There is a Case Against Homework- The Final Research

When I started my research, I did not have a stance on my opinion on homework for children in grade schools. I also did not realize the massive debate I was looking into. I have been constantly reminding myself that I am not asking if America can ban homework. I am asking only if there is evidence that any age of grade school children only should have a ban on homework. I can now say that I do fully support that homework should be banned in ages at least below 10 years old. One a child has reached this age, homework should be introduced but needs to be relevant and moderate for time it takes out of a child’s life outside of school. While there has not been many recent studies of the correlation between homework and success academically as well as the work ethic needed later in life, the studies done did show that homework can in fact be harmful to children.

The “Great Homework Debate”, as I have learned this heated and worldwide debate is called, has been going on for more than 100 years. “In fact, in 1901, homework was legally banned in parts of the United States (California Civil Code, 34th session (1901), sec. 1665). There are no studies demonstrating that assigning homework before junior high school improves academic achievement (Kralovec & Buell, 2000).” (Biscoglio and Langer 154) As our world and culture changes, so to do the family routines, the support positions in a child’s life, and the roles everyone plays and how others routines or obligations affect them. This seems to be a continuing trend in the United States. The above quote is from an article titled “Grandparents Against Homework”, by Joseph Biscoglio and Nieli Langer.  I choose this article because it was very useful. I can say, do not read an article by it’s cover on this one. The article itself actually does promote homework at a later stage in life. A time when it is appropriate to the development of our children, and is relevant in helping them build life skills. Not when children are in elementary school or even the beginning of middle school. Homework to the younger children ,” takes a serious toll on America’s families, robs children of sleep, play and exercise, interaction with family in social activities, and, with negligible evidence to the contrary, turns learning into drudgery. There is clearly room for discussion of homework policies and practices particularly now that it has taken precedence over music lessons, religious education, and family and community activities.” This article gave me a good perspective and a lot of sources to look into how homework is helpful to older children, but not younger children, and should be banned. (Biscoglio and Langer 155)

The next source is from a book titled “The Case Against Homework: How Homework is Hurting Our Children and What We Can Do About It”, by Sara Bennett and Nancy Kalish. I choose this source because it again shows there is little to no benefit of homework forced upon young children, though it can be helpful to older children. This source shows things such as how many hours different age groups should sleep, and how they don’t get that sleep they need to properly develop due to over packed schedules. It shows, again, the correlation between homework and the sacrifice our children are making to themselves and to society by not being able to participate in extracurricular activities, (which also happen to look better on a resume than the amount of homework they did growing up), and links to lifelong health issues in society. It also brings up that, “a large study by the University of Michigan, family meals are the single strongest predictor of better achievement scores and fewer behavioral problems for children ages three to twelve” (Bennett and Kalish 260). A family meal that may be disrupted based on such packed family schedules in our society. Also, "the American Psychological Association, typical schoolchildren today report more anxiety than did child psychiatric patients in the 1950s” (Bennett and Kalish 260). Where is the study linking the massive depression, anxiety, and panic disorders in America to homework? I could not fine one, but maybe there should be one.

 My fifth source is an article titled, “Rethinking Homework”. In this article, Alfie Khon, the author, speaks of the teachers. How our teachers have no choice in what they do with homework. They are forced by our governments and our old-fashioned standards to assign homework regardless of what it is. “Teachers who have long harbored doubts about the value of homework feel pressured by those parents who mistakenly believe that a lack of afterschool assignments reflects an insufficient commitment to academic achievement.” (Khon ) Khon’s article goes on to speak about the many known information on lack of evidence the homework is anything but busy work to many students. Nevertheless, he also speaks of solutions. He questions when and how to introduce homework to uphold what we as a society believe to be important learning outcomes from it, such as meeting deadlines, doing research, time management. Khon, along with my other sources, speaks of making the issue of the education of our future generations a community decision, not a government only a government one.

 This research has led me to a path that at some distant point in the future of America, we may be able to completely reform out education system and come up with a better plan to help our children align in their knowledge with the leading countries. Now, however, our society is not capable or ready to make that type of a change.

As a note in the resource section of Khon’s article was the following quote. Though a little lengthy, this quote really spoke to me. It spoke to me of how we need to pay attention to what is happening to our teachers, our schools, our children, and their futures. We need to discuss, and brainstorm, and try new paths. For in the end, our current system is not meeting the American Standard of being the best, and it does not seem to be changing.

“We are awash in articles and books that claim homework is beneficial – or simply take the existence or value of homework for granted and merely offer suggestions for how it ought to be assigned, or what techniques parents should use to make children complete it.  Here are some resources that question the conventional assumptions about the subject in an effort to stimulate meaningful thinking and conversation.” (Khon )

 

Though these two websites are not resources I believe I will be using, I also think they are worth sharing. The first is “The Less-Homework Revolution” by Nancy Kalish in Parenting Magazine. This article was written by a parent who was once on the *homework is the only solution* bandwagon, but is now changing her stance.

http://www.parenting.com/article/the-less-homework-revolution

Also “Why We Say “NO” to Homework, by Heather Shumaker. Shumaker is a blogger and a current book author of “It’s OK Not to Share… And Other Renegade Rules”. In this blog, Shumaker explains her system of protecting the freedom of her own children, by standing against their schools and districts, and battling to keep her children in school while not having them have homework.

http://www.heathershumaker.com/blog/2012/09/12/why-we-say-no-to-homework/

Works Cited

Bennett, Sara and Nancy Kalish. The Case Against Homework: How Homework is Hurting Our Children and What We Can Do About It. New York: Crown Publishers, 2006.

Biscoglio, Joseph and Nieli Langer. "Grandparents Against Homework." Educational Gerontology Feb 2011: 154-163.

Khon , Alfie. Principal Jan/Feb 2007, January/February Edition ed.

This is a fascinating video on a different approach to education. Although it is not banning homework, it is a solution to the paper and book load, as well as the student/teacher interaction. I felt this needed to be shared.

The Beginning of Search For Information

When I initially picked my topic for research, I have to admit that a part of me in the front of my mind believed I would easily find an answer to why homework should be banned in the United States education system. Instead, what I have found is that the answer is anywhere from simple, or a solution that will come any time soon. I have started my research with interviews with teachers both new and retired, searches into articles and studies that have been done, as well as what is happening in other countries with their education. I have used both Google and EBSCO for article searching and study searching.

For my first resource, I interviewed a teacher that taught for over 35 years before retiring to a part-time teacher and substitute, then finally completely retiring about two years ago. Linda Wolff, who has taught all levels of grade school in many different topics, and has three Masters Degrees that were an outcome of her required continuing education over the years to remain a teacher, also is my mother. This was an extremely interesting interview to me. As a grandparent, Ms. Wolff feels that the homework and school life that my son and niece (who are only four months apart but go to two different school districts) is almost unbearable for her. The lack of interaction with the teacher and students, the amount of homework and the level of homework being sent home with kindergarteners… she completely disagrees with the current approach of Colorado’s public education. Let me re-emphasize, this is on a personal level.

 

When interviewed for the necessity of homework in our system as a teacher, her attitude completely changed. Ms. Wolff states, “As parents, it is important to help direct the child towards finding ways to succeed, for either intrinsic or extrinsic reasons. Helping develop an appreciation for the rewards does indeed mean that a parent really should sit down with the child and help do homework, where necessary, or at the very least, make homework an important priority that is done before anything else when home.” As the interview went on, Ms. Wolff took the stance of in our current education system; homework is the only way to get parents to be the support they need to be to help children take their education seriously. Without the homework, the children would fail. Yet, Ms. Wolff also believes that the rise in Homeschooled children and enrollment in Charter Schools and Magnet schools is a direct result of parents that do engage in their children’s education. She believes those parents are the ones that have the time and energy to devote to their children. The majority of children in America, in her experience, does not lend itself to that model any longer. Now, society needs curriculum introduced in the classroom, but practiced and studied and actually learned outside the classroom. Ms. Wolff stressed that teachers in public education do not have other options than the way our strict and limited structure allows.

My second source is an infographic blog, “There Is No Homework In Finland”, by Marina Bilijak, that shows some differences in countries with homework, and without. It had comparisons of Finland versus other large countries. I found this infographic very interesting. It is a short and simple way to lay out the real issues in this topic. This really leads the mind immediately to a complete education overhaul in our country. At just a glance, this infographic makes me believe there is no way that in our public system our country will ever be able to eliminate homework. There are too many differences in our system that would not allow homework banning. For example, Bilijak shows that teachers are required to have a much higher starting education to be allowed to teach. An education that is completely paid for by the State. Bilijak also shows a much higher amount of time spent by children in Finland being children, by playing and having free time. Not being stuck in long hours of classroom and work after the school day. This could potentially be a force of higher focus in the classroom. With higher focus in class, there will be more productivity and accomplishment in the classroom.

These two sources, both showing several points of views and several extremely challenging issues that need to be addressed, is only showing me I have a lot more research to do to find out if banning homework is really something plausible any time in the future of America.

 

Works Cited

Biljak, Marina. "OnlineClasses.org." There Is No Homework In Finland! 4 March 2013. <http://neomam.com/infographics/there-is-no-homework-in-finland/>.

Wolff, Linda. Personal Interview Rebecca Wolff. 30 October 2013.

Image Analysis

This image was posted in www.newyorker.com along with an article about the countries that are moving towards or have already moved to ban homework in grade schools. The immediate portion that came to my mind about the image was the massive stack of books and papers. It is unclear who the person shouldering the burden is, but I believe it to be the mother of the child.

I think this picture takes a different stance on the homework ban than most images I have seen. While the standard image is of small children sleeping, slumping, or being unhappy with their piles of books, this image shows the other angle. The angle of the burden to the parents. The parents have to shoulder the responsibility of the homework assigned in all classes be completed. The parents have to keep up with the knowledge of their children to help them work through the homework they don't understand.

It also portrays the mother trying to balance the life of her son. He is the most important aspect, being on top of the pile. However, he is also having to try to balance his life, which is portrayed with the soccer ball and the violin. This is also an interesting concept. The child is trying to balance the two things he most enjoys, with everything else being beneath him and becoming the responsibility of the parent to maintain.

With the angle of the picture falling down, it gives the impression of a failing battle. The mother is being crushed, and walking downhill. This image really struck me with a different viewpoint on the burden homework has put onto families. It also made me really think about how much the child concerns themselves or leaves it up to their parents to deal with it.

Works Cited: Untitled Photograph. New Yorker web. December 17,2012. http://www.newyorker.com/talk/comment/2012/12/17/121217taco_talk_menand

Research Question

Is homework for students in grade school necessary for in their education?

Currently, I would disagree that homework is an important aspect of education. I personally did not need or learn much from homework. I often did not even do my homework, and if I did it was at the very last minute and the bare minimum of what I had to do. I certainly do not remember doing anything at home that helped further my education. My memories of learning are always from a classroom. Whether it was a lecture by a teacher, or a group activity in class, those are the times I remember learning. I do not remember one homework assignment I ever did. I also believe that creating homework assignments for students is very time consuming for a teacher. In addition, the same homework for each student does not meet each student’s needs. Having a complete ban on homework in grade schools may possibly free up time for teachers, giving them more time to do the one on one teaching we so desperately need in our classrooms.

I see several angles to this issue. My mother was a teacher for over 35 years. She would have loved to not have all the papers to grade, the homework to think of, and the motivation to push for homework to be done. She would have loved to be able to spend more time working face to face with the children in their learning. Moreover, she would have loved not to spend her time off work grading papers and sacrificing her family time. I also know that my child needs to work on his education at home. The limited hours at school that are now available to our children do not leave enough time in the classroom for all learning to take place in the classroom. I also see how a parent’s lack of concern or lack of time to be the surrogate teacher to their children can damage the current standard of education with homework.

I hope during my research to find answers to studies that have been conducted about the effectiveness of homework. I already know that Charter Schools have started to ban homework. Yet they have a different working educational system than a public school system. Would their system be more beneficial if it was adapted as the standard? Would our children benefit more by keeping the learning and teaching with the professionals at school? On the other hand, do they benefit by having the alternate eye and support of parent teaching and homework?

My Blog Introduction

Hi, my name is Rebecca. I am a wife and mother of a 6-year-old son. I have a varied background in my career path, from being a stay at home mom, to a full time student, a call center, a floating unit secretary for 15 doctors’ offices, and a bookkeeper. I found my true joy in accounting. My ultimate dream goal would be to work in Accounting in the Healthcare field.

Having a son who is just starting school, in a district that has already started to ban homework for grade school students, I am very interested in the debate. I am not sure if getting rid of homework in a generation that is already so lacking in education will be helpful. I am hoping to find the answers to this debate. I am curious where my son might end up with the outcome.