Homework policy updates?

The school homework policy is sure to be on the agenda for many elementary administrators this summer.

Last year, some schools substituted daily overnight reading for homework assignments in various subjects. That reflects research which says students younger than those in middle school have minimal benefit from homework, but do benefit from daily reading.

Yet the “no homework hassles” have, rather surprisingly, drawn some opposition from parents. When helping with homework, these moms and dads stay in touch with what and how their children are learning.

Reading together or reading aloud to each other seems like a simple solution. Reading often triggers conversations. Perhaps parents who share a book with their child don’t discuss math facts or a science experiment, but reading can trigger conversations about even more significant elements of life than academics.