Homework and Assessments all bad?

Recently a lot has been said about the pressures of homework and assessments especially on prep school level.
Many schools have subsequently adapted their policies around homework and assessments – either ‘banning’ homework or drastically lessening the load. The question that should be asked is not whether a learner should be given homework or be assessed. It should rather be how these two very valuable and necessary aspects of education should be managed to best benefit learners. It is important to remember why children are encouraged to ‘work at home’ ie. do homework. In a normal school day, a learner will be exposed to new information in at least four subjects. Keep in mind that all this new information is introduced in periods ranging between 30 minutes and an hour – a short time to really process and understand what you have learnt. For the average child, this information will most probably go in the one ear and out the other with little retention. That is where the value of learning or revising at home comes in. If all children were naturally self-disciplined with a love for learning, this would not be an issue. Children would then revise by themselves, because they would be so interested in what they have learnt at school that day, that they would naturally want to talk about it and revise it. Sadly, we all know that this is not true. Most children won’t spare a moment’s thought about what they have learnt once they have left the classroom. This is why teachers have no choice but to give homework in order to ensure that crucial concepts are engrained in children’s brains. What can however be questioned is the type and amount of homework given. The idea behind working at home should be to further establish an understanding of concepts learnt at school. Homework should not be something that is hastily given just before the end of the period. Teachers should upfront give learners a purposeful exercises that will enhance what the children will learn on that given day. Homework has no benefit if it wastes time and is a mere repetition of tasks without any learning. For example: Grade 5 learners are introduced to equivalent fractions in Mathematics. Instead of giving a sheet of homework where leaners have to complete ten questions on the topic, rather ask them to find equivalent fractions in daily life. Take an apple or a slab of chocolate and divide in half and again in half and again in half and see that Draw a diagram of your ‘experiment’ and bring that to school.Grade 6 learners are learning about the difference between weather and climate. Video tape yourself explaining this difference, using examples, to a family member. Unfortunately, not all homework can always be ‘experiments’. Sometimes you have to simply sit on your bum and practice. “Children should be encouraged to read, write, perform arithmetic and better understand the world around them.” Maurice J. Elias, Edutopia Another benefit of working at home is that problem areas can be highlighted before a learner is assessed on the topic. If your child for instance battles to complete his ten fractions problems, he will definitely battle to complete the assessment later on. Teachers should therefore plan homework to help learners grasp complex concepts. It goes without saying that the teacher should also check homework daily to be alerted to problem areas. At its very essence – the purpose of homework is to teach leaners to think, apply their knowledge and solve problems. Maybe the solution to this very contentious problem is balance, as with everything in life. Homework should enhance learning, without being senseless. Homework should be little steps, followed daily, to eventually complete an assessment successfully.

< Older Post

Newer Post >

Woman writing math equations on a chalkboard, holding a notebook, with a thought bubble of the pi symbol.

Preparing for Maths Assessments

By Estelle Barnard • October 22, 2025

Mathematics rewards practice with purpose: spaced revision, plenty of self-testing, making notes, checking with feedback, and calm, consistent routines. Below you’ll find exactly how to do this at different stages of school. The Big Three for All Learners Space it out Short, regular sessions beat last-minute marathons. Plan 20–40 minute slots across the week and revisit topics before you forget them. This is known as the spacing effect (Cepeda et al., 2008). Retrieve, don’t just reread Close the book and try to solve or recall from memory. Use past questions, quick quizzes, and “write-from-memory” summaries. Retrieval practice strengthens long-term learning, especially when you check your answers (Roediger & Butler, 2011). Think about your thinking Teach learners to plan, monitor, and evaluate how they study. Simple questions like, “What will I practise today? How will I know I’ve improved?” turn revision from passive to purposeful (EEF, 2018). Primary School (Grades 4–7) Goals Build number sense and fluency (times tables, fractions, decimals). Understand why methods work, not just how to perform them. Study Rhythm Mon/Wed/Fri: 20 min mixed practice (across old and new topics). Tue/Thu: 20 min facts fluency (typically something like time tables or fractions) Weekend: 25–30 min “Teach-Back” session: learner explains one concept aloud (e.g. “How do we find a common denominator?”). High School (Grades 8–12) Goals Strengthen algebraic fluency, geometry, trigonometry, statistics, and calculus. Build exam stamina and the ability to select appropriate methods. Exam Preparation Plan Weeks –4 to –3: Cover all topics and create a spaced schedule. Weeks –3 to –2: Attempt past-paper sections; very important to check with detailed memos. Prepare an error log of frequent mistakes. Weeks –2 to –1: Interleave topics and focus more on challenging topics (e.g., trig, functions, geometry). Final Week: Short, focused recall sessions from your “error log.” The Value of Writing Your Own Notes and Step-by-Step Summaries One of the most effective yet overlooked study habits is summarising key procedures in your own words . Mathematics is full of repeatable processes: simplifying fractions, expanding algebraic expressions, finding derivatives using first principles, or completing the square in a quadratic equation. Writing out the steps helps learners form mental blueprints they can rely on in tests. Why this works Research shows that encoding information through writing and explaining strengthens understanding and recall (Dunlosky et al., 2013; MIT Teaching + Learning Lab, 2020). When learners create their own step-by-step summaries: They engage in sense-making, not just copying. They uncover misconceptions early. They connect formulas with reasoning (“why does this step come next?”). They create a quick reference guide for revision. Examples: Simplifying fractions: Find common factors → Divide numerator and denominator → Check if it can simplify further. Completing the square: Divide so that x squared stands on its own →Take the constant term to the right-hand side →Add half of the coefficient of x squared to both sides → Factorise the left-hand side to form a perfect square → Simplify and solve for x. Visualisation and Trigonometry Trigonometry can be tricky until you visualise how angles behave on the Cartesian plane . Remember: in trigonometry, angles are measured from the positive x-axis , moving anticlockwise for positive angles and clockwise for negative ones. (See the labelled diagram above, showing where each trigonometric ratio is positive or negative, including the reduction formulae.) Using StudyChamp Resources Effectively StudyChamp’s detailed memos and step-by-step worked examples make maths study easier: Compare your solution to the memo. Highlight key reasoning steps. Add the process to your “Maths Procedures Notebook”. By exam time, that notebook becomes your own personalised study guide: practical, and written in your own words. References Cepeda, N. J., et al. (2008). Spacing effects in learning: A temporal ridgeline of optimal retention. Psychological Science, 19(11). Dunlosky, J., et al. (2013). Improving Students’ Learning With Effective Learning Techniques. Psychological Science in the Public Interest. Education Endowment Foundation (EEF). Metacognition and Self-Regulated Learning Guidance Report. Roediger, H. L., & Butler, A. C. (2011). The critical role of retrieval practice in long-term retention. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 15(1). MIT Teaching + Learning Lab. (2020). Note-Taking and Sense-Making Strategies. Massachusetts Institute of Technology.