Understanding our Approach to Home Learning
Our students dedicate themselves to learning from 8:30am to 2:30pm each school day. During these hours, they engage in a variety of rigorous academic activities, creative endeavours, and social interactions. This intense focus and effort demand a considerable amount of mental and emotional energy. Recognising the hard work our students put in, we believe it is essential to allow them adequate time to recharge after school.
Research on the effectiveness of traditional home learning, especially in the primary and intermediate years, has been mixed. Studies have shown that the long-term benefits of home learning are small to negligible. This is particularly true when weighed against the potential downsides, including the stress it can impose on families and the precious time it takes away from other enriching experiences children could be having outside of school hours. Our stance is supported by educational research suggesting that the quality of homework and its alignment with in-school learning and teaching strategies is far more critical than the quantity of homework students do. Furthermore, the stress that home learning can cause for families—struggling to balance assistance with homework with other family duties and responsibilities—cannot be overlooked. For our young learners, too, the additional pressure to complete assignments outside of school can lead to unnecessary stress, potentially diminishing their enthusiasm and eagerness to learn.
Promoting a Love for Learning Beyond the Classroom
At Taumata School, we believe in promoting a love for learning that extends beyond the classroom without mandating traditional homework. We encourage our students to explore their interests, spend time with family, and engage in physical activity. We would strongly encourage our students to be reading 10-30 minutes a night. Our youngest learners will be read to, and read with - building reading mileage and encouraging a joy for reading. Maths/numbers are in all aspects of our life. We encourage you to talk with your children about quantities of things - baking and making things are great examples of children learning measurement through a practical activity. When travelling you can talk about distances e.g we are going to the supermarket “Pac n Save is 3 kms away and Countdown is 6 km away. Which is closer? How do you know? These activities are not only vital for the well-being of our students but also contribute significantly to their personal and academic growth.
This does not mean our students are not encouraged to pursue academic activities outside of school hours. We believe in fostering a natural curiosity and the joy of discovery, encouraging our students to initiate their own learning projects and inquiries at home, supported by the enriching environments their families provide.
Our goal at Taumata School is to ensure that when our students return to school each morning, they are refreshed, eager, and ready to take on a new day of learning adventures. We appreciate the ongoing support from our whānau and are always open to discussions on how we can collectively support our children’s education and well-being.
Taumata School Docs Policy on Homework states:
At Taumata School we do not set formal home learning.
We encourage our students to be active outside school hours, and our parents to help their children by:
encouraging reading for pleasure and information
listening to them talk about things that interest them
engaging with what they're doing at school
encouraging them to be physically active
giving them the opportunity to help at home.