School Homework has no Real Benefit

Serious concerns exist amongst Principals and teachers about the impact of homework according to the Irish Primary Principals Network (IPPN) in their submission paper to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Curriculum Reform.  IPPN Director, Seán Cottrell said ‘there is little evidence to suggest that homework as we currently know it has any real benefit.  The role of homework in our education system requires serious research and analysis’.

Pat Goff, IPPN President identified nine main areas of serious concern regarding homework in the IPPN’s submission paper to the committee.  These include:

Homework causes a lot of stress between parents and children

Parents frequently report being unable to help their children with homework

It often erodes the short length ‘quality-time’ that parents have with their children 

Homework is often based at a challenge level suited for average to high achievers

Inexperienced teachers frequently over prescribe the amount of homework 

The more homework a teacher gives; the more teaching time is lost ‘correcting’ it

Some teachers admit that they give homework because they feel parents expect it

Some parents admit that a teacher who gives a lot of homework is considered a good teacher

·Effective teaching in the classroom which differentiates both children’s learning styles and learning abilities far outweighs any value of homework.

Read the report here.