I read something interesting about homework today. I have never been an advocate for homework anyway, but this post summed it up well. It talks about how the countries who perform the highest in school have the least amount of homework. I feel there are some other factors at play as well (respect for authority, doing meaningful learning in class rather than frequent testing, and cultural expectations). I think that if you cannot get the work done in a 7 hour school day, there is too much work.

How can children learn without homework?

Easily, they can learn while participating in:

• sports (it doesn’t need to be structured. Throwing a ball back and forth with a neighbor kid is fine).
• music
• art
• family time
• unstructured play time
• community events
• playing outside
• playing with friends
• reading about what they are interested in
• helping around the house
• talking to family
• playing board games or card games
• participating in religious events

What if my child gets bored?

It is actually good for kids to get bored. It allows their brain to rest and creates time for creativity. They can also do a few chores around the house to give them real life learning.

You could read about separating your laundry. You can even do a worksheet about it. Nothing teaches you the importance of paying attention like leaving one red item in a load of whites.

Can you imagine an evening with no homework? Everyone feels less tense, children are not crying, parents are not yelling at kids to get homework done. Sometimes the adults have a difficult time helping their child with homework because they were taught in a different way. (What is going on with how math is taught lately?) What could a family do with that extra family time?