Last week, I was over the moon when I heard my son’s school mentioned on our local radio station. You see, in my country, South Africa, we are in the midst of a great debate, that is: should we continue to allow our kids to be heaped with homework, or is it about time that we get rid of the additional school work? My kids school was mentioned because it is the only school in our region of Kwa Zulu Natal that does not include homework into its curriculum.

While my son is still a toddler and hasn’t yet reached the stage of formal learning, we chose to start him in this exact school because of their “anti” homework policy. On attending one of their open days, they highlighted the fact that they feel very strongly about the role a child’s family unit plays in one’s upbringing, and because of this they encourage families to spend as much casual time together as possible. A notion that I simply love!

Further to this, said school also strongly feels that learning should be done predominantly at school and in the classroom, where qualified teachers are guiding the learning process, instead of parents who are not precisely knowledgeable in the applicable fields. Instead, the school encourages extra mural activities that further develops a child’s knowledge or talents. 

Not everyone feels this way however, which is why this has been such a hot topic lately. Many argue that homework keeps kids out of trouble after school hours and teaches them a certain amount of responsibility, as well as how to be industrious. These thinkers feel that kids will become lazy, spending their free time on social media and watching TV, rather than stimulating their bodies and minds.

Quite frankly, I think in this instance it is up to parents to ensure that their kids do not use this time to get up to mischief, or to fall into pits of laziness. Some adults tend to leave the upbringing of their kids to the educational system. Eradicating homework moves the responsibility back into the parent’s court, where they will once gain have to play more of an active role in what their children spend their time doing, and if what they are doing is resourceful.

Personally, I feel that homework is a futile endeavour. Parents either end up doing it for their kids, or the kids simply Google the answers, so no actual learning gets done! I think it is best that formal learning is done at school. By all means, send home a project or two, and even issue compulsory involvement in extramural activities, but sending home piles of monotonous worksheets, well, I see no positive points in this.

Let’s see what the educational system in South Africa pursues and implements, since a decision like this will have a big impact on the education of our future generations, my son included! I truly do feel we have reached a time where homework has done what it has needed to do, and now we need to look at alternative ways of reaching out to our kids once again, and perhaps that extra family time is all we need!

Much love - @sweetpea

(bringing you original content)