30th September 2016 1:00
By Blue Tutors
The Principal at Philip Morant School and College in Colchester has told the teachers to reduce homework in favour of better lesson planning. This comes at a time when many teachers are leaving the procession due to unreasonable demands on their time. Catherine Hutley feels that better lesson preparation and less homework, which often consists of unfinished class work and curriculum content not yet covered in class time, will result in better teaching and learning outcomes for students as well as better teacher retention. The extra time saved from not having to mark homework will be used to plan more effective learning during class hours.
The school is not alone in reducing the levels of ‘traditional’ homework; other schools have abolished homework in an attempt to improve the mental health of students, and some have extended school hours to compensate. Better prepared lessons and time freed up from homework mean more individual attention and ability to monitor student progress, and a more positive attitude towards effective learning during school hours when support is available to help struggling students to complete assignments. In this way, those who were previously not completing assignments do not miss out on large parts of the syllabus.
While the move is proving popular with students and some parents, others are concerned for their children in an increasingly competitive and test-driven education system. The change has been carefully planned, in consultation with parents, over the past year. The Principal argues that setting their own “appropriate” tasks, with a large variety of activities made available online by teachers, will leave more time to pursue independent learning and managing their study outside of school hours, an important skill in higher education and beyond. The school will continue to monitor the effectiveness of the new scheme to ensure students’ progress does not suffer as a result.