Students who hoped for an end to homework got their wish at Orchard Elementary School in South Burlington.
“It’s true,” confirmed principal Mark Trifilio. “We just went to being a homework-free school this year.”
Trifilio announced the no-homework policy in a newsletter to parents last Friday. The school enrolls almost 400 children in pre-kindergarten to fifth grade. South Burlington has three elementary schools, and so far Orchard is the only one to go homework-free.
Teachers voted to ban homework for the year at a training shortly before school opened, with Trifilio’s approval. The superintendent of schools also OK’d the change.
Homework does not help elementary school students learn, and instead robs them of time to play outside, pursue their passions and enjoy relaxed evenings with their families, Trifilio said.
“There is little or no research that supports any kind of academic achievement with homework,” Trifilio said. “If that’s true, what is the purpose of homework?”
So far, parents seem enthusiastic, Trifilio said. He’s received about a dozen emails, most of them with a thumbs-up. Many parents agree with the philosophy that children should not do a “second shift” of academic work at home after spending a full day in school. If there’s any concern, Trifilio said, it’s that the policy might weaken student preparation for middle school.
He will address that and other questions about the no-homework rule Thursday night during a curriculum session with parents.
Other schools are experimenting with the no-homework approach both in and outside Vermont. Last year, Bellows Free Academy Fairfax in Franklin County stopped assigning homework for middle school students. There are several books on the topic, including The Homework Myth: Why Our Kids Get Too Much of a Bad Thing by Alfie Kohn. Trifilio mentioned that title in his newsletter to parents.
Not everyone agrees that homework is pointless. A Duke University review of 60 research studies on homework concluded that homework helps spur student achievement. The benefits are more clear for students in grades seven through 12, and less so for younger students, according to the study.
Orchard will revisit the policy in six to eight weeks.
Students will still be asked to read at home.
One more assignment, directly from the principal: “We also are asking everybody to get outside and play.”
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My homeschooled kids have never needed homework (or assignments or curriculum) to learn rampantly. Kids who spend their day at school are already obligated for a good number of their waking hours. Why take more?
I noticed that several commenters mentioned that the time not spent on homework shouldn’t be spent on TV, video games, or “screen time.” But kids learn from everything. Mine have learned to read, to speak and write some Japanese, a great deal about nature, weather, history, writing, art, home economics, politics, laws, ethics, and more from having free access to television, games, and internet resources.
For instance, our mutual family fascination with “Hamilton” has led to research online, alternative fiction, visits to Philip Schuyler’s country home and Saratoga Battlefield (fortunately very local to us). Next week, we’ll be seeing the premier of “Hamilton’s America” at our state museum. My daughter, 12, and I will go to the Schuyler Mansion for a tour, and my son and I to Fort Ticconderoga.
Without media resources, they wouldn’t have the same interest in all these related activities. A lovely fall day exploring a battlefield together, and musing on the realities of the lives lost and the history changed there, might not have held any appeal.
There’s no telling exactly what will become a passion, or where those passions will lead a child. Maybe don’t be quite so quick to dismiss the potential of things that may not look like traditional learning tools.
I think this idea is great! When I was a kid, I don’t remember homework in Kindergarten. I remember nap time. I turned out just fine. I graduated a junior and 4 year college. I remember one year in school when I had all this homework. While my siblings were outside playing, I was struggling to finish up my homework. I just wanted to be outside. Giving kids no homework will give them the chance to play outside. No all kids have tablets. They can bond with their family. They can have a stress free afternoon and evening. Teachers can move onto other things in the class as well. Not all kids are stronger readers, are good with loads of work, taking test, etc. I sure wasn’t in school and had to bust my butt all the time. I have a learning disability. Giving me more homework would have made school even more harder on me. I’m more of a visual learner. Giving kids homework doesn’t prove that they will do better in school. The same goes with test. Some kids need more visual and hands on work. That should be taught in a classroom. In my 4 year college we read a lot of books and did a lot of writing. Then we talked about it in our seminar classes. I loved it! I did really well in college because I wasn’t given a test every week or homework every day. We read, we got to write and discuss. It was a great learning tool! Kids should be given all types of learning tools in school. Not just the same routeen of taking a test, doing homework. Doesn’t work for all kids.
No homework is great but kids @home with tabs n play video games how about that?
i dont agree with this
For anyone struggling to support a no homework and more play for students approach – I encourage you to watch the movie The Race to Nowhere. I think it’s important to use science based research to guide our decisions about what is best for children and not our personal values.
I agree that there is not a one size fits all. I also do agree with the science that has stated there is no evidence proving that more is better.
With that said, how can supporting the science of play and passionate interest be advocated for so that kids are actually getting it. Tv and screen time is becoming an overwhelming problem ichildren’s learning.
I don’t believe parents intentionally do things to ruin their child’s development. I think most simply do not know the impact. And, more people are living in survival. Which means adults are not getting play time. It will takes all of us to turn this around!
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