The Homework Myth - by Alfie Kohn (Paperback)

About the Book

Educator and parenting expert Kohn systematically examines the usual defenses of homework--that it reinforces learning and teaches study skills and responsibility--and shows why none of these assumptions is true. He argues that rethinking what happens during and after school can rescue our families.

Book Synopsis

Death and taxes come later; what seems inevitable for children is the idea that, after spending the day at school, they must then complete more academic assignments at home. The predictable results: stress and conflict, frustration and exhaustion. Parents respond by reassuring themselves that at least the benefits outweigh the costs. But what if they don't? In The Homework Myth, nationally known educator and parenting expert Alfie Kohn systematically examines the usual defenses of homework--that it promotes higher achievement, "reinforces" learning, and teaches study skills and responsibility. None of these assumptions, he shows, actually passes the test of research, logic, or experience. So why do we continue to administer this modern cod liver oil -- or even demand a larger dose? Kohn's incisive analysis reveals how a mistrust of children, a set of misconceptions about learning, and a misguided focus on competitiveness have all left our kids with less free time and our families with more conflict. Pointing to parents who have fought back -- and schools that have proved educational excellence is possible without homework -- Kohn shows how we can rethink what happens during and after school in order to rescue our families and our children's love of learning.

Review Quotes

"A good book to have on hand when defending the idea of homework-free elementary schooling."--"San Antonio Express-News"

"[The Schools Our Children Deserve is]...a remarkable book that should become a classic in the field." -- Jonathan Kozol

"Alfie Kohn holds a crucial position in the American dialog about parenting." -- Michael Gurian

"Perhaps the country's most outspoken critic of education's fixation on grades [and] test scores."

"The most energetic and charismatic figure standing in the way of [making] standardized curriculums and tests a fact of life in every U.S. school."

About the Author

Alfie Kohn is the author of fourteen previous books, including Punished by Rewards, The Schools Our Children Deserve, and Unconditional Parenting. He lives in the Boston area.