Homework is damaging our children

Admittedly this is from the USA but similar feelings and understandings can be found in NZ. As a father, Grandfather and working in Education for 54 years I believe we are not allowing kids to be kids and setting homework is often not justifiable, as it can be:

• Just busy work (As we have to set homework)
• Not practise of already learnt ideas
• Set as punishment for behaviour or other reasons

My idea of homework is "Home Activities" activities that siblings and parents can play and do together.  NZ has a reputation of sending home reading books and readers for parents to listen to and interact with the child, yet maths tends to be often straight skill work.  What cant we have repeatable maths activities sent home regularly?  Check out my previous NIM posts for ideas. The Family Maths Trust for some 10-15 years travelled the country introducing families to repeatable, problem based activities.
      I wonder what has happened to all the Family Math books schools and teachers bought? Along with the monthly activity newsletters the Trust published?

Homework is wrecking our kids: The research is clear, let's ban elementary homework

Heather Shumaker  March 6, 2016 4:00AM (UTC)

“There is no evidence that any amount of homework improves the academic performance of elementary students.”
This statement, by homework research guru Harris Cooper, of Duke University, is startling to hear, no matter which side of the homework debate you’re on. Can it be true that the hours of lost playtime, power struggles and tears are all for naught? That millions of families go through a nightly ritual that doesn’t help? Homework is such an accepted practice, it’s hard for most adults to even question its value.
When you look at the facts, however, here’s what you find: Homework has benefits, but its benefits are age dependent.
For elementary-aged children, research suggests that studying in class gets superior learning results, while extra schoolwork at home is just . . . extra work. Even in middle school, the relationship between homework and academic success is minimal at best. By the time kids reach high school, homework provides academic benefit, but only in moderation. More than two hours per night is the limit. After that amount, the benefits taper off. “The research is very clear,” agrees Etta Kralovec, education professor at the University of Arizona. “There’s no benefit at the elementary school level.”
Before going further, let’s dispel the myth that these research results are due to a handful of poorly constructed studies. In fact, it’s the opposite. Cooper compiled 120 studies in 1989 and another 60 studies in 2006. This comprehensive analysis of multiple research studies found no evidence of academic benefit at the elementary level. It did, however, find a negative impact on children’s attitudes toward school.
This is what’s worrying. Homework does have an impact on young students, but it’s not a good one. A child just beginning school deserves the chance to develop a love of learning. Instead, homework at a young age causes many kids to turn against school, future homework and academic learning. And it’s a long road. A child in kindergarten is facing 13 years of homework ahead of her.
Then there’s the damage to personal relationships. In thousands of homes across the country, families battle over homework nightly. Parents nag and cajole. Overtired children protest and cry. Instead of connecting and supporting each other at the end of the day, too many families find themselves locked in the “did you do your homework?” cycle.
When homework comes prematurely, it’s hard for children to cope with assignments independently—they need adult help to remember assignments and figure out how to do the work. Kids slide into the habit of relying on adults to help with homework or, in many cases, do their homework. Parents often assume the role of Homework Patrol Cop. Being chief nag is a nasty, unwanted job, but this role frequently lingers through the high school years. Besides the constant conflict, having a Homework Patrol Cop in the house undermines one of the purported purposes of homework: responsibility.
Homework supporters say homework teaches responsibility, reinforces lessons taught in school, and creates a home-school link with parents. However, involved parents can see what’s coming home in a child’s backpack and initiate sharing about school work--they don’t need to monitor their child’s progress with assigned homework. Responsibility is taught daily in multiple ways; that’s what pets and chores are for. It takes responsibility for a 6-year-old to remember to bring her hat and lunchbox home. It takes responsibility for an 8-year-old to get dressed, make his bed and get out the door every morning. As for reinforcement, that’s an important factor, but it’s only one factor in learning. Non-academic priorities (good sleep, family relationships and active playtime) are vital for balance and well-being. They also directly impact a child’s memory, focus, behavior and learning potential. Elementary lessons are reinforced every day in school. After-school time is precious for the rest of the child.
What works better than traditional homework at the elementary level is simply reading at home. This can mean parents reading aloud to children as well as children reading. The key is to make sure it’s joyous. If a child doesn’t want to practice her reading skills after a long school day, let her listen instead. Any other projects that come home should be optional and occasional. If the assignment does not promote greater love of school and interest in learning, then it has no place in an elementary school-aged child’s day.
Elementary school kids deserve a ban on homework. This can be achieved at the family, classroom or school level. Families can opt out, teachers can set a culture of no homework (or rare, optional homework), and schools can take time to read the research and rekindle joy in learning.
Homework has no place in a young child’s life. With no academic benefit, there are simply better uses for after-school hours.

Heather Shumaker’s new book It’s OK to Go Up the Slide (Tarcher/Penguin Random House) was published on March 8, 2016. 

 

Circular Nim

Here is another NIM activity that is different from the usual type.  It encourages players to think about spatial(geometry) issues rather than just number as in the traditional.

The activity could be approached, through a class/group demonstration and then assigned as an independent activity.

Once students have found a strategy for winning encourage them to tweak the rules to create a new/similar activity.

As usual I do not share answers or strategies, as I believe that this takes away the investigation, thinking and creativity of learning.  If we as teachers know the answers we can subconsciously encourage students to look for the answer, strategy we have when there could be others as well.

Enjoy the exploring

2 D Nim

In the last post we had a single dimension Nim game, this post introduces a Second Dimension.
Nim is a mathematical game of strategy in which two players take turns removing (i.e., nimming) objects from distinct heaps or piles. ...  
Nim is typically played as a misère game, in which the player to take the last object loses.  
Nim can also be played as a normal play game, where the player taking the last object wins.

After playing one way, it is great to change the rules so that the opposite is the winning.  Teachers and parents should observe studenst to see if they can transfer the knowledge into a new situation.

I look forward to hearing how you use the Nim Games with family or class. As well as, of course, how the students enjoy the activities!

Party Balloons

Many mathematics curricula encourage problem solving, investigations, logical thinking, but we seem to focus on on developing skills through following directions all the time.

There are many great activities that can be used as whole class starters, Math's Table activities, enrichment and the Chinese NIM Type games fit nicely into this area.

Students once they have mastered the strategy want to then challenge others including teachers and parents.

When working with teachers and Students I regularly had a "Nim" type activity up my sleeve, and would finish the period with it.  On my next school visit I would be accosted by students "trying to beat me"  Some did but often they would because I might suggest that we play it in reverse-as a way of seeing if they could adapt their thinking/strategy.  I really enjoyed leaving the students(and teachers) the challenge and interacting with them on a return visit.

At NO stage would I would give the rule/strategy, but would play the game and acknowledge those students who appeared to have a winning strategy.

This activity, adapted from Family Math's Balloon Ride can be introduced to quite young students but do not force them to look for strategies, but to just play and see their excitement.