1. Introduction

Recent studies reveals that behaviors on homework represent the students’ motivation, expectancy, efforts and responsibility (Eccles, 1983; Hong & Milgram, 2000; Zimmerman & Kitsantas, 2005; Warton, 1997).

Given that the behavior of homework assigned is a signal for the behavior of efforts to cope with the socioeconomic situation of schools and families (Trautwein & Lüdtke, 2007), it is needed to explore for how the students and parents coping with the disadvantaged situation of schooling and family.

1.1 Measurement of time on Homework behavior

Homework can be defined as the tasks assigned to students by school teachers that are meant to be performed during nonschool hours (Cooper, 1989, p.7).

1.2 Interaction between situation and behavior of homework assigned

1.2.1 Parents’ behavior of homework assigned and the situation of school and family

School context and parents involvement. Parents appears to vary on involvement in the homework according to the school context characteristics (Kerbow & Bernhardt, 1993).

Parents’ SES and parents involvement. Previous studies reveals that parents in poorer families give less support for the development of their children’s autonomy and report more interference to the children (Cooper, Lindsay & Nye, 2000).

1.2.2 Students’ behavior of homework and situation of school, family and parents’ behavior

School context and students’ homework. Special characteristics of the schools seems to be important for the students behavior of homework (Lee & Bryk, 1989).

Parents’ SES and students’ behavior. Parents’ socioeconomic status influences students’ behavior of engagement in homework of school (Chiu & Zeng, 2008).

Parents’ involvement and students’ behavior. The studies on relationship between students, parents and teachers attitude toward homework show that there are positive correlations between parents and students attitudes (Cooper, Lindsay & Greathouse, 1998).

1.3 Relations between situation, behavior of homework and academic achievement

The socioeconomic of family and school have an impact on the students’ achievement (Sirin, 2005; White, 1982). These influences seems to vary during the last several decades because of the equality movement for different countries.

1.3.1 Relations between situation, parents’ behavior and students’ achievement

The positive relationship between parents’ involvement in their children’s homework and children’ s academic success also have been demonstrated for a long time (Fan & Chen, 2001; Hoover-Dempsey, Battiato, Walker, Reed, DeJong & Jones, 2001).

1.3.2 Relations between situation, students’ behavior and their academic achievement

The associations of students’ attitude, amount of homework and completed behavior to the achievement are found more or less in different grades (Cooper, Lindsay, Nye & Greathouse, 1998).

1.4 Research questions          

            This study aims to explore the following two questions:

            Firstly, how did the students and their parents make efforts to compensatory for the disadvantaged situation of the students, families and schools?

            How do the students assign homework for themselves according to the school level, parents’ job level and parents’ behavior on their homework?

            How do the parents assign homework for their children according to the situation of school level and family job level?

            Secondly, does these compensator behaviors improve the mathematics achievement or not?

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