Homework is outdated and stupid

[Dave Gray]

My wife is a teacher, so I hear this from her and maybe it's coloring my opinion.  But, as a parent, I feel it too.  What I'm saying isn't for certain things, like high school math.  Or for reading books in general.

But elementary kids doing homework every day is counterproductive and dumb.  I just find it hard to believe that fighting with my 1st grader to do work in the limited family time we have together isn't adding to her education.  What can't you accomplish in the 6 hours she's there?

This feels like "this is how we've always done it" so we keep doing it.  School is for school.  Why are we writing English words when we get home -- didn't you just do that shit an hour ago?

[ArtieChokePhin]

My wife became a teacher this year as well after subbing last year.  I can see the reasoning behind homework as it's meant to keep the students' minds sharp and ensure that they master the material because a teacher's job is predicated on their students doing just that. 

My wife usually doesn't give homework in her classes.   She usually gives an assignment that is slightly difficult, but definitely possible to finish in class.   If it is not finished by the end of class, then it becomes homework.   I think that should be the norm going forward, combined with summer reading/math for kids who don't go to summer school.

[CF DolFan]

I don't think we had homework before middle school. There may have been a project or a once in a while thing that needed to be done but definitely not homwwork on a steady basis.

[Spider-Dan]

I hated homework in school.  Personally, it was a major obstacle for my educational achievement; I would ace all the tests, but I didn't see the need to do homework because (ostensibly) the point of homework is to learn the subject, and I already knew the subject (as evidenced by the test results).

It's a shame, because in a different circumstance I feel like I could have done really well in school.  Instead, my grades were consistently bad-to-average.

[pondwater]

I never really liked homework and frequently half assed it. However, now at my age I do see a purpose for it.

First, I think it's about teaching responsibility, discipline, and taking initiative daily habits at an early age. Like flossing your teeth, working out, practicing guitar, or thousands of other things that you could easily not do if you're not disciplined and don't take the initiative. I consider myself very routine based, probably more than 80% of the US. But of all the things mentioned, I sometimes slack off and get inconsistent doing those things. However, when I am consistent there is an improvement in outcome.

Secondly, is the actual improvement in outcome.

[masterfins]

I don't think we had homework before middle school. There may have been a project or a once in a while thing that needed to be done but definitely not homework on a steady basis.

Yeah I don't remember doing homework in elementary school, maybe reading or doing some math flashcards but that's about it.  Of course my mother was an elementary school teacher so maybe I never realized it.  I do remember my 1st grade teacher, who I hated, wanted to hold me back a grade, and my mother said no way and they had to advance me.  And I never had a problem after that.