Parents Helping Children with Homework

This blog appeared in the New York Times.

Here is my comment:

I bristle whenever I see the words time management and homework mentioned in the same conversation without considering the most basic problem with homework, which is that children are expected to complete assignments with no boundaries on time. The issue of how much help to give children begs the question of how much homework they should get. Despite weak research, homework is given because of its “intangible” benefits, e.g. that it teaches children to manage time. Yet, what time? If I can’t manage my money, my credit counselor does not give me an open line of credit with which to practice. Yet, we give children assignments they must complete or face severe grade consequences. This drives otherwise wise parents, who know they should limit their direct involvement, to irrational behavior, and, in the end, do the work for their children, under the guise of “helping them.” I have long advocated for time limits on homework with modifications of penalties, and recognition that the parents are in charge of the home. This formula will reduce the panic parents feel when the assignments are not done, help them return to rational roles with respect to their children’s education, and cause teachers to think wisely about how they will use the much more limited amount of time they have when constructing assignments that need to be done at home. Kenneth Goldberg, Ph.D. The Homework Trap: How to Save the Sanity of Parents, Students and Teachers. www.thehomeworktrap.com.