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Homework Guidelines for Mathematics

Mathematics is a language, and as such it has standards of writing which should be observed. In a writing class, one must respect the rules of grammar and punctuation, one must write in organized paragraphs built with complete sentences, and the final draft must be a neat paper with a title. Similarly, there are certain standards for mathematics assignments.

How should I format my homework?

Write your name and class number clearly at the top of at least the first page, along with the assignment number, the section number(s), or the page number(s). If you are not stapling or paper-clipping the pages together, then put your name (or at least your initials) on all the pages.

Use standard-sized paper (8.5" × 11" for North Americans; A4 for others), with no "fringe" running down the side as a result of the paper’s having been torn out of a spiral notebook. Do not use sticky-notes, scented stationery, or other nonstandard types of paper.

Use standard-weight paper , not onion skin, construction paper, or otherwise abnormally thin or heavy paper.

Attach your pages with a paper clip or staple. Do not fold, tear, spit on, or otherwise "dog-ear" the pages. It is better that the pages be handed in loose (with your name on each sheet) than that the corners be folded or shredded.

Clearly indicate the number of the exercise you are doing. If you accidentally do a problem out of order, or separate one part of the problem from the rest, then include a note to the grader, directing the grader to the missed problem or work.

Write out the original exercise (except in the case of word problems, which are too long).

Do your work in pencil, with mistakes cleanly erased, not crossed or scratched out. If you work in ink, use "white-out" to correct mistakes.

Write legibly (that is, suitably large and suitably dark) ; if the grader can't read your answer, it's wrong.

Write neatly across the page , with each succeeding problem below the preceding one, not off to the right. Do not work in multiple columns down the page (like a newspaper); your page should contain only one column.

Keep work within the margins . If you run out of room at the end of a problem, continue onto the next page; do not try to squeeze lines together at the bottom of the sheet. Do not lap over the margins on the left or right; do not wrap writing around the notebook-paper holes.

Do not squeeze the problems together, with one problem running into the next. Use sufficient space for each problem, with at least one blank line between the end of one problem and the beginning of the next.

Do "scratch work," but do it on scratch paper ; hand in only the "final draft." Show your steps, but any work that is scribbled in the margins belongs on scratch paper, not on your hand-in homework.

Show your work . This means showing your steps, not just copying the question from the assignment, and then the answer from the back of the book. Show everything in between the question and the answer. Use complete English sentences if the meaning of the mathematical sentences is not otherwise clear. For your work to be complete, you need to explain your reasoning and make your computations clear.

For tables and graphs, use a ruler to draw the straight lines , and clearly label the axes, the scale, and the points of interest. Use a consistent scale on the axes, and do a T-chart, unless instructed otherwise. Also, make your table or graph large enough to be clear. If you can fit more than three or four graphs on one side of a sheet of paper, then you're drawing them too small.

Do not invent your own notation and abbreviations, and then expect the grader to figure out what you meant. For instance, do not use "#" in your sentence if you mean "pounds" or "numbers". Do not use the "equals" sign ("=") to mean "indicates", "stands for", "leads to", "is related to", or anything else in a sentence; use actual words. The equals sign should be used only in equations , and only to mean "is equal to".

Do not do magic. Plus/minus signs ("±"), "= 0", radicals, and denominators should not disappear in the middle of your calculations, only to mysteriously reappear at the end. Each step should be complete.

If the problem is of the "Explain" or "Write in your own words" type, then copying the answer from the back of the book, or the definition from the chapter, is unacceptable. Write the answer in your words, not the text's.

Remember to put your final answer at the end of your work, and mark it clearly by, for example, underlining it or drawing a box around it. Label your answer appropriately; if the question asks for measured units, make sure to put appropriate units on the answer. If the question is a word problem, the answer should be in words.

In general, write your homework as though you're trying to convince someone that you know what you're talking about.

You should use your instructor or grader as a study aid, in addition to the text, study guides, study groups, and tutoring services. Your work is much easier to grade when you have made your work and reasoning clear, and any difficulties you have in completing the assignment can be better explained by the grader. More importantly, however, completely worked and corrected homework exercises make excellent study guides for the Final. Also, if you develop good habits while working on the homework, you will generally perform better on the tests.

In summary, schools today have made the development of essential skills, the provision of significant and meaningful learning experiences, and the development of the workforce some of its primary goals for student success. As such, they want their instructors to guide the students toward a higher level of confidence and competence. In math, that translates into a greater need for clarity in mathematical writing. The intention on these "Homework Guidelines" is that you and your instructor communicate better, and that you succeed both in your present mathematics courses and in future mathematical communication with co-workers and clients.

For further information, review these examples of acceptable and unacceptable solutions, and this sheet showing neat and messy papers.

Instructors: These "Homework Guidelines" are copyrighted by Elizabeth Stapel.

You are welcome to use these "Homework Guidelines," in part or in whole, as an asset in teaching your own classes. The only conditions of use are that distribution, if any, of the Homework Guidelines be made at no cost to the recipient(s), that the original copyright notice be retained on copies of this page, and that the following notice be included on all derivative works:

Based on "Homework Guidelines" http://www.purplemath.com/guidline.htm Copyright Elizabeth Stapel Used By Permission

These "Guidelines" are also available as a printer-friendly PDF .

If you would like an example sheet for your students (displaying the differences between acceptable and unacceptable formatting), try this PDF .

URL: https://www.purplemath.com/guidline.htm

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What’s the Right Amount of Homework?

Decades of research show that homework has some benefits, especially for students in middle and high school—but there are risks to assigning too much.

Many teachers and parents believe that homework helps students build study skills and review concepts learned in class. Others see homework as disruptive and unnecessary, leading to burnout and turning kids off to school. Decades of research show that the issue is more nuanced and complex than most people think: Homework is beneficial, but only to a degree. Students in high school gain the most, while younger kids benefit much less.

The National PTA and the National Education Association support the “ 10-minute homework guideline ”—a nightly 10 minutes of homework per grade level. But many teachers and parents are quick to point out that what matters is the quality of the homework assigned and how well it meets students’ needs, not the amount of time spent on it.

The guideline doesn’t account for students who may need to spend more—or less—time on assignments. In class, teachers can make adjustments to support struggling students, but at home, an assignment that takes one student 30 minutes to complete may take another twice as much time—often for reasons beyond their control. And homework can widen the achievement gap, putting students from low-income households and students with learning disabilities at a disadvantage.

However, the 10-minute guideline is useful in setting a limit: When kids spend too much time on homework, there are real consequences to consider.

Small Benefits for Elementary Students

As young children begin school, the focus should be on cultivating a love of learning, and assigning too much homework can undermine that goal. And young students often don’t have the study skills to benefit fully from homework, so it may be a poor use of time (Cooper, 1989 ; Cooper et al., 2006 ; Marzano & Pickering, 2007 ). A more effective activity may be nightly reading, especially if parents are involved. The benefits of reading are clear: If students aren’t proficient readers by the end of third grade, they’re less likely to succeed academically and graduate from high school (Fiester, 2013 ).

For second-grade teacher Jacqueline Fiorentino, the minor benefits of homework did not outweigh the potential drawback of turning young children against school at an early age, so she experimented with dropping mandatory homework. “Something surprising happened: They started doing more work at home,” Fiorentino writes . “This inspiring group of 8-year-olds used their newfound free time to explore subjects and topics of interest to them.” She encouraged her students to read at home and offered optional homework to extend classroom lessons and help them review material.

Moderate Benefits for Middle School Students

As students mature and develop the study skills necessary to delve deeply into a topic—and to retain what they learn—they also benefit more from homework. Nightly assignments can help prepare them for scholarly work, and research shows that homework can have moderate benefits for middle school students (Cooper et al., 2006 ). Recent research also shows that online math homework, which can be designed to adapt to students’ levels of understanding, can significantly boost test scores (Roschelle et al., 2016 ).

There are risks to assigning too much, however: A 2015 study found that when middle school students were assigned more than 90 to 100 minutes of daily homework, their math and science test scores began to decline (Fernández-Alonso, Suárez-Álvarez, & Muñiz, 2015 ). Crossing that upper limit can drain student motivation and focus. The researchers recommend that “homework should present a certain level of challenge or difficulty, without being so challenging that it discourages effort.” Teachers should avoid low-effort, repetitive assignments, and assign homework “with the aim of instilling work habits and promoting autonomous, self-directed learning.”

In other words, it’s the quality of homework that matters, not the quantity. Brian Sztabnik, a veteran middle and high school English teacher, suggests that teachers take a step back and ask themselves these five questions :

• How long will it take to complete?
• Have all learners been considered?
• Will an assignment encourage future success?
• Will an assignment place material in a context the classroom cannot?
• Does an assignment offer support when a teacher is not there?

More Benefits for High School Students, but Risks as Well

By the time they reach high school, students should be well on their way to becoming independent learners, so homework does provide a boost to learning at this age, as long as it isn’t overwhelming (Cooper et al., 2006 ; Marzano & Pickering, 2007 ). When students spend too much time on homework—more than two hours each night—it takes up valuable time to rest and spend time with family and friends. A 2013 study found that high school students can experience serious mental and physical health problems, from higher stress levels to sleep deprivation, when assigned too much homework (Galloway, Conner, & Pope, 2013 ).

Homework in high school should always relate to the lesson and be doable without any assistance, and feedback should be clear and explicit.

Teachers should also keep in mind that not all students have equal opportunities to finish their homework at home, so incomplete homework may not be a true reflection of their learning—it may be more a result of issues they face outside of school. They may be hindered by issues such as lack of a quiet space at home, resources such as a computer or broadband connectivity, or parental support (OECD, 2014 ). In such cases, giving low homework scores may be unfair.

Since the quantities of time discussed here are totals, teachers in middle and high school should be aware of how much homework other teachers are assigning. It may seem reasonable to assign 30 minutes of daily homework, but across six subjects, that’s three hours—far above a reasonable amount even for a high school senior. Psychologist Maurice Elias sees this as a common mistake: Individual teachers create homework policies that in aggregate can overwhelm students. He suggests that teachers work together to develop a school-wide homework policy and make it a key topic of back-to-school night and the first parent-teacher conferences of the school year.

Parents Play a Key Role

Homework can be a powerful tool to help parents become more involved in their child’s learning (Walker et al., 2004 ). It can provide insights into a child’s strengths and interests, and can also encourage conversations about a child’s life at school. If a parent has positive attitudes toward homework, their children are more likely to share those same values, promoting academic success.

But it’s also possible for parents to be overbearing, putting too much emphasis on test scores or grades, which can be disruptive for children (Madjar, Shklar, & Moshe, 2015 ). Parents should avoid being overly intrusive or controlling—students report feeling less motivated to learn when they don’t have enough space and autonomy to do their homework (Orkin, May, & Wolf, 2017 ; Patall, Cooper, & Robinson, 2008 ; Silinskas & Kikas, 2017 ). So while homework can encourage parents to be more involved with their kids, it’s important to not make it a source of conflict.

5 Effective Homework Tips for Parents: A Guide to Help Your Child Excel in Math

• The Dropkick Math Team
• November 28, 2023

Welcome, parents! Dealing frequently with math homework can become quite a challenge for you and your child. But don’t worry! We’ve got the solutions to help you navigate this somewhat perplexing journey of numbers and variables, increasing your and your child’s skills and comfort with mathematics. In this article, we’ll share five practical and effective tips to make the homework process smoother and more productive.

Remember, the aim is not just to get the homework done, but to build a solid foundation of skills and understanding that will foster your child’s independence and creative problem-solving abilities. Homework can be an opportunity for learning, not merely a chore.

So, put on your learning hats, parents! It’s time to redefine the traditional approach and get the homework help you and your child need! 

The Importance Of Homework In Math Education

Homework plays a crucial role in improving your children’s academic performance, particularly in math. It serves as an extension of the day’s lesson, allowing them to practice and apply what they’ve learned. But how can you, as a parent, facilitate this learning process and make it more effective? Parents/guardians can help facilitate a child’s education in various ways, but today we will be focusing on our top 5 ways to help. 

1. Understanding Your Child’s Math Homework

Math can certainly be a perplexing subject. It’s entirely probable that your child’s math homework seems like an enigma wrapped in a riddle for you too. But don’t worry—you can still assist your child in this mind-training battleground. Here are some key points to keep in mind: 

• Clarifying the Assignment: One of the first steps to helping your child with their math homework is to understand what the assignment asks. Go over the directions together and ask your child to explain the task to you in their own words. This could be just the thing to help them comprehend the problem better.
• Identify Key Concepts: Try to identify the key math concepts in the homework. Whether it’s multiplication, fractions, or algebra, understanding these concepts can help provide the framework your child needs to solve the problems .
• Use Available Resources: Textbooks, notes, and even online resources can be invaluable when trying to understand your child’s math homework. Use these whenever possible to fill in gaps in understanding and provide additional context or explanations.

Patience plays a vital role in this process. It’s absolutely normal for both you and your child to feel frustrated when things don’t seem to make sense at first. Remember, it’s more about fostering the lesson of persistence and problem-solving than just getting all the answers right in the homework. 

“The essence of mathematics is not to make simple things complicated, but to make complicated things simple,” said Stan Gudder, a renowned mathematician. So let’s strive to understand one numerical puzzle at a time together! 

2. Creating A Positive Study Environment

It’s crucial that your child has a conducive environment for learning . That said, creating a positive study environment is more than just having a quiet place for your kids to work. It’s about setting the tone, the mood, and the mindset for academic success. 

Tip 1: Keep Distractions at Bay  

All too often, homework time can be interrupted by distractions. Phones buzzing, TVs blaring, or siblings bickering can hinder concentration. Before your child gets to business, ensure their workspace is free from any potential distractions. The absence of interruptions allows for effective study time, improving the learning process. 

Tip 2: Organize the Study Space  

A clean, organized study space can significantly boost productivity. Clutter can be visually distracting and decrease concentration. Encourage your child to keep their workspace tidy and organized. An orderly workspace can make homework time less stressful and more productive. 

Tip 3: Equip the Study Space with Essential Supplies  

Having all the necessary study supplies close at hand is key to staying focused. Math homework often requires pencils, paper, rulers, calculators and other supplies. Keeping these items in their designated places can save your child precious time they would otherwise spend looking for them. 

Tip 4: Set a Regular Homework Schedule  

Consistency is vital when it comes to homework. Setting a regular homework time can create a routine, reducing the resistance to starting homework and increasing the chance that homework will be completed on time. Figure out a time that works best for your child and stick to it.

Remember, each child is different, and what works for one may not necessarily work for another. Your role as a parent is to provide support, encouragement, and a conducive learning environment .

3. Encouraging Independence In Math Homework

Try to remember that the ultimate goal of homework isn’t just proper problem-solving, but developing self-efficacy and skill independence. So how can you encourage this in your child while helping with their math homework? Let’s explore some strategies.

Gradual Release of Responsibility:

This instructional model works like a charm in encouraging your child to take ownership of their math homework. The strategy contains three phases – I do, We do, You do. Initially, you work on the problem, then you both work together on a similar problem, and finally, the child does it independently. It’s okay if they struggle a bit—it’s all part of the learning process. 

Socratic Questioning:

Rather than directly lending a hand when they’re stuck, try asking questions that can guide their thinking towards a solution. For example, “What do you think should be the first step to solve this problem?” or “Can you think about a similar problem we solved before?” This method encourages your child to reflect upon and utilize their knowledge and problem-solving skills , promoting independence. 

Demonstrate Persistence:

Show them that it’s okay to not understand something quickly. Share instances when you struggled with similar problems and how you worked persistently until you figured it out. This conveys a  positive attitude towards learning and illustrates that challenges can be overcome with determination and a positive mindset. 

Celebrate Efforts, Not Just Outcomes:

The best kind of encouragement comes from acknowledging your child’s strife, not just their triumphs. Make it a point to celebrate their hard work, dedication, and progress, even if they didn’t get the answer exactly right. Making an effort is the first key to success. 

Remember, it’s less about getting it right every single time and more about cultivating a positive attitude toward math homework. As parents, you are an essential part of the equation. So, make sure you’re leading by example, framing struggles as opportunities to learn, and always fostering a love for math.

4. Setting Realistic Homework Expectations

Let’s face it – we all want our children to excel in school, especially in subjects like math, which lay the groundwork for many future career paths. However, it’s essential to set realistic expectations when it comes to your child’s math homework. Here’s how: 

Understand the purpose of homework 

The primary objective of homework is to reinforce what your child learns at school each day. Remember that math is a subject that builds on previous knowledge, and homework presents a unique opportunity for your child to practice and consolidate their understanding. It’s less about getting all the answers right and more about learning from the process.

Be realistic about your child’s abilities 

Every child is unique and progresses at their own pace. Comparing your child’s academic performance with other children may lead to unnecessary stress and frustration. Celebrate the small victories, like mastering a challenging concept or improving in a test score , instead of focusing only on the mistakes. 

Establish manageable goals 

Large, overwhelming tasks can seem daunting, especially to young children. Break down the homework into manageable chunks. This makes the work seem less intimidating, and your child will feel a sense of accomplishment as they complete each section. For instance, if your child has a long list of math problems to solve, you might have them work on 5 problems at a time with short breaks in between. 

Manage time effectively 

Homework is a child’s responsibility. While it’s okay to help, avoid the temptation to do the work for them. Instead, help them plan how much time they need to devote to their homework to keep things manageable. A regular, consistent homework schedule can prevent last-minute rush and reduce homework-related stress. 

Remember, the goal is to improve over time, not to achieve perfection overnight. By setting realistic expectations and helping your child develop good study habits , you’re guiding them towards long-term success in math – and beyond.

5. Using Everyday Examples To Reinforce Math Concepts

One of the best ways to aid your child in their math homework is to incorporate it into their day-to-day life. As math is all around us , this can make the subject more relatable and less intimidating. Let’s explore a few ways you can do this. 

• Supermarket Sum: When you’re grocery shopping with your child, ask them to add up the prices or calculate discounts. This helps reinforce addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division skills.
• Recipe Ratios: Baking or cooking together is an excellent way to bring fractions and ratios to life. You can ask your child to double the recipe or reduce it to half.
• Sports Statistics: If your child is a sports enthusiast, use that interest to stress the importance of math. Explain how batting averages, distances, and scores are calculated.
• Travel Time: On the way to school or during long car trips, challenge them to guess the time arrival based on current speed and distance. This strengthens their number sense and grasp of multiplication and division.

By integrating these types of activities into everyday life , your child will see how math applies to real-world situations. When they understand why the skills they are learning are essential, they will feel more motivated to succeed in their math homework. 

Utilizing Online Resources For Extra Practice

It’s no secret that technology is a major part of our lives today . Your child no doubt interacts with it on a daily basis, so why not use it as a useful tool for math homework? A multitude of online resources exist that cater to varying learning styles, making it possible to find the perfect study aid for your child. 

It’s important to remember that each child is unique and will likely learn best with a method tailored to their particular style, pace, and interests . Be patient, take the time to try out different resources, and see what works best for your child. It may be a process of trial and error, but the benefit of understanding and mastering their math homework is a reward in itself. 

However, remember that online resources should be used to supplement, not replace, the learning that takes place in the classroom. It’s essential to maintain a balance between digital and traditional learning methods. Engaging with your child as they work through their math homework is fundamental to developing their understanding and building their confidence in the subject. 

Remember, the goal of homework isn’t to get all the answers right, but to foster a learning mindset and develop lifelong problem-solving skills. Utilizing online resources can provide extra practice and reinforce concepts learned in class, making math homework a more productive and less stressful experience for both of you.

In conclusion, as a parent, you are a vital part of your child’s education. Assisting them with their math homework can be both rewarding and challenging. Understanding the role of homework in learning, having a good grasp of your child’s assignments, and creating an encouraging study space can make the process smoother and build your children’s confidence. Cultivating your child’s independence fosters their lifelong learning skills. Furthermore, setting achievable goals, managing time wisely, and bringing math into everyday life can significantly enhance their learning experience. Online tools can be invaluable resources for extra practice. Remember, your patience and unwavering support can do wonders in helping your child succeed in math.

For more information about our math help services and how you can help your child with their math homework, sign up for our bulletin today ! Our education experts will provide weekly inspiration and help for parents who are struggling to help their children in mathematics.

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• Homework Guidelines

Homework refers to assignments that students are expected to complete outside of the class period. This does not include long-term projects or assignments. This includes reading assignments, problem sets, papers, or studying for tests, quizzes, and other assessments.

The Howard County Public School System supports students in maintaining and extending their learning. The appropriate design, use, and evaluation of homework assignments, used to inform progress and provide opportunities for independent practice, are part of achieving that goal. Some courses or instructors may choose not to assign homework.

Features of Homework

• Purposeful: Students understand why they are completing homework. Homework is grounded in and expands upon skills and knowledge students have learned in the classroom.
• Appropriate: Homework should be designed so that all students can experience success in independent completion of assignments. Accommodations will be provided as outlined in students’ IEPs and Section 504 Plans.
• Informational: Homework is one tool schools have available to them that allows parents to be included in their child’s day-to-day school experiences.
• Flexible: Assignments can be successfully completed with resources that are readily available within timeframes that have flexible deadlines when possible.

Homework will incorporate the following criteria:

• Each school year, schools will communicate the school’s homework procedures with all stakeholders.
• Students, parents, and teachers should communicate about scheduled and actual homework completion times to ensure realistic expectations for the completion of assignments.
• Homework will be planned so students see the relationship of their homework to intended learning targets, see meaning in their assignments, have a clear understanding of the procedures and due dates, understand how their homework is evaluated, and understand how they can use feedback on homework to improve understanding. Teaching staff will ensure that students understand the purpose of assignments and how they connect to classroom learning.
• Teachers are legally required to ensure that homework is accommodated/modified as necessary in accordance with students’ IEPs and Section 504 Plans. Classwork and homework accommodations must be provided per students’ IEPs and Section 504 Plans. Students should not be penalized for failure to complete classwork or homework when accommodations are not provided. Universal Design for Learning (UDL) best practices should be used when assigning homework.
• Teachers will provide feedback on homework assignments.
• Students may have more than one teacher. Therefore, teams of teachers will discuss homework activities and projects in order to follow grade level homework duration guidelines. Canvas tools will be made available as one option to help teachers coordinate major projects and exams. Teachers will be understanding of student circumstances and should tailor homework assignments with flexible due dates when possible so that students can complete homework tasks throughout the week based on their individual schedules.
• Students must be given a non-electronic option for homework completion and submission. Assignments cannot be due beyond regular school hours or be required to be submitted electronically. While electronic submission can be utilized it cannot be required.
• Homework assignments may not be assigned or due on a day schools are closed due to inclement weather or unplanned closures.
• Homework may not be assigned over the summer for any courses, nor winter or spring breaks for middle or high school courses.
• A student may make up and receive a recorded grade for homework not completed due to the observance of a religious holiday. Students returning from a religious holiday observance will have an equal number of school days to complete make-up work.
• Reading lists and additional resources will be available during the breaks, as well as throughout the school year, as a service to students who want an opportunity to improve reading and mathematics skills. Families will be provided with access to resources to supplement reading and mathematics instruction for students.

Grades Pre-K – 2

• Amount of Homework: No more than 20 minutes of homework per night will be assigned. In Pre-K and Kindergarten there will be no assignments that must be submitted to the teacher.
• Purpose of Homework: Homework provides practice opportunities for skill development.
• Families are encouraged to read to or with their children nightly.
• Families are encouraged to practice grade appropriate math facts or related activities on a nightly basis.
• Teaching staff will be provided with opportunities to meet as teams to schedule assignments so that students do not regularly have more than 20 minutes of homework each night

Grades 3 – 5

• Amount of Homework: No more than 30 minutes required per night in grade 3; 40 minutes in grade 4; and 50 minutes in grade 5.
• Purpose of Homework: Homework reflects daily instruction, reinforces previously taught skills, prepares students for future lessons, and/or promotes creativity.
• Teaching staff will be provided with opportunities to meet as teams to schedule assignments so that students do not regularly have more than 30 minutes of homework required per night in grade 3; 40 minutes in grade 4; and 50 minutes in grade.

Grades 6 – 8

• Amount of Homework: For the purposes of determining number of hours of homework per week or day, teachers should include reading of course material, studying of course material, and practicing skills taught in course (e.g., rehearsing a musical instrument). Time spent on long-term projects should also be included when determining number of hours of homework; however, these projects do not constitute homework for grading purposes. Each instructor may assign an average of, at most, one hour of homework per week. Not all classes will require homework. Some classes might require students to spend more or less time on homework than is typical.
• Purpose of Homework: Homework assignments will reinforce curriculum through tasks that contribute to learning and understanding. These may reinforce previously taught skills, prepare students for future lessons, extend learning, promote creativity, and/or be a reflection on the student’s day at school.
• Teaching staff will be provided with opportunities to meet as teams to schedule assignments so that students do not regularly have more than one hour of homework each week per instructor. It is recommended that the school principal or designee work with teaching staff to facilitate this collaboration.

Grades 9 – 12

• Amount of Homework: For the purposes of determining number of hours of homework per week or day, teachers should include reading of course material, studying of course material, and practicing skills taught in course (e.g., rehearsing a musical instrument). Time spent on long-term projects should also be included when determining number of hours of homework; however, these projects do not constitute homework for grading purposes. Each instructor may assign an average of, at most, one and a half hours of homework per week. Not all classes will require homework. Some classes might require students to spend more or less time on homework than is typical.
• An upper limit of seven to fourteen hours of homework a week is suggested for each high school student. Some classes might require students to spend more or less time on homework than is typical.
• Expectations of Homework: The goals and expectations for homework will be clear and include opportunities for student input. As appropriate, flexibility and student choice will be considered in the assignment of homework duration, rigor, product, and weight in grading. A syllabus is recommended for distribution at the beginning of every semester outlining each course’s requirements, including regular assignments, projects, possible due dates, and procedures for requesting feedback on assignments.
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The Case for (Quality) Homework

Janine Bempechat

Any parent who has battled with a child over homework night after night has to wonder: Do those math worksheets and book reports really make a difference to a student’s long-term success? Or is homework just a headache—another distraction from family time and downtime, already diminished by the likes of music and dance lessons, sports practices, and part-time jobs?

Allison, a mother of two middle-school girls from an affluent Boston suburb, describes a frenetic afterschool scenario: “My girls do gymnastics a few days a week, so homework happens for my 6th grader after gymnastics, at 6:30 p.m. She doesn’t get to bed until 9. My 8th grader does her homework immediately after school, up until gymnastics. She eats dinner at 9:15 and then goes to bed, unless there is more homework to do, in which case she’ll get to bed around 10.” The girls miss out on sleep, and weeknight family dinners are tough to swing.

Parental concerns about their children’s homework loads are nothing new. Debates over the merits of homework—tasks that teachers ask students to complete during non-instructional time—have ebbed and flowed since the late 19th century, and today its value is again being scrutinized and weighed against possible negative impacts on family life and children’s well-being.

Are American students overburdened with homework? In some middle-class and affluent communities, where pressure on students to achieve can be fierce, yes. But in families of limited means, it’s often another story. Many low-income parents value homework as an important connection to the school and the curriculum—even as their children report receiving little homework. Overall, high-school students relate that they spend less than one hour per day on homework, on average, and only 42 percent say they do it five days per week. In one recent survey by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), a minimal 13 percent of 17-year-olds said they had devoted more than two hours to homework the previous evening (see Figure 1).

Recent years have seen an increase in the amount of homework assigned to students in grades K–2, and critics point to research findings that, at the elementary-school level, homework does not appear to enhance children’s learning. Why, then, should we burden young children and their families with homework if there is no academic benefit to doing it? Indeed, perhaps it would be best, as some propose, to eliminate homework altogether, particularly in these early grades.

On the contrary, developmentally appropriate homework plays a critical role in the formation of positive learning beliefs and behaviors, including a belief in one’s academic ability, a deliberative and effortful approach to mastery, and higher expectations and aspirations for one’s future. It can prepare children to confront ever-more-complex tasks, develop resilience in the face of difficulty, and learn to embrace rather than shy away from challenge. In short, homework is a key vehicle through which we can help shape children into mature learners.

The Homework-Achievement Connection

A narrow focus on whether or not homework boosts grades and test scores in the short run thus ignores a broader purpose in education, the development of lifelong, confident learners. Still, the question looms: does homework enhance academic success? As the educational psychologist Lyn Corno wrote more than two decades ago, “homework is a complicated thing.” Most research on the homework-achievement connection is correlational, which precludes a definitive judgment on its academic benefits. Researchers rely on correlational research in this area of study given the difficulties of randomly assigning students to homework/no-homework conditions. While correlation does not imply causality, extensive research has established that at the middle- and high-school levels, homework completion is strongly and positively associated with high achievement. Very few studies have reported a negative correlation.

As noted above, findings on the homework-achievement connection at the elementary level are mixed. A small number of experimental studies have demonstrated that elementary-school students who receive homework achieve at higher levels than those who do not. These findings suggest a causal relationship, but they are limited in scope. Within the body of correlational research, some studies report a positive homework-achievement connection, some a negative relationship, and yet others show no relationship at all. Why the mixed findings? Researchers point to a number of possible factors, such as developmental issues related to how young children learn, different goals that teachers have for younger as compared to older students, and how researchers define homework.

Certainly, young children are still developing skills that enable them to focus on the material at hand and study efficiently. Teachers’ goals for their students are also quite different in elementary school as compared to secondary school. While teachers at both levels note the value of homework for reinforcing classroom content, those in the earlier grades are more likely to assign homework mainly to foster skills such as responsibility, perseverance, and the ability to manage distractions.

Most research examines homework generally. Might a focus on homework in a specific subject shed more light on the homework-achievement connection? A recent meta-analysis did just this by examining the relationship between math/science homework and achievement. Contrary to previous findings, researchers reported a stronger relationship between homework and achievement in the elementary grades than in middle school. As the study authors note, one explanation for this finding could be that in elementary school, teachers tend to assign more homework in math than in other subjects, while at the same time assigning shorter math tasks more frequently. In addition, the authors point out that parents tend to be more involved in younger children’s math homework and more skilled in elementary-level than middle-school math.

In sum, the relationship between homework and academic achievement in the elementary-school years is not yet established, but eliminating homework at this level would do children and their families a huge disservice: we know that children’s learning beliefs have a powerful impact on their academic outcomes, and that through homework, parents and teachers can have a profound influence on the development of positive beliefs.

How Much Is Appropriate?

Harris M. Cooper of Duke University, the leading researcher on homework, has examined decades of study on what we know about the relationship between homework and scholastic achievement. He has proposed the “10-minute rule,” suggesting that daily homework be limited to 10 minutes per grade level. Thus, a 1st grader would do 10 minutes each day and a 4th grader, 40 minutes. The National Parent Teacher Association and the National Education Association both endorse this guideline, but it is not clear whether the recommended allotments include time for reading, which most teachers want children to do daily.

For middle-school students, Cooper and colleagues report that 90 minutes per day of homework is optimal for enhancing academic achievement, and for high schoolers, the ideal range is 90 minutes to two and a half hours per day. Beyond this threshold, more homework does not contribute to learning. For students enrolled in demanding Advanced Placement or honors courses, however, homework is likely to require significantly more time, leading to concerns over students’ health and well-being.

Notwithstanding media reports of parents revolting against the practice of homework, the vast majority of parents say they are highly satisfied with their children’s homework loads. The National Household Education Surveys Program recently found that between 70 and 83 percent of parents believed that the amount of homework their children had was “about right,” a result that held true regardless of social class, race/ethnicity, community size, level of education, and whether English was spoken at home.

Learning Beliefs Are Consequential

As noted above, developmentally appropriate homework can help children cultivate positive beliefs about learning. Decades of research have established that these beliefs predict the types of tasks students choose to pursue, their persistence in the face of challenge, and their academic achievement. Broadly, learning beliefs fall under the banner of achievement motivation, which is a constellation of cognitive, behavioral, and affective factors, including: the way a person perceives his or her abilities, goal-setting skills, expectation of success, the value the individual places on learning, and self-regulating behavior such as time-management skills. Positive or adaptive beliefs about learning serve as emotional and psychological protective factors for children, especially when they encounter difficulties or failure.

Motivation researcher Carol Dweck of Stanford University posits that children with a “growth mindset”—those who believe that ability is malleable—approach learning very differently than those with a “fixed mindset”—kids who believe ability cannot change. Those with a growth mindset view effort as the key to mastery. They see mistakes as helpful, persist even in the face of failure, prefer challenging over easy tasks, and do better in school than their peers who have a fixed mindset. In contrast, children with a fixed mindset view effort and mistakes as implicit condemnations of their abilities. Such children succumb easily to learned helplessness in the face of difficulty, and they gravitate toward tasks they know they can handle rather than more challenging ones.

Of course, learning beliefs do not develop in a vacuum. Studies have demonstrated that parents and teachers play a significant role in the development of positive beliefs and behaviors, and that homework is a key tool they can use to foster motivation and academic achievement.

Parents’ Beliefs and Actions Matter

It is well established that parental involvement in their children’s education promotes achievement motivation and success in school. Parents are their children’s first teachers, and their achievement-related beliefs have a profound influence on children’s developing perceptions of their own abilities, as well as their views on the value of learning and education.

Parents affect their children’s learning through the messages they send about education, whether by expressing interest in school activities and experiences, attending school events, helping with homework when they can, or exposing children to intellectually enriching experiences. Most parents view such engagement as part and parcel of their role. They also believe that doing homework fosters responsibility and organizational skills, and that doing well on homework tasks contributes to learning, even if children experience frustration from time to time.

Many parents provide support by establishing homework routines, eliminating distractions, communicating expectations, helping children manage their time, providing reassuring messages, and encouraging kids to be aware of the conditions under which they do their best work. These supports help foster the development of self-regulation, which is critical to school success.

Self-regulation involves a number of skills, such as the ability to monitor one’s performance and adjust strategies as a result of feedback; to evaluate one’s interests and realistically perceive one’s aptitude; and to work on a task autonomously. It also means learning how to structure one’s environment so that it’s conducive to learning, by, for example, minimizing distractions. As children move into higher grades, these skills and strategies help them organize, plan, and learn independently. This is precisely where parents make a demonstrable difference in students’ attitudes and approaches to homework.

Especially in the early grades, homework gives parents the opportunity to cultivate beliefs and behaviors that foster efficient study skills and academic resilience. Indeed, across age groups, there is a strong and positive relationship between homework completion and a variety of self-regulatory processes. However, the quality of parental help matters. Sometimes, well-intentioned parents can unwittingly undermine the development of children’s positive learning beliefs and their achievement. Parents who maintain a positive outlook on homework and allow their children room to learn and struggle on their own, stepping in judiciously with informational feedback and hints, do their children a much better service than those who seek to control the learning process.

A recent study of 5th and 6th graders’ perceptions of their parents’ involvement with homework distinguished between supportive and intrusive help. The former included the belief that parents encouraged the children to try to find the right answer on their own before providing them with assistance, and when the child struggled, attempted to understand the source of the confusion. In contrast, the latter included the perception that parents provided unsolicited help, interfered when the children did their homework, and told them how to complete their assignments. Supportive help predicted higher achievement, while intrusive help was associated with lower achievement.

Parents’ attitudes and emotions during homework time can support the development of positive attitudes and approaches in their children, which in turn are predictive of higher achievement. Children are more likely to focus on self-improvement during homework time and do better in school when their parents are oriented toward mastery. In contrast, if parents focus on how well children are doing relative to peers, kids tend to adopt learning goals that allow them to avoid challenge.

Homework and Social Class

Social class is another important element in the homework dynamic. What is the homework experience like for families with limited time and resources? And what of affluent families, where resources are plenty but the pressures to succeed are great?

Etta Kralovec and John Buell, authors of The End of Homework, maintain that homework “punishes the poor,” because lower-income parents may not be as well educated as their affluent counterparts and thus not as well equipped to help with homework. Poorer families also have fewer financial resources to devote to home computers, tutoring, and academic enrichment. The stresses of poverty—and work schedules—may impinge, and immigrant parents may face language barriers and an unfamiliarity with the school system and teachers’ expectations.

Yet research shows that low-income parents who are unable to assist with homework are far from passive in their children’s learning, and they do help foster scholastic performance. In fact, parental help with homework is not a necessary component for school success.

Brown University’s Jin Li queried low-income Chinese American 9th graders’ perceptions of their parents’ engagement with their education. Students said their immigrant parents rarely engaged in activities that are known to foster academic achievement, such as monitoring homework, checking it for accuracy, or attending school meetings or events. Instead, parents of higher achievers built three social networks to support their children’s learning. They designated “anchor” helpers both inside and outside the family who provided assistance; identified peer models for their children to emulate; and enlisted the assistance of extended kin to guide their children’s educational socialization. In a related vein, a recent analysis of survey data showed that Asian and Latino 5th graders, relative to native-born peers, were more likely to turn to siblings than parents for homework help.

Further, research demonstrates that low-income parents, recognizing that they lack the time to be in the classroom or participate in school governance, view homework as a critical connection to their children’s experiences in school. One study found that mothers enjoyed the routine and predictability of homework and used it as a way to demonstrate to children how to plan their time. Mothers organized homework as a family activity, with siblings doing homework together and older children reading to younger ones. In this way, homework was perceived as a collective practice wherein siblings could model effective habits and learn from one another.

In another recent study, researchers examined mathematics achievement in low-income 8th-grade Asian and Latino students. Help with homework was an advantage their mothers could not provide. They could, however, furnish structure (for example, by setting aside quiet time for homework completion), and it was this structure that most predicted high achievement. As the authors note, “It is . . . important to help [low-income] parents realize that they can still help their children get good grades in mathematics and succeed in school even if they do not know how to provide direct assistance with their child’s mathematics homework.”

The homework narrative at the other end of the socioeconomic continuum is altogether different. Media reports abound with examples of students, mostly in high school, carrying three or more hours of homework per night, a burden that can impair learning, motivation, and well-being. In affluent communities, students often experience intense pressure to cultivate a high-achieving profile that will be attractive to elite colleges. Heavy homework loads have been linked to unhealthy symptoms such as heightened stress, anxiety, physical complaints, and sleep disturbances. Like Allison’s 6th grader mentioned earlier, many students can only tackle their homework after they do extracurricular activities, which are also seen as essential for the college résumé. Not surprisingly, many students in these communities are not deeply engaged in learning; rather, they speak of “doing school,” as Stanford researcher Denise Pope has described, going through the motions necessary to excel, and undermining their physical and mental health in the process.

Fortunately, some national intervention initiatives, such as Challenge Success (co-founded by Pope), are heightening awareness of these problems. Interventions aimed at restoring balance in students’ lives (in part, by reducing homework demands) have resulted in students reporting an increased sense of well-being, decreased stress and anxiety, and perceptions of greater support from teachers, with no decrease in achievement outcomes.

What is good for this small segment of students, however, is not necessarily good for the majority. As Jessica Lahey wrote in Motherlode, a New York Times parenting blog, “homework is a red herring” in the national conversation on education. “Some otherwise privileged children may have too much, but the real issue lies in places where there is too little. . . . We shouldn’t forget that.”

My colleagues and I analyzed interviews conducted with lower-income 9th graders (African American, Mexican American, and European American) from two Northern California high schools that at the time were among the lowest-achieving schools in the state. We found that these students consistently described receiving minimal homework—perhaps one or two worksheets or textbook pages, the occasional project, and 30 minutes of reading per night. Math was the only class in which they reported having homework each night. These students noted few consequences for not completing their homework.

Indeed, greatly reducing or eliminating homework would likely increase, not diminish, the achievement gap. As Harris M. Cooper has commented, those choosing to opt their children out of homework are operating from a place of advantage. Children in higher-income families benefit from many privileges, including exposure to a larger range of language at home that may align with the language of school, access to learning and cultural experiences, and many other forms of enrichment, such as tutoring and academic summer camps, all of which may be cost-prohibitive for lower-income families. But for the 21 percent of the school-age population who live in poverty—nearly 11 million students ages 5–17—homework is one tool that can help narrow the achievement gap.

Community and School Support

Often, community organizations and afterschool programs can step up to provide structure and services that students’ need to succeed at homework. For example, Boys and Girls and 4-H clubs offer volunteer tutors as well as access to computer technology that students may not have at home. Many schools provide homework clubs or integrate homework into the afterschool program.

Home-school partnerships have succeeded in engaging parents with homework and significantly improving their children’s academic achievement. For example, Joyce Epstein of Johns Hopkins University has developed the TIPS model (Teachers Involve Parents in Schoolwork), which embraces homework as an integral part of family time. TIPS is a teacher-designed interactive program in which children and a parent or family member each have a specific role in the homework scenario. For example, children might show the parent how to do a mathematics task on fractions, explaining their reasoning along the way and reviewing their thinking aloud if they are unsure.

Evaluations show that elementary and middle-school students in classrooms that have adopted TIPS complete more of their homework than do students in other classrooms. Both students and parent participants show more positive beliefs about learning mathematics, and TIPS students show significant gains in writing skills and report-card science grades, as well as higher mathematics scores on standardized tests.

Another study found that asking teachers to send text messages to parents about their children’s missing homework resulted in increased parental monitoring of homework, consequences for missed assignments, and greater participation in parent-child conferences. Teachers reported fewer missed assignments and greater student effort in coursework, and math grades and GPA significantly improved.

Homework Quality Matters

Teachers favor homework for a number of reasons. They believe it fosters a sense of responsibility and promotes academic achievement. They note that homework provides valuable review and practice for students while giving teachers feedback on areas where students may need more support. Finally, teachers value homework as a way to keep parents connected to the school and their children’s educational experiences.

While students, to say the least, may not always relish the idea of doing homework, by high school most come to believe there is a positive relationship between doing homework and doing well in school. Both higher and lower achievers lament “busywork” that doesn’t promote learning. They crave high-quality, challenging assignments—and it is this kind of homework that has been associated with higher achievement.

What constitutes high-quality homework? Assignments that are developmentally appropriate and meaningful and that promote self-efficacy and self-regulation. Meaningful homework is authentic, allowing students to engage in solving problems with real-world relevance. More specifically, homework tasks should make efficient use of student time and have a clear purpose connected to what they are learning. An artistic rendition of a period in history that would take hours to complete can become instead a diary entry in the voice of an individual from that era. By allowing a measure of choice and autonomy in homework, teachers foster in their students a sense of ownership, which bolsters their investment in the work.

High-quality homework also fosters students’ perceptions of their own competence by 1) focusing them on tasks they can accomplish without help; 2) differentiating tasks so as to allow struggling students to experience success; 3) providing suggested time frames rather than a fixed period of time in which a task should be completed; 4) delivering clearly and carefully explained directions; and 5) carefully modeling methods for attacking lengthy or complex tasks. Students whose teachers have trained them to adopt strategies such as goal setting, self-monitoring, and planning develop a number of personal assets—improved time management, increased self-efficacy, greater effort and interest, a desire for mastery, and a decrease in helplessness.

Excellence with Equity

Currently, the United States has the second-highest disparity between time spent on homework by students of low socioeconomic status and time spent by their more-affluent peers out of the 34 OECD-member nations participating in the 2012 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) (see Figure 2). Noting that PISA studies have consistently found that spending more time on math homework strongly correlates with higher academic achievement, the report’s authors suggest that the homework disparity may reflect lower teacher expectations for low-income students. If so, this is truly unfortunate. In and of itself, low socioeconomic status is not an impediment to academic achievement when appropriate parental, school, and community supports are deployed. As research makes clear, low-income parents support their children’s learning in varied ways, not all of which involve direct assistance with schoolwork. Teachers can orient students and parents toward beliefs that foster positive attitudes toward learning. Indeed, where homework is concerned, a commitment to excellence with equity is both worthwhile and attainable.

In affluent communities, parents, teachers, and school districts might consider reexamining the meaning of academic excellence and placing more emphasis on leading a balanced and well-rounded life. The homework debate in the United States has been dominated by concerns over the health and well-being of such advantaged students. As legitimate as these worries are, it’s important to avoid generalizing these children’s experiences to those with fewer family resources. Reducing or eliminating homework, though it may be desirable in some advantaged communities, would deprive poorer children of a crucial and empowering learning experience. It would also eradicate a fertile opportunity to help close the achievement gap.

Janine Bempechat is clinical professor of human development at the Boston University Wheelock College of Education and Human Development.

An unabridged version of this article is available here .

For more, please see “ The Top 20 Education Next Articles of 2023 .”

This article appeared in the Winter 2019 issue of Education Next . Suggested citation format:

Bempechat, J. (2019). The Case for (Quality) Homework: Why it improves learning, and how parents can help . Education Next, 19 (1), 36-43.

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A Changing World: Math Expectations for High School Students

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This article explores the importance of math in the modern world. It also offers guidelines for gauging the adequacy of your student's mathematics skills in relation to their grade level.

There is a great deal of pressure on high school students to do well in math. This is largely because college is looming on the horizon, even for ninth graders who are just beginning their high school careers. Experts recommend building a strong foundation in the principals of mathematics in order to reduce potential stress when college entrance exams and applications dominate the landscape. Strengthening your child's math skills can give them the confidence they need to excel in a high school environment that emphasizes the pressures of college applications, placement exams, standardized testing, in-class participation and, school competition. A strong foundation in mathematics prepares them for the challenges he or she will encounter both in the classroom and beyond.

To ensure that your child is receiving quality education in mathematics, monitor their progress and emphasize the important role the mathematics will come to play in life. Whether or not your child plans on pursuing a technical career, chances are they will have to work with numbers or with people who work with numbers in the future. According to the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics website, www.nctm.org , to maximize children's potential and to increase their odds of succeeding in a competitive and increasingly numerical world, children who are in (or about to be) high school should possess the following math skills:

• They should employ a high level of abstract, symbolic thinking.
• They should perceive relationships and be able to make translations among fractions, decimals, and percentages.
• They should deal easily with a wide array of equations, formulas and proofs.
• They should be able to explain and then illustrate mathematical concepts, rather than simply applying them.
• They should know how to plan and self-monitor during multi-step problem solving.
• They should feel comfortable using calculators and computers.

Making sure your child has clear comprehension and a strong mathematical foundation incorporating the list of key math skills provided above, will help to ensure your child's success throughout his or her academic and professional life.

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Recent Findings Suggest Math Homework May Negatively Affect Students and Families

R ecent research suggests that math homework, particularly when complex, might have detrimental effects on students and their families. The study, which involved a collaboration between the University of South Australia and St Francis Xavier University in Canada, engaged eight Canadian households in interviews exploring their experiences with mathematics homework and its influence on familial relations.

Children in grade 3, generally ages 8 or 9, were the focus, as this is the age at which children in the study area first encounter standardized math exams. The research found that math is perceived negatively by many and often seen as demanding extra effort.

“Homework is traditionally seen as conducive to reinforcing learning and aiding academic achievement,” remarks Lisa O’Keeffe, a mathematics education specialist from the University of South Australia.

“However, when homework goes beyond students’ capabilities, even with parental aid, questions arise regarding the purpose of assigning such homework,” she continues.

Families noted the difficulties presented by the homework, which often resulted in delayed bedtimes, infringed on family time, and elicited feelings of frustration and insufficiency.

Changing approaches to teaching mathematics can also create friction, particularly between parents who learned differently than their children are being taught today.

Mathematics instruction has indeed progressed, states O’Keeffe. The disparity between current and past teaching methods can create additional stress as parents struggle to accommodate new instructional approaches.

According to the study, this can result in intergenerational negativity. The responsibility for helping with homework largely fell to mothers, and when they found the tasks challenging, this potentially bolstered negative math stereotypes , especially the notion that females don’t excel in mathematics as “naturally” as males.

Such stereotypes can critically affect academic performance and future career paths .

The study, albeit with a limited sample size, reflects broader educational conversations. The authors advocate for better-tailored math homework assignments to prevent young students from being discouraged from math at an early age.

“Our objective isn’t to dissuade girls from nurturing a strong mathematical identity,” asserts education lecturer Sarah McDonald from the University of South Australia. Hence, there’s a need for a deeper understanding of homework policies and expectations.

While homework is often believed to teach non-academic skills, like independence, time management, and self-regulation, the study’s findings question this assumption.

The complete study is available in the British Journal of Sociology of Education .

FAQs about Math Homework Impact

The study implies that math homework that is too complex can cause stress, frustration, and interfere with family life and bedtimes.

Parents taught using different methodologies can struggle to help their children with homework, leading to frustration and the reinforcement of negative stereotypes.

Negative stereotypes, especially concerning gender, can influence a child’s academic performance and interest in pursuing math-related careers.

The study calls for better understanding and reform of homework policies to ensure that math homework is beneficial and not discouraging.

This recent study underscores the complexity surrounding math homework and its role in educational development. While homework has traditionally been viewed as a tool for reinforcing classroom learning, the findings from the University of South Australia and St Francis Xavier University highlight the potential negatives, including how it can exacerbate stress within families, create generational friction due to evolving teaching methods, and even reinforce negative gender stereotypes. There is a clear call-to-action for educators to reassess the assignment of math homework, ensuring that it aligns with the capability of students and supports positive learning outcomes, particularly for those at a formative stage in their education. Mindful consideration of these findings could help shape future homework policies that foster both academic growth and a healthy home environment.

Parent Expectations with Photomath and Learning Math Using Apps

Note about the author: Kevin Hoffman is a Teach for America alum who taught math for several years in Los Angeles and Oakland, CA. He is currently Vice Principal at the Envision Academy for Arts & Technology and holds a Masters in Education in Learning & Design from Vanderbilt University.

In conversations with parents and families, I would regularly be asked about additional resources and math tools for students that they could use at home to support their math journey. I believe that Photomath can be a strong resource not only for students doing homework at home, but also to help families connect to content in class. After discussing norms and expectations regarding Photomath with students, I would strongly recommend communicating those expectations to families. In doing so, I would offer the following considerations:

Share the norms and expectations discussed in class, and share your rationale. I feel it is important to share the conversation from class (described in this post ) around Photomath with families to ensure everyone is on the same page. This can be shared through a classwide messaging system if your school uses one, or during back-to-school night or individual parent conferences. When introducing families to this resource, ensure there are equitable alternatives in the event a family would prefer not to use Photomath (i.e. copies of worked solutions available on the school website or printed ones sent home).

Encourage the use of Photomath as a conversation-starter for students and their families. In particular, if families know the Math Practices or content standards being addressed in school, they can use some generic prompts to follow up with students about assignments. Question frames like these may be useful:

What was the focus for math homework today?

Did you [the student] use any tools (like Photomath) to help you? How did it help?

• (If students used Photomath to check work) Was your solution path similar to the one from Photomath?
• (If students used Photomath as an example when they were stuck) What did you notice from Photomath’s solution? Are there any questions you still have? Is there anything you are going to follow up with Ms./Mrs./Mr./Mx. ____ tomorrow?
• Can you explain the Photomath solution to me in your own words?

Were there any connections you saw or patterns you noticed in using Photomath and what you did in class? [this is a connection to a Math Practice — “Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.”]

Offer Photomath as one in a robust set of resources to support the mathematical process, and be available for follow-up and questions! Photomath is most useful as a learning tool that can support student mathematical thinking processes; this is a departure from a dominant and flawed culture around mathematics (based on my experience and relayed to me from students) as an exercise purely in quantitative correctness. It is crucial that we share this focus on the process with families and become available for families who wish to unpack Photomath’s role in our classrooms.

Did you know that the Photomath app was created by a father of three who struggled to explain math to his teenage son? Damir Sabol, the founder, created Photomath to help parents explain math to their children in simple terms. The step-by-step explanations are based on global research, special technology, and expert verification, ensuring that children can receive the help they need to succeed in math.

Check out the Parents section of the Photomath website for more info on how to use the app as a teaching tool at home.

Related Topics

• Homeschooling

Related Articles

Does your child have a growth mindset for math learning?

Science Circle Homework Expectations

About science circles homework.

• Homework will have both online and real life components such as mini lab activities , experiments with online physics simulators, and creating short videos of experiments done at home. Students should expect to spend 2-3 hours per class on their homework.
• Students can find their homework posted on our online learning platform, Schoology.  
• Math Potentials provides students access to this platform before the first day of class. 
• In the classroom, not all the homework questions will get answered. Usually only the first 15 minutes of class is set aside to go over questions, so that the rest of class can be used to cover the next lesson.

Homework Expectations

• Students must create their own Schoology account, which is separate from any other account they have with Math Potentials.
• Students are expected to check the online answer keys through their Schoology account before submitting their homework.
• Students are expected to attempt all homework problems, but not necessarily to complete them all. Sometimes there are questions that are extra challenging, and the teacher will explicitly say they are optional.
• Students who regularly struggle with most of the assigned homework should talk to their teacher as soon as possible.

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Experience the future of communication with Question.AI, the ultimate AI Chatbot app that's revolutionizing the way you gather information, communicate, and stay informed across various facets of life. Whether you're a student, a professional at work, an inquisitive mind, or a business enthusiast, our app is designed to make your life easier, smarter, and more efficient in any context. 【Key Features】 - Simplicity at its Best: Seeking answers has never been easier. Just ask your questions, and our intuitive AI will promptly provide you with accurate responses. No need for complex commands or jargon - it's like having a knowledgeable friend by your side 24/7. - Your Personal Assistant: From quick facts to in-depth research, Question.AI is your personal assistant ready to assist you. Need a definition, explanation, or summary? Count on us to deliver information tailored to your needs. - Global Connectivity: Break language barriers effortlessly. With the ability to translate into 140+ languages, Question.AI ensures you can communicate and connect with individuals from all around the world. Expand your horizons and broaden your perspectives with ease. - Intelligent Writing: Enhance your writing with AI-powered suggestions. Whether you're crafting an email, composing a report, or writing creatively, our app's intelligent writing feature offers insightful recommendations to make your content shine. - Adaptable Across Occasions: Question.AI is your versatile companion across various occasions, whether it's for studying, working, managing your business, or simply enhancing your daily life. We're here to assist you in every scenario. 【Why Choose Question.AI?】 With a commitment to excellence and user satisfaction, Question.AI stands out as the ultimate AI Chatbot app: - User-Friendly: Our user-centric design prioritizes simplicity and accessibility, ensuring a seamless experience for users of all ages. - Instant Insights: Get answers in real-time, allowing you to make informed decisions and impress others with your newfound knowledge. - Trusted Accuracy: Our AI's responses are backed by robust algorithms, ensuring that the information you receive is reliable and up-to-date. - Empowering Communication: Break down language barriers, foster connections, and engage with a global community effortlessly. - Unleash Creativity: Elevate your writing and communication skills with AI-powered suggestions that refine and elevate your content. Ready to embark on a journey of knowledge and connection? Download Question.AI now and experience the future of communication in the palm of your hand. Get started today! 【Contact us】 Email: [email protected] Official Website: www.questionai.com Instagram: @question.ai_app YouTube: @QuestionAI-Official Facebook: bit.ly/QuestionAI_FB TikTok: @question.ai_app Discord: bit.ly/QuestionAI_DC Messenger Group: https://m.me/j/AbaNe6U1Rhv5NAiL/ Privary Policy: https://www.questionai.com/privacy-policy Terms and Conditions: https://www.questionai.com/useTerm

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15.3K Ratings

I love this app

So I originally saw an ad for this app on TikTok and non of my other math apps really work so I decided to download it and it has helped so much. I use it for like everything and it gets the problems right and reads them so good. It does take a couple seconds for the ai to process and answer the problems but that’s because it is telling you step-by-step how to answer the problem and it’s honestly teaching me how to the math properly not just giving me the answer but if you don’t want to read through all the steps it takes about 15 to 30 seconds for the full answer to show up then you just type it in. a tip for any new users, I don’t recommend leaving the app while the AI is solving the problem because sometimes it messes it up but I haven’t had any problems with this app even though I haven’t really had it for a long time but it’s my absolute favorite one to use and probably the only one that actually works well. I highly recommend getting this app especially if you’re in middle school or high school. It honestly helps so much and has made my life and my grades so much better.

I LOVE this app!! 💞💞💖💖

So I use edgecourseware and some of the questions can get VERY hard, and it gets to the point I want someone smart to answer it for me. So the other day I was scrolling on TikTok just to find THIS helpful app, and I think of my edgecourseware. So I’m all like “omg! This app can help me with edgecourseware!” So I don’t hesitate to download it. I get on edgecourseware and show the camera to a hard question and press the button, and it gives me the answer! And this thing has retakes on it so I had to retake the test cause I was always getting wrong answers on it! And the scores would come out bad too! So I see my test scores to compare them, 60% - 100% !! I love this app. If it weren’t for this app, I would have never passed the test! 🩷🩷 xoxo

Pretty good, but…

I really like this app because when I’m having a hard time with my math in school, I go onto this app and check to see if my answers are right. If not, I see what I did wrong which prevents mistakes and helps me to learn. Especially since not too many people I know understand my math, it makes it a lot easier. There’s absolutely no ads, and if you’re confused about something, you can ask it any question. However, it can’t do the work of area correctly. I had an answer of 168, even my dad checked it, and it told me 288, which is far off. I don’t even know how it got that answer. It’s good for basically any math, except for geometry and area, and you know that sort of thing. I also was simplifying expressions and it gave me wrong answers for 2 of them even though I did them in school and checked it with the class. You have to be careful that way.

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