About a year ago, I posted a guest blog entry by Chris Elssasser, an associate professor of education at Pepperdine University, in which he analyzed how much time high school students really have and asked what students should give up for homework. A middle school teacher responded, writing that students have plenty of time forContinue reading “Middle School Teacher Says There’s Plenty of Time for Homework”
Author Archives: Sara Bennett
Under Pressure and Coloring Outside the Lines
Before I wrote The Case Against Homework, I rarely corresponded with authors about their books and ideas. But since the publication of my book, I’ve heard from thousands of readers and I’ve been inspired to write to other authors as well. Last week, I exchanged books with Carl Honore, author of Under Pressure: Rescuing OurContinue reading “Under Pressure and Coloring Outside the Lines”
Seattle Middle School Teacher Suspended for Refusing to Administer WASL
According to seattlepi.com, a Seattle middle school science teacher has been suspended for two weeks without pay for refusing to administer the Washington Assessment of Student Learning (WASL). The teacher, Carl Chew, who has been teaching for about eight years, said he has seen kids struggle through the test with few positive results to showContinue reading “Seattle Middle School Teacher Suspended for Refusing to Administer WASL”
Guest Blogger: A High School Sophomore’s Essay on Homework
A sophomore at a Rhode Island public high school sent me this essay he wrote for English class. When he’s not doing homework, the student likes to do yoga and is a member of two clubs, People Respecting Individual Differences and Equality (formally known as the Gay-Straight Alliance) and Students for Social and Environmental Justice.Continue reading “Guest Blogger: A High School Sophomore’s Essay on Homework”
Guest Blogger: Victory in Toronto
Today’s guest blogger, Frank Bruni, the father of a 12-year-old seventh grader, lives in Toronto, Canada. Frank was a driving force in pushing the Toronto District School Board to review and revamp its homework policy. You can read Frank’s other guest blog entries here and here. Just Start by Frank Bruni On April 16th 2008,Continue reading “Guest Blogger: Victory in Toronto”
Hooray for Toronto, Canada
The Toronto School Board has just implemented the best homework policy I’ve seen. The policy, which will affect close to 300,000 students, focuses on quality, not quantity, suggests that homework in the early grades be limited to reading, talks at length about the value of family time, and recommends that all homework assignments be differentiated.Continue reading “Hooray for Toronto, Canada”
Guest Blogger: 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 second post; you can read her first entry here. More from FedUp Mom In my last entry, I wrote: 1.) “Your daughter is lazy and stubborn; you are emotional and over-involved.” AbsolutelyContinue reading “Guest Blogger: More from “FedUp Mom””
The Scripted Prescription: A Cure for Childhood
In the Spring, 2008 issue of Rethinking Schools, I read a wonderful article by Peter Campbell, an educator who writes a blog called transformeducation.blogspot.com. His article vividly describes how time in pre-kindergarten classes is now spent on worksheets and traditional academics at the expense of play: My daughter came home the other day in anContinue reading “The Scripted Prescription: A Cure for Childhood”
Homework Abolished in First and Second Grade in Shanghai
According to shanghaidaily.com, the Shanghai Education Commission has cancelled homework for first and second graders. The move is part of a push to ease the study burden on young students.
Proposal to Scale Back on Homework in Toronto Unanimously Passes Committee Vote
The Toronto committee formed to reassess homework unanimously passed the proposed new policy. The proposal will be put to a vote before the entire School Board on April 16. Frank Bruni, a parent who has been a driving force for change, made a presentation in support of the proposed policy at the Committee meeting. Here’sContinue reading “Proposal to Scale Back on Homework in Toronto Unanimously Passes Committee Vote”
Stop Homework 