Education
Education

Parents cheer no homework policy, but are there benefits?

By Maureen Downey
Aug 26, 2016

The homework wars found a new hero this week in a Texas teacher who told parents of her second graders she would not issue any homework this year.

After a delighted parent posted the teacher’s note to Facebook, it went viral, winning praise from moms and dads around the world who believe their children have too much homework.

But is the solution no homework?

One of the leading experts on how time impacts learning is Harris Cooper at Duke University. He understands the Texas teacher’s contention that homework has not been proven to improve academic performance in second graders.

But Cooper says homework for young students has other value. To read more about why Cooper recommends some homework, go to the AJC Get Schooled blog.

About the Author

Maureen Downey has written editorials and opinion pieces about local, state and federal education policy since the 1990s.

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