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Lessons in Learning: Parents’ Role in their Children’s Homework


File number :
IST-CFEC-06e

Bibliographic reference :
Canadian Council on Learning (2008). Lessons in Learning: Parents’ Role in their Children’s Homework. [On line].
<http://www.ccl-cca.ca/CCL/Reports/LessonsInLearning/LessonsInLearning.htm?Language=EN>
Consulted February 7, 2008

Abstract :

The 2007 survey of the attitude of 5361 Canadians towards learning was conducted by the Canadian Council on Learning (CCL) in cooperation with Statistics Canada in May and June 2007.

Based on part of these survey results, the CCL highlighted a few findings, particularly regarding homework. Although 72% of Canadian parents viewed homework as a source of stress at home, most of them considered it to be an important learning tool.

Homework: An Effective Learning Tool
The effectiveness of homework as a learning tool raised different views: some believed in it, others doubted its usefulness. As for Canadian parents, 80% believed that homework helps to learn and develop good work habits.

Generally speaking, research has shown that homework is an effective learning tool, since the achievement level is higher for students who are given homework than those who are not. However, it has shown that an excessive amount of homework can hamper school performance.

Homework: A Cause of Stress
A proportion of 64% of the Canadians interviewed believed that they lacked sufficient knowledge to help their children with their homework, leading to the stress felt by parents regarding homework.

In addition, a proportion of 46% of parents interviewed said that they did not spend enough time supporting their children while doing their homework, which also contributed to raising their level of stress.

For their involvement to be beneficial, parents should relate appropriately by establishing sound communication with teachers. By seeking advice from teachers, parents are in a better position to understand how they can, and must  help their children, which, in turn, helps to reduce their stress.

Effective Parental Involvement
Parents should not become directly involved in their children’s homework. Instead, their role should be limited to encouraging their children to develop good work habits (e.g., creating a peaceful setting, good lighting), manage their workload effectively (e.g., doing the most difficult exercises first and finishing with the easiest) and adopt positive behaviour towards work, for instance, by performing tasks similar to their children’s homework at the same time (e.g., reading, paying bills).

Children must be self-sufficient in learning to work, and parents must help them in this process. Nonetheless, many children have problems with which parents are not necessarily able to help. By communicating with teachers, parents may find helpful sources and adequate advice. However, even if their children do not exhibit problems, it is in the interest of parents to maintain regular communication with the school to be in a better position to help their children appropriately while they are doing their homework.

The results of a Quebec study being conducted on homework and lessons given to elementary and middle school students, headed by Rollande Deslandes, researcher at the Research Center on Academic Success, will be available in the Spring of 2008. Information on this study will be published in an upcoming IOAA watch newsletter.



Links :
http://www.ccl-cca.ca/CCL/Reports/LessonsInLearning/LessonsInLearning.htm?Language=EN

Key Words :
Homework, Stress, Sense of Effectiveness, Learning Tools, Parental Involvement, Work Habits, Work-life Balance, Parent-teacher Communication, Work Management, Self-sufficiency, Newsletter11

Monitored Countries :
Canada