Homework- Yes or No
Professor John Hattie is the best known and most famous educational researcher in the world right now. Professor Hattie has done research involving 500 million students right around the world. His research has focused on the things we do in schools that do improve learning, and the things in schools we do that do not improve learning.
In his research, he has investigated over 200 different aspects found in schools. He has covered most things, from inquiry learning to discipline, and from parent participation to classroom computing, and homework.
Professor Hattie's research shows that homework has very little positive effect for elementary school students, but can improve learning for middle school students.
Based on Professor Hattie's research, many, many schools around the world have stopped homework altogether. Many other researchers besides John Hattie are strong in their opinion that replacing homework with after school activities, family board games, family conversations, and sports has far more positive impact.
Our current position here at Nishimachi is that we support homework to some extent for both elementary and middle school students. We must not ignore Professor Hattie's research, so we have reduced the total amount of homework expected from our Kindergarten - Grade 5 students. However, we do expect all K- 5 students to read with/to their parents every night.
Middle School students will continue to receive increasing amounts of homework as they grow from Grade 6 up to Grade 9. This policy is currently being reviewed by the Middle School staff.
Probably the biggest issue about homework is that we adults- you and me- all went through school doing homework, and we turned out well, got good jobs and are successful. The problem with this thinking is that the world has changed completely. Schools and learning have changed with it. Our priority here at Nishimachi will be to maximise that learning here at school by fostering wonderful learning every day in every classroom.
Over the next few weeks, I will include various articles about homework within the newsletter. Parents can read and then be able to understand the current research. Parents can also better understand some of the big issues that make homework such a controversial topic.
The first article is called "Why Kids Don't Need Homework - By Justin Coulson", and can be found in this link.