I’m a mum and agree with Kirstie Allsopp – homework should be scrapped, it’s cruel, pointless and a waste of time
TELLY’S Kirstie Allsopp, 51, says one of her greatest regrets is forcing her children to do their homework.
Kirstie, mum to Bay Atlas, 16, and Oscar Hercules, 14, tweeted: “The tears, the time together lost, for many families homework causes real, daily unhappiness.”
Nikki Watkins asked two women to debate if it’s time to get rid of homework for primary school pupils.
Yes, says Alice McIntyre
WRITER Alice, 38, lives in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, with architect husband Chris, 38, and children Alice, 12, and Oscar, seven.
She says: “Kirstie Allsopp is right – homework is a pointless waste of time and it should be scrapped.
“Many will disagree, as they want their “little prodigies” spending every waking moment furthering their education and soaking up as much learning as they can.
“Good for them, but I disagree.
“Kirstie says she regrets forcing her young children to do their homework due to the “tears” and the “time lost”.
“This is exactly why I let my son Oscar decide what to do during his down time, even if it means getting into trouble.
“When he gets home from school, he’s emotionally and physically exhausted. So the thought of getting him home and sitting him down for more work is unthinkable and, if I’m being honest, cruel.
“Homework is a waste of time. I never make my boy do it – even if it’s set.
“Like for many kids, the pandemic took its toll, meaning Oscar missed big chunks of Reception and Year One. He loves his teacher but finds school work challenging, and I often tell him the answers to help him keep up.
“I simply don’t have the time to supervise him for hours on end while he cries in frustration, so it’s easier to just tell him the answers and be done with it.
“Like Kirstie says, teachers cannot properly assess kids on what they do at home, because parents like me who are juggling dinner time, work and siblings do the homework themselves.
“Homework is not helping Oscar to develop a love of learning, and it creates conflict at home when he tearfully resists, when he should be able to relax.
“After a whole day of concen-tration, home should be a safe haven where he can unwind and choose what he wants to do.
“There are other ways for kids to learn outside the classroom, like running around in the garden, building dens or having play dates with friends.
“These are just as good developmentally. While they are still so young, they need more than just reading, writing and maths – they get enough of that between 8.30am and 3pm.
“I don’t care if we get into trouble – only obsessively pushy tiger mums would force unhappy kids to do it.
“Playing on the iPad and messing about at home is all the stimulation he needs.
“Children spend the majority of their week learning, so let them enjoy their time off with- out worrying about homework, as kids will be happier and teachers will have more time to focus on lessons. Let children be children.”
No, says Wendy Watts
FORMER primary and secondary school teacher Wendy, 51, lives in South London and now works as a consultant for Estia Tuition.
She says: “I don’t believe that homework should be scrapped.
“It can help with self-esteem, practice can help with confidence and it also promotes resilience.
“More than that, I think it gives children broad life skills and independence that they will use throughout their lives, so it really is invaluable.
“But I will admit that it is crucial to get the appropriate level of challenge so that kids can benefit from doing homework.
“For example, making sure that children are challenged but not too much – so they are pushed, but not too far.
“And making sure the amount is appropriate – not too much.
“If you get this balance right, there shouldn’t be any tears or tantrums.
“But if there are, parents should go back to the teacher, as it may be that the teacher has rushed and given the wrong homework.
“Ultimately, parents know their children best, and if the homework set is causing arguments on a regular basis, then they need to let the teacher know.
“It might be they need more support and to go back over what they have been taught in school.
“It should not be too much for them – ten minutes for Year One and 20 minutes for Year Two, and so on, is what I would recommend.
“When it comes to parents relying on iPads, they can be a great tool for learning and we want children to embrace technology.
“But they will also learn with set homework and there needs to be a balance.
“It is unfortunate if parents are doing homework for their children or giving them answers, as it gives the teachers a false impression of what the child can achieve and is capable of doing.
“Parents doing this take away the opportunity to build on skill.
“Teachers understand that sometimes things come up after school and homework is not done from time to time.
“But if it happened regularly I would want to ask questions as to why, and what could be done to help. I would be very concerned if homework was axed altogether as, for many children, classrooms are very busy places and homework gives an opportunity to have a bit of quiet time to figure out where they may have been going slightly wrong.
“I think ditching homework would put a heavy emphasis on expectations at school.
“If children are in the habit of doing homework from a young age, it can build a great foundation for when they leave school to go to college or work. Scrapping it would be a mistake.”