It is possible to structure a secondary educational institution, usually grades nine through twelve, with a rigorous program of homework. Students have specific assignments in most subjects on most evenings, and there is an accountability mechanism in place.
Such a significant homework program can lead to mastery and achievement. Whether or not it actually will produce the desired results depends in part on other variables - other aspects of the school’s program.
It is also possible to structure a high school program which leads to high levels of achievement with very little homework. This might entail, e.g., more time in class for independent practice.
Obviously, there is a question about whether homework, in and of itself, serves a purpose beyond content mastery: whether it builds work habits, study skills, and self-discipline.
Aside from that question, it is clear that a school can reach high levels of achievement with or without homework.
While either of these options might be effective, there is a third option which is less than desirable: a school which attempts to mix these two approaches.
If a school has a consistent homework policy, students are better able to adapt to it. Consistency is a virtue.
It is best for a school to be unified on the matter, with instructors following similar patterns in this regard. This is not merely a matter of school policy, but rather of school culture.
[Andrew Smith works as a German Teacher in the Ann Arbor Public Schools, serving over the decades at Huron High School, Tappan Middle School, Slauson Middle School, Scarlett Middle School, Clague Middle School, Pioneer High School, and others.]
