Changzhou Boai Primary School recently issued a notice announcing that in order to ensure students have sufficient rest time, the school will strictly control the total amount of homework and time in the spring semester, and activate the "9 o'clock circuit breaker mechanism", that is, take measures to stop homework unconditionally after 9 o'clock in the evening. There is no need to make up the next day if the homework is not completed.
It is understood that in recent years, schools in many places have been trying to implement a homework "fuse mechanism".
As far as the current homework situation of primary and secondary school students in various places is concerned, the "9-point circuit breaker mechanism" can also be regarded as an active measure that can reduce the burden on students and parents.
However, according to the relevant requirements of the Ministry of Education, we will find that the "circuit breaker mechanism" actually has some compromise elements in it.
The "Notice on Strengthening Homework Management in Compulsory Education Schools" issued by the Ministry of Education in 2021 clearly requires that schools should ensure that the first and second grades of primary schools do not assign written homework, and that the average daily completion time for other grades does not exceed 60 minutes. The average completion time does not exceed 90 minutes, and the total amount of written homework time should also be controlled on weekends, winter and summer vacations, and statutory holidays.
If these principles can be fully implemented, why is there such a thing as a "9-point circuit breaker"?
Since last year, primary and secondary schools across the country have launched "after-school services" or "delayed services". Most of them leave school at around 6 pm. Excluding travel and meal time, there is still enough time to do homework by 9 pm.
What's more, some schools' "after-school services" do not fully arrange students to participate in extracurricular interest activities, and also leave a lot of time for students to do their homework.
Students spend enough time in school throughout the day, theoretically more than enough to complete their homework.
That being the case, the existence of the "fuse mechanism" may reflect some other problems.
The school that proposed the homework "9-point circuit breaker mechanism" said that this is to allow teachers to improve classroom efficiency and allow problems to be solved in class.
If the student's homework may still be written until 9 o'clock, and it is not an isolated phenomenon, it can only mean that there is still a bit too much homework.
This obviously does not meet the requirements of reducing students' academic burden, and also violates the spirit of "double reduction" proposed by the Ministry of Education.
Whether the homework is "fuse" or not depends mainly on the parents. If the parents are worried that their children will fall behind in their studies and do not agree to the "fuse", conflicts between students and parents will easily arise.
In my opinion, the so-called "9-point circuit breaker mechanism" for homework actually has a limited effect on "lightening" the coursework.
The 9 o'clock break is basically the starting point for primary school students to sleep for 10 hours. It can't be later. If there are so many homework that need to be "circuit breaker", the school may have to reflect on its teaching policy.
What's more, can students who have not completed their homework really sleep well?
Will this affect the students' subsequent classroom learning?
The heavy schoolwork burden affects the sleep time of primary and middle school students and takes up too much time for students. Many students have almost no independent time outside of class. It is simply a luxury to go outdoors and look far away. Even letting one's brain freely fantasize itself has become a dream. .
This is not a healthy life, nor is it an ideal way for minors to grow up.
The key to reducing the burden is to truly follow the scientific laws of education, eliminate mechanically repetitive and invalid homework, and make students' homework more targeted instead of becoming an indiscriminate burden.
The school should also establish a scientific teacher teaching and student academic evaluation system, and further create free and innovative learning and living space for students, so that students can have a broader vision, so that their bodies and minds can grow comfortably.
Source of Ma Changjun: China Youth Daily