What’s the Purpose of Homework?

If you walk into a typical teachers’ workroom and ask the question, “What’s the purpose of homework?” you’ll likely find that most teachers have a definite opinion.Homework teaches students responsibility.Homework gives students an opportunity to practice and refine their skills.We give homework because our parents demand it.Our community equates homework with rigor.Homework is a rite of passage.But ask them what research says about homework, and you’ll get less definitive answers. What does research really say about homework as a strategy to improve student achievement?When I was reviewing the research prior to writing Classroom Instruction that Works, 2nd ed., I looked at a wide review of the effects of homework on student achievement. It became clear that the effects of homework on student achievement are not entirely clear. A number of factors, such as degree of parental involvement and support, age of the student, homework quality, students’ learning preferences, and structure and...