by Barbara Mccutcheon

Created on: January 29, 2009   Last Updated: June 27, 2011

"Too much homework" is a relative term. Some students can breeze through a reading assignment, answer the review questions, calculate a page or two of math problems, outline an essay, and be done everything long before supper or their favorite shows. Others struggle just to read the first few pages of a chapter, or can't seem to figure out the short list of math problems, and an essay is quite beyond them. Then there are those who do well in some subjects but can't make any headway in others. This may not be because they're "learning disabled" or lazy. No matter what the reason homework that can't be finished before bedtime is too much homework.

Sometimes the child has too much homework because a medium or long term assignment has been left for the last minute. If this is the case, the child should forfeit any free time and spend it working on that assignment. Reserve the regular homework time for homework assigned that day and due the next. This time can also be used for beginning any medium term assignments. This is a judgment call. In some cases, it may be fine to delay a medium term assignment by a day, and give extra time to rushing through the long term work. Beginning any new long term assignments can, and probably should be delayed until the next evening, but some time can reasonably be taken from that evening's free time for beginning any new long term projects. It is quite possible the child might very well have to accept a lower grade. Both the loss of free time and the lower grade are natural consequences of the child's procrastination.

If the situation is because several teachers happened to assign complex assignments on the same night, divide the normal homework time between the assignments, and leave a 10 minute break between assignments. If an assignment isn't complete when its time is up, the child should jot down a few questions on the subject; take a short break, then move on to the next assignment. In some cases the child may be able to complete an assignment before the time is up. When this happens, simply move the schedule up a bit. After the short 5 to 10 minute break, the child should begin the next assignment. If one or more assignments were completed in less than the allotted time, the child can go back to work on an assignment that wasn't completed. Each incomplete assignment should be accompanied by a note explaining the procedure used.

Extending the homework time is another option, but remember that children also should have some free time every day. If the homework crunch is the child's fault, rescinding some or all free time is certainly in order. However, if the overload is due to coincidental assignments, the child should be encouraged, but not required to give up some free time.

If the child is frequently overloaded with homework, the parents should help determine the reason and deal with the specific problems. This may include adjusting the balance between free and study time, discussing the situation with the child's teachers, or developing a homework plan that both the teacher and the child can accept. A reasonable amount of homework gives students a chance to practice skills they are taught at school, and occasional overload can help students develop problem management skills.

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