Here is a table of contents page for my blog posts on changing homework. To be clear, I have major modifications around the traditional concept of homework.
Firstly, we need to change the homework default. This means instead of mandating homework will be assigned, regardless of whether it need be, we would only ask children to go home and work a second shift when we had something worthy for them to do.
Secondly, homework is not something to assign, rather it is something to inspire. Where there's interest, achievement follows. Traditional homework has exactly the opposite effect on children's love for learning. In fact, I can think of no better sabateur of passion for learning than homework.
Here are my blog posts that feature homework:
Homework's misinformation campaign - a guest post by Alfie Kohn
Mission Impossible Theory of Homework: Your homework, if you choose to accept it...
Does Homework Improve Learning? - a careful examination of the data raises serious doubts about whether meaningful learning is enhanced by homework for most students.
The homework monster - The next time a proponent of homework says that they have to assign homework because they simply do not have time to cover all of the curriculum, ask them how much time would be sufficient.
Proponents of Homework Argue - There's not a shred of evidence to support the non-academic benefits of homework.
The Case Against Homework - This is from an 1860 edition of Scientific American
The Homework Revolution - a fantastic article by Susan Ohanian.
Homework's 10 Minute Rule - I can't help but feel like this is a relic of the factory model of education where kids are sorted based on their date of manufacture and are seen as vending machines where we must simply insert the mandated homework time and learning will spew out of them.
The Destructive Forces of Homework - Homework may be the single most destructive force on a student's attitude towards learning.
The Myth of Non-Academic Benefits of Homework - That homework has any non-academic benefits is a myth.
Homeworkaholism - Too often teachers make students who don't do their homework feel inadequate for "merely" working reasonable hours during the day.
to reinforce or not to reinforce - Like the pursuit of perfection, the pursuit of automacity is likely to paralyze rather than energize - and in the end sabatoge learning.
The perils of automacity - When we are no longer mindful and we do things with barely a thought, we sever ourselves from further gains and sabotage our potential in favor of a comfortable plateau.
Constance Kamii on math Homework - Constance Kamii has devoted her career to explaining - and proving - the value of teaching math for understanding.
Efficiency gone wrong - We will never see things for what they might be if we are riveted to seeing things only as they are now.
Mindful Learning - Ironically, experience can encourage us to fall into a kind of mindless automacity that we must resist if we wish to be life-long learners.
Blaming the kids - there comes a time when we have to stop blaming our clients and we need to reflect upon our own practices.
Time on Task = Better Learning = Fallacy - Time on task is necessary but hardly sufficient.
The Homework Trap - Here are three adjustments that are crucial for kids who are caught in the homework-trap.
Firstly, we need to change the homework default. This means instead of mandating homework will be assigned, regardless of whether it need be, we would only ask children to go home and work a second shift when we had something worthy for them to do.
Secondly, homework is not something to assign, rather it is something to inspire. Where there's interest, achievement follows. Traditional homework has exactly the opposite effect on children's love for learning. In fact, I can think of no better sabateur of passion for learning than homework.
Here are my blog posts that feature homework:
Homework's misinformation campaign - a guest post by Alfie Kohn
Mission Impossible Theory of Homework: Your homework, if you choose to accept it...
Does Homework Improve Learning? - a careful examination of the data raises serious doubts about whether meaningful learning is enhanced by homework for most students.
The homework monster - The next time a proponent of homework says that they have to assign homework because they simply do not have time to cover all of the curriculum, ask them how much time would be sufficient.
Proponents of Homework Argue - There's not a shred of evidence to support the non-academic benefits of homework.
The Case Against Homework - This is from an 1860 edition of Scientific American
The Homework Revolution - a fantastic article by Susan Ohanian.
Homework's 10 Minute Rule - I can't help but feel like this is a relic of the factory model of education where kids are sorted based on their date of manufacture and are seen as vending machines where we must simply insert the mandated homework time and learning will spew out of them.
The Destructive Forces of Homework - Homework may be the single most destructive force on a student's attitude towards learning.
The Myth of Non-Academic Benefits of Homework - That homework has any non-academic benefits is a myth.
Homeworkaholism - Too often teachers make students who don't do their homework feel inadequate for "merely" working reasonable hours during the day.
to reinforce or not to reinforce - Like the pursuit of perfection, the pursuit of automacity is likely to paralyze rather than energize - and in the end sabatoge learning.
The perils of automacity - When we are no longer mindful and we do things with barely a thought, we sever ourselves from further gains and sabotage our potential in favor of a comfortable plateau.
Constance Kamii on math Homework - Constance Kamii has devoted her career to explaining - and proving - the value of teaching math for understanding.
Efficiency gone wrong - We will never see things for what they might be if we are riveted to seeing things only as they are now.
Mindful Learning - Ironically, experience can encourage us to fall into a kind of mindless automacity that we must resist if we wish to be life-long learners.
Blaming the kids - there comes a time when we have to stop blaming our clients and we need to reflect upon our own practices.
Time on Task = Better Learning = Fallacy - Time on task is necessary but hardly sufficient.
The Homework Trap - Here are three adjustments that are crucial for kids who are caught in the homework-trap.