Where's Your Homework?

"I very rarely did it," said my 22 year old son during a conversation he, my wife and I were having about homework. "It was usually a complete waste of time, and, if they can't teach you what they need to during 6 or more hours we go to school during the day, why should we do more in our own time?"

It was very similar to a view I'd seen in a video clip by educational guru Phil Beadle. Apparently, instead of completing homework, my son had learned a great deal of creativity in finding a string of plausible (or perhaps accepted) excuses for not doing it. By all accounts, he was seldom punished which is interesting in itself.

For many teachers homework has become a pet hate. Finding something meaningful that can be achieved at a variety of levels on a regular bases is difficult in itself. Of course you then have to make time to mark it. On top of that, there are bound to be those in the class who don't do the homework which then results in a whole lot of chasing round. Finally, there's the time you have to spent in detention with those who, sometimes on a regular basis, have not completed the work.

Given the questionable levels of achievement in relation to overall time spent, the benefits of not setting homework certainly need to be considered.  However, nearly every school insists that homework must be set and woe betide any teachers or departments that fail to do so. The parents expect it and we would not be seen as a good school otherwise. Consequently, homework must be set and marked regardless as to whether it is a good use of both teachers' or pupils' time.

Homework has become an accepted tradition which is rarely challenged in most schools. Perhaps, particularly with the research of the likes of John Hattie, we should now address this. Surely time would be better spent on more central aspects of teaching and learning to improve the quality of lessons with homework only being set when it truly adds to what is being learnt.

Similarly, the move to academies has resulted in many schools moving back to a strict uniform. Parents and pupils alike currently seem to see this as a good thing. I'll wager, however, that 5 years or so down the line when the novelty value has disappeared, schools will be battling to get students in acceptable uniform just like they did with me and my peers back in the 70s. Another example of time and effort being diverted from teaching and learning. Plus ca change...