Rating: 
Summary: Amen! -From an overHOMEworked kid
Review: I just finished this book, and I thought I'd come and give an 8th grader's perspective on this. First of all, I agree with the major ideas. I truly believe that kids need much more free time than we get, and I have often found myself wondering, "what's the point of this??" while doing my homework. I complete my homework anyway, yet I hardly ever recieve praise for it. What I do hear is criticism from the teachers to the many kids that don't do their homework. I bet that many of the reasons given in this book are, in fact, the reasons my classmates don't do their homework. The two authors very clearly point out that homework is really not beneficial (and also, as a side issue, that kids' backpacks are too heavy) I am under a lot of homework-induced stress, and teachers don't seem to understand the effects of the piles and hours of work we get each day. Teachers seem to think that, if they don't give us homework, we'll go play video games for three hours. I know many kids that won't. I, for one, would call some friends that I don't see often, and see how they're doing. I'd practice my trumpet for a nice long time. And, maybe, I'd go outside and just stare at the sky. I believe that social relationships are as important, if not more important, than mindless facts about the Revolutionary War (i.e. How long was Paul Revere's ride?). I have no time to focus on these social realtionships, though, as I am yet another overscheduled kid. All in all, I really like this book and its message, and I really hope that some people read this book and make some changes in schoolwork assigned to the home.An update--This book had such a major effect on my 8th grade language arts teacher, I had to come back here and edit my review. After he read this book, he stopped assigning mindless homework. Instead, he provided more free class time to work on better, more stimulating projects. The difference was incredible. Yes, I still had quite a bit of homework. However, the work was interesting, and I could clearly understand the purpose of it. I would definitely recommend this book as a must-read for all teachers. It's never too late to change unhealthy habits, and assigning excessive, unnecessary homework is no exception. THANK YOU, ETTA AND JOHN!!!!
Rating: 
Summary: A Former Child Remembers
Review: I write this as a former child and recently retired library worker. I was 11 years old when Sputnik went up in 1957, and I remember very well it's impact on education. I went through elementary shcool with no homework and plenty of time to walk to the local library and read books of my own choosing on which I did not have to write reports. I developed the lifelong habit of reading for pleasure. As described in this book, Sputnik launched a national panic about education and the homework was piled on. By ninth grade, I was lugging at least four very heavy textbooks home every night, and agonizing over whether I could do my homework and also read the books that interested me. Homework was never about the free exploration of ideas! It was about obedience.
While working in the library, I was dismayed to see how few children read for their own pleasure. They always have to write a report. Many times their assignments don't make sense, and they are always more concerned with figuring out what their teachers want than with discovering their own interests and abilities or, for that matter, finding the truth about the subject at hand. The authors do a very good job of making the point that homework interferes with the personal development of children and youth. I also agree with their political views, and think that even those who don't will find them thought-provoking.
Rating:
Summary: A Former Child Remembers
Review: I write this as a former child and recently retired library worker. I was 11 years old when Sputnik went up in 1957, and I remember very well it's impact on education. I went through elementary shcool with no homework and plenty of time to walk to the local library and read books of my own choosing on which I did not have to write reports. I developed the lifelong habit of reading for pleasure. As described in this book, Sputnik launched a national panic about education and the homework was piled on. By ninth grade, I was lugging at least four very heavy textbooks home every night, and agonizing over whether I could do my homework and also read the books that interested me. Homework was never about the free exploration of ideas! It was about obedience.
While working in the library, I was dismayed to see how few children read for their own pleasure. They always have to write a report. Many times their assignments don't make sense, and they are always more concerned with figuring out what their teachers want than with discovering their own interests and abilities or, for that matter, finding the truth about the subject at hand. The authors do a very good job of making the point that homework interferes with the personal development of children and youth. I also agree with their political views, and think that even those who don't will find them thought-provoking.
Rating:
Summary: homework stinks
Review: i've been a strong opponent of homework for many years, ever since the day i almost had a nervous breakdown in 2nd grade when i had failed to complete an "important assignment." now as a parent of a second grade student of my own, i realize more than ever that homework is clearly detrimental in numerous ways to both our youth and our families.
this book lays out a solid groundwork of arguments against homework. if your new to the debate or on the pro homework side, you'll likely learn a great deal from this book.
Rating:
Summary: homework stinks
Review: i've been a strong opponent of homework for many years, ever since the day i almost had a nervous breakdown in 2nd grade when i had failed to complete an "important assignment." now as a parent of a second grade student of my own, i realize more than ever that homework is clearly detrimental in numerous ways to both our youth and our families.
this book lays out a solid groundwork of arguments against homework. if your new to the debate or on the pro homework side, you'll likely learn a great deal from this book.
Rating:
Summary: An Important Book for both Parents and Teachers
Review: I've been in the AmeriCorps, for two years, working with children who, in some cases, disparately, need help in literacy. I have seen first hand the problems children have in trying to do homework and not being able to read. I say this to make a point. Now this book does not necessarily look at ones reading ability. What the book does cover is how in some cases homework can be a burden, and in others counterproductive. This book does not place blame on any one person, i.e. teacher - parents and so forth. What it does do is show how the perception of if children do a lot of homework that it is good for them. This is not always the case. An example of this in the book was when Ms Kralovec did an experiment. When she went to a high school to teach a class, she is a college professor, she assigned no homework, all papers and work was to be done in class, using the school resources, library computer lab. At the end of the semester the students not only enjoyed the class but like that fact of not having the pressure to do homework every night. All of them did very well in that class. One student sighted that was because all the resources were in one place, school. Another point the authors being up are not all children learn by doing a work sheet or reading from a book. To those who do not learn well this way we are setting them up to not only fail, but also lose interest in school from an early age. Even when a teacher assigns a project it puts the children that don't learn well by doing projects at the disadvantage. The authors make the point that we, educators and parents, need to go beyond smaller classrooms, but also deal with how children learn on an individual basis. This brings me to my point, and the point of the book. Homework can be effect when used correctly, yet at the same time homework should not be the end all and be all of work. We need to always be on the look out as to whether, or not homework is working for children. This is a wonderful book and I would advise all parents, teachers and principles to read this. I will admit that there is a slant against homework, but it is fairly well balanced. If there were a flaw in the book it would be answers to if there were no homework then what? I see this book as the opening chapter in a larger issue of giving less to no homework at all.
Rating:
Summary: An Important Book for both Parents and Teachers
Review: I've been in the AmeriCorps, for two years, working with children who, in some cases, disparately, need help in literacy. I have seen first hand the problems children have in trying to do homework and not being able to read. I say this to make a point. Now this book does not necessarily look at ones reading ability. What the book does cover is how in some cases homework can be a burden, and in others counterproductive. This book does not place blame on any one person, i.e. teacher - parents and so forth. What it does do is show how the perception of if children do a lot of homework that it is good for them. This is not always the case. An example of this in the book was when Ms Kralovec did an experiment. When she went to a high school to teach a class, she is a college professor, she assigned no homework, all papers and work was to be done in class, using the school resources, library computer lab. At the end of the semester the students not only enjoyed the class but like that fact of not having the pressure to do homework every night. All of them did very well in that class. One student sighted that was because all the resources were in one place, school. Another point the authors being up are not all children learn by doing a work sheet or reading from a book. To those who do not learn well this way we are setting them up to not only fail, but also lose interest in school from an early age. Even when a teacher assigns a project it puts the children that don't learn well by doing projects at the disadvantage. The authors make the point that we, educators and parents, need to go beyond smaller classrooms, but also deal with how children learn on an individual basis. This brings me to my point, and the point of the book. Homework can be effect when used correctly, yet at the same time homework should not be the end all and be all of work. We need to always be on the look out as to whether, or not homework is working for children. This is a wonderful book and I would advise all parents, teachers and principles to read this. I will admit that there is a slant against homework, but it is fairly well balanced. If there were a flaw in the book it would be answers to if there were no homework then what? I see this book as the opening chapter in a larger issue of giving less to no homework at all.
Rating: 
Summary: Absolutely the most whiny book ever publshed on homework
Review: On page 1, the book discusses a group of parents concerned about homework, so the first person they go to talk to about it is...the principal? Who is directly responsible for the amount of homework? THE TEACHER, and that perspective is completely absent from this book. What is left is a sad collection of the most extreme examples of why students can't do homework - students should be able to, verbatim from the book: "spend time with boyfriends, get out of the house, do laundry, go to parties...." The book goes on to talk about "a day in the life" of Daniel, a student who participates on two sports teams, back to back, then complains that he doesn't have time to join more clubs and activities, let alone see his grandfather! Then the authors interview dropouts, who blame the teachers and homework as the prime reason they dropped out in the first place. "One day the teacher said I was worthless because I didn't do my homework. I hit him and drove his teeth into his tongue." The title of this section of the book is called EXCUSES OR REASONS? These authors complain about actually having to be a parent: "Those of us lucky enough to be able to sit down after dinner with the day's paper and our feet up are often called back to work: 'I need help memorizing these vocabulary words.'" Excuse me? At no time do the authors ever talk to TEACHERS, and as one, I can't believe that they would leave out such an important aspect of the "homework" issue! My opinion is that homework ought to reinforce concepts learned that day or to give the student background knowledge for the next day's class. I do not agree that homework ought to be busywork, nor should educators expect parents to become teachers just to be able to get homework done. But if examples of homework were provided to back up their theory, and if they had actually gone out and talked to teachers to talk about the purpose of homework and what it should accomplish, then this book would have been more successful, in my opinion. As it stands now, it's quite possibly the most whiny book I have ever read.
Rating:
Summary: READ THIS BOOK AND CRY FOR OUR NATION
Review: Read this book, and then cry for our nation... Because it is HARD to do homeowrk, because it is DIFFICULT to find the time to do homework, because some parents DON'T PROVIDE ENOUGH SUPPORT to do homework, and for a whol host of other silly reasons, we should DO AWAY WITH HOMEWORK. That's the premise of this book. Silly? You bet. You should cry because teachers are agreeing with this concept. Just another step in dumbing down our kids. For all the education theory that teaching professionals have dreamed up in the past 50 years - most of it garbage - there remains one immutable fact. Children LEARN by DRILL AND PRACTICE. DRILL AND PRACTICE - until the "a ha!" occurs. That will never change. And that is why homework is NECESSARY. To learn math, you simply MUST solve hundreds of problems. To learn science, you simply MUST read, memorize, and perform experiments. To learn the piano, you simply MUST practice. Get used to it. ...
Rating:
Summary: Terrific. Many of us have been thinking of this for years.
Review: There are things you can do after school: read literature, newspapers, paint and draw, cook, build, and generally explore life. having two hours of homjework after school leaves you too tired to do anything. Many of the subjects taught in our schools are also unneccessary. As a 22 year old colege graduate i never ever use algebra. Nor do I ever use anything i learned in physics. Schools should be teaching practical things, like current events. there is more to life than school. Any adult who thinks otherwise has a faulty memory to there own experiences as a child.
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