The impact on young children (Grade 1-3) homework when both parents work full day

Objectives

To establish the impact on young children’s homework when both parents work full day.

To determine the extent to which homework can affect the children if unsupervised.
Scope of the Study

The study focuses on young children of grades one to three. These are the group that is usually affected by lack of supervision for their homework. A quick analysis shoes that young children who are in grade 1-3 are usually playful and do not like getting down to their books.

Importance of the Study

This study will be instrumental in offering guidance to the parents concerning the importance of supervising their children’s homework. Through the findings and recommendations, the parents will have a grip of how homework can impact on their children.

Structure of the Study

The study has an introduction, statement, the research questions that guide the study and the assumptions made in the research. Further, there is an exploration of previous studies and their relevance to this study.

Literature Review
Theoretical framework

When parents are held up in their respective work for up to eight hours or more every day, their families are obviously affected. Despite the fact that the families will experience lesser constraints in terms of finances and having an increase in the family income, the children are the ones who will be more affected. Helping children with their homework is supposed to be the responsibility of the parents. (Canter, 2009)

Introduction

Consequently, the mind was basically being viewed as a muscle that could eventually be strengthened by subjecting it to mental exercises. This led to the preference of homework since they could easily be done at homes. The homework forms an integral aspect in the learning and development process of a child. Through homework, the child gets to improve the understanding and remembrance of what they were taught at school. Children also get to develop various skills including the study skills which are vital and applicable even after they leave school. For the children to benefit even more from the homework, the parents are supposed to be more involved in the supervision of homework. This enables the children to develop time sensitivity as lack of monitoring of the homework by the parents can at times lead to very negative effects on the child. (Barbour, 2012)

Statement

When both parents work full day, it has negative impacts on the homework young children of Grades1-3. If unmonitored, homework can at times lead to bad traits in children like copying so as to finish the given tasks and rest or play. It is therefore the responsibility of the parents to ensure that the children benefit maximally from the homework and that cost is maximized.

Main research questions

What are the negative impacts of unmonitored homework?

How does the issue of parents working full day impact on the effects of homework?

Is homework useful to the children of Grade 1-3 if they are not supervised by the parents?

Assumption of the study

The study assumes that all the children in Grade 1-3 respond similarly to the monitoring of homework and that if left alone, all of them will resort to similar behavior. The study also assumes the fact that the children cannot concentrate o their homework alone without being monitored. It also assumes that all the children view homework as a difficult task that is meant to prevent or deny them from enjoying their leisure time.

Previous studies and their relevance

Previous studies have indicated the fact that when the parents are not involved in the homework of the children as a result of working the whole day, the children tend to develop a habit of cheating. (Becher, 1987). The children do view homework as a deprivation for their leisure time and if not well contained, a lot of homework can lead to lack of self esteem and even a reduction in the academic achievement of the children. By working out the whole day, the relationship between the parent s and the children is not improved. Some research have further indicated that unmonitored or unguided homework do make the children to develop very negative attitude towards school and schoolwork. The children get to be discouraged in the entire learning process. Research also indicate that the lack of involvement of the parents in their homework lowers the child’s learning capacity and the parents lack the avenue to express positive attitudes that may help build the learning interest of the child. (Benson& Haith, 2010)

These are similar sentiments that are expressed in the study. Many parents are not involved in their children’s homework due to lack of time as they work the whole day. These parents are usually even unable to attend some school functions and events during normal school days. Some of the parents who are uninvolved in school hold a view that the school is has an inadequate setting. The parents who work the whole day miss the opportunity to monitor the progress of their children and cannot establish the academic need, weaknesses and strengths of their children. This is so because it is only through the monitoring of homework that the parents can easily get to know the academic and learning abilities of their children. The study indicates that homework can be used to the advantage of the children and to help the children in better understanding and memorization of whatever they are taught in school. However, if homework is not monitored by the parents, its effects can be more retrogressive than of good. (Becher, 1987)

Methodology

The research was conducted through taking sample pupils and comparing their performance. There was an analysis of those children whose parents do assist them with their homework and those not assisted. The effects of the homework was then analyzed and put down for both cases.

Summary

The research is based mainly on the effects that homework have on the young children. The focus was mainly on the young children who are not always directed or supervised during homework and whose parents do work up to late hours.

Works cited

Barbour, A.  (2012). Learning at Home, PreK-3: Homework Activities that Engage Children and Families. UK: Skyhorse Publishing Inc.

Becher, R. (1987). PARENT INVOLVEMENT: A REVIEW OF RESEARCH AND PRINCIPLES OF SUCCESSFUL PRACTICE. ED 247 032.

Benson, J. & Haith, M. (2010). Social and Emotional Development in Infancy and Early Childhood. Canada: Academic Press.

Canter, L. (2009) Homework Without Tears. NY: HarperCollins.