Homework Overload

It isn't often that my daughter will read one of my printouts with so much enthusiasm that she even underlines passages. But that's how it was when I printed out this item from the November 9, 2007 issue of Five Towns Jewish Times. On page 61, the newspaper informed readers of a new policy at Bnos Leah Prospect Park: no written homework on Tuesday nights (but reading or studying can be assigned) and no homework at all on Thursday nights. Because of this, teachers will need to restructure their lesson plans and methods. This is no small change!

This is particularly interesting because Prospect Park is notorious for its grueling homework schedule. That is actually one of the reasons we did not send our daughter to the school. My daughter, who, unlike her father ever was, is very conscientious about her homework, spends a few hours each night doing homework. I hope that the Prospect Park experiment succeeds and spreads to other schools, so kids can have a chance to be kids.

Full article here: