In Davis, California, a committee that had been working on a draft policy submitted its report to the Board of Education for review last week. Take a look at the report. It has many family friendly recommendations and, where the people in the committee disagreed with each other, they wrote their own dissents. Here areContinue reading “Draft Homework Policy from Davis, California”
Category Archives: Success Stories
A North Las Vegas Elementary School Eliminates Traditional Homework
The Eva Simmons Elementary School in North Las Vegas instituted a new policy in January, encouraging parents to make sure their children read every night and practice their math skills using a website resource. “One size fits all homework is just not a best practice for our students,” said the principal, in defending the decisionContinue reading “A North Las Vegas Elementary School Eliminates Traditional Homework”
A Glimmer of Hope
I was heartened to read the Comment posted by a teacher in response to the piece I ran two weeks ago, The Trouble With Kindergarten. I want you all to know that there are corners of hope for early childhood education. I teach kindergarten at a charter school in San Diego CA: the San DiegoContinue reading “A Glimmer of Hope”
The Milleys Capture Canada (and the U.S. and U.K. as well)
The day I wrote about the Milleys, parents from Calgary, Canada, who negotiated a contract with their children’s school allowing their children to opt-out of homework, the national press asked me to put it in touch with the Milleys. Since then, the Canadian newspapers, radio, and TV have reported the story, all of the coverageContinue reading “The Milleys Capture Canada (and the U.S. and U.K. as well)”
School for Tomorrow?
Although I am an optimist and believe wholeheartedly that schools will change, especially if parents and students speak up, I can still get discouraged at how slowly things change. So I was thrilled when a reader sent me a link to School for Tomorrow, a new private 6-12 school in Rockville, Maryland, that cites TheContinue reading “School for Tomorrow?”
Moms (and Dads) on a Mission – Calgary, Alberta Family Gets to Opt-Out of Homework after a Two-Year Struggle with their Children’s Schools
Almost two years ago, I wrote about Shelli and Tom Milley, the parents of three children in Calgary, Alberta, who were trying to change homework policy and, at the very least, get an opt-out policy for their own children. At that point, the two lawyers had already been discussing the issue with the school forContinue reading “Moms (and Dads) on a Mission – Calgary, Alberta Family Gets to Opt-Out of Homework after a Two-Year Struggle with their Children’s Schools”
Success – One Thousand Parents and Teachers Pack School Board Meeting in Palm Beach, Florida, and Board Backs Down
In September, I wrote about parents in Pam Beach County, Florida, who were up in arms about the School Board’s new policy allowing for 60 minutes of homework in 3rd grade and 90 minutes in 4th and 5th. Homework was just one of their concerns. The others included frequent testing, a calendar of skills thatContinue reading “Success – One Thousand Parents and Teachers Pack School Board Meeting in Palm Beach, Florida, and Board Backs Down”
A Math Teacher Speaks Out–Why I Stopped Assigning Homework and Am Petitioning for a Homework-Free Week
Today’s guest blogger, Jeff Valure, a math teacher with 12 years’ experience, the last 10 at a public middle school north of New York City, is the father of two boys, one of whom just started nursery school. He’s upset to find out that his local kindergarten assigns homework four nights a week and isContinue reading “A Math Teacher Speaks Out–Why I Stopped Assigning Homework and Am Petitioning for a Homework-Free Week”
I’ll Make My Reading Logs Optional Says Virginia Teacher
The post that has generated the most Comments ever is I Hate Reading Logs by FedUp Mom. If you scroll through, you’ll notice that teachers have chimed in, some rethinking their own homework practice, others defending it. I was particularly struck by the openness of a teacher from Virginia, who found the post while lookingContinue reading “I’ll Make My Reading Logs Optional Says Virginia Teacher”
Interview with Needham, MA, High School Principal, Who Has Taken Numerous Steps to Reduce Stress
Today’s interviewee is Paul Richards, who is in his fifth year as principal of Needham High School in Needham, Massachusetts. During his tenure, he has studied and surveyed student stress and tried a variety of measures aimed at reducing it. The father of a kindergartner and first grader, Richards is leaving Needham high at theContinue reading “Interview with Needham, MA, High School Principal, Who Has Taken Numerous Steps to Reduce Stress”
Stop Homework 