Learning & Teaching
Home Learning in the Spotlight
How Important is Parent Influence and Involvement to Academic Success at School?
The most accurate predictors of student achievement in school are not family income or social status, but the extent to which the family creates a home environment that encourages learning, communicates high yet reasonable expectations for the child’s achievement, and becomes involved in the child’s education at school. We also know that no matter their income or background, students with involved parents are more likely to have higher grades and test scores, attend school regularly, have better social skills, show improved behaviour, and adapt well to school.
How Important is Homework or Home Learning to Student Success?
Completing homework in Secondary School has several merits and is an important component of a student's academic journey. There is ample evidence to support the benefits of regular homework, and it plays a crucial role in reinforcing classroom learning, fostering discipline, and preparing students for future success. Leading researchers on homework have found that homework has a positive effect on student achievement. The impact was more significant in Secondary School than in Primary School. Studies also suggests that homework helps students develop time-management and study skills, reinforcing what they've learned in class. They recommend that the amount of homework should increase as students progress through Secondary School.
At Wantirna College, students engage daily in independent reading, homework and/or study (independent learning to reinforce school learning). It is recommended that Year 7 & 8 students complete between 30-60 mins of this a day and Year 9 and 10 between 45-90 mins a day. VCE students should average 2 - 3 hours per day of home learning, with up to 6 hours on weekends during peak assessment and/or VCE SAC/SAT preparation.
How Can Parents Help Students Learn At Home?
Parents can support their children to engage in home learning by having regular conversations with students about their learning and inquiring about upcoming assessments and due dates. It helps to log into Compass and Maestro to understand where your child is in their learning and what they are expected to learn next. Students need a quiet, well resourced study area that is conducive to learning (without digital distractions), including communal areas where parents can actively support and supervise learning activities. Home learning is improved when students record due dates for key tasks, stagger workload for big homework tasks, establish a weekly activities schedule, prioritise key tasks and set goals for home learning. It can also be motivating to make home learning a social activity by organising study groups and set goals and checklists together, with little rewards for reaching milestones.
Parent Involvement
Looking to be more involved in the school community? Want to know what's going on in the Learning, Teaching and Curriculum space directly from school leaders? Would you like to have relaxed conversations about things that matter to you and have your questions answered about your children's education? I encourage you to join the Curriculum, Education and Policy Committee (CPEC), a Subcommittee of College Council.
CPEC meetings are held in the Conference room at 5:30pm for one hour. Our next meeting date is Tue 14 November. All enquireis welcome.
Natalie Manser
Assistant Principal
mar@wantirnacollege.vic.gov.au