Reading for pleasure is a better lifelong habit than homework.
This country is fed up with excessive homework. I know, because every day people stumble on my blog by typing in google searches such as "why there should be no homework" and "are there teachers who disagree with homework?"
Some of the searches make my heart cry:
- My 9 year old grandson did four hours of homework last night
- Homework is killing our family
- Why do kids have homework when they are already in school for 7 hours?
- Third grade homework is painful
- Write a letter to principal requesting less homework
- Homework takes time away from family time
- I don’t sleep enough because of homework
- Junior year homework son crying
I've written about our family's "no homework" stance for elementary school. How hard it is to buck the system, and how important it is for the sake of true education, our children and our families.
So when should homework begin? Should we have homework at all? Here's my answer:
- Preschool - Early childhood = NONE
- Elementary School = NONE
- Middle School = Some "practice" homework in 7th and 8th grade
- High School = Homework, but not daily in all subjects
I do think a healthy homework substitute is asking kids to read on their own. This is best after children are already fluent readers (sometime in 1st-3rd grade) so reading time is a joyful routine, not 'painful.'
I also like the idea of "homework for parents" to help bridge the gap between school and home learning. One good assignment for parents is to read a bedtime story to their kids every night (yes, even into older grades). The other is simply a chance to talk together about what kids are learning in school. (Be careful this remains a give-and-take and doesn't turn into Interrogation Time.) Simply find a regular time when you ask questions and show interest. This naturally leads to conversations and ideas for deeper engagement. "Oh? You're studying reptiles? Let's go to the zoo this weekend and visit the reptile house." Or "You're moving into Civil Rights? Let me tell you the story of your Uncle Harry...."
My stance is that homework becomes important in high school simply because there are so many in-depth subjects to cover and not enough time in school periods for deep reflection (ex: a thoughtful essay) or practicing complex concepts (ex: advanced algebra, calculus). However, as any parent of a high schooler knows, high schoolers are super busy. Early school start times, after school sports, clubs, drama, music, etc., jobs, family responsibilities and teen social life. Even high school homework needs to be coordinated among teachers and not become excessive.
Middle school is a tender, in-between time. Kids this age can do so much, but they're often grappling with social pressure and the complex task of growing up. This takes a lot of emotional energy. There's no need for homework in 6th grade. During 7th and 8th grade it's healthy to add occasional home assignments mainly so kids can get used to planning and time management, figuring out their personal homework routines, remembering assignments and working independently. These skills will be needed in full force in high school, so middle school homework should be considered a training ground.
No matter when homework comes, homework should be 100% the child's responsibility. No parent signatures. No required parent involvement. No parent nagging or reminding. This doesn't mean there shouldn't be family courtesy - "Do you have a busy night tonight?" or "We're going to Aunt Hilda's this weekend - what do you need to get done?" It also doesn't mean parents or siblings can't help out. "I see you're looking frustrated with those spelling words. Would it help if I read them out loud with you?" That's called engagement.
Families teach in every interaction. How to care for each other and be part of a healthy family. How to care about education and the world around us. How to take responsibility. How to do our best and seek challenges. How to love learning.
Homework sometimes clouds the issue, but we need to keep clear in our minds -- and remind teachers and school administrators -- that there are all kinds of learning. Families need family time to teach kids to wash the dishes, sweep the floor, help their siblings, exercise outside, make music/art/other creation and cuddle together with a good book. School assignments shouldn't shoulder out other types of learning. And they shouldn't shoulder out good sleep. Sleep deprivation hurts kids much more than homework ever helps them.
Our job is to grow our kids. Grow them into who they are. Sometimes that means keeping homework at bay.
What age do YOU think homework is healthy to start? Should there be homework at all? What types of learning "needs" be done at home that can't fit into the school day?
Ready to learn more about homework and ideas for reducing it and opting out? Heather Shumaker's new book "It's OK to Go Up the Slide" devotes multiple chapters to homework. Pick up a copy to find a healthy alternative.
I don't believe in homework really ever. There is simply not enough time in the day. It's not necessary. The few worksheets sent home aren't going to make learning happen anytime sooner. Kids spend 7 hours a day in school being told what to do by adults. For those of us who work, our kids spend another couple of hours in afterschool, again being told what to do by adults. What precious little time there is at home needs to be kids figuring out what they want to do and spend time on the things that they choose. Developing there own interests.
Yes, sleep is the most important thing kids need to learn. Young kids under the age of 10, need between 10-11 hours of sleep a night. I plan on telling my son's teacher every year, that sleep is a priority over any project or assignment.
I hear you! Bravo - keep spreading the word. Your point about after school "extended day" programs is good - so many, many kids are in LOONNGGG days, starting at 6am with before school care and going to 6pm with extended day until their parents can pick them up. This is a grueling schedule for anyone, and kids need to collapse when they get home.
And SLEEP. Our nation is a sleep-deprived nation. Love your priorities - sleep over assignments! Sleep is what gives kids good learning, memory and focus.
I just read "One World Schoolhouse" by Sal Khan (of Khan Academy), and he had an interesting section about his experience at MIT: basically, he stopped going to lectures and instead simply worked on the problem sets or reading or writing or whatever it was during the "school day"--this enabled him to take twice as many classes because he wasn't spending so much time in passive mode.
His point was that people learn when they are engaged, and what I'm starting to see with my 8th grader is more lecture-type classes (which rarely engage him) and then the problems or writing or other assignments are supposed to be done outside of school hours. Which makes no sense, because wouldn't it be better to be doing the actual work when the teacher is there to help?
That's where the concept of "flipping the classroom" is gaining a lot of attention: Assign the video lectures (not too long, though) as homework (if you must have homework), and then use school time to actually do the work. The teacher is freed to help students as they need it, instead of us poor parents struggling to remember how to calculate the slope of a line and put it into y= mx+ b format...
Love these new ideas about schooling. I was one who always fell asleep during lectures. With the prevalence of videos these days to teach all sorts of things, this makes a lot of sense.
Heather - I love your ideas about engagement. Fantastic post - thank you!
Thanks - yes, engagement is a struggle for teachers who really want to connect with parents. I think 'homework for parents' actually bridges that gap better than homework for kids.
I was a preschool and then a first-grade teacher for many years. Now my own son is in preschool. His teacher very occasionally (like maybe three times a year) sends home an assignment like the one we did last week, where each child made a scrapbook page about themselves and took it to school to make a class book. I think "homework" like this helps bridge the gap between home and school, and it was a fun project my son did almost entirely himself. This is the kind of occasional homework I liked when I taught as well, and there was never a penalty if a child did not complete it. I do not like worksheets for homework, and I think the point I'd stress is that it should be occasional - not every day or even every week. I love your idea for assignments for parents. As a teacher, parents used to ask me what they could do to reinforce their first-grader's learning at home. I'd say, "read to them. Read to them a lot." Most parents would blink and stammer on with, "well yeah, but what else?" I totally agree that kids spend seven hours in school a day, which is too long for elementary school, in my opinion. They don't need to be doing school at home, too.
"Read to them a lot." Bravo! I like your comments about occasional projects, too. When things are occasional, it can make it a fun project. Thanks for writing.
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I am a K-2 teacher and mom of rising 1st and 5th graders. I couldn't agree more with your post! I think it would be better for teachers to think of discussion topics for parents and children. The next day, IN SCHOOL, a quick journaling or wikki post could summarize what they all discovered. It engages parents with their children while still allowing kids to be kids and play outside or enjoy activities they want to pursue afterschool such as art, music, dance, gymnastics, or just downtime.
Discussion topics - love it. So many healthier ways to engage parents and children with school learning than the typical homework assignments.
I am a second grade teacher with a 2nd grade child myself so I can see things from both sides. I taken in all these comments from both teachers and parents. I am coming to the understanding that tasks/assignments one per school term would be the best way to go. These tasks/assignments also need to tap into all the ways children learn and not just the numeracy/literacy type work sheets that you often see.
Home life is stressful enough without adding more battlegrounds by having more school work to do. I think activities such as those mentioned above where the parent gets to know what the children are learning about in that term are worthwhile. I used to think work sheets every week would help the children bridge the gap for what they dont know....but I have totally changed my view now.
I love hearing from teachers who are also parents. So glad you had the perception and courage to change your view. Once a term? That sounds like a doable schedule. The kids in your class are lucky to have you.