Are Children All Equal at the Third Grade Level?

Homework can be an effective way for students to improve their learning and for parents and educators to work cooperatively in support of a student’s progress. However, the efficiency of different types of homework will vary according to a student’s age and ability, and more time spent on homework does not necessarily lead to higher achievement. It has been reported that teachers of all grades are increasing the amount of homework they assign. So a teacher might wonder how much homework should be assigned, and a parent might wonder how much work a child should be expected to complete at home.

Here are some informal homework guidelines for students throughout the grades:

For young children (K through Grade 2):

• Homework is most effective when it does not exceed 20-30 minutes per day.

• The benefits of homework may not be immediately apparent; it does, however, set the right tone for students to reflect on their school day and begin to develop good study habits.

For students in grades 3 through 6:

• Students can benefit from 30 -60 minutes of homework a day.

• Ideally, homework should focus on providing opportunities to practice newly learned skills and to apply concepts in ways that help parents and teachers isolate problems and provide individualized instruction and support.

For middle and high school students:

• There is no recommended timeframe for homework, an it is not unusual for students to spend as long as 2 1/2 hours or more on after school assignments.

• The focus of assignments should be on building upon skills, taking ownership of new ideas, and helping students incorporate new information into their repertoire of general knowledge.

Parents and teachers can help their children and students develop strategies to complete homework assignments in stress-free and learning-friendly ways. Children and parents will benefit from finding a plan that works for their family and sticking to it. ###
Sheldon H. Horowitz, Ed.D.
OCLDA
September 2008