holiday homework or holidays homework which is correct

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Holiday vs Holidays: A Grammar Guide

2 Comments on Holiday vs Holidays: A Grammar Guide

Happy holidays! Or is it holiday?

With season’s greetings being shared so often throughout this time of year, it can be hard to remember whether you should write and say holiday or holidays. You want to spread cheer through every card you send and to every person you pass on the street.

Yet a grammar snafu can really dampen your seasonal spirits.

Spread your holiday cheer over the holidays correctly with confidence by following these simple holiday grammar rules.

Holiday vs Holidays

Holiday , without an S, is a singular noun that generally refers to a specific celebrated event or day. You say the word holiday because it’s a commonly recognized day of celebration.

3 Ways You Can Use the Semicolon via KLWightman.com

Because Monday is a public holiday, the library will be closed. How do you celebrate the holiday season?

Holiday also refers to taking a vacation or a trip away from home, be it during a time of shared celebration or not.

It’s usually phrased like this:

I’ll need a holiday after I finish this presentation for work. They booked a holiday online to France and Spain next month. We met Jan and Frank while on holiday last year.

Hyphens, En Dashes, Em Dashes — and How to Use Them Blog Post KLWightman.com

Confused yet? Read these examples:

Better save money now for the holidays! Are you visiting your family over the holidays?

When Do You Capitalize After a Colon? via KLWightman.com

We spend our holidays every year at our cabin up north. Sue always joins them on their holidays, no matter where they travel.

Happy Holiday vs Happy Holidays

Happy holidays is both a written and spoken greeting commonly used before or during the holiday season. You use the plural form because you’re wishing happiness upon someone for a span of time instead of on one specific celebrated day.

holiday homework or holidays homework which is correct

Happy holidays!

Happy holiday , although less commonly used, can be used not as a greeting but in a sentence where you want to wish happiness upon someone on a specific celebrated day.

Here’s how you can use the phrase correctly:

I hope you have a happy holiday!

When Do You Capitalize Holiday or Holidays?

The words holiday and holidays do not reference a specific day of celebration like the words Christmas or Thanksgiving or Halloween. Therefore, you do not capitalize holiday or holidays, even when paired in a sentence with a specific holiday.

Should You Correct Someone's Grammar? via KLWightman.com

We traveled to Memphis for the Christmas holidays. Happy holidays to you and your family!

There is an exception. You’ll often find the phrase Happy Holidays capitalized as a standalone phrase on seasonal cards because it then follows the rules of capitalization for titles or headers.

How do you remember when to say or write holiday or holidays? Share your tips in the comments section below.

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How to Do Your Homework During the Holidays

Last Updated: May 29, 2024 Approved

This article was co-authored by Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed. . Alexander Ruiz is an Educational Consultant and the Educational Director of Link Educational Institute, a tutoring business based in Claremont, California that provides customizable educational plans, subject and test prep tutoring, and college application consulting. With over a decade and a half of experience in the education industry, Alexander coaches students to increase their self-awareness and emotional intelligence while achieving skills and the goal of achieving skills and higher education. He holds a BA in Psychology from Florida International University and an MA in Education from Georgia Southern University. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, several readers have written to tell us that this article was helpful to them, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 54,088 times.

Sometimes, even if you are done with exams for the academic term, you end up with homework during your school holiday. Whether you are making up work, preparing for a new class, or simply already have to start working on next term, it is possible to get your homework done during your holiday and still enjoy your free time. All you need to do is set a schedule, designate a space to study, and stick to your plan—we'll show you how!

Organizing Your Time

Try setting aside consistent times for certain subjects every day. For example, if you know you will have time in the afternoon, set aside a block from 2pm to 4pm to work on your homework.
If you need to work on multiple subjects over the holidays, alternate your study time from day to day. You may want to work on your history homework on Mondays and Wednesdays, and your maths work on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Use a personal planner or calendar to mark down your study times, and write what assignments you want to work on for each day.

Studying distracted can actually make it more difficult to learn and retain information. When you designate no-study time, it’s important to stick to it so that you don’t miss vital steps or information in your school work.

Setting Up Your Space

If you are traveling and you forget something, it may be difficult or expensive to get a replacement on the go.
To avoid missing anything, look at each assignment before you leave and make a checklist of what materials you need to complete that assignment. Go through the checklist and make sure you have packed everything you need to take with you before you leave school.

If you carry a phone or tablet with you regularly, set reminders on your digital calendar so that you get instant notifications.
If you use a planner, write reminders down there as well, so that you know what you expect to do and when you expect to do it.

Clear your study space of all distractions. If you work at a desk, for example, make sure that only your computer, your notebook, your school books, and materials relevant to your studies are set up.
Make the space more comfortable by providing yourself with comfortable seating, good lighting, and accoutrements such a blanket that may help you feel more relaxed in your space.

Working On Your Homework

Apps like Freedom and LeechBlock allow users to temporarily block certain sites or set whole blocks of time where the internet is inaccessible.
Tools such as FocusWriter and Focus Booster are designed to help you track your time to accomplish specific tasks.

Taking occasional breaks has been found to improve attention and potentially make your overall studying more effective. [6] X Research source Even if you are focused on an assignment, try to include breaks to keep from overworking yourself.

Do try to avoid packing schoolwork into times that won’t properly allow you to focus, such as on a tour or during a family get-together. Save the school work for designated study time or your leisure time.
Make sure your environment is compatible for the work you need to do. For example, avoid bringing your computer or scientific calculator to a beach setting, which could damage such equipment.

If possible, save any editing for a time when you are not on a trip or dealing with family visits. Find a low-stress point in your holiday where you can go over the work you’ve done thus far.
See if any of your peers would be interested in exchanging assignments and peer editing. Arrange it with a friend before you leave school, and set exchange deadlines for the two of you.

Expert Q&A

Do not save all of your homework for the last day of your holiday. This makes it more likely that you will not get all of your work done on time and at a satisfactory level. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0
Let your friends and family know your planned study schedule so that they can plan not to disturb you during those times. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
Make sure you have a way to contact your teacher, such as their email address, in case you have any questions that arise while you are away from school. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0

↑ Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed.. Academic Tutor. Expert Interview. 18 June 2020.
↑ http://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/68908.html
↑ https://psychcentral.com/news/2011/02/09/taking-breaks-found-to-improve-attention/23329.html
↑ http://www.hercampus.com/life/campus-living/how-not-over-or-under-pack-winter-break
↑ https://www.ecampusnews.com/it-leadership/2014/11/03/apps-media-distractions-947/
↑ http://www.medicaldaily.com/health-benefits-beach-3-reasons-hit-beach-summer-246789
↑ https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/561/01/

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20 Reasons You Shouldn’t Assign Homework Over The Holidays

20 Reasons You Shouldn’t Assign Homework Over The Holidays by Miriam Clifford Many students agree that homework over the holidays really is a form of cruel and unusual punishment. Upon returning from winter break, you’ll probably have a handful of students saying the dog ate their homework or it got blown away in a winter…

by Miriam Clifford

Many students agree that homework over the holidays really is a form of cruel and unusual punishment.

Upon returning from winter break, you’ll probably have a handful of students saying the dog ate their homework or it got blown away in a winter storm. But you’ll probably be surprised to learn that some research suggests too much homework can be a bad thing. A 2009 article in the Los Angeles Times , suggests that some districts have cut back on the amount of homework in the effort to consider children’s social development. In fact, the San Ramon Valley district modified its homework policy and no homework is allowed over weekends and holiday vacations, except for reading.

The US National Education Association recommends no more than ten minutes (of homework) per grade level, per night.

Homework has fallen in and out of favor over the decades. California even established a law in 1901 limiting the amount of homework teachers could assign. Homework is highly in favor now a days. With recent trends of information overload, packed activity schedules, and childhood obesity, it’s no wonder educators are reconsidering their stance on homework.

1. Students are learning all the time in the 21 st century. According to a recent article in MindShift traditional homework will become obsolete in the next decade. Thanks to computers, learning is occurring 24/7. With access to software programs, worldwide connections, and learning websites such as the Khan Academy, learning occurs all the time. According to Mindshift, “the next decade is going to see the traditional temporal boundaries between home and school disappear.” Try to see if you can bridge the gap between school and home by getting students interested in doing their own research over holiday break. Rather than assigning homework, create a true interest in learning. They will often pursue learning about topics they like on their own. After all, this is the way of the 21 st century and information is everywhere.

2. More homework doesn’t necessarily equate to higher achievement . Yes, too much homework can actually be a bad thing. A 1989 Duke University study that reviewed 120 studies found a weak link between achievement and homework at the elementary level and only a moderate benefit at the middle school level. In a similar recent review of 60 studies, researchers at Duke U found homework was beneficial, but assigning excessive amounts of homework was counterproductive. The research found homework was more beneficial for older students than younger ones. The study was completed by Harris Cooper, a leading homework research and author of “The Battle over Homework: Common Ground for Administrators, Teachers, and Parents”. Cooper suggests that teachers at the younger level may assign homework for improving study skills, rather than learning, explaining why many studies concluded less benefit for younger children. Many teachers do not receive specific training on homework. Cooper suggests that homework should be uncomplicated and short, involve families, and engage student interests.

3. Countries that assign more homework don’t outperform those with less homework. Around the world, countries that assign more homework don’t see to perform any better. A Stanford study found that in counties like Japan, Denmark, and the Czech Republic little homework was assigned and students outperformed students in counties with large amounts of homework such as Greece, Thailand, and Iran. American and British students seem to have more homework than most counties, and still only score in the international average. In fact, Japan has instituted no homework policies at younger levels to allow family time and personal interests. Finland, a national leader in international tests, limits high school homework to half hour per night. Of course, there are other factors not taken into account in the study, such as length of the school day. But in itself, it is interesting to see this issue from a world perspective.

4. Instead of assigning homework, suggest they read for fun. There are great holiday stories and books you can recommend to parents and students. If you approach the activity with a holiday spirit, many students will be engaged. They may want to check out the stories on their own. You can start by reading the first chapter in class and leaving them intrigued. For instance, you can read the first chapter of The Gift of the Magi and suggest students read it over winter break. With younger students, you might promise roles in a play for students who read over break.

5. Don’t assign holiday busy work. Most academics agree that busy work does little to increase learning. It is best to not assign packets of worksheets if they do nothing to add to student learning. You also don’t want to waste valuable time grading meaningless paperwork. Some studies show that much homework may actually decline achievement. Assigning excessive amounts of homework may be detrimental. In fact, a 2006 study by Yankelovick found that reading achievement declined when students were assigned too much homework. Actually, interesting reading such as Harry Potter produced higher reading achievement.

6. Have students attend a local cultural event. You can let parents know that instead of assigning homework, you are suggesting students attend a particular event that relates to your classroom. For instance, if you are reading Shakespeare, they might attend a related play or ballet.

7. Family time is more important during the holidays . Assigning less homework makes it easier for families to have time together. Family studies at the University of Michigan, show that family time is extremely important to achievement and behavior. Studies on family meals, suggest that students who have dinner with their family have better academic scores and behavioral outcomes. Perhaps this is only a correlation, but family time is undeniably important to child development. Students spent most of their days at school while parents are at work. When all is said and done, remember what it was like being a kid. The things you remember most about the holidays aren’t the assignments you took home, but the time you spend with family and friends.

8. For students who travel during the holidays, homework may impede learning on their trip . The Holiday time is the one time of year that many families reconnect with distant family members or travel. I remember having to pack hoards of books over some holidays to Spain and it was not fun. I wanted to enjoy the time with family and experience the country fully. Traveling in itself is a learning activity. Let students experience their travels fully.

9. Kids need time to be kids. A recent article from Australia’s Happy Child website, “What is the value of Homework: Research and Reality” considers this issue and explains how children need unstructured play time. Homework can have a negative influence on early learning experiences. Suggest students use holiday time to do physical activity, such as ice-skating or sledding. Many kids don’t get enough exercise. Childhood obesity is a major problem in the United States. Suggesting students play outside or participate in a sport is a good way to get them to value physical activity. The holidays are a great time for kids to go sledding in the snow or play with friends outside. If no one has homework, classmates might exchange phone numbers to play together. You can suggest this to parents. If the teacher thinks physical activity is important, students will too.

10. Some education experts recommend an end to all homework . Etta Kralovec and John Buell, authors of The End of Homework: How Homework Disrupts Families, Overburdens Children, and Limits Learning , controversially suggests that homework may be a form of intrusion on family life, and may increase the drop-out rate in high schools. The authors blame homework for increasing the achievement gap due to socio-economic differences in after-school obligations. Consider challenging your own views of the benefits of homework and try to create a level playing field when considering assignments.

11. Send a letter to parents explaining why you are not assigning work. You might want to take the Christmas holiday as a chance to engage parents to play a learning game or do some art with their kids. If families know there is an intentional purpose to not assigning work, they may take the chance to spend more one-on-one time with their child.

12. You can make the holidays a time for an “open project” for extra credit. Students might take this time to do something related to the curriculum that they would like to explore on their own terms. Before the holidays, you might talk about topics or provide books students for students to take home. Learning for fun and interest, might produce more meaningful engagement than assigned homework.

13. Suggest they visit a museum instead. With families at home, the holiday time is a great time for students to see an exhibit that interests them or do a fun activity at a nearby museum. Sometimes encouraging these field trips may be more beneficial than assigning homework. You might want to print coupons, a schedule, or a list of upcoming exhibits so that families have the information at their fingertips.

14. Encourage students to volunteer during the holiday time. The holidays are a great time for students to give back. Students might volunteer at a local soup kitchen or pantry. Volunteer organizations are often at their busiest during the holiday time. Plus, students learn a lot from the experience of doing community service. I remember visiting a group home during the holiday time in high school and helping kids wrap Christmas gifts for their families. This is a great alternative to assigning homework, especially for Generation Y who highly values civic involvement.

15. Develop a class game. You might have the class play a learning game the week before vacation and have them take it home to show their family. My fourth grade teacher had hop-scotch math. We often drew with chalk outside to replicate her game at home. Try to think of a holiday-themed game or one that the whole family can get involved in.

16. Students might learn more from observing the real world. Learning isn’t just about paper and pencil activities. Teachers should also inspire students to seek ways to learn from real-world experiences. They might cook with their parents and practice measuring. Or tag along with a parent who is putting up holiday lights or building a shed. Ask students to observe a job around the house or ask their parents about their job over holiday break. They might be enlightened to learn more about the real world and different jobs they might pursue in the future. Perhaps some students might be able to go to work with their parents instead of a formal assignment.

17. Go on a hike. Students learn a great deal from nature. Tell students to go outside on a walk and be ready to share their experience when they get back. Did they observe natural phenomena you talked about in science class or different types of rocks you discussed in geology? Or can you tie their walk into a discussion of poetry?

18. Tell students to visit an amusement park. If you are teaching physics or math, amusement parks give ample room to explain the laws of physics and mathematical probability. This outing would allow students to think about the real world implications of science. You may want to even plan a lesson beforehand that ties this idea in. On another level, it allows students to create a lasting memory with their own families.

19. Kids need rest! Everyone needs a mental breather and the holidays are the best time for students to play and take a break from school. Kids need a full ten hours of sleep and adequate rest. The vacation time is a great time for students to take a mental breather from school. With many family outings and vacations during the holiday time, they will have less time to complete homework. They will come back to school feeling re-energized.

20. Many parents and students dislike holiday homework. You want parents to buy-in to your classroom community and support your endeavors with students. Assigning holiday homework is usually unpopular with parents because it may the one time of year they have to give children their undivided attention. Instead, you might want to take a survey to see if parents agree with the idea. You can then send a letter with the survey results. Taking parents’ perspectives into account shows you value their opinions and feedback. Students prefer some free time too. Not surprisingly one student created a Facebook page, titled, “Why do teachers give us homework over the holiday.” If the students know you are giving them a break over the holidays they may work harder for you when they get back.

If you’re still not convinced, check out this fact sheet based on The Case Against Homework: How Homework Is Hurting Our Children and What We Can Do About It by Sara Bennett and Nancy Kalish. If you are still going to assign some holiday homework, at least keep in mind some guidelines.

The US National Education Association recommends no more than ten minutes per grade level, per night. If you must assign homework make sure it is meaningful and doesn’t take away from time with families. And most of all, remember what it was like being a kid during the holiday time. Homework is generally not a part of those memories, nor should it be. Those days playing outside and spending time with family are lifelong memories just as important as school.

Childhood is over in the blink of an eye.

This is a cross-post from opencolleges.edu.au

TeachThought is an organization dedicated to innovation in education through the growth of outstanding teachers.

Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Holiday and holidays

Holiday as a singular noun commonly refers to a specific day or event:

It’s a public holiday on Monday, isn’t it, so I suppose the banks’ll be closed?

She seems very tired and upset at the moment. She needs a holiday .

We booked a holiday online yesterday – two weeks in Greece.

We use the plural noun holidays and holiday in similar ways:

We are all going to Croatia for our holidays this year.

We are all going to Croatia for our holiday this year.

We often use on with holiday :

They’re very good friends. We first met them when we were on holiday in Morocco.

Not: … when we were in holiday … or … when we were at holiday … or … when we were on holidays …

Word of the Day

make ends meet

to have just enough money to pay for the things that you need

Fakes and forgeries (Things that are not what they seem to be)

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The Asian Traveller

Eugenia Koh-Chua

MELBOURNE: The June school holidays have started for primary and secondary schools as well as junior colleges. With school out, the fun should begin - but does it really?

While many look forward to a respite from the daily grind of school , the burden of holiday homework hangs over them.

For many parents and tutors, the mid-year break is also the perfect time for an extra academic boost. Let’s not forget June holiday boot camps and intensive revision programmes arranged by teachers and enterprising tuition centres for Primary 6 students taking their Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) this year.

The term “holiday homework” itself is contradictory, prompting the question: Should school breaks be a protected sanctuary from homework, or is the expectation of holiday assignments an unavoidable reality?

A BAN ON HOMEWORK?

The debate surrounding holiday homework extends beyond the borders of Singapore.

In the Philippines, legislative attempts to enforce a weekend homework ban have been ongoing since 2016. In 2021, the Chinese government enacted the Double Reduction Policy , which includes a limit on homework and a ban on private tutoring classes.

Meanwhile, in Poland, a ban on graded homework for students in lower primary took effect in April. Homework for children in upper primary levels is optional and does not count towards a grade.

These efforts share a common goal: To alleviate the burden of excessive homework and promote greater student well-being. However, the effectiveness of these measures remains questionable.

In China, the mandate has driven the industry underground and led to exorbitant rates , exacerbating educational inequity. The Chinese experience suggests the potential pitfalls of using a simplistic solution like a hard legislative ban to address a complex social issue.

Drawing lessons from these global examples, I wonder: Should the focus shift from eliminating homework to understanding why parents and schools perceive it as necessary?

Commentary: A China-like tuition ban may not work, but Singapore can still find ways to address overreliance

China launches campaign to halt school bullying, excessive homework

Is homework beneficial.

While the debate on homework rages on, educational research has acknowledged the many potential benefits it serves.

Homework helps to reinforce academic concepts at home, develops time management skills, and encourages independent learning in children.

Learning at home can offer a more adaptable environment that caters to individual student’s learning pace and needs, particularly benefiting those who thrive with additional support. Moreover, homework functions as a crucial link between school and home, allowing parents to stay informed of their children’s academic progress.

At the same time, however, an Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) survey published in 2017 showed that 66.7 per cent of parents with primary school children agreed or strongly agreed that they were stressed over assisting with homework and ferrying them to and from school, and tuition or enrichment classes.

Additionally, nearly 94 per cent of parents in the study expressed a need for the primary school curriculum to be more manageable, reflecting the struggle many parents face in grasping the modern curriculum while balancing work demands in typical dual-income Singaporean households.

In my doctoral study on Singaporean parents’ tensions within education reform, one parent candidly remarked on this struggle: “I don’t think I can impart the (knowledge) skills to them. And I don’t want my children to lose out."

Consequently, many parents delegate homework guidance to educational experts - tuition teachers.

Families spent an estimated S$1.4 billion (US$1 billion) on tuition in 2018, based on data from the last Household Expenditure Survey in 2017 and 2018, up from S$1.1 billion in 2012 and 2013.

These insights highlight parents’ challenges in supporting their children’s learning at home due to a lack of knowledge, skills, time, and energy. Consequently, schools must consider these factors when designing and assigning homework.

Daily Cuts:

Commentary: Parents, getting your preschoolers to cram for P1 can backfire

Commentary: Parents play an outsized role in academic stress children face

Perceived benefits of after-school learning.

Research consistently emphasises the importance of play in nurturing the holistic development of children. What then motivates parents to enrol their children in tuition classes during school holidays?

Many parents I’ve spoken say they feel like they have “no choice” as they mitigate the pressures of a high-stakes education system.

They question how much play alone can contribute to children’s social-emotional well-being if they fail to perform academically. One parent stated, “I don’t need (my child) to be at the top, but I don’t want him to be at the bottom either”.

Parental guilt also motivates many to enrol their children in out-of-school classes. As one parent explained: “If my kids are idle or roaming around at home, I will feel bad as a parent … because it feels like my child is wasting his life away”.

Teachers participating in my doctoral study also reluctantly acknowledge the value of tuition classes for “weaker students”. Unfortunately, in a class size of 40, teachers lack the time and staffing to cater to each child’s learning needs while covering the school curriculum.

They also cited pressure from school leaders and managing familial expectations to assign homework as an indicator of a “good teacher”.

FIND HARMONY, NOT BALANCE

Amid the ongoing discussion on finding the right balance between work and play for students, the term “balance” implies a rigid 50-50 split between “work versus play”, overlooking the unique needs and strengths of each child, family, and school.

Rather than fixating on achieving a static “balance”, might it be better to consider striving for a harmonious blend between work and play? This approach encourages families and schools to identify the optimal mix that suits their specific contexts, fostering an environment where children can thrive in both learning and well-being.

The ideal combination of work and play will naturally vary in each family, classroom, and school, based on their diverse values, cultures, and aspirations. Nonetheless, this optimal mix should be viewed as fluid and dynamic, constantly adapting to suit the evolving needs of children.

Student agency is an essential ingredient in this optimal blend. Schools should actively seek student input on their homework experiences and understand their preferences for how it is assigned and evaluated.

This not only empowers students but also ensures that homework policies are responsive to their needs and interests.

Schools could consider moving away from compulsory holiday homework towards recommended assignments. Allow parents to determine and decide the homework load that best suits their child based on their family values and aspirations.

Many teachers are already offering non-mandatory assignments in the Student Learning Space online portal during mid-year and end-of-year school holidays. However, it is crucial to complement these assignments with online explanatory videos that provide solutions.

This approach is essential to support struggling students and enhance their self-efficacy by ensuring they understand how to approach and solve the questions independently at home.

Ideally, homework tasks should prioritise inquiry-based learning, embracing a play-based approach that fosters engagement and creativity.

Given the absence of time constraints in the classroom, these tasks can encourage students to explore core learning concepts with scaffolding prompts, developing learner autonomy, and stimulating greater engagement and creativity.

Commentary: Voices of tensions behind the 'kiasu parent' label

Commentary: PSLE stress – a question of not too much, not too little

Through collaborative efforts, schools and families can create a supportive environment that fosters student success and well-being.

In an ideal scenario, if schools and families can embrace a unified approach to revamping homework practices and reimagining the objectives of holiday assignments , we may just be able to find that sweet spot between work and play during the June holidays.

Dr Eugenia Koh-Chua is a sessional lecturer and educational researcher at Swinburne University of Technology (Melbourne). She is a mother of two and a former lecturer in Singapore.

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The Case For And Against Holiday Homework

The holidays: A time for eating, travel, fun with family, relaxation and, potentially, homework.

It’s a debate that’s been going on for years: Does study time have any place during school vacations?

The Case For Homework Over The Holidays

The pro-homework contingent has done their research (unsurprisingly). Two meta-analyses by Cooper et al (Cooper, 1989a; Cooper, Robinson, & Patall, 2006) examined the causal relationship between homework and student achievement.

They concluded that the amount of homework a student completes coincides directly with their success rates. Their research further found that students that were assigned homework scored 23 percentile points higher on tests than learners in a class where homework wasn’t assigned.

It turns out learning is a lot like exercise – it’s good to rest, but not to live on the couch for a month. The less you use the skills you have and the learning you’ve gained, the worse shape it’s going to be in when students come back to class.

The Case Against Homework Over The Holidays

So what’s the other side saying?

Let’s start with family time. It’d be crazy to argue that family time isn’t important, and the holidays provide a special opportunity for everyone to get together without the usual distractions. In an odd twist, studies show that uninterrupted family time can also have learning benefits.

Family studies at the University of Michigan found that family time correlates closely to achievement and behaviour. Studies on family meals suggest that students who have dinner with their family have better academic scores and behavioural outcomes.

There’s another thing to consider: learning can happen without homework. With access to learning software and educational programs and websites, our schools and classes no longer have to be the beginning and end of learning for students.

The Verdict

Find a good balance.

Create small, relevant and purposeful assignments as homework over the holidays. Ultimately, you want to keep your students’ minds fit while they’re on break – but remember this is your break too!

7 Smart Strategies to Actually Get Homework Done During the Holidays

Taking Courses

While most people consider the holidays “the most wonderful time of the year,” for some students, not so much. With families to care for, holiday parties to prepare for and gift shopping to finish in between, finding time to complete schoolwork may seem down right impossible. For students, the mounting stress of the holidays can result in late assignments, or, even worse, assignments never submitted at all.

But it’s important to remember that late assignments and missed assignments will have a negative effect on your grade. A failing or incomplete grade can affect your graduation plans. And that’s not very merry at all. So instead of waiting until the last minute and panicking the night before a deadline, here are seven strategies you can use to ensure your homework gets done on time and gift yourself a much needed break.

1. Plan Ahead

It’s easy to lose track of deadlines when the days are filled with holiday fun, and that doesn’t leave much time, or thought, for course work. Even with so many (welcome) distractions, it’s important to complete schoolwork on time. To better pace yourself, create a schedule for what assignments are due and when, and break up that work into smaller chunks. Keep this schedule in an easy-to-see place so you can avoid any last minute surprises.

2. Save the Easy Assignments for Later

When you first sit down for a school session, you may feel inclined to get the easy material out of the way. However, your energy and focus are at their peak when you first start. Use this brainpower advantage to get through the most challenging subjects early on. Then, should you really experience holiday and homework crunch time, you’ll be able to complete the smaller assignments with less stress and in less time.

3. Enlist the Elves

You have your your own helpers who are ready and willing to lend a hand: your spouse, kids, siblings, parents, in-laws, grandparents, the list goes on. Instead of feeling obligated to handle all the holiday hoopla alone, get your helpers involved. Let a family member supervise the cooking or make a gift pit stop for you so you can get away for half an hour or so. Or, spend your bonding time with family wisely; instead of finding gifts for your kids to give grandma and grandpa, save yourself an extra shopping trip and sit down together to handcraft something special. Not only will you save time and money, you’ll also have a wonderful family memory. And isn’t that what the holidays are supposed to be about?

4. Be Realistic

The holiday season is also a hectic one; unrealistically high expectations for yourself may cause your schoolwork to suffer. Trying to do too much will leave you drained and burnt out. Combat this by asking your family which holiday traditions they treasure the most, and cut out the rest. If your teenagers don’t enjoy holiday light shows anymore, then save yourself the trip and use it to get your schoolwork done instead. And when you’ve finished, you can spend your time doing the things your kids actually do like. Be reasonable with your time, and you can balance work and holiday fun.

5. Shop Smart

Obviously, you can save yourself a lot of time, money and hassle by shopping online. But being savvy about it can make all the difference. Give yourself a time limit to scour sites for the best deals and comparison shop. If you don’t find a better offer online after 10 minutes, stop, and move on. Most importantly, avoid or turn off any sale alerts. If you keep leaving your schoolwork behind to check your email inbox for the latest deals, you’ll never get it done. Save the emails for later; in a few hours, the sales will still be there.

6. Reward Yourself

Take breaks in between studying by giving yourself an extra holiday treat or two, or spend it with friends and family. To feel reenergized and refreshed, take a break that lasts 20-30 minutes, coincidentally, the same amount of time it takes to bake a batch of cookies or wrap up a few gifts! Whatever you do, take a break that is mentally or physically active, and you’ll be at your most productive when you return.

7. If all else fails… Request a Course Extension

If you’re looking for the gift of time, Thomas Edison State University students may apply for an eight-week course extension as long as you continue to make satisfactory progress in your course. Your mentor must be able to certify that at least 50 percent of your course work has been completed. After submitting the course extension request , along with the fee, you’ll receive an extension approval via email from the University.

Written by Thomas Edison State University

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We Write It, You Decide

Should students have homework over breaks, a year of remote learning has put many students behind in school. is homework over the holidays the answer to getting teens back on track .

The holidays are nearly here! It’s time to enjoy your favorite treats, visit with family and friends, and maybe even unwrap a big pile of . . . homework?

Assignments over winter break probably aren’t on your wish list. But some educators believe giving homework during school vacations is necessary to help students stay sharp—especially now.

More than 70 percent of U.S. students in grades K-12 attended classes remotely for at least part of this past school year because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Months of school shutdowns and virtual classes have caused many teens to fall behind. Doing homework over winter break, some experts say, could help kids catch up.

But others argue that hitting the books over the holidays isn’t the answer. They say students need downtime—and that homework serves little purpose anyway.

Should students have homework over school breaks? Keep reading, then decide what you think.

Homework Is Helpful

Many people across the U.S. are concerned that teens’ grades are suffering because of the pandemic. They support homework during winter break to help kids get back on track. But plenty of others are in favor of assignments during vacations even during normal school years. They say homework helps prevent students from forgetting what they’ve learned. Plus, they add, teachers shouldn’t have to spend time reviewing old lessons when classes start again.

Homework over the holidays also helps students practice their skills, explains Janine Bempechat. She studies human development at Boston University in Massachusetts.

“Consistent practice is essential for learning and growth,” she says.

Average time U.S. teens spend on homework per day

SOURCE: Pew Research Center

Brian Platzer, a teacher and co-author of Taking the Stress Out of Homework , agrees. Putting in some time on tricky concepts over vacation lets students “hit the ground running when they return.”

Supporters of homework over winter break say assignments don’t need to involve detailed worksheets or reports. For example, students could read a book of their choosing and keep a response journal. Reading, experts say, may help students recharge after a tough year.

“Getting lost in reading,” says Bempechat, “is a wonderful way to reduce stress.”

Lessons From Around the World

CHINA: Under new rules to ease pressure on kids, middle school students are limited to 1.5 hours of homework a night.

FINLAND: High school students attend school for five hours per day and have about three hours of homework per week.

AUSTRALIA: Some government officials have asked schools to reconsider heavy homework loads so kids can relax.

Kids Need Rest

Others, however, are quick to point out that today’s students are already facing high stress levels, and the last thing they need over the holidays is more assignments.

Homework over winter break is unnecessary, says Alfie Kohn, author of The Homework Myth . In fact, kids probably don’t need to do homework ever .

“Everyone knows homework can be frustrating and exhausting,” he explains.

Some school districts across the U.S. have reduced or even banned homework. One reason is that not all kids have access to the same resources outside the classroom. For example, 15 percent of households with school-age children do not have high-speed internet, according to the Pew Research Center.

Share of teens who cite homework as a source of stress

SOURCE: Challenge Success

After her school district discouraged assigning homework over the holidays, eighth-grade teacher Christina Torres of Honolulu, Hawaii, altered her lessons. Now her students complete important projects before enjoying time off.

“Taking the stress of homework out of my students’ holiday breaks is important,” she wrote in Education Week . “They deserve an opportunity to relax and rejuvenate as much as I do.”

Think It Over

Consider the pros and cons of having homework during school breaks. Then ask yourself: Should teachers give assignments over the holidays? Or are there other, less formal ways to continue learning when school is not in session?

Write About It! Should students have homework over breaks? Write an essay that includes evidence from the article.

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Why We Should Give Students a Homework Break Over the Holidays

Illustration of a person riding a bicycle into a forest

I have so many fond memories from holiday seasons growing up: the smell of delicious food being made by my Mexican and Filipino families, warm light on the faces of my relatives, and lots of laughter. As I got older, though, things changed—mostly because I had so much homework to do.

Instead of joking with our relatives at the holidays, my brother and I would often sequester ourselves at the edge of the room, thick textbooks open and pens in our hands. Sometimes, we’d miss events altogether. When we did attend, the ramifications could be intense. During one spring break, I chose to go to an Easter party with my family. But by midnight, I was stress-weeping because I had so much work to do by the next day.

As a teacher, I now understand the temptation to give work over school breaks. There never seems to be enough time to do the projects or read the texts I’d like to with my kids, and asking students to work or read during breaks eases that crunch. I also worry that my students will lose some of their learning in the weeks they are gone.

Recently, though, my school created a new homework policy that, among other things, encourages us to avoid giving students work over extended school breaks. Our administration cited studies that raise questions about the benefits of hefty doses of homework.

I worried about how this new plan would affect my curriculum pacing, and about what my students might “lose.” But I realized that my concerns were really about my desires, not what was best for my students.

The new policy led me to re-evaluate my assignments and timing, and I ended up being able to make adjustments so my kids could complete necessary projects without working when they should be recharging. I’d worried about my students’ learning, but recent research challenges our long-held belief that students’ learning “slides” significantly over long breaks.

Taking the stress of homework out of my students’ holiday breaks is important. They deserve an opportunity to relax and rejuvenate as much as I do—particularly if they are overscheduled to begin with. Young or old, we all need rejuvenation time. In addition, more studies are demonstrating the benefits of down time for students. Having unstructured time recharges them, but also allows their brains to build connections that strengthen and improve their executive functioning.

We need to be mindful of other factors that complicate homework assignments over holiday breaks. We don’t always know what our students’ lives are like outside our classrooms. Do they struggle with access to the resources necessary to complete assignments? Do they have stressful home situations?

Here are a few ways we can send our students off on a positive note when they leave us for holiday breaks. I’m trying them myself this winter!

Provide activities that support students reconnecting with themselves, their loved ones, or their community.

While we want to avoid giving mandatory work to students, we can offer opportunities and ideas for learning-friendly activities they can do during their break. Maybe that’s an optional/extra credit project that asks students to interview a family or community member (though we should also provide time after break for those who couldn’t work over break). Or maybe we can offer students some ideas about how they could use their time to take care of themselves or their communities. We could provide reflection questions once they’re back from break, to help them find meaning in the experience. Encouraging students to use their time to volunteer or take care of themselves allows us to help our kids grow not just as students, but as people.

Offer opportunities to find a new passion, set goals, or reflect.

While some students may travel or connect with family, some of our kids may have a lot of free time over their break. We can encourage them to use the time to set goals for the year, dream big and draw or write their five-year plan (remind them this is for fun and plans will change!), or reflect on their year or life so far. We can also encourage students to discover something they’re passionate about, or use the time to pursue something they love.

Deepen your relationships with students and allow them to open up to you.

Sometimes, our kids are simply not given the space to dive deeply into something that lets them tell us who they are. Give students a project that allows them to explore their identity or have them write a story about their lives. This will not only provide some critical thinking, reading, or writing enrichment, but more importantly will provide valuable insight into our students’ lives and help us build deeper connections with our students. We can return the favor by completing the project ourselves or writing a story and sharing it with them.

After the break, see what stuck with students.

Instead of returning from break with the mindset of what was “lost,” give students a chance to share everything they remember from the last unit. Instead of assuming they all had a great time they want to share, welcome kids back with an opportunity to celebrate the experiences that stuck with them from their breaks. Help students generate a class-created study guide so they can review what they learned before the break. This gives them space to support one another and remind each other what they learned, as well as gives us an opportunity to praise students for what they’ve retained. It also provides important feedback for us on what stuck over the break and what we need to reteach.

Ultimately, our students look to us not just for academic growth, but to support their growth as human beings as well. Taking away homework stress over break may cause us to change our short-term plans, but providing them with opportunities and resources instead can have some long-term benefits that can change their self-perception and their lives more than a packet of homework ever could.

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Learning with Fun: how to enjoy Holiday homeworks

Summer holidays mean relax : students can finally take a break and spend some time with their friends and families. Assigning them books to read, exercises to complete and problems to solve is an outdated homework model. Thanks to education technology , it is now easier than ever to stimulate students during holidays , motivating them to keep on training their mind. Here are some ideas.

But first, catch their attention and enthusiasm

Before using smart tech tools to engage students and help them to enjoy the summer learning activities, it is important to understand their needs and catch their attention , improving their motivation and enthusiasm. This has nothing to do with technology. It is a previous process that teachers should conduct face to face in the classroom.

Rule #1: appeal to students’ interests

Students enjoy their homework when it sounds funny, interesting, relevant to them: that’s why teachers should incorporate what their learners know and love in the summer assigments. How? First of all, taking a poll to find out what the majority of the class is into – sports, arts, nature? – and then creating a way to integrate the favourite subjects into the summer homework. Appealing to students’ interests is a great motivation driver!

Rule #2: keep it short

Holiday homework has the purpose to practice – or extend – those concepts learned at school during the school year. The duration of homework per day depends on the purpose . The National PTA (Parents Teacher Association, U.S.A.) recommends 10-20 minutes of homework in the 1st grade, arriving to 120 minutes of homework for a student in high school. But it is very tough to find a student who enjoys 2 hours of homework per day! In fact, consistent studies suggest that shorter – and more frequent – homework assignments are more effective , because learners are more likely to complete them.

Rule #3: stimulate sharing

During summertime, students prefer to stay outdoor, enjoying leisure with friends . Holiday homeworks can be a great opportunity to leverage on students’ cooperation, stimulating them with assignments including teamworks and activities to complete together with their classmates.

Rule #4: make it fun

Instead of force students to do traditional summaries regarding books they have read during summer, try to assign different kinds of homeworks, maybe including more subjects at the same time . An example: a written recap of summer holidays where students have to talk about the places they visited, merging this story with the music they listenend to, the histories they learnt and including even the photos they took during holidays. This could be a great way to test the students’ capability to deal with multitasks and activities of different nature. Regarding the many ways students can learn with fun, technology gives a lot of solutions suitable for students to do their holiday homework and keep on learning during summer in a more engaging and funny way. In Google Play Store , you can find a lot of apps that allow innovative and effective ways to learn at home during holidays :

To students , the apps enable them to learn and to do homeworks in a more innovative and – above all – fun way;
For teachers , it will be possible for them to assign homeworks and other activities with the possibility to better organize students’ tasks and to collect homework in an easier way when students will be back to school.

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6 Creative Assignment Ideas to Make Your Students’ Holiday Homework Fun

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The term ‘holiday homework’ raises a collective groan when you mention it in class. The last thing your students want to do during their holidays is spending more time with their noses buried in textbooks. But who said homework had to be a dull and dreary activity? There’s plenty of time and then some to learn concepts at school; holiday homework can focus on skill-building and be a lot more fun! Here’s a list of top creative assignment or homework ideas to help students take the ‘work’ out of homework, and replace it with a whole lot of fun!

“Assignment 1: For the Filmy Fans”

As a life coach who holds film therapy workshops in Bengaluru, Rohit Sasvehalli believes that movies can have a deep impact on the psyche when approached consciously. “Pick a specific concept the child wants to learn about, say Apartheid. Ask them to watch a movie like Invictus to understand the tensions in South Africa. It will invoke an explorative mindset,” says Sasvehalli. Give your students a choice of topics and movies to watch, review and write an essay or make a presentation on what it got them thinking about. Surely your students aren’t about to complain about watching a movie or two!

Do you see any budding filmmakers in your class? Mentoria’s holistic career assessment test could help them discover their calling by uniquely combining their interests and abilities! Find out more about the test here:

“Assignment 2: For the Wanderlusters”

Families often set out on trips during the holiday season. A trip is often a great platform to learn about new places and new cultures. Ask your students to document every bit of their travel, discover fascinating aspects about the place they’re visiting and turn their findings into a fantastic travel presentation for the class! It could cover a long vacation or even a day trip to the museum, beach or a nearby park.

“Assignment 3: For the Bookworms”

This creative assignment may not appeal to all your students, but the voracious readers in your class will surely welcome some binge-reading over the holidays! For this set of students, assign a list of books they can review over the holidays. Encourage them to get a library membership or even a Kindle, if they’re more accustomed to reading digitally. Give them a mix of fiction and non-fiction titles that will broaden their knowledge and urge them to think. It doesn’t have to strictly follow the curriculum; books on current events will also help them get a better perspective of what’s going on in the world.

Assignment 4: For the Crafty Ones

Do you see your students stumbling over certain difficult topics in class? Ask them to bring out their ‘crafty’ sides over the holidays and turn those concepts into flashcards! Flashcards make learning easier , and making them will help your students hone their artistic skills!

Budding artists need guidance, and that’s exactly what we provide here at Mentoria ! Speak to our expert career counsellors about your future career path, or listen to the experiences of industry professionals in your field. Here Commercial Artist Mrs Krupa Patil shares what a day in her life looks like:

Assignment 5: For the Volunteer Wonders

A school in New Zealand recently got its students involved in building an outdoor classroom and won an award for creativity! Volunteering as a homework idea will help them understand the kind of problems the world is facing, put things in perspective and also help them learn how to work in a team! You could give them a list of places they could visit over the holidays or plan a class trip yourself. Let them volunteer at an animal shelter, old-age home or orphanage, where they can perform different activities like maintaining the gardens, teaching other children, reading to the elderly, or even organising a performance for the underprivileged.

Assignment 6. For the Budding Philosophers

If your students are at a stage in life where they have critical future decisions to make, ask them to ‘introspect’ over the holidays. What makes them happiest? Which activities do they most look forward to? What piques their interest and what fails to grab their attention? Give them a homework idea and ask them to write a detailed summary of their interests and how they could translate into a career option a few years down the line. If they’re confused, ask them to opt for professional guidance that will help them discover who they really are and what they should pursue in the future. We can help with that. Students with clarity on their future are likely to be less stressed in class and focus better on their academics!

Holidays are perhaps the only time when students can study at their own pace without the looming burden of a jam-packed schedule. The holidays give students enough time to explore their interests and use them to enhance their studying technique . Don’t overburden them with lesson plans and tough projects; instead, let them focus on building skills, exploring interests and making the most of the holiday season both in terms of education and entertainment!

We at Mentoria know that holidays can be crucial during high school, and students are busy figuring out what stream they want to enter. We try to make it easier for you. Our 4-step career guidance solution, helps us find the right career fit for you from 3 streams, 850+ courses & 12,000+ careers. Discover yourself during the holidays with Mentoria.

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Smart strategies to complete your holiday homework

by Academia Mag
May 26, 2022
2 years ago

For many students, holiday homework is that one thing they dread the most. While holidays are surely for enjoying but let’s not forget the importance of homework. It might be stressful for students which may result in late assignments and submission of homework, but it is also important to remember that being stressed and submitting in later work will only have a bad effect over the grades. Hence, it is always advisable to start the holiday homework from the beginning of the holidays. In this article, you will find smart strategies to complete your holiday homework on time and enjoy it to the fullest.

1. Setting a schedule

Summer holidays are an ideal time to sit back, relax and have fun. It is a great time for students to take a break from their studies but due to this very reason, many students choose to ignore their holiday homework, leaving piles of assignments undone and later regretting it. The best way to overcome this is by planning and making a strict schedule. Planning is the key to completing all the tasks in time, so you are left with plenty of time to enjoy your vacations without any stress.

2. Distraction free environment

As we are living in the era of technology, the constant from our cell phones makes it harder to concentrate and focus on the task we are doing. This technology is a mode of distraction. Try to switch off your phones while working on your holiday homework because this will surely help you pay attention and get your work done faster.

3. Beginning from day one

Many students pile up their homework until the very last moment. Try starting your homework from day one, the moment you start getting the assignments. This is the best advice. Take out an extra thirty minutes daily and start solving your assignments. This will lighten your weight of work during the holidays, and you will be done with the work sooner.

4. Gather relevant resources

This is one of the most important steps that many ignore. Start gathering all the information required for your assignments so that you can be done with homework quickly. It will save you a huge chunk of time and the best part is that once you get done with one assignment, you can also consider getting help from other sources and finish those assignments on time.

5. Pick your subjects of interest

Try finishing off the difficult subjects at first and later start with the easy ones as in this way it can put less burden. Use the brainpower advantage to get through the challenging subjects. However, students can also choose the subjects of their interest first and get done with them easily. For example, if you love English, then the student should focus on that assignment first and gradually move onto other subjects. This has proven to be an effective method of completing holiday homework.

6. Time yourself

It is one of the smartest ways to complete your homework because in this way you can manage your time to see how many hours you will be able to finish off certain subjects and it can eventually make you plan your study session better.

7. Take plenty of breaks

Mostly people need breaks between subjects to freshen up their minds. Stick to a break schedule of maximum 10 to 20 minutes. Students can take active breaks which is a great way to keep your energy up while on the other hand, tech breaks are also awesome in which you can watch your favorite shows or just use social media. But tech breaks tend to stretch for a much longer period than originally intended. Do take breaks in between, that is physically and mentally active and you will be at your most productive form when you return to doing your tasks.

Related: Tips to help students concentrate on studies

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Holiday Homework — It’s Essential!

Amongst many teachers and parents, homework is a pretty hot conversational topic. While some believe that homework is an essential part of the school experience, others think it's a waste of our children’s time.

It’s not always easy to know what’s best for your child when it comes to schooling, but at William Clarence Education, we’re big supporters of homework – particularly when it comes to the holiday season. Here’s why.

The Summer Break Lasts A Long Time…

The long summer break is a great opportunity to spend quality time together as a family, but it can also lead to your child being intellectually understimulated. In an age of social media and Netflix, it’s easier than ever for our youngsters to spend their downtime frying their brains in front of screens. While every child should be allowed their own time to relax and recover from the stresses of school, it’s important not to let that behaviour dictate their entire summer break. Holiday homework provides the perfect opportunity to keep their "school brain" ticking over, and keeps them challenged and stimulated.

Preparing For University Life

As our children grow up, homework becomes a more important part of their schooling, allowing them to develop vital skills such as independent research. It also helps them to prepare for the demands of a university career. Many undergraduate degrees will involve a lot of directed learning, but others will rely upon the students going away and spending their own time reading, researching and writing. One way to begin learning these skills is through holiday homework assignments while your child is still in school.

Learning Outside the School Environment

When a child struggles at school, it often has less to do with their academic potential than with social distractions – and the manner in which they are taught. Put plainly, the school environment is not always conducive to learning. For this reason, homework over the holidays can be the perfect opportunity for your child to catch up on work they have missed or found too challenging. If your child is really struggling, you might even consider private tuition – educational consultancy services around the London and the UK, such as William Clarence Education, can supply excellent private tutors who will specialise in home schooling and exam preparation.

The key thing to remember when it comes to holiday homework is balance. Your child deserves a break during which they can enjoy themselves and have some freedom, so opt for a fair working schedule that is flexible around their needs.

_________________________________________________________________

William Clarence Education is the leading education advisory and consultancy service in the UK. With an unrivalled reach into the UK Schooling and University network, we help and advise families from around the world to reach their maximum potential and gain access to the very best of British education.

William Clarence put the student’s needs and welfare at the centre of every programme of study we deliver with a focus on integrity and discretion. Services include UK School and University Placement, Residential Tutoring, Oxbridge Application, US College Admission and Homeschooling.

For more information please contact :

+44(0)2074128988 [email protected] williamclarence.com

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Does Homework Really Help? | Importance and Benefits of Holiday Homework

Parenting is a magnificent yet overwhelming journey!

From babysitting to schooling, and homework blues, this experience comes with tons of pleasures and hardships. Amongst the many challenges, helping a child with studies is a BIG TASK for parents/caregivers.

Do you know that Indian parents spend around 12 hours per week assisting their child/children with homework?

Alarming isn’t it?

And more importantly, we are at the top of the list when compared to other countries (refer to the table below).


India	12
Vietnam	10.2
Turkey	8.7
Colombia	8.7
Indonesia	8.6
Uganda	8.1

number of hours per week that parent spend with their child's homework

Homework is a regular task for most parents. And vacation time comes with a separate version i.e. holiday homework.

Let’s delve deeper into this topic and discover if this version of homework is USELESS or BENEFICIAL for our students/children?

What is Holiday Homework?

Schools/institutions assign holiday homework during vacations. These separate tasks/assignments (over and above the regular classwork or everyday homework) are given by teachers to maintain continuity in learning during school breaks.

Mostly, teachers assign creative or hands-on work as holiday homework for class 1 to 5. But at the middle and high school levels, students are given research, Science, craft, or online projects to hone skills like creativity, research, problem-solving, etc.

Why is it essential to get children involved in school assignments during holidays?

It’s time to explore!

Importance of Holiday Homework?

Builds good study habits .

Even a small time devoted to homework for summer vacation helps in cultivating long-term good study habits in students. It adds value to their cognitive capacities. And when handled properly (without too much adult support), it also helps students in the middle and higher grades become more independent learners.

Takes Learning Beyond Classrooms

Both summer and winter holiday homework help students realize the endless possibilities of learning irrespective of boundaries, location, or timetables. When they develop good self-study habits, it also helps them to make a smooth transition to hybrid or 100% online learning (through online schools) easily as per their choice. In other words, holiday homework builds the right mindset required to perform well in any educational setting.

Time Management

While holiday homework for class 1 to 5 promotes skills like creativity in kids, this homework has many more advantages for students in higher grades. They can develop excellent time management skills while planning leisure activities along with summer holiday homework and winter holiday homework.

Now we cannot overrule the importance of holiday homework for students. Because it does help students learn planning skills. And they understand the value of prioritizing tasks in day-to-day life.

As stakeholders, we are always ready to invest our time and effort in our children/students. But isn’t it true that completing holiday homework on time is a daunting task for many of us?

Here’s a plan to get rid of the homework BLUES!

How to Complete Your Homework During the Holidays?

Plan it well.

It is possible to succumb to laziness in the happy vacation time. But again, it doesn’t help!

Plan holiday homework on the first day of the vacation. You can simply set aside some hours of a day (other than holiday homework for class 1 to 5). And keep enough time to pursue hobbies or relaxation. Trust your planning skills and create a practical schedule to avoid a lag with work, this will keep you going in the right momentum.

Be with Study Pals

Holiday homework can be super fun if students collaborate and complete it in groups (or pairs). Look for helping hands only for any logical support. And get buddies on your schedule at home or simply pay them a visit.

Remember! Each day can be productive if we know how to make studies engaging. So make those routine visits worth something during your vacations.

Simple isn’t it?

Start with Complex Assignments/Tasks

If you plan and create a schedule for winter holiday homework and summer holiday homework, it will be easy to set aside leisure time. Start with the most complex assignments initially. Because it will be easy to cover up a bigger chunk later with the easy assignments. And the student will stay motivated to complete the simple ones later.

Say No to Shortcuts

Seeking assistance for holiday homework is a prevalent yet harmful practice. Try to stay away from these malpractices, and plan homework for summer vacation well to complete it on time. As per a leading journal, 90% of students approach homework specialists at the end time. On the other hand, around 60 to 70% of students approach them well in advance. Similarly, it is reported that middle-income families spend Rs. 300-400 on each project given during homework for summer vacation.

approach of students seeking assistance for holiday homework

As parents/stakeholders we must focus on utilizing these opportunities for skill building. But for this, we ourselves need to acknowledge the importance of holiday homework for students before we expect our children to understand it.

It is understandable that many parents find certain homework tasks tedious, time taking, or inappropriate as per their child’s age. However, it is in the best interest of the student, parents and teachers must collaborate on issues like winter holiday homework or summer holiday homework in case of ambiguity/difficulty.

Utilize Educational Apps & Collaborate

You can use online resources too!

One of the hidden benefits of the pandemic was the rise of online learning (online schooling and educational apps). It also started a new trend of using online apps for educational and research purposes.

In interesting study shows that almost 77% of Indian students believed that educational apps were helpful for their homework. 33% found online resources helpful for Maths, 17% for English, and 15% for Science.

percentage of Indian students believed that educational apps were helpful

Some more interesting trends (for homework for summer vacation and winter holiday homework):

Students prefer to collaborate with parents – 58%
Students prefer to collaborate with peers – 67%

These numbers prove that online resources are a great support for holiday homework. However, it is advisable to seek support for research. And completely refrain from malpractices like plagiarizing (copy-pasting), etc.

indian students believed that education apps were useful for the following subject

Quick Tips for Completing Holiday Homework (for Parents)

Always estimate the time you require to complete each assignment/task.
Switch off devices during homework time.
Continue using the study corner as the regular school days to set the right mood.
Use flashcards and sticky notes to remember the day’s assignments.
Do not expect any date extensions, simply focus on deadlines.
Seek help if you need any. But do not encourage over-assistance or allow handing over tasks to others (adults).
Understand the importance of holiday homework for students and reinforce desirable behavior appropriately.

Final Thoughts

We cannot deny the importance of holiday homework. But again, too much work during vacations can certainly kill the student’s drive to learn. Globally, students find holiday homework useless ( 20% to 30% of students felt like this). Hence, there is a need to introspect and revamp our practices to win over the trust of our students and parent community.

Fortunately, this digital age offers great solutions. And top online schools have already created a shift from homework to quality classwork through their well-planned online classes. The best solution is to put our heads together and plan beneficial assignments for vacations, thereby encouraging learning without ruining the joy of happy summers and chilling winters!

Hope we give it serious thought and plan holiday homework in a way that can serve a GREATER PURPOSE!

Thanks for Reading!

Frequently Asked Questions

How to complete the holiday homework on time? Plan a schedule to complete all tasks from complex to easy every day. Spare time for outings aside. And be regular with holiday homework to avoid last-minute rush.
How do I enjoy homework? Make it fun by involving your friends from the neighborhood. Spare some extra time to learn more organizational skills, and apply these to your homework.
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Homework Pass Bundle Full School Year of Passes No Prep Seasons and Holidays

Description

Ultimate Homework Pass Bundle : 19 Unique Holiday and Seasonal Designs with no prep necessary. Make homework passes a delightful treat for your students all year long with our Homework Pass Bundle! This comprehensive set includes 19 unique and creatively designed homework passes, perfect for celebrating various holidays, birthdays, and special occasions throughout the school year.

These passes are versatile for printing on white paper for student customization or on colored paper/card stock for a more vibrant touch. Laminate them for a reusable, eco-friendly option that will last year after year!

What’s Included:

- Birthday Passes: 2 styles to celebrate student birthdays with style.

- Halloween: Spooky-themed pass for a night of trick-or-treating without homework.

- Fall: Embrace the autumn season with a fall-themed pass.

- Winter: Cozy up with a winter-themed pass to lighten the workload.

- Christmas: Festive pass to spread holiday cheer.

- New Year: Start the year fresh with a homework-free day.

- Valentine’s Day: Show some love with a special Valentine’s pass.

- St. Patrick’s Day: A lucky pass for a day off.

- Earth Day: Encourage students to enjoy the great outdoors.

- Spring: Celebrate the season of renewal with a spring-themed pass.

- Other Special Occasions: Unique passes for various other celebrations and achievements throughout the school year.

Product Features:

- 19 Printable PDF Pages: Each page features a unique design tailored to a specific holiday or special occasion.

- Black Ink Designs: Perfect for printing on white paper for student decoration or on colored paper/card stock for added vibrancy.

- Reusable Option: Laminate the passes for repeated use, saving time and resources.

- Versatile Use: Great for individual rewards, classroom management, or special treats for your students.

Bring joy and motivation to your classroom with these fun and festive homework passes that require no prep from you! Perfect for teachers looking to add a little extra magic to their reward system, this bundle is sure to be a hit with your students!

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Homework For Christmas Holidays: The Tips To Get Them Fast
Holiday Homework
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Inspire your class with this KS1 Christmas Holiday Homework Pack, which
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VIDEO

Completing my Holidays Homework making house 🏡#Arpitaglodalstudy
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Home Work 2024 |CLASS-IV MATH Odia medium
Ideas to decorate holidays homework 📚📒😻 #short #ytshorts #art #holidayseason #pageborder
Holidays homework#decoration #ideas

COMMENTS

Holiday vs Holidays: A Grammar Guide
We met Jan and Frank while on holiday last year. Holidays, with an S, is a plural noun that refers to a specific span of celebrated time that's often socially recognized. In terms of celebration, the word holidays usually refers to the Christmas season or all the days celebrated during the month of December, but it could also reference the ...
How to Do Your Homework During the Holidays: 10 Steps
2. Set an alarm. Set an alarm to wake up and give yourself enough time to do your homework, or set a reminder for later in the day if you plan on doing your homework in the afternoon or evening. Make sure you have a reminder to keep you on schedule and motivated.
20 Reasons You Shouldn't Assign Homework Over The Holidays
With recent trends of information overload, packed activity schedules, and childhood obesity, it's no wonder educators are reconsidering their stance on homework. 20 Reasons You Shouldn't Assign Homework Over The Holidays. 1. Students are learning all the time in the 21st century. According to a recent article in MindShift traditional ...
Holiday and holidays
Holiday and holidays - English Grammar Today - a reference to written and spoken English grammar and usage - Cambridge Dictionary
Why You Should Assign Homework Over the Holidays
Therefore, assigning homework over holiday breaks can be a way to help your students sustain the skills you have been working on in class. There are a variety of ways this homework can look. The ...
Commentary: Should holiday homework be banned?
The debate surrounding holiday homework extends beyond the borders of Singapore. In the Philippines, legislative attempts to enforce a weekend homework ban have been ongoing since 2016. In 2021 ...
The Case For And Against Holiday Homework
The Case For Homework Over The Holidays. The pro-homework contingent has done their research (unsurprisingly). Two meta-analyses by Cooper et al (Cooper, 1989a; Cooper, Robinson, & Patall, 2006) examined the causal relationship between homework and student achievement. They concluded that the amount of homework a student completes coincides ...
7 Smart Strategies to Actually Get Homework Done During the Holidays
4. Be Realistic. The holiday season is also a hectic one; unrealistically high expectations for yourself may cause your schoolwork to suffer. Trying to do too much will leave you drained and burnt out. Combat this by asking your family which holiday traditions they treasure the most, and cut out the rest.
Holiday homework: Let us know what you think about it
Some of you will be taking the time to chill out, play with your friends and maybe even go on a holiday with family. But some of you might have some summer holiday homework to complete before you ...
Should Students Have Homework Over Breaks?
Kids Need Rest. Others, however, are quick to point out that today's students are already facing high stress levels, and the last thing they need over the holidays is more assignments. Homework over winter break is unnecessary, says Alfie Kohn, author of The Homework Myth. In fact, kids probably don't need to do homework ever.
The Best Types of Homework to Assign Over the Holidays
2. A Craft Project. One of the most exciting types of homework is the hands-on craft project that lets students get messy and use their creativity. If you've recently finished studying a specific ...
Why We Should Give Students a Homework Break Over the Holidays
Taking the stress of homework out of my students' holiday breaks is important. They deserve an opportunity to relax and rejuvenate as much as I do—particularly if they are overscheduled to ...
Learning with Fun: how to enjoy Holiday homeworks
Rule #2: keep it short. Holiday homework has the purpose to practice - or extend - those concepts learned at school during the school year. The duration of homework per day depends on the purpose. The National PTA (Parents Teacher Association, U.S.A.) recommends 10-20 minutes of homework in the 1st grade, arriving to 120 minutes of homework ...
Pros and cons of holiday homework
Cons of holiday homework: 1. Causes unnecessary stress. Students are often given lots of assignments and homework so it gets hard to cope with the pressure. The word homework or assignments can instill a sense of dread in students. When the workload and deadlines are at large, homework can cause students to feel stressed and anxious all the ...
6 Creative Assignment Ideas to Make Your Students' Holiday Homework Fun
Assignment 4: For the Crafty Ones. Assignment 5: For the Volunteer Wonders. Assignment 6. For the Budding Philosophers. The term 'holiday homework' raises a collective groan when you mention it in class. The last thing your students want to do during their holidays is spending more time with their noses buried in textbooks.
PDF Class:-6th Smmer acaion HolidayS' Home -work General Instructions
Holiday homework has to be done under the parental guidance. Kindly complete and send the homework in a paper bag on the first day after the summer break. Make your ward read resource books. Make your ward learn and remember his/her parents mobile /landline number, house address etc, to make him/her independent and secure.
Smart strategies to complete your holiday homework
1. Setting a schedule. Summer holidays are an ideal time to sit back, relax and have fun. It is a great time for students to take a break from their studies but due to this very reason, many students choose to ignore their holiday homework, leaving piles of assignments undone and later regretting it.
PDF Holiday Homework Activities
DAY HOMEWORK ACTIVITIES HO. HOLIDAY HOMEWORK CLASS : 1. EVS. ur EVS notebookMATHEMATICSMake a number tree ( numbers 1 to 9) with ch. HOMEWORK CLASS : 2ENGLISHMake at least ten words from the given words - GRANDPARENTS , ENCYCLOPAEDIA. do it in an A4 sheet and write 3 sentence. every day in a rough book. (Tr.
Holiday Homework
For more information please contact: +44 (0)2074128988. [email protected]. williamclarence.com. At William Clarence Education, we're big supporters of homework - particularly when it comes to the holiday season. Here's why.
PDF HOLIDAY HOMEWORK 2020-21 CLASS: VI Project files/Digital form
work of all subjects to be done in Project files/Digital form Students are instructed to do all the questions given a. you will be allotted internal assessment marks for the same. To upload the Holiday Homework, make different folders for each subject on your Google drive. For eg: put Engli. h homework in English folder, and other subject ...
Does Homework Really Help?
Both summer and winter holiday homework help students realize the endless possibilities of learning irrespective of boundaries, location, or timetables. When they develop good self-study habits, it also helps them to make a smooth transition to hybrid or 100% online learning (through online schools) easily as per their choice.
Is it holidays homework or holidays' homework
Is it holidays homework or holidays' homework - 12287272. punyahanda punyahanda 09.09.2019 English Secondary School answered ... both answers are correct . Advertisement Advertisement New questions in English. Eassy on real school vs virtyal
Homework Pass Bundle Full School Year of Passes No Prep Seasons ...
Ultimate Homework Pass Bundle: 19 Unique Holiday and Seasonal Designs with no prep necessary.Make homework passes a delightful treat for your students all year long with our Homework Pass Bundle! This comprehensive set includes 19 unique and creatively designed homework passes, perfect for celebrating various holidays, birthdays, and special occasions throughout the school year.