The utility of homework and its impact on academic achievement has been an ongoing debate for more than 100 years. To date, there is no rigorous experimental research to show whether, and the extent to which, variations in the amount of homework assigned can impact the academic performance of elementary school students. In this study, 440…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which parents of first, second, and third grade students who attended a two-day workshop on mathematics strategies shifted beliefs about learning mathematics as compared to parents who did not attend the workshops. Parents impact their children's mathematics learning when the students are…

This experiment tested the hypothesis that organizing arithmetic fact practice by equivalent values facilitates children's understanding of math equivalence. Children (M age = 8 years 6 months, N = 104) were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 practice conditions: (a) equivalent values, in which problems were grouped by equivalent sums (e.g., 3 + 4 = 7, 2…

This study examines the mediating role of homework in the daily practice of a middle-school mathematics teacher and her colleagues in Shanghai. It aims to explore how a system of homework activities mediates and engenders a cultural pedagogy characterized by transforming errors into resources for teaching and learning. The transformation itself…

The effects of using homework guides, and homework logs on students' abilities to solve word problems involving basic addition and subtraction facts were studied. Students received one of three versions of addition and subtraction timed tests once per week--every Thursday--that focused on measuring automaticity of basic addition and subtraction…

In individual telephone interviews, 234 low-income African-American, Caucasian, and Latino parents rated the importance of helping their second- and third-grade children in reading, math, and homework and of knowing what their children are learning. Parents reported whether they had taught their child in math and reading and read with their child…

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether homework affects second grade mathematics achievement. The study involved two classes of on-grade-level students and involved a unit on place value. The results indicated that the achievement of the experimental group, which was given homework, was better than the achievement of the control…

The effect of a tutorial and/or homework assistance program conducted by peers during the regular school day was investigated. Subjects were minority students from low socio-economic families. Student-tutors were assigned to provide 35 minutes of daily individualized assistance in mathematics, help that was not available in the home environment.…

Noting the crucial role parents play in their child's academic success, this book offers parents guidance in supporting their child's education in the primary grades. The book's chapters are: (1) "Learning in the Early Grades," including questions parents ask, what 6- to 8-year-old children are like, principles that make learning effective, why…

A longitudinal study examined differences in Chinese-American and Euro-American parents' facilitation of their young children's mathematics learning. Participating in the Time 2 data collection were 36 second-generation Chinese-American and 40 Euro-American first and second graders from well-educated suburban Chicago families. Children were given…