There is often angst about whether or not young children, particularly in their early years of school should be given homework.

Let's dispel some myths about homework in these early years.

 Myth number 1:

• Homework is important as early as possible so that children develop good study skills.
• Wrong: This is like saying that children should walk as soon as they are born so they will have good walking skills when they are older.  There is no evidence to support this claim.

 Myth number 2:

• Children should have homework because they have to learn that sometimes they have to do things they don't want to do.
• Wrong: This is like saying, children should have bad things happen to them so they will be better prepared in the future if something bad happens. Once children are at school, they are often doing things they don't necessarily want to do anyway!!

 Myth number 3:

• Homework makes children take learning more seriously.
• Wrong: In these early years, it usually makes them disengage from learning.

 Myth number 4:

• Homework in the early years produces better learning outcomes at secondary school.
• Wrong: There is no evidence to support this claim.

Realities:

The best types of homework for young children and their parents in their first years of school include:

• Some time to relax and play and be creative at home and outside each day
• To be read to by a parent each day for fun and relaxation and to enjoy some parent child time
• To read a book from school each day or second day
• To limit electronic entertainment (TV, Nintendos and DVD's etc) each day. No more than an hour 'screen time' per day.
• To avoid having computers in bedrooms.
• To eat together as a family as often as possible without the TV on, so children are practicing speaking, listening and sharing together.
• To provide lots of things at home to write, draw, create and construct with.

 Final points

• Homework for homework's sake is not necessary.
• Sending home a homework sheet that is exactly the same for each child is not responding to the individual needs of children and assumes that all children require the same teaching.
• From time to time children may be given some additional tasks to practice at home, not because it is "homework", but because the teacher has identified that this will help the child and they may require some extra support from home.
• Schools that do not provide homework in the early years are not being irresponsible or slack. They in fact are reflecting best practice in teaching and learning in the early years.

 Best homework of all in the early years of school:

Family time, playing together, talking together, reading, enjoying books, resting and not being too overscheduled after school each day.