This subject has been on my mind for years. I do not assign homework in my class, and any work done outside class is only for review or to complete the (very) occasional essay. Too much homework robs our children of the love of learning, free time, rest, connection to their families, pets, and friends, and a slow sense of developing wonder and observation of the world. It has occurred to me that it can create a culture of selfishness, not because young people are selfish, but because it creates a small window for compelled results and an unrealistic competitive climate. They are often not working for their own edification, but to get the grade or keep a sense of fear at bay. They must buckle down, often regularly isolating themselves to get it all done. They become supreme masters of tasks, but there is little time for deep immersion in what authentically may pull them in and excite them. I am certainly all for learning and applying oneself to the task at hand-but young people are not machines and are asked to keep a grueling pace. And why after a full day at school should we ask our children to put in another day at school?
Posted on: Tue, 20 Jan 2015 19:55:38 +0000
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