How much homework? Less, say the students, but question vexes parents, educators

Dogs don't eat the homework that fifth-grade teacher Liz Fischer assigns. Instead, favorite excuses of her Charles Mack Elementary students include, "My baby brother colored on mine" or "I think I was absent yesterday."

For about as long as there's been school, there have been kids complaining about homework -- and parents and teachers wrestling with what's enough and what's too much. Educators say it's common for parents to call to complain that their children are getting too little homework, or too much, or that an assignment took too long to complete.

""Too much' is when homework takes so much time that (students) can't participate as members of the family," said Roger Westrup, board president in the North Sacramento Elementary School District.

Most districts have policies that specify the amount of homework expected by grade level, according to Cathy George, an elementary school consultant with the state Department of Education.

"Homework should involve a combination of practice of old material, introduction of new material, integration of skills or an extension of the classroom curriculum," George said. "Homework works best when the material is not too complex and unfamiliar."

Barbara Leary, mother of a fifth-grader at Natoma Station Elementary in Folsom Cordova Unified, said she has grown concerned in recent years over the amount of homework her daughter is assigned.

"I guess it depends on the year and on the teacher," Leary said, "but sometimes it's overwhelming."

Leary said she bought her daughter a backpack with wheels so she would not strain her back carrying around her books. Last year, she said, her daughter had so much homework that they had very little time to ride bikes together on the weekends.

She said she complained about the amount of homework and was told that her daughter lacked organizational skills.

Conversely, Michelle Moore, a San Juan Unified parent who has a preschooler, two elementary school students and two high schoolers, said the homework her children get is "not enough." Moore said she thinks some parents have complained about homework and now teachers may be afraid to assign it.

She said her third-grader at Albert Schweitzer Elementary often breezes through his homework and her fifth-grader sometimes does his in class.

"Children in other countries are working more diligently," Moore said.

On days when students do not have homework, George suggests, parents read to their children or listen to them read. Parents also could work on areas in which children need extra help. "It is best if the teacher and the parent have discussed the types of activities that would be most useful to work on with their children," George said.

Many schools send home folders that outline the week's homework assignments and provide a place for parents to sign off. Additionally, these homework folders provide a venue for parents to communicate any questions or comments about the homework.

Some schools provide homework hotlines that students can call with questions. Homework assignments and helpful advice also can be posted on school Web sites. This year, the North Sacramento district started a homework club at a number of schools to offer assistance to students.

For teachers, homework can help identify whether students are mastering a concept.

At Charles Mack in Elk Grove, fifth-grade teacher Fischer said she assigns homework Monday through Thursday -- and that if the homework is taking more than hour to complete, she and the parent need to talk.

For a recent assignment, students were asked to write a five-page report on one of the 50 states. The report was to include maps, a history of the state, and information on its economy, climate and culture.

Students had weeks to work on the assignment. Fischer said some were able to sit down and complete portions over time. However, others stayed up late to finish the night before the report was due.

When Fischer's students don't do their homework, recess time becomes homework time. The parents of repeat offenders are notified.

School officials said parents should stress the importance of continued learning at home because so much emphasis is being placed on accountability.

"The expectations of everyone, including students, have risen," said Susan Miller, associate superintendent for elementary schools in Sacramento City Unified. "We're not asking them to do something outside their developmental area."

Miller said that when parents simply ask, "How did school go?" children often respond with "OK" or "I don't know." She said parents should ask specific questions, such as "What story did you read today?" or "What did you learn?"

Educators agree that students should have a quiet, well-lit place to do homework and the necessary pens, paper, books and materials to do the work.

At the Moore household, a special drawer has been set aside for school supplies so that the children aren't spending a lot of time looking for materials. While Moore thinks her children don't get enough homework, her sons Brookes, a third-grader, and Addison, a fifth-grader, do not agree.

"We get homework galore," Brookes said.

	This article was originally published by The Sacramento Bee on May 2, 2000 © 2000 The Sacramento Bee Related Links Emphasis on Traditional Math Urged for District Algebra Textbooks Come Up Short In Project 2061 Review Vouchers heading to vote, group says

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