Sandbox:Gunitag/Homework
/ˈhōmˌwərk/
noun
1. schoolwork that a student is required to do at home
The Grounds
Homework is an ubiquitous occurrence in the life of the student and has been since formalized public education became necessary in the early 20th century. If, as the propaganda suggest, contemporary educators are truly committed to reframing the content and structure of education in the 21st century then it is imperative to scrutinize all current pedagogical practices including delivery methods such as homework. Homework is essentially a method of delivery for content and learning that is unmediated by teacher interference or influence. Homework is currently used as a way of solidifying learning by practicing what was learned in class and demonstrating ability by completing prescribed tasks. Given these pseudo-functions, what benefit—if any—does homework serve in regards to the larger pedagogical goals of inspiring life-long learning and critical thinking? What would homework have to look like in order to have an undoubted usefulness to the contemporary secondary student’s learning?
The contemporary English Language Arts (ELA) classroom looks remarkably similar to the classrooms of my parents’ generation and, truly, the canon of books, poets, plays, and stories read—not to mention paragraphs, narratives, and essays written—has not changed all that much in the past 100 years. Regardless of the inclusion of Apple TV, SmartBoards, computers and iPads; the ELA classroom is still about reading, writing, and oral proficiency. Sallee and Rigler comment that homework is a means of supplementing the “already challenging task of using a short period of time to include so many tasks” (46). Nowhere is the time constraint of 60-80 minute periods so daunting than in that in the ELA classroom where the sheer amount of reading required for full treatment of curriculum is virtually impossible to fit into 3-5 blocks per week. Harris Cooper’s findings show that homework is used for a variety of different instructional purposes including practice, preparation, extension, and integration (8). While there is no doubt that the text heavy ELA classroom can benefit from this out of school supplement, research shows that what often results is the product of a disconnect between the teacher’s intention and the student’s reality:
If teachers lack the ability to approach the practice of homework critically and to evaluate its probable effects in a realistic way, then the practice becomes little more than an obstacle over which they must climb in the search for effective pedagogical strategies. In essence, homework becomes a headache for not only the students, but the teacher as well. This is simply not helpful in any classroom—ELA or otherwise.
In reviewing the literature regarding this topic, it becomes clear that homework is something that has been debated for over a century with attitudes swinging this way and that depending on the socio-cultural climate at work at the time (Vatterott 4). One study by Dutch researchers concludes that socio-economic status (SES) inevitably affects whether homework has a positive, negative, or negligible effect on a student’s performance (Rønning 2011). Rønning finds that no-homework classrooms have a smaller gap in test scores than classrooms in which homework is assigned as a result of higher SES students being given the chance to excel at home with parental support. Given these findings, one might argue that, in order to provide every child with equal opportunity, effective in-class instruction is much more important than homework. Such an assertion by itself calls for homework reform. However, as Kralovec and Buell point out, “Homework may just be one of those schooling practices, like tracking, that in fact serve to sort students according to class and to magnify the class differences inherent in our society” (66).
Other politico-economic factors such as the Space Race in the late 1950s reversed the trend toward less homework in the USA that prevailed just a few decades before and the homework problem was "reconceived as part of a national crisis: the U.S. was losing the Cold War because Russian children were smarter; that is, they were working harder and achieving more in school" (Gill and Schlossman, “Villian” 176).
Within a few short years, however, the counterculture of the 60s and 70s once again “questioned the status quo in literally every aspect of personal and political life” (Vatterott 5). Politics aside, however, the arguments I have read against homework seems always to come down to the fact that it is not associated with meaningful learning (Kohn 28) and intrudes on students’ lives, creating a fear and loathing of school and learning. Goodman states in the introduction to her book, that she believes “that assigned homework steals time from personal and family reading and writing” (ix), and Bennet and Kalish ask, “Who has time to cuddle on the couch and discuss the day when there’s so much work to be done” (57)? Indeed, as I sit here finishing my own homework, the clock ticking the time away with every keystroke, I tend to wonder the same thing.
The Big Question
How does going to school all day, working in class, going home and then working at home allow any time at all for rest, play, family, community, and self-reflection?
Annotated Bibliography
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. Print.
As the title suggests, this book argues decisively against homework, advocates for reforming policies, and even outlines the ways to approach this reform. Most interestingly, the authors interpret Harris Cooper’s research to further their own agenda, while others use the same research to further a less vehement stance on the subject. I like that this book has an agenda and is not afraid to face the homework issue head-on. I look forward to incorporating its views into my thesis.
Cooper, Harris M., and PsycBOOKS. Homework. New York: Longman, 1989. Print.
Harris Cooper endeavours to present a comprehensive and complete review of the empirical research conducted into the field of homework. At the time of printing, he contends that the lineage of such research stretched 75 years long and that during this time there were about 100 such studies conducted (xiii). Cooper thoroughly reviews methodology and results and presents them all in a single volume. Along with research evaluation, Cooper explores policies over the years to give a more holistic picture of this little reviewed topic. He also suggests what future pedagogues or researchers might do to design case studies of their own. Chapters 1 and 10 will be of the greatest importance to my research paper, though I do intend to compare parts of Coopers’ more technical summaries of the empirical research with other evaluations on the same studies, if possible. Perhaps of most relevance, Cooper provides a working definition of homework and makes distinctions about the types of assignments commonly referred to as homework. In regards to my own work, I intend to illustrate how the word “homework” conjures similar images in peoples’ minds and yet, actually embodies many different and ideas and ideals. Coopers definition is a logical place to begin this comparison as it is the most scientific treatise on the subject I have found and the one most cited by the other authors I have read.
Gill, Brian, and Steven Schlossman. "A Sin Against Childhood": Progressive Education and the Crusade to Abolish Homework, 1897-1941.Vol. 105, 1996. Web. 10 Dec. 2013.
Gill, Brian, and Steven Schlossman. "The Lost Cause of Homework Reform." American Journal of Education 109.1 (2000): 27-62. Web. 10Dec. 2013.
Gill, Brian P., and Steven L. Schlossman. "Villain Or Savior? the American Discourse on Homework, 1850-2003." Theory into Practice 43.3 (2004): 174-81. Web. 10 Dec. 2013.
In these three articles, Gill and Schlossman present a comprehensive history of homework and the arguments for and against. The topics discussed range from homework reform to outright abolition of the practice. Like most of the sources I have found, the authors concentrate on the pedagogical practice in the USA.
Goodman, Vera, Rod Chapman, and Elizabeth Collins Oman. Simply Too Much Homework: What can we do?. Calgary: Reading Wings, 2007. Print.
Seriously, the title says it all. Written by a teacher for teachers, this slim volume is full of first-hand accounts of what works, what doesn’t, and what could.
Hong, Eunsook, and Roberta M. Milgram. Homework: Motivation and Learning Preference. Westport, Conn: Bergin & Garvey, 2000. Print.
Hong and Milgram, unlike the other authors in this bibliography, focus their research on improving homework practices in light of child-psychology, parent-teacher-student relationships, and theories of motivation and effective teaching practice. This book will be most valuable for the section of my paper dealing with the possibilities and the BC Ministry of Education’s new education plan for BC. Hong and Milgram argue for individualized learning preferences and homework that follows suit. In light of the Plan’s leaning toward student-centred learning, homework can be key if conceived of in the right way. This book will be helpful in determining what that way looks like.
Kohn, Alfie. The Homework Myth: Why our Kids Get Too Much of a Bad Thing. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Life Long, 2007. Web. 10 Dec. 2013.
While Alfie Kohn’s book is written in an easily accessible and somewhat informal style, he still presents the research on homework and pedagogy by reviewing the work of the Harris Cooper. Kohn uses Coopers research to conclude that the most troubling negative effect of homework on students is a lessened interest in learning. This book attempts a reconciliation of the “facts” about homework in order to develop pedagogical practices that nurture a life-long love of learning in students in a practical and forward-thinking way. Kohn is interested from the start in reforming the way homework is treated: that is, blindly dispensed by teachers and blindly accepted by students and parents. Kohn’s major argument against homework is how it results in the loss of “family time”. Indeed, this seems to be the consensus argument and poses the interesting question: how is schooling/education supposed to co-exist with personal time in the lives of parents, teachers, and students alike? Kohn’s very transparent intention is to find this reconciliation.
Kralovec, Etta, and John Buell. The End of Homework: How Homework Disrupts Families, Overburdens Children, and Limits Learning. Boston, Mass: Beacon Press, 2000. Print.
This is another book where the title says it all. This book is widely cited by many of the others in this list. It includes extensive case study research and presents a compelling argument for a greater demarcation between school and home life. This book is perhaps the one most aligned with my personal beliefs.
Pink, Daniel H. Drive: The Surprising Truth about what Motivates Us. New York, NY: Riverhead Books, 2009. Print.
I originally bought this book for a Book Club I never attended and it has been sitting on my bedside table for the past 2 years. Pink talks about extrinsic and intrinsic motivation and what we do to each other in order to achieve—or fail to achieve—specific outcomes. By examining what Pink feels are the three elements of true motivation (autonomy, mastery, and purpose) and applying them to homework and pedagogy, I hope to draw a new (!) picture of homework in the future.
Sallee, Buffy, and Neil Rigler. "Doing our Homework on Homework: How does Homework Help?" The English Journal98.2 (2008): 46-51. Web. 10 Dec. 2013.
This article is specifically about homework in the ELA classroom and reviews information from teachers, students, and the prevailing literature on the subject to offer a possible model for homework assignments. The authors argue for meaningful best practices when it comes to all aspects of teaching—not just homework.
Vatterott, Cathy, and Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Rethinking Homework: Best Practices that Support Diverse Needs. Alexandria, Va: Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development (ASCD), 2009. Print.
This book is perhaps most important because it offers a critique of the Kohn and Cooper works which, to this day, still remain the authoritative treatises on the subject.
Romano, Michael. "Defining Your Homework Stance (Part 1)."The Science Teacher 79.9 (2012): 11. Web. 10 Dec. 2013.
Romano, Michael. "Defining Your Homework Stance." The Science Teacher 80.1 (2013): 14. Web. 10 Dec. 2013.
In these two articles, Romano states that when considering homework, as a teacher we must be very clear about where we stand and why. In the second article, the author defines his personal stance and argues for differentiated practices for different disciplines, student characters, and learning proficianies.
Rønning, Marte. "Who Benefits from Homework Assignments?"Economics of education review 30.1 (2011): 55-64. Web. 10 Dec. 2013.
This is a Dutch study of the effects of homework on test scores. The researchers conclude that socio-economic status is an important thing to consider when assigning homework to students.