Should I Stop Assigning Homework? - Jessica Lahey. What if my students think my class is too easy?
And how will we ever get through A Tale of Two Cities? I have written in the past about my hatred of homework from the perspective of both a teacher and a parent, so when I heard about a teacher who had ditched the practice of assigning homework altogether, I was intrigued and skeptical. Former teacher Mark Barnes wrote in a post called “Homework: It fails our students and undermines American education”: Students often ask me why I don’t assign homework. “I don’t believe in it,” I quickly respond. While I’ve read the research, and I know that there’s little academic benefit to homework before middle school, and even then, the benefit is limited, I’ve continued to assign homework all these years for a couple of reasons. Fact. The Truth About Homework. September 6, 2006 The Truth About Homework Needless Assignments Persist Because of Widespread Misconceptions About Learning By Alfie Kohn Para leer este artículo en Español, haga clic aquí.
There’s something perversely fascinating about educational policies that are clearly at odds with the available data. The dimensions of that last disparity weren’t clear to me until I began sifting through the research for a new book. In high school, some studies do find a correlation between homework and test scores (or grades), but it’s usually fairly small and it has a tendency to disappear when more sophisticated statistical controls are applied. The results of national and international exams raise further doubts. Finally, there isn’t a shred of evidence to support the widely accepted assumption that homework yields nonacademic benefits for students of any age.
Sandra Hofferth of the University of Maryland, one of the authors of that study, has just released an update based on 2002 data. Homework on shoulders. Kid overwhelmed by homework. Study Finds Too Much Homework Bad for Students. November 16, 2012 When it comes to kids and homework, more isn't necessarily better, according to a new study out of the University of Virginia. 'When Is Homework Worth the Time' looks at student achievements in comparison to time spent on homework.
Researchers said the findings were surprising. "The more time students spend on homework, it's not clear that they are getting better grades or better test scores," said Robert Tai, an associate professor with the Curry School of Education at UVa. Tai and two co-authors looked at transcripts and data for more than 18,000 tenth grade students nationwide. "What we are concerned with is that homework is just being assigned rather than being used to integrate what's going on in the classroom," said Tai. The study isn't suggesting all homework is bad, especially when it comes to math. Tai says the study is a wake up call for educators. The study points to factors like class participation and attendance as better indicators of students performance. Connect with nature.
The Case Against Homework. More than ever, it seems as though being a modern parent means wrestling with thorny social, tech and school issues.
For instance, should kids be saddled with hours of after-school assignments? That depends on your point of view, and we want to know yours. iStockphoto When kids are younger, homework is rarely an issue—a worksheet or two, spelling lists, 20 minutes of reading. In other words, nothing too taxing. According to education expert Alfie Kohn, they should. —The editors The Case Against Homework By Alfie Kohn After spending all day in school, our children are forced to begin a second shift, with more academic assignments to be completed at home. Instead of assuming that homework should be a given, or that it allegedly benefits children, I've spent the last few years reviewing the available research and talking to parents, teachers and students.
The pain is obvious to kids but isn't always taken seriously by adults. We parents, meanwhile, turn into nags. Do you agree or disagree? Ten Reasons to Get Rid of Homework (and Five Alternatives) 1. Young Children Are Busy: If a child cannot learn what needs to be learned in a six hour day, we are expecting too much of a child. We are creating a jam-packed hurried day without a chance to play, reflect and interact. Adding hours to an already busy day is absurd. 2.
Older Children Are Even More Busy: So if younger students need a chance to play, the reality is that many older students are busy with extracurricular activities, 3. 4. 5. Too much testing, Rethinking Homework. January/February 2007 Rethinking Homework By Alfie Kohn After spending most of the day in school, children are typically given additional assignments to be completed at home.
This is a rather curious fact when you stop to think about it, but not as curious as the fact that few people ever stop to think about it. It becomes even more curious, for that matter, in light of three other facts: 1. 2. 3. It’s not as though most teachers decide now and then that a certain lesson really ought to continue after school is over because meaningful learning is so likely to result from such an assignment that it warrants the intrusion on family time. I’ve heard from countless people across the country about the frustration they feel over homework. What parents and teachers need is support from administrators who are willing to challenge the conventional wisdom. So what’s a thoughtful principal to do? Homework Lady.