Homework: New Research Suggests It May Be an Unnecessary Evil

It should be noted that the article is written by Alfie Kohn, who has a number of books on education. See http://www.alfiekohn.org/books.htm for the list, and http://www.alfiekohn.org/books/hm.htm for one that is very, very critical of homework.

His basic thesis points in that book are these:

1. Homework is just extra practice. If practice is done right, it helps, if done wrong it hurts.

2. Studies do not find a simple correlation between homework and grades. Increasing homework does increase the correlation between the parents' socioeconomic status and grades, and the reason is that the likelihood of correctly practicing homework depends on how well the home environment can guarantee correct practice.

3. There is a very direct correlation between homework, home conflict, and children's dislike of school. In the absence of an academic benefit, these negatives are very telling.

I've read the book. I found it compelling. But then again I disliked homework back when I had to do it, and don't enjoy telling my son that he has to do his.