Homework in K-12 Education

Homework Is it good or bad? Are we assigning too much? Why are we assigning it at all?

Homework History of Homework The “Pro” side The “Con” side What we can expect and do as future teachers

Homework Definition: tasks assigned to students by school teachers that are intended to be carried out during non-school hours

History of Homework Cycles of good and bad feelings about homework

1800s Only high school Non-compulsory attendance past age 14 Only best students of the well-off attended high school

1890s- 1940s Progressive movement Homework = evil Most protests for homework in grades 5 through 8 Still non existent K-4 OK for high school

1950s and 1960s Death of progressive movement Birth of the space race Homework as national defense policy

1970s 1968-1972 Change and challenge to political authority Shift from homework is best to how to keep kids in school and behaving

1980s Beginning of strong international competition Publishing of A Nation at Risk (1983) Schools go back to basics Department of Education releases homework guidelines

1990s - Today Exponential increases in homework 1981, 1997 and 2004 studies Grades 3-6 spend 50 – 75 minutes on homework each night by 1997 Any given day 58% of K-3 have homework in 1997, up from 31% in ‘81

1990s - Today 2004 Michigan study shows amount of time spent on homework is up 51% since 1981 (across all grades)

Examples of What is Out There Ritenour School District Elementary Middle School High School

Pro-Homework Side Beneficial Academic Character Building

Academic supplement in-school academics impact on test scores increased student achievement

Character Building Heightened study skills Time management skills

Anti-Homework Side Time factors Student achievement? Reinforce Economic and Social Inequities Goal: HW should be something done occasionally when outside-of-school learning expands on the classroom topic

Time Consuming Extracurricular activities Family Time or Family Stress Working OT

Extracurriculars Music lessons Dance class Sports teams Social and psycho-motor skills

Family Time Takes away from quality family time Parents nagging Students biggest cause of stress

Working OT School as student’s job American Educational Research Association report " Whenever homework crowds out social experience, outdoor recreation, and creative activities, and whenever it usurps time that should be devoted to sleep, it is not meeting the basic needs of children and adolescents."

Student Achievement No link between HW and student achievement until high school HW as school reform on the cheap Change focus to instructional quality and equity of access Diminishing returns

Habit? Universal practice Perpetuating a belief, myth Predetermined benefit without thought of how, when, why used

Character building Work ethic? No study confirmed link between HW and its supposed social benefits Can be taught at home in different ways

The Joy of Learning Worst part of too much homework Too much, too soon leads to loss of love in learning Reading example

International Competition Penn State and Mizzou joint research 8 th graders and math scores Japan, Czech Republic and Denmark

Reinforcing Economic and Social Inequities family responsibilities (e.g. job) parents work nights no educational resources at home well-educated parents computer at home access to databases STUDENT#2 STUDENT#1

Role of the Teacher What you will hear: too much too little too long too short too hard too easy too ambiguous

The Teacher’s Role Ill-informed are ones demanding more beholden to old ways really wanting reassurance that something is happening in your classroom

The Teacher’s Role How to grade? Grade for completion Grade for right/wrong answers Issues related to these

The Teacher’s Role Zeroes—yes or no? Columbia ZAP program

Zero-Homework Policies Alfie Kohn thinks it should be the default Phil Lyons in Palo Alto Bellwether School (Vermont)

10-Minute Rule of Thumb Elementary Middle School High School

Designing Homework First Thought: Is this truly something that should be done at home versus at school?

Designing Homework What is the purpose? Instructional Communication Political

Designing Homework High Quality Reinforces, not a new skill Adjust to abilities and rates of learning Let students have say in some aspects of the homework Consider flexible deadlines Age appropriate?

Communication with Parents Explain district policy Explain own policy Explain how they coincide/overlap

Projects Communicate details of big projects near beginning of term, school year Break down into manageable pieces Allows preparation

Natural vs Un-Natural Homework Elementary Free choice reading, with progress chart Replicating a science experiment TIPS Methodology

TIPS methodology Interactive Promotes family conversations Involved without having to teach/tutor Averages example

Natural vs Un-Natural Homework Middle School Free choice reading Family history interviews Organizing materials for future projects

Natural vs Un-Natural Homework High School: more independent and involved Research Preparatory readings Project work

Summary No correlation between effectiveness of teacher and amount of HW assigned Great teachers will have some days of HW and some days off Not a prescribed idea

Further Readings Kohn, Alfie The Homework Myth: Why Our Kids Get Too Much of a Bad Thing (Da Capo: 2006) Bennett, Sara and Nancy Kalish The Case Against Homework: How Homework is Hurting Our Children and What We Can Do About It . (Crown: 2006) Theory into Practice Summer 2004

Sources Baker, David P. and Gerald K. LeTendre. "Too Much Homework Can Be Counterproductive." Penn State News 31 May 2005: 3. Bennett, Sara. "Homework Does Not = A's." USA Today 3 July 2006, National Edition: A8. Corno, Lyn and Xu, Jianzhong. "Homework as the Job of Childhood." Theory Into Practice 43.3 (2004): 227-233. Coutts, Pamela M. "Meanings of Homework and Implications for Practice." Theory Into Practice 43.3 (2004): 182-188. Gill, Brian P. and Steven L. Schlossman. "Villain or Savior?: The American Discourse on Homework, 1850-2003." Theory Into Practice 43.3 (2004): 174-181. Haddock, Vicki. "After Years of Piling It On, There's a New Movement To…Abolish Homework." San Francisco Chronicle 8 Oct 2006, Final Edition: F1. "The Homework Hubbub." Weekly Reader News 88.8 (2006): 3-3. Kohn, Alfie. "Down With Homework." Instructor 116.2 (2006): 43-68. Kohn, Alfie. The Homework Myth: Why our Kids Get Too Much of a Bad Thing . New York: Da Capo, 2006. Kohn, Alfie. "Kids May be Right After All: Homework Stinks." USA Today 14 Sept 2006, National Edition: A13 Lacina-Gifford, Lorna J., and Russell B. Gifford. "Putting an End to the Battle Over Homework." Education 125.2 (2004): 279-281. Nyhan, Paul. "Parents, Authors and Even Some Teachers Rebel Against Homework." Seattle Post-Intelligencer 3 October 2006, Final Edition: A1. Stokes, Sutton R. "Closing the Book on Homework: Enhancing Public Education and Freeing Family Time." Radical Teacher 75 (2006): 38-39. Van Voorhis, Frances L. "Reflecting on the Homework Ritual: Assignment and Designs." Theory Into Practice 43.3 (2004): 205-212. Wallis, Claudia. "The Myth About Homework." Time 4 Sept 2006: 59. Wascoe, Dan. "Setting Time for Learning." Minneapolis Star Tribune 16 Oct 2006, Metro Edition: B1.

Homework in K-12 Education

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