I did a brave thing last night. I opened the latest edition of the Ontario Teacher's College magazine, "Professionally Speaking." Neil gave me a wide berth as he knows how this magazine has the ability to rile me up like nothing else -- I rarely make it past the letters to the editor. These letters are usually ripe with new ed graduates whining and complaining about the lack of jobs (which is totally valid -- but their letters are often so terribly written it is hard to sympathize) and retired teachers writing in to defend their right to double dip -- ie. draw on their teachers pension and also get paid an income to come back and work as a supply teacher (which is completely ludicrous, as is their favourite argument: that by retiring they are freeing up one job. That claim falls flat when you are looking at a wide spread decline in enrollment. Not to mention that they are hardly freeing up a space... they're just down-grading and taking up a different space a few rungs down the seniority ladder.) Arrgh!! I shouldn't have even started on this... my blood pressure is on the rise.
What I really wanted to discuss was this ridiculous new homework policy that the TDSB is going to implement -- no doubt to appease whiny and complaining parents. Parents who actually have the audacity to claim that homework is ruining their 'family time.' I actually laughed out loud when I heard this argument on the radio the other day. We'll see if reduced homework fixes 'family time.'
I went through school (K-12) having very little homework. Why, you ask?? Well, I actually did my work at school -- what a novel idea! Don't think for one minute that students today do not get adequate time to complete most assignments in school because they most certainly do. What has changed is that some parents don't seem to value homework. Which begs the question, why not? A little work never hurt anyone. Seems to me, that there isn't a single career today that doesn't require this magical stuff called work. Where are we supposed to learn about work? Oh... right, one place might be at school! Still, parents today don't like the stuff... why not? I can't remember one instance where my homework inconvenienced my parents to the point where they were actively slamming the idea of homework. Not one. Sure, I sometimes got a little moody or irritable when I had a paper to write or what not -- but not once did that make my dad grumble, "... stupid homework, ruining my kid's life," or, "stupid teacher, giving my kid math homework -- tonight was supposed to be family time."
Priorities today are seriously messed up -- case in point, today's parents don't want their little Johnny, Sally or Michael to have their work cut into soccer, piano, et al... and gawd forbid there be a consequence for incomplete assignments (for example, staying after school to finish up) because again, that is a potential inconvenience to the parent. I played basketball and it took up a ton of time and I can tell you this... if it had affected my grades, basketball would not have been given priority. Are we all supposed to say, "cheers to a dumbed down youth?"
Read for yourself: I copied this blurb from the OTC site. I've highlighted a few key passages. (http://www.oct.ca/publications/professionally_speaking/june_2008/news.asp)
TDSB to implement new family-friendly homework policy
The
province’s largest school board will implement a new homework policy in
September, based on the principles that homework should only cover
material taught in class and involve “clear, purposeful and engaging
activities.”
The Toronto DSB’s more family-friendly
policy is, in part, a response to complaints by students and parents
about children staying up late to complete work, ruined holidays and
inconsistency among schools over amounts assigned.
The
policy update follows the board’s publication of its survey of 105,000
Grades 7–12 students, showing that students were spending more time
than recommended on homework and that students from immigrant families
were disadvantaged because it was more difficult for parents to assist
them.
Under the new policy, the 10-minutes-per-grade
standard is gone. Kindergarten students will no longer be assigned
homework, except for activities like reading with or talking to their
parents. Students up to Grade 6 will receive minimal homework, except
for activities like playing games, having discussions or cooking with
family members.
Grades 7 and 8 students will be
assigned no more than one hour a day of homework and secondary students
no more than two. No one will have homework over March Break, Christmas
or other holidays.
Teachers must now assign homework in
blocks so students and families know what’s coming up and can plan to
complete it. Parents will be encouraged to support homework completion
and also to make sure that children go to bed on time, even if their
homework is not all done.
Highlights of the new policy
and a downloadable document with details on the proposed and revised
policy, the conultation process, the homework survey questionnarie, a
bibliography and more are available on the Toronto DSB web site.