Stop Sending Home Homework: What Every New Teacher Should Know

Homework is a hot topic among teachers, parents, and students. In this post, I’m sharing my personal experiences with sending home homework, what the research says, and the do’s and don’ts of assigning homework in elementary school. Stick around — this might challenge how you think about homework!

My Experience with Homework

Year 1: A Learning Experience

In my first year of teaching, I sent home math homework every day. But guess what? I never looked at it or gave feedback. Students got a 10/10 as long as they turned it in on time. Looking back, I cringe at how ineffective that was.

Year 2: Reassessing Homework

I began the year sending home some math homework and a reading calendar, but it didn’t take long for me to realize that a reading calendar wasn’t working. The kids who were already reading at home continued doing so, and those who weren’t would fill out the paper anyway. By the end of the school year, I wasn’t sending home any homework, just encouraging students to read on their own.

Years 3 & 4: Focused Homework

I started sending home leveled reading passages and, occasionally, some math practice. I made sure that the reading passages were at each student’s independent reading level.

Year 5 & 6: No Homework Policy

By my fifth and sixth years, I didn’t send homework home at all. If students couldn’t complete an assignment in class, they probably wouldn’t be able to do it at home without my support. Parents thanked me throughout the year because their kids were drowning in homework from other classes.

Now, enough about me — let’s look at what the research says about homework.

What the Research Says About sending home Homework

The connection between homework and student achievement isn’t as clear as we might think. Studies provide mixed results. Some show positive effects for certain students, others show no effects, and some even suggest negative impacts.

Key Findings:

• Older students benefit more from homework than younger students.
• Socioeconomic factors play a role: Students from higher-income homes often have more resources and assistance for homework, while lower-income students may struggle with fewer resources.
• Students with learning disabilities may benefit from homework when proper supervision is provided.

With that in mind, let’s talk about what not to do when assigning homework.

Homework Don’ts

1. Avoid Busy Work

Homework should reinforce key skills like math, reading, writing, or spelling, but in a meaningful way. Avoid worksheets or projects that don’t require teacher feedback and aren’t tied to what students are learning in class.

2. Don’t Assign Unfamiliar Material

Assigning work on topics students haven’t learned yet creates stress and equity challenges. Some parents can’t help teach new concepts, especially in households where English isn’t the primary language or where parents work multiple jobs.

3. Don’t Overload Students

The National PTA and NEA recommend the “10-minute rule” — 10 minutes of homework per grade level. A fourth grader, for example, should receive no more than 40 minutes of homework each night. Yet, many students receive far more than this, which can increase family stress.

4. Avoid Neglecting Individual Needs

Homework shouldn’t be a one-size-fits-all approach. Just like we differentiate instruction in the classroom, homework should accommodate different learning styles and abilities.

5. Don’t Skip Feedback

If you’re not going to give feedback on homework, then it’s just busywork. Feedback is crucial for student growth and understanding.

Homework Do’s

1. Make Homework Purposeful

Homework should have a clear purpose and enhance the learning happening in the classroom. Don’t assign homework just for the sake of it.

2. Keep it Short and Engaging

Stick to the “10-minute rule” or even shorter. Make assignments engaging so that students don’t dread completing them.

3. Offer Choices

Give students some control over their homework. Incorporating choice, such as a choice board, can increase engagement and promote independence.

4. Encourage Family Involvement

Design assignments that encourage interaction with family members without being a burden. This could include reading with a sibling, explaining a math problem to a parent, or interviewing a family member about a topic you’re covering in class.

5. Provide Clear Instructions

Confusion leads to frustration. Keep homework simple, with clear and concise instructions. It helps if homework follows a consistent format each week — like a reading passage or math page.

6. Offer Resources for Struggling Students

Provide students with additional resources or support, such as QR codes linking to helpful videos or demonstrations of how to complete a task. Parents often want to help but may not know how. Holding a parent night or offering in-person demonstrations can also be helpful.

Final Thoughts

Kids are busy. Parents are busy. You are busy. Don’t give out more homework than is necessary. If you aren’t using it to assess students and guide your instruction, it’s probably not worth the time.

I’d love to hear from you! Do you send homework home? If so, what do you assign and how long does it take your students to complete? How have parents responded? Message me on Instagram @heynewteachers or email me at jordan@heynewteachers.com to share your thoughts.

You’ve got this, teacher — go out there and thrive!