But for the most part, the studies haven’t looked at whether it matters what kind of homework is assigned or whether there are different effects for different demographic student groups. The research relied on by those who oppose homework has actually found it has a modest positive effect at the middle and high school levels-just not in elementary school. But if the reading passages on a test cover topics like life in the Arctic or the habits of the dormouse, that student’s test score may well not reflect what she’s learned. Good homework assignments might have helped a student learn a lot about, say, Ancient Egypt. Those tests are designed to measure general reading comprehension skills, not to assess how much students have learned in specific classes. So it’s quite possible that much of the homework teachers assign just isn’t particularly effective for many students.Įven if teachers do manage to assign effective homework, it may not show up on the measures of achievement used by researchers-for example, standardized reading test scores. These are things that schools of education and teacher-prep programs typically don’t teach. And most have gotten little training in how and why to assign homework. One possible explanation for the general lack of a boost from homework is that few teachers know about this research. Research has found that retrieval practice and similar learning strategies are far more powerful than simply rereading or reviewing material. A homework assignment could require students to answer questions about what was covered in class that day without consulting their notes.

The optimal time to engage in retrieval practice is not immediately after you’ve acquired information but after you’ve forgotten it a bit-like, perhaps, after school. And psychologists have identified a range of strategies that help students learn, many of which seem ideally suited for homework assignments.įor example, there’s something called “ retrieval practice,” which means trying to recall information you’ve already learned. If a child wants to learn to play the violin, it’s obvious she needs to practice at home between lessons (at least, it’s obvious to an adult). Those arguments have merit, but why doesn’t homework boost academic achievement? The research cited by educators just doesn’t seem to make sense.

Critics have objected that even if homework doesn’t increase grades or test scores, it has other benefits, like fostering good study habits and providing parents with a window into what kids are doing in school. Many other elementary schools seem to have quietly adopted similar policies.

Schools without homework