December 25, 2006

IT'S JUST THERE FOR THE PARENTS:

Homework becomes question for experts (Scott Stephens, 12/24/06, Cleveland Plain Dealer)

Alfie Kohn says he's been doing his homework, and here's what he's learned: No one should be doing homework.

Kohn, one of the education world's big-name pundits, helped ignite a debate this past fall over the merits of take-home school assignments.

His book, "The Homework Myth," concluded that homework is not only worthless busywork but also a crippling punishment that actually hurts kids' love of learning.


Amen, brother.

Posted by Orrin Judd at December 25, 2006 11:29 AM
Comments

Now he tells me.

Posted by: erp at December 25, 2006 2:44 PM

There is a big difference between doing problems 2,4,6,8,and 10 and sitting down to study a subject. In order to master the material (whether addition or tensor analysis), the problems have to be solved, but just doing the busywork isn't enough.

Of course, for some material, the homework inhibited any mastery.

Posted by: jim hamlen at December 25, 2006 2:53 PM
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