There are many things in a child’s life that are supposed to be non-negotiable. Bed times, eating vegetables and baths all come to mind. But one family in Calgary has decided to spare their children the horrors of one life’s most unquestionable duties- homework. Tom and Shelli Milley recently signed an agreement with their children’s school that states Spencer, 11, and Brittany, 10, do not have to complete, hand in, or be marked on any homework assignments. The entire Milley family, along with the kids’ teachers, signed the no-homework contract after the family lobbied the school for two years. Tom Milley claims that thanks to all of their children’s extra-curricular activities and family chores such as making supper, the family simply dreaded working on school assignments in the evening. Apparently the Milley’s have never looked into the definition of “extra-curricular” activities; otherwise, they would know that things such as speedskating practice and music lessons are supposed to be in addition to activities required by law, like, oh say, school.
Yes, homework can require a lot of time and energy from both parents and students. Yes, it is important that children have well-rounded lifestyles that include healthy activities such as sports or dance lessons. Of course every parent wants their child to possess some life skills other than being able to count and say the alphabet. But there are other, more responsible options, than simply eliminating mandatory homework from a child’s life. Children who show enormous potential in one specific activity such as music or hockey can attend special schools that help students excel while balancing school and activities. Kids who have trouble fitting in dozens of extra-curricular activities alongside school work might consider home-schooling. If parents find that their children often struggle with homework, they may want to hire a tutor for their child. But allowing children to take the easy path in school by not completing homework that will increase their knowledge and prepare them for future schooling is not acceptable. It’s lazy and sets an ugly precedent for other students. In fact, it even sets an ugly precedent for Spencer and Brittany. Spencer was nine years old and Brittany was eight years old when their parents started lobbying the school to allow their children to be exempt from homework. How much homework could an eight-year-old kid have possibly had? What extra-curricular activity trumps learning in the Milley family? Will this no-homework agreement continue on when Spencer and Brittany are in high school? Tom and Shelli Milley say they will quiz their kids at home to help them prepare for tests. However, if the family cannot find time to do school assignments now, what will motivate the kids and parents to do non-required learning at home now that they don’t have to do it?
How will these children deal with the mountains of homework they will have to scale in college or university (assuming those slackers even make it to a post-secondary institution)? All university programs require a great deal of studying, writing and reading. A general rule of thumb for university students is to expect to do at least three hours of homework for every hour of class you have a week. Full-time post-secondary students take at least four, if not five, classes a semester. That equals about fifteen hours of class a week, not including time spent in lab classes. Post-secondary students with a full class load can expect about six-and-a-half hours of homework a day, seven days a week. Imagine going from little to no homework in high school to being buried under books for 390 minutes every day for four years! Homework, as annoying as it can be, serves a purpose. Not only does working on math problems, learning geometry and reading books on a regular basis help students learn, it also prepares them for future studies. What if students have no intention of going on to post-secondary education once they are finished high school, you say? Learning new skills and taking courses is often required for many jobs, even those that do not require a university education. Besides, what 10-year-old kid can rule out post-secondary school for certain? Studying hard in school and learning at an early age leaves doors open for kids. Telling kids it is okay to stop doing something, such as homework, because it is an inconvenience not only teaches kids bad work habits but also slams doors shut in the future. Children should never be taught that learning should be negotiable.
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What can possibly be more important than actual family time to an 8 year old child, after spending the required 8 HOURS a day at school? Really, how much real "learning" is a child of that age supposed to be able to accomplish? Even if two of those 8 hours per day are wasted on distractions in the classroom, or as much as three hours, do you think the remainder of the classroom time is insufficient for studying what is necessary for a child that age to know? We are talking 5 days/week.
ReplyDeleteIt is a well established fact that the basics (learning to read, write and do basic Mathematics) takes a total of 100 hours to teach. Total for all three. Why do we need 12 years of publicly funded schooling to accomplish this? It's ludicrous. Disrupting the few remaining hours of the day, when children need time to be physically active after being told to sit down and shut up all day, and time for parents to actually have an opportunity to parent their children and spend time as a family, is much more beneficial to the family and to society that a few extra work book pages.