Buổi 27: Reading – T/F/NG bài dài: bẫy định lượng (cuộc tranh luận về bài tập về nhà)

How much homework is enough?

(Bài đọc tự viết; khu học chánh, khảo sát, nhân vật và số liệu là giả định.)

A Few topics provoke as much argument among parents as homework. Some believe it builds discipline and reinforces what children learn in class; others see it as an intrusion into family life that adds stress without improving results. When the hypothetical Northvale school district decided to review its homework policy, it began by asking families and teachers what they actually experienced.

B The survey, completed by roughly 4,000 parents and 600 teachers, produced some striking findings. Most parents of secondary school students – 62% – said their children spent more than two hours a day on homework, while among parents of primary pupils the figure was just 9%. Nearly half of all parents (46%) reported that homework caused arguments at home at least once a week. Teachers’ views were more mixed: about a third believed that homework was essential, a similar proportion thought it should be reduced, and the remainder said it depended on the subject.

C To interpret these figures, the district consulted education researcher Dr Paulo Mendes. He explained that the relationship between homework and attainment appears to differ by age. For older students, a moderate amount of homework tends to be associated with better results, although the benefit seems to level off beyond a certain point – a pattern economists call diminishing returns. For younger children, he said, evidence of any academic benefit is much weaker, and the main value of homework may lie in building routines rather than in improving test scores.

D Mendes also raised the issue of fairness. Homework assumes that every child has a quiet place to work and an adult who can help when needed, but this is not always the case. “Students from families where both parents work long hours, or where no one speaks the language of instruction, may be at a disadvantage,” he noted. “If homework counts heavily towards grades, it can widen existing inequalities rather than reduce them.”

E Taking these points into account, Northvale introduced new guidelines last year. Primary schools were asked to set no more than twenty minutes of homework a day, focused mainly on reading. Secondary schools were allowed up to ninety minutes, but teachers in different subjects were required to coordinate so that students did not receive several large assignments on the same evening. In addition, at least one evening a week was declared homework-free.

F It is too early to judge the effect on results, and the district has been careful not to claim success prematurely. Early feedback, however, suggests the change has been popular. In a follow-up survey, around two-thirds of parents said evenings had become less stressful, and teachers reported that students were more likely to complete the work they were set. Critics, including some secondary teachers, worry that limits on homework may leave students less prepared for the demands of university, a concern the district has promised to monitor.