When it comes to homework, we firmly believe that quality matters way more than quantity. We’d much rather see students working on a task for 10 minutes that effectively grows their thinking and expands their understanding than spend hours solving monotonous problems that reinforce the same skill over and over again.
The “Right” Amount
That being said, there is a “just right” amount of time students should be spending on homework. This amount of time depends on a host of factors, most important of which is their age. You wouldn’t expect a student in 2nd grade to spend the same amount of time on homework as an 8th grader. A general rule of thumb that we like to follow is the 10-minute rule: students should have no more than 10 minutes of homework per night for each grade level they’ve reached. This would mean that starting in first grade, students would have no more than 10 minutes of homework per night, and by 12th grade, they would have no more than 120 minutes (2 hours) of homework per night. Kindergarteners would have either very few or non-strenuous tasks like having a grown-up read to them at home.
Division of Homework
In addition to the total amount of time spent, there are also guidelines around how homework should be divided between classes. The bulk of student assignments are likely to come from English/Language Arts classes and Math. As students enter high school and courses become more specific and nuanced, this division will, of course, change. But if students have just as much homework from a class they only have once a week as their core classes, something is off.
If you feel that your child is spending way more or way less time than the guidelines above suggest, the first step is to talk to your child’s teachers. They may not be aware that your child is struggling at home, or that they find the work too easy. Teachers are typically willing and able to accommodate if you see that the amount of time your child spends on homework is not appropriate for whatever reason.
Supplemental Resources
Additionally, if you are looking to supplement your child’s homework because you either feel that he or she needs more support at home—or needs some enrichment—there are a whole host of amazing resources available online for free. Here are some of our favorites:
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