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Assigning homework banned
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“All students have the right to maintain a vibrant life outside school without being burdened with large quantities of homework.”- Mark PullenElementary schools here in Ontario are rethinking their homework policy. While most Boards suggest using the ten minute per grade rule for homework so that a grade 5 student would have 50 minutes of homework a night, The Prince of Wales Elementary School in Barrie, Ontario has banned assigning homework . That’s right. Teachers are not to assign homework.
Principal Jan Olson supports the no homework policy because
- Research shows that homework does not improve achievement in elementary schools
- We don’t know who is doing the homework when we send it home
- We don’t know the family situation at home and how what responsibilities kids have that take up their time
- Sending homework home sometimes causes stress and makes home life worse
- We are perpetuating and extending the gap between have and have-nots
Instead of assigning homework, students and parents are encouraged to
- Play Monopoly -teaches reading, math, estimating, probability, social skills
- Play Scrabble
- Visit library
- Talk about your day , ask each other questions
- Cook together- reading, sequencing, fractions, measuring
- Watch TV together on the French channel
- Sort Laundry, set table- math and counting
- Read to your children and have them read to you-discuss your book
Principal Olsen notes that grades at his school have not dropped with the no homework policy. In fact, in some classes they’ve gone up slightly. Now, students are working to get everything done in class and parents are happy that they have more family time.
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Edublog Awards
Toronto Reading Council
I’m voluntarily moving towards a homework-free classroom because of the same reasons that you listed above, but I am finding it hard to eliminate absolutely everything. Also, the other side of having homework banned in some schools is having it mandatory in others, which I’ve encountered. I really sympathize with teachers in such a position. Tip: I’ve come across some ebooks at http://www.dedicatedteacher.com on creative homework assignments that should be helpful. You really have to be inventive, to keep your assignments interesting and relevant, but it is possible with some help.