Family time is important and we strive to create a balance that allows families enough time to engage in valuable interaction and activities and not feel burdened by excessive homework demands. We recognize that children lead busy lives. Homework is not meant to take hours out of a family’s time together. Also, Montessori’s goal is to prepare students for life… so homework may include practical opportunities to develop life-long skills. Reading is usually established as a suggested time to set aside for reading whatever children find interesting, and writing might be in a journal or freely chosen creative or expository writing. Montessori homework includes opportunities to read and write.

We want students to pursue things that interest them -seeking information, skills, and insights on their own to build their knowledge. However, our goal in Montessori is to inspire in children a sense of purpose in their lives. We accept the research that suggests that traditional homework does not increase student learning, nor does it increase student motivation. Yes, Montessori children benefit from homework but it is different from traditional school homework. Do Montessori children benefit from homework? The goal is for homework to be a positive experience for all. We encourage families to supplement as needed and communicate with teachers to make adaptations. Homework has to be healthy for the whole family if it’s to be successfulĮvery family comes with different ideas about homework and what they would like to see for their child.

The homework corner