Home > News Archive > 2004-2009 News > 2007 News	Print View

   Watch the WCCO News Report

Too much homework doesn't guarantee higher test scores, yet some kids today are spending nearly twice as much time on assignments as their parents did.

So what should moms and dads do if they think teachers are overdoing it?

Mom Pam Morrison can't remember having homework in first grade and that's because she didn't have any.

"In fourth grade is when it started," she remembers.

It's a different story for her 6-year-old daughter. Abby brings home a half hour of assignments every night.

"Let's break it down, okay?" coaxes her mom as the two tackle a list of spelling words.

"I hate homework," Abby complains.

"I know you do, sweetie," said her mom. The nightly homework hassle isn't easy on Abby or her parents.

"It's not just her homework," said Pam Morrison. "It's my homework."

The Morrisons' worry a half hour is too much homework for their first grader.

"Have you talked to friends about it or even a teacher about this?" asked WCCO-TV anchor Amelia Santaniello.

Pam Morrison said she hadn't.

"It's one of those things where I'm very pro-education; I want my daughter to get the best education that she can. The teacher is asking for it, I respect the teacher, I'm gonna do it," she said.

Pam Morrison didn't talk to the teacher, but WCCO-TV did. Kathy Silvers is a teacher at Vista View elementary in Burnsville, Minn.

"I was really surprised that I had a parent who really felt strongly that the homework was too much, and that it was work for them," she said.

Silvers and her fellow first grade teachers came up with the half-hour amount after parents shared homework horror stories.

"We did hear that some parents were spending 45 minutes on the math Homelink, and oh, no, no, no, no!" said Silvers.

However, why does she assign so much to such young kids?

"If I want my average child in my classroom to be able compete globally when they are an adult, I have to help them excel now," said Silvers.

Another reason she gives homework is that it's a chance for kids to share their schoolwork with mom and dad.

"There's excitement that, 'Look at what I've learned. This is what I can do now,'" explained Silvers.

Joe Nathan leads the Center for School Change at the University of Minnesota. He might not agree with the amount of homework Silvers assigns, but he does like her motives.

"The most important thing to know about homework is the most important thing to know about education," he explained. "It happens best when there is a close working relationship between the home and the school."

Nathan used to be a teacher and suggests a parent-teacher conference before the start of the school year.

"I've helped to set up schools that do that," he said. "So the very first contact between the home and the school is a positive one."

It's also important to give teachers good feedback. Tell them when they've done something right.

Nathan gave an example, "Writing a note to a teacher and saying 'That was a magnificent assignment, my kid learned so much, my kid was talking about this at dinner, or my kid and I were talking this all weekend.'"

It's obvious parents should make sure kids have a quiet place to study.

John and Wendy Murphy of Lakeville, Minn. go one step further for their four kids. They've set up a rule: school work before playtime.

"I think it makes perfect sense," said 11-year-old Maggie. She looked at her brother and added, "But I don't think he does."

Tell children that school is important, but don't tell them you struggled.

"It's important for kids not to hear, 'Oh, I had problems in math or I had problems,'" said Nathan. What they do need to hear is praise for a job well done.

"When they bring home a good assignment," said Nathan. "It's important to notice that."

Finally, don't be afraid to talk to the teacher.

"Yeah, do it sooner rather than later," said Silvers.

Like most teachers, she'd rather hear from parents before they're really steamed.

"If you can do it before you're like really, really angry," she said. "It's easier to make profitable comments if you can do it before you've really reached your frustration limit."

Another piece of advice is to break up the homework. Like, math before supper, reading before bed and spelling the next morning. Parents of older kids swear by online programs that show assignments. That way they can see if their kids actually finish their homework.

http://wcco.com/education/homework.parents.school.2.597270.html