Introduction
Homework is a vital part of a child’s education. Homework refers to tasks set by teachers requiring completion by pupils outside of school hours. Regular homework is a valuable part of the learning process as well as forming good study habits. It provides opportunities to further their understanding of work they have done in class and also enables them to develop important skills such as the ability to study and work independently. It gives students an opportunity for additional time for study to help students achieve higher standards.
Benefits of homework
INSTANT ENQUIRY?
Homework is highly useful for the academic growth of any child. Doing homework regularly increases the perseverance level in students. It helps the students to learn how to work independently. It teaches them to take responsibility for their part in the educational process. Homework gives students extra time to review the chapters being taught in the class.
Homework helps provide parents and guardians with a good understanding of the work taking place in school and leads to better outcomes for students. It also helps teachers to assess the understanding level of the student with respect to the chapter taught in the classroom.
Excessive Homework: A burden
Even after multiple advantages of homework, it can be a nightmare for both parents and children. If a lot of work is assigned to students for home, then it becomes a burden. Assignment of Excessive homework can adversely affect the child’s mental and physical health. They too need to spend time with peers, parents, cousins which they may miss due to excess of homework. Due to the home assignment, they miss out leisure activities and restrict themselves to books. Hence, they cannot explore themselves, learn new skills, practice hobbies. The purpose of homework is to excite the interest in education, not to pressurize the students.
Hassle-free homework
We also need to understand What is the purpose of homework? What if a student has no time for homework (because of activities, free play after school, or special occasions)? Should there even be homework? At what grade level should homework begin? ……and so on. Many are in favor of homework, especially if it was the “right amount” or the “right kind” of homework, under the “right” circumstances. Therefore, one such effective solution to limit the amount of homework ca be – ‘HOMEWORK TIMETABLE’.
What is a homework timetable?
A homework timetable is a suggested way for teachers to structure homework schedule at the beginning of the session. It shows the daily maximum time that students might be expected to be working on homework in each subject. Each day of a week is allotted to particular subject/ subjects for assigning homework to the class.
A homework timetable:
- show when homework will be set
- show a minimum amount of homework
- include time that is needed to complete work
For example, every day only two major subjects which are pre scheduled will give homework to the class – such as
Tentative Timetable for Class I to VIII th
1 hr & 40 min
| Class | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Total duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class I | Maths (30mim) Hindi (30min) | EVS (30min) English (30min) | Maths (30mim) Hindi (30min) | EVS (30min) English (30min) | Maths (30mim) Hindi (30min) | EVS (30min)English (30min) | 1 hr |
| Class II | Maths (30mim) Hindi (30min) |
EVS (30min) English (30min) |
Maths (30mim) Hindi (30min) |
EVS (30min) English (30min) |
Maths (30mim) Hindi (30min) |
EVS (30min) English (30min) |
1 hr |
| Class III | Maths (40mim) Hindi (30min) |
Science (40min) English (30min) |
Social science (40min) Computer (min30) |
Maths (40mim) Hindi (30min) |
Science (40min) English (30min) |
Social science (40min) Computer (min30) |
1 hr & 10 min |
| Class IV | Maths (45mim) Hindi (30min) |
Science (45min) English (30min) |
Social science (45min) Computer (min30) |
Maths (45mim) Hindi (30min) |
Science (45min) English (30min) |
Social science (45min) Computer (min30) |
1 hr & 15 min |
| Class V | Maths (50mim) Hindi (30min) |
Science (50min) English (30min) |
Social science (50min) Computer (min30) |
Maths (50mim) Hindi (30min) |
Science (50min) English (30min) |
Social science (50min) Computer (min30) |
1 hr & 20 min |
| Class VIth | Maths (60mim) Hindi (30min) |
Science (60min) English (30min) |
Social science (60min) Sanskrit (min30) |
Maths (60min) Hindi (30min) |
Science (60min) English (30min) |
Social science (60min) Computer (30min) |
1 hr & 30 min |
| Class VIIth | Maths (60mim) Hindi (35min) |
Science (60min) English (35min) |
Social science (60min) Computer (min35) |
Maths (60mim) Hindi (35min) |
Science (60min) English (35min) |
Social science (60min) Computer (min35) |
1 hr & 35 min |
| VIIIth | Maths (60mim) Hindi (40min) |
Science (60min) English (40min) |
Social science (70min) Computer (min30) |
Maths (60min) Hindi (40min |
Science (60min) English (40min) |
Social science (70min) Computer (30min) |
1 hr |
Notes:
* Time limit set is based on Harris copper “10-minute rule” (which states that all daily homework assignments combined should take about as long to complete as 10 minutes multiplied by the student’s grade level. He added that when required reading is included as a type of homework, the 10-minute rule might be increased to 15 minutes.) time should not exceed 2 hours for any grade students.
** All students work at slightly different rates and so this time will be an estimate. As long as the student is focused on the work (not distracted by, for example, social media, the homework should not take significantly longer than this time to complete.
*** Students may choose to organise their time differently. This is their choice, but they must meet the deadline and spend the correct amount of time working on the homework.
Significance of homework timetable
- Homework timetable lessens the amount of burden on students by limiting the subject assignment per day.
- Time limit set on doing work allows pupils to have leisure time or time for other activities like sports, music, hobbies, family time etc. Phycological research says that any minute exceed 2 hours on studies after school causes stress or other psychological problems.
- Scheduled homework system inform parents about which subject homework is which day and helps them to ensure that their child has finished the work in allotted time, improving the child’s skill of time management.
Conclusion
Homework should help children to develop study habits, reinforce or extend learning, and help parents to be involved and engaged in school. Also, generally speaking, students should be able to independently complete their homework, within a reasonable amount of focused time and a reasonable amount of effort, giving them time for after school activities, including free play, music lessons, sports and family time.
