Under the ethos "must do better", more than 100 primary schools in New Zealand are encouraging pupils to dance, sing, run, cook and clean up their towns, all the while earning ticks in a series of boxes aimed at widening the learning experience. Homework has taken a twist, writes Shane Gilchrist
Now, why would you use a wooden spatula?"
"Because this [a metal whisk] might get too hot."
In the Croy household, eggs are being scrambled. Though it is 10-year-old Harry's first attempt at the dish, the result is more than passably palatable.
His lunchtime offering is quickly consumed, helped on its way by young brother Oliver, who waits as patiently as a typical 6-year-old boy can manage when offered a meal that promises the sensory buzz of butter and salt.
Harry's cooking demonstration is accompanied by a long series of questions from mum, Kate Croy.
To his credit, Harry pauses and thinks before attempting an answer.
And that's the point. This exercise is not so much about scrambling eggs as attempting to unscramble any errant electrical impulses in the brain, reconstituting them as a series of rationalised decisions.
In this kitchen, the process is also known as homework.
Harry is in year 8 at Clyde School in Central Otago, where "traditional" homework is being augmented by a new scheme.
At least 100 primary schools in New Zealand are looking at what happens when pupils go home.
They are encouraging older pupils (years 5-8) to dance, sing, run, cycle, cook and clean up their towns, all the while earning ticks in a series of boxes aimed at widening the learning experience, building a child's confidence and establishing a stronger connection between parents and schools.
Following an internal review of the school's homework programmes last year, and based on research by educational academics and innovative examples elsewhere, Clyde principal Doug White introduced the model at the start of the first term.
Amid all the headlines surrounding the arrival of National Standards, the New Zealand curriculum, the key statement of policy relating to teaching and learning in New Zealand schools, has been fully implemented this year after a phase-in period that began with a review from 2000 to 2002.
Featuring five core competencies (thinking, using language symbols and texts, self-management, relating to others, and participating and contributing), the revised curriculum includes scope to incorporate into homework activities that might otherwise be deemed extra-curricular, including giving primary schools a mandate to design programmes to meet the needs of their communities.
National Standards, on the other hand, are a set of requirements for schools on the reporting of student progress and achievement to families, boards of trustees and the Ministry of Education. "The curriculum must drive how and what we teach, not the standards," White stresses.
Last year, Clyde School reviewed the effectiveness of its senior homework programmes and found the quality of homework varied, from "'high to non-existent".
"There was a growing body of evidence from research which concluded that homework, in the traditional sense, had little effect on a child's learning or the development of sound study habits for secondary school or beyond."
An article by Windsor School head Neill O'Reilly in the New Zealand Principal magazine resonated with White and his deputy, Barbara Lambeth, who contacted O'Reilly for more information on a new homework initiative at his Christchurch school.
Clyde's programme is modelled closely on the Windsor scheme.
"I liked the Duke of Edinburgh Programme at high school level in terms of the breadth of learning experiences offered. I thought we had the opportunity to try something similar at senior primary level," White explains.
"Our decision was based around the best evidence from the Ministry of Education and John Hattie, of the University of Auckland.
He did a statistical analysis looking at influences on children.
He looked at about 4000 studies all around the world and put a statistical value on influences on kids. Homework had a slight positive influence but not what you would expect, given the time that is put in."
Though the Ministry of Education does not collect statistics on homework and is thus unable to quantify the uptake of new homework initiatives, O'Reilly, principal and architect of Windsor School's "Pride Challenge" scheme, is able to shed some light on the matter. He believes more than 100 primary schools throughout New Zealand have adopted similar approaches.
He should know. Having developed his homework model several years ago while at Clarkville School in Kaiapoi, he has presented his ideas to hundreds of peers over the past five years and received plenty of feedback.
More than 35 schools have sent him detailed copies of schemes inspired by his initiative. "Interest has dramatically increased in the last two years ... I think schools are starting to take notice of the research."
Sharon Booth, principal of Goldfields Primary School in Cromwell, also believes children need to be able to pursue activities outside the school setting. Hence, like many schools, it provides guidelines for time spent on homework: from 10-15 minutes for years 1-2 through to 20-30 minutes for years 5-6 (the school's roll extends only to year 6).
"I think most schools follow a similar pattern to us. There are the core elements as well as additional elements for those children and parents who wish to pursue them."
White concedes some parents have expressed concerns over the programme he calls the Spirit of Clyde. "I think sometimes when you are doing something new you have to take a bit of criticism on the chin and see how things go."
However, he stresses he is not dumping reading, writing and maths in favour of activities children might prefer. The Spirit of Clyde scheme is still in its trial stages, with the school seeking ongoing feedback from parents.
"It would be simplistic to say we are throwing homework out. Some parents see the initiative as 'political correctness', that we are going soft on our homework expectations, but there is still a compulsory home-learning requirement for the kids.
"We still need to keep up core numeracy and literacy. There are still some key things that kids need to know - basic mathematical facts, spelling, reading knowledge. The scheme is complementary to other forms of homework.
"I think it legitimises aspects of out-of-school activities. We have a speech competition, arts - a lot of kids in Clyde are involved in repertory things. You don't want kids to think they can't be involved in these important extra-curricular things because they have two hours of formal homework to do.
Our vision is for kids to take ownership of their learning and become self-managed. Hopefully, a little voice inside them motivates them rather than it being something external."
Kate Croy has certainly noticed a change in her son's homework habits of late.
Previously, Harry did as little homework as he could get away with. However, the scheme seems to have flipped an internal switch, Croy says, with Harry now working out how lessons can be applied to other activities.
"Harry will say, 'I'm learning my maths at school'. I say, 'that's fine, but now we're going to double a recipe; how are we going to do that?"'
Not only is Harry learning how to cook; he's also learning to follow instructions. Recipe books are providing a "huge" learning curve, Croy says.
"He is also learning that we can use our local products. He used local apples; he spent hours turning them into apple juice. He's learning how we can save money.
"We were talking to a blocklayer yesterday and I told Harry that the guy doesn't just lay blocks; he has to learn his maths at school to be able to apply that, so he can work out how much he needs for that area.
So Harry is now going to spend a day with him.
"It's about getting [the children] to think outside the square. In effect, they are doing more work, but they think they are not."
But what about those children who don't have strong parental support? Is there a danger that schemes such as the Spirit of Clyde might magnify any void in support; that children not participating in the full range of activities could become self-conscious about their lack of achievement?
Clyde School's Lambeth attempts to allay that fear: "There are a lot of school-based activities that they can sign on for, too. There are ways they can do it without parental support.
"Unsupportive parents are going to remain unsupportive, regardless of what system we have. That is where this programme can help. A homework sheet not being handed in on time is far more demeaning than a child ticking off things they can do in school. There are no black marks beside those who don't choose to do it. It is optional.
"If there is dysfunction in a family, that kid is better off not having that pressure on homework. It's another excuse to be yelled at."
Says White: "It depends on the value parents put on a child's learning. Some parents are under a lot of stress, for various reasons.
"Homework might be on their notional list, but the most immediate issue takes precedence.
"You can't assume a child is going to go home at 3.30pm and sit in an orderly environment to do a set task on a given day and be supported by a parent and bring it back the next day. Sometimes, as much as that child might want to, the situation might not be conducive to that. It might mean that parents say, 'look, you're cooking the meal tonight guys; we're going to the supermarket and we've got this budget'."
In the Croy home, that philosophy has turned the kitchen bench into an altar of education.
Eggs have been sacrificed, boyhood hunger assuaged - temporarily, at least.
Next lesson, Mum.
- OTAGO DAILY TIMES
