In our journey as educators, we constantly seek to refine our practices to best serve the needs of our students. One area that always receives much attention and discussion is the role of homework in the academic lives of our children. Today, I want to share with you some insights and considerations regarding our homework policy, drawing inspiration from the ideas presented in Alfie Kohn’s book, “The Homework Myth.”
Alfie Kohn’s work challenges conventional wisdom surrounding homework and prompts us to question its effectiveness, purpose, and impact on students’ learning and well-being. Here are some key points from his book that I would like to highlight!:
- Questioning the Value of Homework: Kohn argues that much of the homework assigned to students lacks meaningful purpose and doesn’t necessarily contribute to deeper understanding or mastery of concepts. Instead, it often becomes a source of stress, frustration, and disengagement for both students and families.
- Focus on Quality Over Quantity: Rather than assigning homework for the sake of it, we should prioritize quality over quantity. Meaningful learning experiences can occur both inside and outside the classroom, and homework should supplement, rather than replicate, what happens during instructional time.
- Promoting Autonomy and Responsibility: Kohn suggests that students should have more autonomy in their learning, including the decision of whether or not to engage in homework. By empowering students to take ownership of their education, we foster intrinsic motivation and a deeper sense of responsibility for their learning journey.
- Balancing Academic Demands and Well-being: It’s important to recognize the holistic needs of our students. While academic rigor is important, so too is their well-being. Our goal is to strike a balance between challenging kids academically and ensuring they have time for rest, play, and pursuing their interests outside of school.
Based on these insights, I’d like to remind you of some principles that have guided Plato Academy’s approach to homework:
- Purposeful and Meaningful: Homework assignments are thoughtfully designed to reinforce learning objectives and provide opportunities for students to apply what they’ve learned in class.
- Flexible and Individualized: We recognize that students have diverse learning styles, interests, and responsibilities outside of school. Therefore, much of the homework is flexible, allowing students to work on things weekly at their own pace, This includes Reading logs, Khan Academy for middle school math practice, MobyMax activities, etc. Teachers may also tailor a student’s homework expectations to their needs and preferences.
- Minimalistic Approach: Assignments are focused and concise, expecting that students can complete the assignments independently while still experiencing meaningful challenges. Our goal is to eliminate busy work at home.
- Encouraging Communication: We value open communication between teachers, students, and parents. We encourage parents to extend childrens’ educational experiences by reading aloud daily to children of all ages, playing board and card games, and watching and discussing movies together as a family!
I invite you to join us in rethinking the role of homework in our children’s education. By embracing a more nuanced and thoughtful approach informed by research and reflective practice, we can create learning environments that empower our students to thrive academically, emotionally, and socially.
Thank you for your partnership in this journey. We always appreciate the trust you place in us for your child/childrens’ education!