Running Head: HOMEWORK HAS VALUE WITH PARENTAL SUPPORT

Homework has Value with Parental Support

James C. Lee
University of St. Thomas
EDUC 6326 Educational Research and Scholarly Writing
Dr. Phyllis Tyler
April 11th, 2015

HOMEWORK HAS VALUE WITH PARENTAL SUPPORT

Elementary school children face challenges and obstacles on a daily basis. Few would
argue the importance of parents in fostering development of personal skills and educational
growth in children. Elementary students today are given homework assignments that push
academic limits of abstract thought and creative problem solving. Society cannot require a child
to endure the rigors and challenges of homework without some type of help at home. What
happens when a child has little to no parental support when it comes to his/her education? Is it
reasonable to expect a child between the ages of six and eleven to develop skills such as selfdiscipline and critical thinking; skills necessary to complete many elementary level homework
assignments? Homework in elementary school holds no instructional benefit for a child if the
child does not have consistent, engaging, positive parental support.
According to Gill and Schlossman (2004), parents views on the importance of homework
have not changed much over the past 100 years. To understand whether or not homework
actually benefits a child at the elementary level, it is important to analyze the role of parents.
How much influence do parents have on whether or not their child benefits from homework, and
do parents support homework at an elementary level? Corno and Xu (2005) indicate that parents
are aware of the serious nature of elementary homework. Homework on an elementary level
exists as the job of childhood (Corno & Xu, 2005). When daily experiences with homework
are mediated by parents, children are provided meaningful opportunities to develop work habits
and self-management strategies (Corno & Xu, 2005). The research of Cooper, Jackson, Nye, and
Lindsay (2001) demonstrates that the completion of a homework assignment involves the
complex interaction of more influences than any other pedagogical technique. Imagine a child,
between the ages of six and eleven, home alone attempting to complete a complex and rigorous
homework assignment (that he/she had difficulty understanding during the lesson in school).

HOMEWORK HAS VALUE WITH PARENTAL SUPPORT

Now imagine the same child processing every distraction, reacting to every sound, thinking
about ten different things at once and the idea of being home alone. All of these factors give
credence to the idea that parents play a critical role in a childs ability to benefit from homework
given in elementary school. Young children easily fall prey to distraction at home, have limited
attention to focus, and have difficulty managing time between simple and difficult tasks (Cooper
et al., 2001). The burden of overcoming these growing pains falls on parents. Elementary
school homework has no instructional value to a child if parents are not available and willing to
give time and effort necessary to foster and develop these skills.
Cooper et al. (2001) found a direct relationship between the role of parents in the
homework process and success of elementary school students. Parents are equally responsible
for a childs education as the school and classroom the child attends each day. In order for a
child to receive true benefit from parental involvement, support needs to be structured and
positive in nature (Cooper et al., 2001). An apathetic or uninterested parent can potentially do
more harm than good in relation to a childs educational growth and development. To expect a
child to look at homework as a challenge and not a burden, parents must lead by example. They
must demonstrate the importance of a positive attitude and personal diligence when it comes to
doing homework. Children must be shown how to approach homework (something they may not
want to do) with the understanding that it is something that will lead to future success. Cooper et
al. (2001) argue the importance of developing positive attitudes when young; this builds a
foundation for future success, specifically in later grades. Corno and Xu (2005) point out several
benefits of effective and positive parental supervision. Children benefit most from homework
when parents clarify expectations, model and encourage work habits, and respond positively
when help is needed (Corno & Xu, 2005). Homework, even in elementary school, can be

HOMEWORK HAS VALUE WITH PARENTAL SUPPORT

extremely stressful and the cause of great anxiety in both children and parents. The role of
parents with homework should be one of fostering a positive work ethic, building consistent
work habits, and providing meaningful support (not just answers to questions).
Imagine two houses, side by side, on a typical weekday evening. Inside each house sits a
third grade student going to the same school as the other. Each child has the same homework
assignment and received the same instruction during the school day. One child sits alone at a
table with his homework spread out in a mess before him. There is a television on in the
background and an I-pad sitting next to the dinner he just warmed up in the microwave; mom
and dad will not be home for another two hours and by then he will have fallen asleep. The other
child sits in a quiet, well-lit room with little visual or noise distraction. Her mother sits next to
her watching and listening as she reads thru her assignment; mom provides support when needed
and praises everything she does. Her mother is a guide and she knows that she can count on her
for help. This is the routine that the child has followed since she was six and it has become
second nature to her now that she is eight. Sometimes her homework is not fun and challenging
to the point of frustration. Her mother has shown her how to deal with adversity and keep a
positive attitude about what she is doing; she knows why homework is important. Which child
do you think will benefit from homework that is given?

HOMEWORK HAS VALUE WITH PARENTAL SUPPORT

References
Cooper, H., Jackson, K., Nye, B., & Lindsay, J. J. (2001). A model of homework's influence on
the performance evaluations of elementary school students. Journal Of Experimental Education,
69(2), 181-99.
Corno, L., & Xu, J. (2004). Homework as the job of childhood. Theory Into Practice, 43(3), 227233.
Gill, B. P., & Schlossman, S. L. (2004). Villain or savior? The american discourse on homework,
1850-2003. Theory Into Practice, 43(3), 174-181.