficult to handle his homework independently, then it is a sign for parents to intervene and meet the teacher.
*When the parents start observing the child doing his homework, they will also get a fair idea of the problem. They need to find out if the issue is with the child, the class or the teacher. In order to prove effective, this has to be done when the child is in lower primary classes — from Class 1 to Class 4. It may be too late by the time the child is in Class 5 or Class 6.
*The problems could be any of the following: the teacher is too fast for the child to follow the lessons, the child is very mischievous and lacks concentration, the child is a slow learner or the child has a learning disability. Such problems can be solved if addressed early.
*The parent-child association during homework can throw light on problem areas. A frank discussion with the child’s teacher(s) will help in addressing the problem.
*When parents are involved in the child’s learning and homework, the child gets a feeling of security. More importantly, he is motivated to do well. Over a period of time, he will begin to handle his homework independently and the parents will discover that their intervention becomes limited.
Homework, which is so beneficial to both the child and the parent, must be encouraged. But there should be checks and balances. While structuring the homework, teachers should ensure that it is creative, challenging and satisfying for the child. Shila M S
Building brain power
Any student, whether a primary school one or a pre-university one, should grow up in a homework-enabled environment.
Homework helps students to practise useful skills. It helps them learn new skills in subject areas, review the skills learned in class, complete the work done if classwork is not completed. It helps them to flex their brain.
Teachers need to check for completion of homework within the due date. They need to give suggestions for improvement, allow peer checking of sample answers, etc.
Homework should be creative. It shouldn’t exceed an hour each day of the student’s time and it should help a student learn concepts rather than focus on rote learning.