Author Archives: Sara Bennett

Lectures for Thought

Recently, I’ve been watching the lectures posted on ted.com. TED, which stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design, is an annual conference that brings “together the world’s most fascinating thinkers and doers, who are challenged to give the talk of their lives (in 18 minutes).” The one by Jill Bolte Taylor, a brain researcher who watched herContinue reading “Lectures for Thought”

“Reading First” Puts Reading Last

One of my favorite education bloggers, Donalyn Miller, has a recent post on the problems with the Reading First Program. In case you don’t make it all the way through this post, this is her conclusion: “We don’t need another reading program; we need to go back to the first reading program—connecting children with books.Continue reading ““Reading First” Puts Reading Last”

Teacher says “No” to Homework

I really liked this comment posted by a teacher in response to my blog entry, Middle School Teacher Says There’s Plenty of Time For Homework. As both a parent and a teacher, what bothers me most is the middle school teacher’s claim that parents who schedule after school activities are saying “athletic achievement and ‘well-roundedness’Continue reading “Teacher says “No” to Homework”

Media Focuses on High School Stress

Both the Wall Street Journal and The New York Times ran articles this weekend on the amount of stress faced by high schoolers. The Wall Street Journal reported that 11th grade has become a nightmare year for students hoping to go to elite colleges. As to the homework of one 11th grader, it wrote: “AsContinue reading “Media Focuses on High School Stress”

A Seventh-Grader’s Views: Homework Indirectly Ruins my Life

A 7th grader from Virginia wrote to me: Hello, my name is Chris and I’m in the 7th grade. I currently attend an IB (International Baccalaureate) World School (also known as a “smart kids school”). I enjoy the aggressive strategy of education IB schools have, and also like the curriculum of my county and state.Continue reading “A Seventh-Grader’s Views: Homework Indirectly Ruins my Life”

From my Mailbox: A Parent’s Concern with Mandated Reading Program

A parent of a middle schooler in Massachusetts, wrote to me to tell me her concerns with Renaissance Learning’s Accelerated Reader program. Her local middle school uses AR to quiz students on their independent reading. Students are only rarely allowed to bring their own books in to read silently in school. Moreover, students are givenContinue reading “From my Mailbox: A Parent’s Concern with Mandated Reading Program”

Guest Blogger: Even More From FedUp Mom

Today’s guest blogger is “FedUpMom”, the mother of a 10-year-old who attends a public school in the suburbs of Philadelphia. This is FedUpMom’s third post; you can read her other entries here and here. How we left the public schools by FedUp Mom As her 5th grade year began, I noticed that my daughter wasContinue reading “Guest Blogger: Even More From FedUp Mom”

From My Mailbox: “I dropped out of school because of homework”

Here’s an email I received from an adult who dropped out of school because of too much homework. The writer, now 35, told me he went on to get an associates degree, joined the military, worked as a flight attendant, and is now a contract worker, using skills he picked up in the military: IContinue reading “From My Mailbox: “I dropped out of school because of homework””

From a South Dakota Middle Schooler

A middle-schooler from South Dakota has this to say about homework: Homework: It’s Not Worth It Homework: it stresses you out, causes writer’s cramps, and simply takes up your time to relax and be yourself. Teachers assign homework because they believe that it builds character, academic skills, and work habits. What homework really builds isContinue reading “From a South Dakota Middle Schooler”