This document discusses the debate around homework for primary school children. While some research has found benefits like reinforcing learning, other research has linked excessive homework to issues like childhood obesity. The document outlines different perspectives on homework from parents, teachers, students and researchers. It proposes gathering input from all stakeholders and implementing changes like replacing written homework with reading together or real-life math activities to address concerns while maintaining benefits. A review would occur after implementing changes to get feedback and further improve the approach.

1. Homework
Should homework be given in
primary schools?

2. The Great Homework Debate
 Children are always complaining about homework!
 This has been brought to the fore again early this year when
President Michael D. Higgins said that there should be no
homework in our schools.
 The children arrived at school in great form with the great
news our President has bestowed upon them- ‘no homework
Miss, the President said!’
 Time to show empathy and really listen.

3. The Design Process

4. What is homework?

5. What does the research say?
 Gill and Schlossman(2004) – historically parents
have supported homework.
 Couts (2004) - parents are more likely to see positive
benefits of homework.
 Carr (2015) - parents, pupils and teachers to be involved in how
much homework should be given as schools
 Eren et al.(2003) - homework is directly linked to academic success
in tests.
 Kohn (2007) - no benefits at all to giving homework to younger
children.
 Ren et al. (2017) - identified excessive homework as a link to
childhood obesity.

6. Homework- positive and negative impact
of homework
Positive Negative
Reinforce learning Completion time for children
Good study habits Parents working
Academic success Children – extra curricular activities

7. What do students think in Ireland?

8. How can we as teachers put forward an
action plan to help solve the problem of
homework?
 Government Guidelines: The Wellbeing Framework (2019) ;LAOS framework
(2022). Allow the pupils and parents to have a voice and be listened to.
 Teamwork- actively engage teachers, parents and children.
 Survey parents and children
 Ask the parents/guardians what homework they think would be beneficial.

9.  What is homework- Define
 Who does homework affect?- Empathy
 Staff meeting, brainstorm ideas- Ideate
 Questionnaires
 Pupil debates recorded so parents can watch.
Results of the questionnaire
 Change in homework – Proptotype
 Review after a school term – feedback

10. So what do we do now?
 No homework at the weekends
 Replace maths homework with ‘real life’ activities
e.g. Cook together for weight, Play Monopoly for
money.
 Replace written homework in English and Gaeilge
with ‘read together’.
 To be reviewed

11. Bibliography
Carr, K. 2015, "Great homework debate", Education, vol. 96, no. 3, pp. 16.
Coutts, Pamela M. “Meanings of Homework and Implications for Practice.” Theory Into Practice, vol. 43, no.
3, 2004, pp. 182–88. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/3701519. Accessed 8 Oct. 2023.
Eren, Ozkan, and Daniel J. Henderson. “The Impact of Homework on Student Achievement.” The
Econometrics Journal, vol. 11, no. 2, 2008, pp. 326–48. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/23116079.
Accessed 8 Oct. 2023.
Gill, Brian P., and Steven L. Schlossman. “Villain or Savior? The American Discourse on Homework, 1850-
2003.” Theory Into Practice, vol. 43, no. 3, 2004, pp. 174–81. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/3701518.
Accessed 8 Oct. 2023
Kohn, Alfie. “Digging Themselves in Deeper: More Misleading Claims about the Value of Homework.” The
Phi Delta Kappan, vol. 88, no. 7, 2007, pp. 514–17. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/20442309. Accessed
8 Oct. 2023.
Ren, H., Zhou, Z., Liu, W., Wang, X., & Yin, Z. (2017). Excessive homework, inadequate sleep, physical
inactivity and screen viewing time are major contributors to high paediatric obesity. Acta Paediatrica, 106(1),
120-127. https://doi.org/10.1111/apa.13640
.