Homework is a unique educational practice. Of all the learning strategies a teacher may use, it is the only one that crosses the boundary separating school and home, encompassing the two worlds of school and home that all children inhabit. Given the complexity of family life and the diversity of students today, it is no surprise that the practice of homework is challenging—and in some communities, controversial.
The scope of our challenges reflects the wide social and economic diversity of our schools. Our challenges range from reeling in the extreme homework overload (wrongly equated with rigor) that is often prevalent in highly competitive schools, to helping teachers in impoverished schools who struggle to get students to complete even the simplest of homework tasks. Our frustrations are compounded by the nagging feeling that, if we could just get it right, homework could be a real asset to learning. Our instincts are not wrong.
Copyright © 2009 by Cathy Vatterott. All rights reserved.
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