Recently we had a discussion in school about homework. Some questions that surfaced during those discussion:
What is homework?
Is homework just extra worksheets? Can reading a book be considered homework? How about playing an online game that allows you to practice your multiplication table? Can that be considered homework?
Can homework be fun?
That’s something which is highly debatable. For the traditionalists, homework must be drill and practice. The more practice, the better… Rote learning was the way to go then. How about now? Does rote learning still work? So is drill and practice homework still relevant?
So back to the question… Can homework be fun? That’s a real food for thought…
How much homework to give?
How do we balance this? Children these days have simply no time to be a kid. They are moving from tuition to music lessons, to ballet classes, to swimming lessons, to language lessons. They are simply pulled in all directions. If we as teachers give them a bucket load of homework, then they will just be swimming in endless work. Where is the fun in learning? When can they start exploring the world they live in?
Are they doomed to grow up in a world where fun is a luxury? I hope not…
Other blogs or resources on homework:
Learning Redefined.SG 