Too Much Homework
By: Jenn Hatcher, KNOP
Updated: September 15, 2011
A growing number of students of all ages are coming home with a backpack full of assignments.
Some backlash is happening in communities around the country.
"I don't give and assign homework for each subject, they get an assignment for each subject and then anything that's not completed in class during the time that they're allotted, that becomes their homework," says Brenda Volcek, a 5th Grade teacher at Nebraska's Lincoln Elementary.
"My kids are responsible for studying their spelling words every night, their vocab words. They're also responsible for reading in their library books every evening, with that comes a vocab journal," says 4th grade teacher Laurie Maline.
Some parents are astounded by the pile of books their child brings home.
Gayle Sharkey, North Platte Public Schools Curriculum Director, says she heard no complaints from parents here and many parents enjoy the bonding time that comes with working on school work.
"Parents being involved in homework with student's just increases what's happening in the schools so parents in the school are supporting each other and the education of the students," says Sharkey.
Sharkey says the North Platte School District currently lets each school make its own policies on homework.
Teachers frequently follow the 10-minute rule of thumb- 10 minutes more per night on homework at each grade level.
One big question is how much should homework count towards a final grade.
"Districts all over the country are looking at homework and the emphasis that's put on homework, what percentage of the grade should be homework, should homework have a grade, those are conversations that really need to happen in the school," Sharkey says.
Some backlash is happening in communities around the country.
"I don't give and assign homework for each subject, they get an assignment for each subject and then anything that's not completed in class during the time that they're allotted, that becomes their homework," says Brenda Volcek, a 5th Grade teacher at Nebraska's Lincoln Elementary.
"My kids are responsible for studying their spelling words every night, their vocab words. They're also responsible for reading in their library books every evening, with that comes a vocab journal," says 4th grade teacher Laurie Maline.
Some parents are astounded by the pile of books their child brings home.
Gayle Sharkey, North Platte Public Schools Curriculum Director, says she heard no complaints from parents here and many parents enjoy the bonding time that comes with working on school work.
"Parents being involved in homework with student's just increases what's happening in the schools so parents in the school are supporting each other and the education of the students," says Sharkey.
Sharkey says the North Platte School District currently lets each school make its own policies on homework.
Teachers frequently follow the 10-minute rule of thumb- 10 minutes more per night on homework at each grade level.
One big question is how much should homework count towards a final grade.
"Districts all over the country are looking at homework and the emphasis that's put on homework, what percentage of the grade should be homework, should homework have a grade, those are conversations that really need to happen in the school," Sharkey says.
