Would schools be better without homework?

[Omegaman 3.0]

I know it is Michael Moore, but try to move past that.

Thoughts?

 

[Omegaman 3.0]

OKAY, now maybe you had some thoughts after watching that. I first saw that on a Facebook post. The comments were typically along the lines of:

"Who else wants to move to Finland"

Maybe you were like that, and thought wow, that is wonderful, I like the idea of having the best educated kids in the world, and no or little homework. Kids SHOULD get to be kids. It is great that there are not bad schools, they are all equal, those thing might be appealing.

If you had those thoughts, maybe you will admit, that is what you thought. Maybe, you did not have those thoughts, or maybe you were suspicious.

One thing that occurred to me, was that I found that graph to be suspect. First off, who thinks that the education levels in the U.S. would best be represented as a flat line from 1960 to now? I sure don't. I have no impractical data, but it seems to me that when I grew up, kids leaving 8th grade, were smarter than many college students now, but this is just a personal opinion/observation.

If it is true, that the U.S. educational standard has diminished, then that would make Finnish schools look better by comparison, than U.S. schools. Even if there was no improvment in Finnish education, they would appear to pull away from the U.S. when really it is the U.S. just falling behind.

So, I would still like to know your thoughts were, after watching that video, but . . . 

before you are to firm in your opinion, you might also, want to watch this video:

 

[missmuffet]

I do not believe in homework for kids in kindergarten and I do believe that homework should be appropriate as to what grade a kid is in. But I am on ok hours of homework. We used to have a study hall where you could catch up on your homework if it was not completed at home. When you get to college it may be a different game. 

[other one]

my wife was a kindergarten teacher for over 20 years....    first day of school she always told her kids that they were going to learn to read this year and about 90% of them did....    the other ten percent usually had either learning disabilities or something really wrong at home.

her form of homework was for the kids to take some books home to read with their parents.  Most parents were shocked to find that their kids were reading so well.    We bought most of the books in her library for they had to be both educational and fun for the kids to read.

Interestingly usually the last quarter while lots of other rooms had kids playing with toys and things her class was sitting over in the corners quietly reading to each other.   The kids that caught on quicker would read to and help the other kids catch up and left my wife time to work individually with the kids that were really struggling.

Most of the teachers and administrator kids ended up in her class for she was the only classroom working that way.  I would occasionally go down and let the kids read to me...  watching a 6 year old kid reading third grade level books and comprehending them and enjoying the read is really something else.

And when one of the little ones was hurt or having trouble at home it is amazing to see 20 kindergarten kids gang around each other and have a prayer session.    My wife couldn't lead it but the little ones really don't need help when they are praying for their friends.....    coming boldly to the throne is quite a sight.

[Neighbor]

Parents are afraid that if their kid is behind another at age seven that the child will never be able to compete in life. It's hard being a kid today.