Despite centuries-long debate about the necessity of homework, researchers like Prof. Joyce L. Epstein of Johns Hopkins University still assert that it is an essential component of learning.

What’s the key to making homework productive, according to Epstein? No matter the subject, teachers should assign work that fosters interaction, engagement, and creativity, not boring repetition. Homework should spark conversation and drive further exploration.

In today’s issue:

• Fights over way too much homework

• Parents lacking the skills to help with tough assignments

• The emergence of AI as a homework tool

To Homework or Not to Homework?

In this article published in Business Insider, a mother laments that she stays up with her 7-year-old until bedtime, fighting to finish his overwhelming number of worksheets.

Assigning a large amount of tedious homework to the youngest students can lead to future disengagement and reluctance to complete their work.

Read the full article here.

PEDMAS for Parents

Despite being stumped by their son’s math puzzle, the parents in this Newsweek article encouraged him to stick with it as they continued to help. In the end, they had to seek advice on Reddit!

The assignment engaged his whole family and taught 5th grader Sebastian an important lesson: “Remember to keep trying and don’t give up. Asking for help isn’t quitting.”

Read the full article here.

AI Homework ‘Help’

Today.com recently covered a study that found 7 out of 10 teens use at least one generative AI tool to complete assignments.

Contrast that number to this stat: “Nearly half of parents haven’t talked to their teenage children about AI.” To top it off, many schools don’t even tell parents about their AI use policies. There are some obvious communication gaps that need to be closed.

Read more about the ups and downs of AI use in middle and high school and how parents can be involved here.

Too Much, Too Little, Just Right

How much homework should your child have?

“Many districts follow the guideline of 10 minutes per grade level. This is a good rule of thumb.”

– Lori Ortiz, NEA Today