Limit pressure over homework

OLIVER ROWLAND talks to its president, Jean-Jacques Hazan. HOMEWORK is counterproductive and there are more creative ways to help children learn, says a leading French parents’ association.

The comments from the president of the Fédération des Conseils de Parents d'Elèves (FCPE), Jean-Jacques Hazan, come after the body encouraged parents and teachers to cut out homework

for two weeks. Mr Hazan said its Quinzaine sans devoirs (no-homework fortnight) was not a “homework strike”, but parents were encouraged to discuss alternatives with teachers and teachers

were asked not to set any work. “A great many people visited our blog Ce soir pas de devoirs (No homework tonight) and the initiative caused a lot of debate,” Mr Hazan said. The FCPE

recognises that homework is common from the start of elementary school. Even so, it says, a 1956 law bans written homework in primary school. The body believes this should also apply in

collège. Formal learning should take place in school, it says, with a more active teaching style. Mr Hazan said: “Too often the child sits and listens, then has to do their work at home.

Children must not be spectators, and teachers must make sure they have understood.” FCPE backs the Freinet teaching method, which encourages a maximum of participation and creativity. The

body believes formal homework creates inequalities and is tiring after a day of, for example, six teaching hours at primary level. “It’s like contracting out teachers’ work to

sub-contractors (ie parents), who are not all at the same level,” Mr Hazan said. Teachers also underestimate the time homework takes. “A study showed teachers were saying, for example: ‘I

give 10 minutes of homework, it’s very easy’ but it was taking three-quarters of an hour to do.” Though in practice it may be unavoidable, Mr Hazan said rather than trying to do the

teacher’s job by helping with formal homework tasks, parents’ time with children can be spent more productively. “For example, when a child is learning to read, it’s not useful for a parent

and child to go through the book he or she was studying in class. “It’s better to find ways to show the child how what he or she has learned can be integrated into daily life, sometimes with

exercises like writing summaries in 140 characters, and to find other things to read and to discuss, in a fun way, perhaps with their friends. You can help them to construct their

arguments. “A good approach is, when the child comes home, rather than just looking at the cahier de textes to see the homework set, to chat to them about what they learned that day and to

ask what they enjoyed – then try to complement that. “You could also encourage them to create a project about something they like, or that you will be doing together in a week or two, to

think about it and talk about it with friends. “Today we need people with good interpersonal skills, so at home it’s not best for the child to just reproduce what they do at school, sitting

alone.” When it comes to actual homework, Mr Hazan said parents should not pressure the child too much. “Just check if they are able to do it or not, and don’t overcomplicate. If they can’t

do it, help them to get through it. Don’t leave them alone to struggle, which will make them feel under pressure.” Mr Hazan said expats should not be put off because of problems with

language fluency. “Learning to read and write, for example, is basically the same mental exercise in English or French. You often find that parent and child spark off each other and progress

together. “You mustn’t think you’re disqualified and give up; by helping your child they feel supported and gain in confidence.” Private tutors are not always ideal as they can make the

child feel more pressurised, he said; extra formal study tends to pay diminishing returns. Mr Hazan said homework set is usually noted in the child’s cahier de textes. Schools that are well

geared up with IT also have an Environnement numérique de travail (ENT) - a website with this information and, ideally, useful extra learning material which could form the basis of

discussions with your child. Do you think your child has too much homework? Are you able to help? Share your experiences via [email protected]