Why Some Schools Drop Homework
The Florida superintendent became a children’s hero when she recently announced a new policy of no homework all year round. (The sound you hear is the collective ” Yes! “)
Heidi Mayer, head of the 42,000-student Marion County School District in Florida, decided to make this change to elementary grades because of science. A meta-analysis of research on this subject has shown that homework in primary school is not conducive to academic performance and results in only a small improvement in older students. So aside from occasional book reports and science fair projects, these younger kids won’t have to do anything. Instead, they will be encouraged to read 20 minutes or more with their family each night and do other activities. Maybe we can play outside? Build a robot? Write a story? Throw a dance party in the kitchen? Listen to podcasts for kids ? Learn to get bored ?
Since other schools across the country are adopting a similar homework-free policy, not all parents are thrilled. The New York Times reported that when a school in the Chelsea area of Manhattan banned compulsory traditional homework for children up to fourth grade, a “war” broke out between the parents. Some critics of the new policy have called it “economically and racially insensitive,” believing that only families with the time and money can support their own enrichment activities, thereby widening the academic gap.
However, one of the biggest complaints about homework was that there were a hell of a lot of them. A study published in The American Journal of Family Therapy found that elementary school students receive three times as much homework as recommended , highlighting the correlation between a child’s homework and family stress. It is a source of constant strife and fear. Children go to bed later . Parents are unlikely to be willing to help their kids with Common Core math , which may seem as foreign to adults as advanced calculus. And teachers complain that with all the tasks they need to set, they don’t have time to prepare lessons.
If you think your child is overworking at home, talk to their teacher . It is best to have a face-to-face conversation, and be sure to share specific concerns (“Bradley often spends 30 minutes on each worksheet and ends up crying”) and suggests solutions (“Can we have a family read for 30 minutes a couple of times a week?” ). Also check out the National PTA’s 10 Minute Rule . The organization advises: “Homework that cannot be completed without help is not good homework.”