SUMMARY OF IMPORTANT ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH
Presented at May 16, 2001 Parent
Advisory Council Meeting, Harold Martin School
From Bill Carozza, Principal
1. Homework Policy for the Hopkinton School District (p. 18 from
Hopkinton Elementary School Handbook).
Major components:
•Supports and compliments classroom instruction
•Helps students become self-directing, independent learners
•Emphasis on the value of the assignment
•Expectations for homework must be communicated clearly
•Homework policies may vary between grade level and subject matter.
2. Summary of recent research/ideas:
•Agreement: homework helps instill in students a sense of responsibility,
accountability, motivation, and self-confidence.
•Assignments are best when they are flexible, original, and can relate
to each child.
•Teachers must be sure that the assignments are appropriate for each student.
•Teachers should beware of over-assigning; do not assign extra problems
that are unnecessary. Instead, be creative.
•A report by the University of Michigan last year found that the amount
of homework teachers assigned increased overall from 1981 to 1987, with
the biggest increase for students ages 6 to 8, whose homework tripled.
•Homework can engage the parent in the work of the child and the child
himself. Communication is important.
•Students need to work on organizational skills to be successful with
their homework.
•Homework through the years:
•When the Russians launched
Sputnik, (October 1957) there was a huge increase in homework in American
schools, and then in the 60s and 70s it went down. Homework increased during
the 80s and 90s and is still on the high side. We are seeing it lowering a
bit now with some concerns for children’s stress levels and the increase in
single parent families.
•How much time should be spent on homework?
•Rule of thumb is 10
minutes for each grade level; (e.g. 20 minutes for second grade.)
MORE QUESTIONS? CONTACT YOUR CHILD’S CLASSROOM TEACHER FIRST.