{"id":932,"date":"2015-02-06T13:32:16","date_gmt":"2015-02-06T18:32:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/familyengagement.nipissingu.ca\/?p=932"},"modified":"2019-07-22T15:21:58","modified_gmt":"2019-07-22T19:21:58","slug":"homework-or-inspired-family-school-practice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpms.nipissingu.ca\/familyengagement\/2015\/02\/06\/homework-or-inspired-family-school-practice\/","title":{"rendered":"Homework or Inspired Family-School Practice?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Homework is a topic worthy of discussion for families, schools, even researchers. Families often struggle to complete\u00a0the work assigned by school amidst their family practices and commitments, and may as a result feel guilty about not supporting the school. \u00a0Some families feel\u00a0unable to support their children with schoolwork (particularly as it increases in complexity with each academic year), leaving them feeling less than adequate on the landscape of school. Children often feel less than successful, particularly as family members get frustrated, questioning, “Didn’t you learn this at school?” Schools and Ministries do their absolute best to support families with regard to traditional homework\u00a0completion: they host curriculum evenings designed to demystify the curriculum, they post lists of to-dos (e.g., how to set up a routine, how to support, how to change your language), and they try to be as explicit as possible about the homework. And all of this occurs within a culture of\u00a0research that suggests that while homework is an educational staple, it’s unclear as to what types of homework make a long-term difference (see Homework: New Research Suggests<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0Finding the Right Balance<\/a>).<\/p>\n

A Note to School<\/p>\n

Note 1: My child works really hard at school and at home. I ensure that he does his homework, but today he said, “I hate homework! I don’t get it! I don’t understand why I have to do it every night.”\u00a0I tried to explain my perspective on homework, that we have to try, try, try again, but he’s scared to do stuff for fear of getting it wrong, and it, therefore, takes a long time. I’m hoping that you can talk to him about homework, maybe explain to him why it’s necessary and\/or useful.<\/p>\n

Note 2: Thank you for openly discussing homework in the classroom and reconceptualizing it as practice\u2026 I think he got it. I think talking about why practice\u00a0is really important, now and in the future. They don’t always listen to us as\u00a0parents. The discussion\u00a0validated his feelings and gave him\u00a0a new perspective. Hearing from you and his peers, that you often felt the same way, was a really big thing!<\/p>\n

Thank you for following up,<\/p>\n

An open parent<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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No matter what, no matter when, no matter how\u2026 we need to work at understanding the homework conundrum, working toward the concept of family-school practice that helps\u00a0families to make\u00a0meaningful contributions to their children’s long-term success and well-being.<\/p>\n