The Coalition of the Swilling

Hog wash! is the issue relevant homework or the amount of time on homework. fortunately and sadly, I spend time with my kids teaching them how to do math, and other things the teacher breeze by. i hated homework, but its the best measure for me as a parent to guage what my kids are learning. I would say no to homeowrk over holiday breaks, but yes to homework overall.

My issue with homework these days is it's relevance to a state's grade tests. In N.C., for instance, so much of the curriculum still used in the school system was nowhere to be found on in the end-of-grade exams and caused it's own amount of heartache as teachers tried valiantly to 'teach to the test' on top of everything else they were expected to do. Is an end of grade test truly indicative of 'knowledge' gained during a school year, if the whole learning experience is geared to the test? Personally, I think not. I also think we're starting to see the results of such bastardized curriculum in the drooping SAT scores ~ where NOW there is an essay requirement, just as those writing skills (that used to be honed by hours of themes, essays and red ink corrections) aren't being developed thanks to the grade test score frenzy. Teachers haven't time to nurture the very things that need nurturing, because the whole fate of the school (and school system funding) rests on the grade the SCHOOL receives courtesy of student test scores.

You get what you measure.