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A small but growing number of elementary schools and individual teachers in the U.S. are doing away with homework to allow kids more time to play, participate in activities, spend time with families,

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Does "after-school chore" mean homework then? I've never heard of it. Sounds even more miserable then "homework". As for homework for elementary school kids, I don't think there is any good reason for, unless the kids want to do it. There are probably plenty of good ideas for things to do which might be taken up by kids if they were presented to them but not formal homework.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

In Japan, the volume of homework schools give particularly during summer vacation and other extended holidays is absurd, and substantially impinges on what should be time for developing fond memories with family and building character.

Years ago, when I would go back to my country with my family for some time with grandpa, grandma and other relatives, my wife (Japanese) would be cracking the whip, screaming at the kids most of the time, panicked that the kids might not finish their reams of summer homework. It completely ruined the vacation for all concerned. What could have been precious memories, stolen. (Yes, I'm bitter about it.)

When it comes to all organizations in Japan — schools, employers or otherwise — an overriding goal of those in charge seems to be that of occupying long stretches of people's time with pointless tasks and long after-hours meetings for work or clubs. With schools in particular, I think this mentality of monopolizing people's time is culturally used as a means of keeping students out of trouble and off the streets. Still, I resent it.

21 ( +22 / -1 )

Some schools or teachers are also flipping the classroom - meaning the students do the homework in class and watch videos of the lectures at home. That way they can get help from either the teacher or better prepared students.

In school as a teacher and a student I noticed that good students did the homework not because it was required but because they wanted to do it to learn more. Not so good students didn't want to do it and they didn't want to learn more, however they found a way to get around doing the homework: copying other students' homework, saying the dog ate it, organizing "study groups" when a bunch would get together to copy each others' homework. In short, life skills.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Of course, this wouldn't have anything to do with teachers not wishing to spend extra time marking homework to give them "more time to play, participate in activities, spend time with families, read and sleep," would it?

-6 ( +4 / -10 )

I rarely did my homework at school and was always getting into trouble for it. It was only when I was gaining my tertiary qualifications at college and university that I did the home work. At uni I did about 2-3 times class hours at home. Still probably not a lot compared to some.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

When I was a grade school student in the US I recall writing a lot of thesis and book reports which I really helped me how to structure my analytic and thinking process which I really do not think can be done at class.

My summer homework days was hell doing double time doing both Japanese AND American homework. I remember laboring on finishing my math drills in the morning hours then going to the local library in the afternoons to finish my history thesis and then doing Japanese grammar drills in the evening.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Speaking as an educator, homework, should be structured to facilitate review. I think in that context homework is valuable. Not everyone can absorb all of the content in the classroom and do well on the quiz or exam which follows.

To draw a stick-figure set-frame cartoon of (say) the key highlights of the life of a historical figure reinforces the that person's contribution to history. Plus that can be fun for those who are artistically bent and uses another modality to enhance learning. The work is not a burden as anyone can draw stick people. There's no skill required.

The same goes for 1-minute timed drill of 60 addition/subtraction/multiplication/division tables in the early grades. It facilitates how to calculate quickly. It's brief, manageable, easy to mark and correct. Eventually it leads to being able to do such calculations speedily in the head. Similarly, spelling practice (which hones visual memory) is also valuable. Each of these takes minutes, not hours.

The average person learns something with 50 repetitions. For that, homework is a wonderful reinforcement of something taught in class.Beyond that, students should be encouraged to make their own flash-cards or study materials based on the content points guaranteed to be on exams.

To fill out a bunch of sheets that have no purpose or to create elaborate projects that parents must do is fruitless. It simply creates tired, frustrated and bored students. Learning is exciting. That joy should not be killed by homework. Unfortunately it is used by some cultures to subjugate their children.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Sensato, my kids always did their homework in the plane, both ways.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Less is more.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Depends. I don't think the volume of homework assigned in schools in North America is that bad, given that summer vacation is just that -- no school, no club, no homework, and you don't see the school for up to two months and a couple of weeks. There's also no juku, no school on weekends, and no ridiculous extra curricular hours. Kids in NA already have far more time to play and enjoy with families, especially in elementary. It's schools in Japan, South Korea, and China that need to cut back on their hours (and juku altogether), and drop the club-as-babysitting routine. South Korea has the highest number of hours spent at school, juku, and homework, with Japan at number two. Those to nations, in that order, have the highest number of suicides among the same age groups. China is not far behind on either.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Read and sleep? more like watch TV, play computer games and hang out aimlessly.......

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

Homework is a very useful way to review, reinforce and adapt what has been taught in class. It shouldn't be used to replace classroom study. However it seems to me that students in Japan are being given homework on topics which they haven't learnt yet. Then the teacher gets annoyed when the students don't understand or remember what hasn't actually been taught. Schools are in a permanent state of catch-up and keep-up. Students are given the answer book along with their holiday homework. It's a shoddy system.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Of course, this wouldn't have anything to do with teachers not wishing to spend extra time marking homework to give them "more time to play, participate in activities, spend time with families, read and sleep," would it?

Your comment would be more applicable to the secondary schools where the teacher deals with many more students in a given day. Compare an elementary school teacher who sees just 26 or so students during the day to a secondary school teacher who can see 26 * 5 periods of students a day, then calculate the time to grade their assigned work.

At the elementary school level, homework - especially in math - reinforces basic skills that are acquired through repetition. Many of the things taught these days do not require instant recall (when was the last time you had to instantly recall when the Tokugawa Shogunate was established?) Those things can be looked up on the internet almost anywhere now. But things like the addition and multiplication tables and the basic elements of factoring are more likely to be needed on-the-spot and homework drills can improve those skills. Reading skills also are improved with homework assignments. The more a student reads, the more fluid the pace of reading and therefore the student has an easier time retaining the meaning behind the words on the page.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

A bit is okay. I think it helps kids concentrate on getting something done, but it shouldn't be too long or too hard. Get it done and then go out and play.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

My relatives live in parts of Canada with high Asian populations. The streets that used to have kids playing street hockey and parks playing baseball or soccer, are now largely empty of kids on weekends and holidays.

I'm told theyre taking music, language, or other "supplementary" lessons or at home in front of their PCs or phones or enrolled in "structured" sports activties.

I find it really depressing and am really happy I was never forced to lead such a narrow, regimented life.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

The question shouldn't be "Yes-homework or No-homework?", it should be "why homework?". If you're not asking this question first, you're completely missing the point. Homework should always serve a purpose.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

If there is no homework, does that mean Japanese children won't have to buy those ridiculously priced "landsales" to carry back and forth from school? That fact alone will make sure homework is never stopped here in Japan. All kidding aside, I agree that some homework is good, a reasonable amount, but the summer and winter break homework is insane. Not only are the kids stressed out by it, but so are the parents.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

I feel at my school that homework is just busy work, to appease the irate mothers who constantly complain that there isn't enough. This is certainly the case in our primary school.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

North America has a more healthy way of doing this imo. Kids NEED to be able to be KIDS as some said & most inferred. We all have plenty of years of work ahead as adults to also occupy too much of our time, but kids, its crime of sorts!

Sensato, you should have cursed out your in-laws, next time take your kids & leave them in Japan if they don't shape up!

As for Japan, sorry I just DONT see any benefit for people or society(except for the puppet masters keeping the masses in line) with so much homework, too many club/sport activities & don't get me started the juku nonsense!!

I would hate to have grown up in Japan & thank no kids otherwise I would feel guilty putting them into schools here.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

What's your view on homework?

Well, generally its a good thing...BUT considering this is japan- 6 days of school, cram schools at night, AND very often 7 days of club activity... it should be against the law to give ANY homework. The kids have a more hectic schedule than the average salaryman without homework.

Its just plain crazy

4 ( +6 / -2 )

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