Category Archives: General

Why Play is Important for Children’s Brains

Here’s an excerpt from an interview in U.S. News and World Report with Stuart Brown, author of a new book, Play: How It Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul. Schools are eliminating recess and piling on the homework, too. But you say that there’s lots of evidence that kids actually doContinue reading “Why Play is Important for Children’s Brains”

From my Mailbox: A Single Father Speaks Out

I recently received a letter from a single dad in Montana who would like to meet other parents nearby who are also fed up with homework. So if you live in Montana, drop me a line, and I’ll try to put you in touch with each other. Dear Sara, I’m a single father of aContinue reading “From my Mailbox: A Single Father Speaks Out”

Let This Teacher Know What You Think of Kindergarten Homework

I recently came across a blog by a kindergarten teacher who was wondering whether she should assign more homework in kindergarten to prepare her students for first grade. I was so horrified by her musings (and the amount of homework she already assigns) that I posted a comment. You might want to do the same.Continue reading “Let This Teacher Know What You Think of Kindergarten Homework”

Coming Soon to a Theater Near You…

I am very excited about a soon-to-be-released short documentary, Slipping Behind, which looks at the fast-paced, high-stress lives of many of today’s students. If you live in the New York City area, there will be two free screenings of the film on March 5 and March 6. The filmmaker, Vicki Abeles, and I will facilitateContinue reading “Coming Soon to a Theater Near You…”

From my Mailbox: A Grandmother Speaks Out

I received this email from a grandmother and wanted to share her wisdom: Dear Sara, I am a grandmother raising my 4 grandchildren. I just found your website and I was pleased to read that others feel the same as I do. As my grandchildren’s guardian, I feel that children have way too much homework!Continue reading “From my Mailbox: A Grandmother Speaks Out”

From My Mailbox–Where Were You When My Daughter Was in School?

Sara, Wow! Where was this movement to stop homework when my daughter was in school? She’s nearly 20 now but homework made our lives hell for 12 years. From the time she was in first grade, she was barraged with ridiculous amounts of homework every single night and on vacations, too. She had so muchContinue reading “From My Mailbox–Where Were You When My Daughter Was in School?”

Moms (and Dads) on a Mission–My Kindergartner Needs Recess

Denise Hills, a geologist, and her husband, a college geology professor, live in Tuscaloosa, AL with their two children, a kindergartner and a two-year-old. The kindergartner, who goes to the local public school, gets no recess. Denise recently wrote the following letter to the school and told me that, “after tackling recess, I plan onContinue reading “Moms (and Dads) on a Mission–My Kindergartner Needs Recess”