Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
No homework policies can work
PARENTS who are frustrated with the overload of homework believe completing homework at school creates a less stressful environment at home allowing pupils to just be children.
Hillet de Villiers, whose son is in Grade 4 at Eversdal Primary School, said enough time is given in class to complete all relevant tasks for the day.
“Children are given 20 minutes each day to read and this replaces homework. They can read anything they choose.
“If there are any concerns regarding a pupil this will be discussed with parents and alternative plans will be made. Even then, the child will not receive homework. Summaries of learning material can be done at home at the child’s own pace and according to their programme.
“The systems the school has in place make things so much easier. Parents were sceptical at the beginning but it proved to work really well. My son is much more relaxed at home with more family time and interaction available.
“The school believes this creates a less stressful environment at home but also encourages pupils to take responsibility for school work,” De Villiers said.
Nicola Wilson, whose son is in Grade 3 at Sun Valley Primary School, said his homework was included in the school day.
“The school feels children need to be children. The teacher and school encourage reading and spelling daily. Children are also encouraged to attend extramurals one afternoon a week.
“I am an ex-primary school educator and I could not be happier that Sun Valley has adopted this approach. It allows for more quality time spent as a family without stress due to homework.
“It has also allowed me to focus on my son’s reading and spelling and help him in specific areas that I might have missed if trying to complete lots of homework. My son has time to complete his chores, play outside, swim and just have fun without needing to wait for the weekend,” she said.
Sally Watkins, whose child attends The Bay Academy, said she is relieved her son does not get homework.
“The traditional Montessori school believes all school work should be completed during school hours and time at home is for other activities which are just as meaningful and beneficial.”
Franray Klink said her children don’t get homework.
“School hours are from 7.30am until 3.30pm Monday to Friday and they get so much work done. We also get to log into our kids’ online school profile to see their progress and can assist if they struggle with something. Our kids are happy and enjoying school every day which makes us, as parents, very proud.”
Senior research associate at the University of Johannesburg, Mary Metcalfe, said homework was important for different reasons for different age groups.
“(However) homework should not become an extension of the school today just because the work that needs to be covered cannot be done in the school day. It should not be a source of stress and anxiety for the child at home and for the parent.
“One also has to take into account the different circumstances for many pupils. Not all have the space at home to do homework, they don’t necessarily have parents or caregivers who are available to supervise and provide structure, and not all children have the necessary resources at home,” she said.
Western Cape Education Department (WCED) spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said: “In support of a child’s learning, educators need to find ways in which to consolidate what is learnt in class. It usually takes place in the form of homework or tasks which provide another opportunity for pupils to engage with the taught work.
“While the stated curriculum provides the framework for teaching, it is the responsibility of the school and, therefore, teachers to plan in grade and phase context the appropriate homework needed to support the pupil, but also allow enough time for them ‘to be kids’.
“The WCED is continuously investigating and assessing various ways to implement the CAPS curriculum. For example, Eversdal Primary School has a ‘no homework policy’ and while we see the benefits of the policy as carried out at this school, it would not necessarily work at other schools which have a different style of teaching. For instance, this school is very teacher-development oriented and has the expertise to develop teaching skills,” she said.