Edarabia reopened a debate that goes back over a hundred years. Which practice benefits students the most – Homework or No Homework? Here’s an exclusive interview with Brighton College Dubai’s Headmaster, Marco Longmore, who agrees with the principle of assigning homework (PRO); and Dwight School Dubai’s Head of School, Janecke Aarnaes, who thinks a ‘’No Homework’’ policy works best (AGAINST).

Studies show that involving parents in students’ learning increases academic achievement for all students, regardless of race, socioeconomic background, or gender. In your opinion, is homework an effective tool for family engagement and inclusion?

Janecke: Dwight provides an opportunity for children to complete their academic work whilst in school, rather than taking their work home. We believe in the power of creating a structured opportunity for students to complete the majority of their academic work while they are in school. Sending students home after a long day of learning in school, with a ton of homework, is not conducive of an enhanced learning environment.

At Dwight School Dubai, we have time built into the students’ weekly schedule where they can work independently on their academic work and where they have access to our teachers as mentors and coaches. In this way, students who need help to understand assignments, clarify questions or simply who need encouragement to get going with their work have the necessary experts around them.

There’s a lot of research that supports no homework, or less work done at home, and a lot of working parents highlight the potential stress that it causes. Parents can help their children by reinforcing the learning of time management. By supporting their children in making choices on how they distribute their time, they will develop a sense of appreciation for effective and efficient work both in school and outside of school.

We believe that in giving students more down-time outside of school, this gives the individual more personal time to focus on their hobbies, extracurricular activities and family life to nurture a positive balance between school and home life.

Also, gives the family a stress-free quality time together where they can do other activities including sports and reading which should not be defined as homework. It’s a natural joy and pleasure and should be done at the student’s own free will.

Marco: Homework isn’t a task for parents. A parent’s role in homework should be to scaffold and support the pupils to have the confidence to do. Homework should be a celebration of learning and a way to show progression, as well as the opportunity to showcase each child’s improvements to parents. The reading and listening tasks which are set at home can become a key bonding aspect for families, which is important to build time for.

Some parents feel uncertain about how best to support their children as they complete their assignments, thus creating a tension between the home and the school. What is your opinion on this matter?

Janecke: Educators ultimately do not intend to create stress for parents, but there are various school regulations and procedures that are difficult to change or shake off.

Marco: Homework shouldn’t cause tension and it shouldn’t ever get to this point if the right amount of homework is being issued to the right age groups. Ultimately, the students should be able to complete the homework tasks on their own because homework is about developing independent learning. Homework is never ‘busy work’; we are always mindful of children’s entitlement to a family life and a rich childhood, which is enhanced, not obstructed, by the tasks we send home.

Does homework invite families into the learning process and creates opportunities for students to apply what they are studying in the classroom. Why/Why not?

Janecke: There must always be a connection between school and home, but we don’t expect families to be burdened with supervising homework every day. As a no homework school, we put a big emphasis on the importance of learning time management. If the student is not good at time management then they might have to take work home in order to complete it. Parents can help their children by reinforcing the learning of time management. By supporting their children in making choices on how they distribute their time, they will develop a sense of appreciation for effective and efficient work both in school and outside of school.

Marco: There are certainly aspects of learning outside of the school environment that can make homework a key social and collective activity for families. As mentioned before, it does help pupils to exhibit the progress of their learning. The positive support and reinforcement of home assists in building confidence for pupils in their own progress.

Can homework bridge the lessons of the classroom with everyday life? Why/Why not?

Janecke: At Dwight, we create independent learners and thinkers, a skill that goes beyond the classroom. As a school which is not driven by homework, we’re proud to develop responsible, self-directed learners. The students work independently in school where they learn to research and learn to become independent thinkers and take responsibility. Dwight creates a chance for students to work independently as it firmly believes that independent work is important. The school also teaches the students how to research, which helps them further on in life.

Marco: I support the principal of homework because it is a natural extension of learning. It isn’t designed to replicate the school experience, but it is there to offer the opportunity to reinforce activities and what is taught in school. It is all part and parcel of learning to study outside the structure of school. As pupils grow and develop they need to learn self-discipline and part of that is to recognize the importance of independent learning.

Does assigning homework begin a cycle of positive and purposeful communication between the school and the parents? Why/Why not?

Janecke: We also believe that in giving students more down-time outside of school, this gives the individual more personal time to focus on their hobbies, extracurricular activities and family life to nurture a positive balance between school and home life.

Marco: It absolutely can do yes. We quite regularly hear from parents asking to see extended homework and parents requesting to see more homework, which is a testament to the style of homework that is being experienced and issued at Brighton College Dubai. If the pupils are enjoying it and the parents see that, and they are not overly burdened with having to support them with it then it does initiate a positive dialogue between everyone involved.

Instead of asking whether teachers should assign homework, should schools ask: What if homework were different?

Janecke: When it comes to homework or extra work, relevance is really important and children will do work only if its relevant otherwise the motivation might drop. When it’s created as a partnership between the school and the student to showcase how this work is relevant to their learning it might then increase the motivation.

Marco: Homework should not be viewed as a fixed set of tasks that require a rigid and repetitive process for completion. Rather a variety of activities based on a clear understanding of their purpose, is what engages pupils to learn. This is in appreciation of subject knowledge as well as the development of enquiry skills. Homework should therefore always be varied and by definition, different.