Can math homework cause more harm than good?

Can math homework cause more harm than good? Giving students math homework can sometimes do more harm than good, especially if it is too complex for children to complete even with parental help, according to new research. The study, conducted by researchers from the University of South Australia and St. Francis Xavier University in Canada, interviewed eight Canadian families.¹

All families had a child in Grade 3 at age 8 or 9, the first age at which standardized math tests were administered in the study region. In these families, mathematics was generally disliked and seen as a subject that required too much work. Families were asked about their experiences with math homework and its impact on the family.

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Lisa O’Keffe, a senior lecturer in mathematics education at the University of South Australia, explained the concept of homework: “Homework has long been accepted as a practice that reinforces children’s learning and improves academic success.”

“But when it is too complex for a student to complete even with parent support, it raises the question as to why it was set as a homework task in the first place.”

New approaches to math homework may cause intergenerational conflict

The problems identified in the study included homework being too difficult – even with parental help – as well as studying delaying bedtimes, causing a lack of time spent with family, and eliciting feelings of inadequacy and frustration. Children’s difficulty in completing homework, especially when parents help with homework, can be a stressful and frustrating process for both children and parents. While this can negatively affect children’s academic achievement, it can also increase family unrest. Another frustration noted by the researchers was that parents who were taught as children how to deal with problems differently from their children. Parents’ unfamiliarity with their children’s problems and their inability to solve them can also damage the parent-child relationship.

O’Keeffe emphasized the changes in approaches to teaching and learning mathematics over the years and the negative consequences for parents: “Like many things, mathematics teaching has evolved over time. But when parents realize that their tried-and-true methods are different to those which their children are learning, it can be hard to adapt, and this can add undue pressure.”

Does gender difference affect the approach to mathematics?

The study also examined how attitudes towards mathematics differed between genders. According to the study authors, it was often the responsibility of mothers to help with homework, and when mothers found homework difficult, this could reinforce negative stereotypes that math is not a subject in which girls are “naturally good”.

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It cited other studies showing that these negative stereotypes can have lasting effects on students’ grades and career aspirations. “The last thing teachers want to do is disadvantage girls in developing potentially strong mathematical identities,” says study author Sarah McDonald, an education lecturer at the University of South Australia. So “we need a greater understanding of homework policies and expectations.”

He said that more research is needed both on the challenges that students face in their educational lives and on the strategies that teachers can use to overcome these challenges. McDonald’s testimony highlights the need for a review of education policies and classroom practices, and underscores the need for educators to take the issue seriously.

What are the expectations of researchers?

McDonald added that while homework is often thought to have non-academic benefits, such as promoting independence and developing organizational skills and self-discipline, the family experiences in their study did not support this.

Although the study, published in the British Journal of the Sociology of Education, used a small sample of participants, the findings were in line with common narratives in education. As a result, the researchers said they would like to see more done to ensure that math homework is done appropriately and does not distract young people from the subject at an early age.

References

1. Nield, D. (2024, April 5). Math Homework Can End Up Doing More Harm Than Good, Study Shows : ScienceAlert. ScienceAlert. https://www.sciencealert.com/math-homework-can-end-up-doing-more-harm-than-good-study-shows ↩︎