Better Together – Ηomework Free Learning
Stress reduces our productivity. We know it, we reproduce it, we talk about it. But we rarely deal with it successfully in the school environment. This is because we don’t address the sources of stress, which are primarily three:
1. Homework
2. Exams
3. The grades
This year we decided to do something radical, taking all the facts into account. To wrestle with the “lechy hydra” called homework that sucks the energy out of the whole family, creating tension and friction. A task that would take half an hour ends up taking over two hours, with fourteen ten-minute breaks for water, food and “nature calling” in between.
But why all this struggle? Does the result justify the stress and suffering of the whole family? Not at all. Research results have shown that productive reading at home does not exceed fifteen to twenty minutes. And that’s the good scenario.
But that’s not all. The child will either come back to school with some sloppy homework, or some off-topic homework because they didn’t understand what was asked, or they will come up with excuses like ‘I forgot the notebook’ or something similar. He will go to school in a bad mood, get a bad mark and create a negative atmosphere. A good example is Christmas homework. Children are burdened with tasks they avoid doing, usually until the last few days. We are blinded if we think that a child who has struggled all year long to learn something will do it on their own without help, and even more so during the holiday season. Nine out of ten will do everything sloppily, or not at all, and return to school with the worst of omens for the new term. So why do we do it? For the revision? But classroom revision is much more effective. So starting this year, after much study and collaboration with experts, we will work in a way that improves retention of the material, helps the child more in the classroom, in the natural place of learning, and leaves us well read. From Junior A to Senior B Class the child will be engaged at home only with enjoyable interactive activities that will aid better learning, but no homework.
We also reduce homework from Senior C through to Proficiency in order to be there for them in their difficult endeavour.
This year we are giving our children time. We are giving them breathing room. We are removing stress, removing unassisted homework, removing burdens and replacing them with constant help, encouragement to express themselves, and substance. We help each of our children reach as high as they can, not by themselves, but by holding their hand and helping them up. At the same time we give quality time at home to you, making the educational process more modern, more enjoyable, and much more effective.