In my primary classroom, you won’t find a nightly homework packet or a list of assignments to be checked off by tired parents and busy children. That may come as a surprise. Many of us grew up in a time when nightly homework was the norm, and there is a natural inclination to expect the same for today’s students. However, educational research tells a different story, one that invites us to rethink how we support learning at home during the early years of schooling.
What the Research Says About Homework in the Primary Grades
For young children, the academic value of traditional homework is minimal at best. A comprehensive review conducted by Dr. Harris Cooper at Duke University, one of the most cited experts on homework, found that homework has little to no effect on academic performance in elementary school. In his meta-analysis, Cooper concluded that the correlation between homework and achievement is nearly zero for students in kindergarten through second grade.
Similarly, Alfie Kohn, author and education researcher, has long challenged the effectiveness of homework in the early years. In his book The Homework Myth, he argues that there is no evidence to support the claim that homework improves academic outcomes in young children. He writes, “No study has ever demonstrated any academic benefit to assigning homework before middle school.”
More recently, the Center for American Progress released a report suggesting that the quality of homework is often too low to be effective. Many assignments are repetitive and do not foster critical thinking. When this kind of work is sent home with young learners, it often leads to stress and frustration, not meaningful learning.
In 2016, the National PTA and National Education Association jointly endorsed a general guideline often referred to as the “10-minute rule,” recommending no more than 10 minutes of homework per grade level per night. That would be just 10 minutes for a first grader. Many educators, myself included, believe even that time could be better spent in more developmentally appropriate ways, such as reading.
Why I Prioritize Reading at Home Instead
While I do not assign formal homework, I strongly encourage parents to read with their children every single day. Reading together at home is not only enjoyable but one of the most effective ways to build early literacy skills. Here’s why:
- Reading builds vocabulary and language skills. Children learn new words and sentence structures through exposure to rich texts.
- It supports comprehension development. Listening to and discussing stories helps students understand narrative structure, character development, and cause-and-effect.
- Reading aloud strengthens fluency. Children become more confident readers when they hear fluent reading modeled and have opportunities to practice with support.
- It fosters a love of learning. Children who associate reading with warmth, closeness, and curiosity are more likely to become lifelong readers.
- It promotes family connection. Quiet moments spent reading together build emotional security and a love of learning that cannot be replicated by a worksheet.
Research from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) has shown that children who are read to frequently in their early years are more likely to recognize letters, count to 20, and write their own names when they enter kindergarten. These are foundational skills that set the stage for all future academic success.
Moreover, a study published in Pediatrics found that reading aloud to children from infancy through kindergarten had a measurable positive effect on brain development, particularly in the areas associated with language and literacy. This finding aligns with guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics, which recommends daily reading from birth.
What You Can Do at Home
Instead of spending evenings completing worksheets, I recommend a short but meaningful daily routine centered around books. Here are a few ideas that families can easily incorporate:
- Set aside 15–20 minutes each evening for reading aloud.
- Let your child choose the books to encourage ownership and interest.
- Ask open-ended questions such as, “What do you think will happen next?” or “Why did the character do that?”
- Re-read favorite books to build confidence and fluency.
- Visit your local library together and make reading part of your family culture.
The Role of Parents in Supporting Learning
As your child’s teacher, I know that learning does not stop at the classroom door. But learning at home does not have to look like school. It can take the form of conversations, storytelling, imaginative play, cooking, or simply sharing a good book before bedtime.
When parents take an active role in developing their child’s literacy, the results are long-lasting. The OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) found that students whose parents read to them during their early years scored significantly higher in reading later on, regardless of family income or educational background.
A Final Word
There is no shortage of time in later grades for homework, deadlines, and academic rigor. But in the early years, children benefit most from the simple, nurturing act of reading with someone who loves them.
So no, you will not see homework folders coming home from my classroom. Instead, you will see students who are developing a genuine love of reading, children who look forward to story time, who ask for “just one more book,” and who begin to see themselves as readers. And that, in my professional opinion, is the kind of learning that truly lasts.
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