I came across
what I consider to be an extraordinary claim that “According
to the National Association of School Psychologists, ‘Most students understand
a homework assignment and have the ability to perform the task but forget to
bring home all of the materials required to complete it.’” The claim is in a
news release that appears to have been generated by a commercial enterprise
that manufactures and sells an organizational device, called a “Seat Sack,” so
I understand this is not a professional piece but may be part of that company’s
marketing approach. Nevertheless, I am interested in knowing the source for the
statement. Is that true? Has the NASP really taken that position?
I raise the issue because several years ago Professor Jay
Kuder and I presented a workshop at the annual convention of the NASP. In the
presentation, we focused on the “Myth of Motivation,” and went on to explain
how so-called “bad behaviors” were not the cause of homework non-compliance,
but actually the result of unremitting homework pressure based on a failure to
understand that the child cannot, rather than does not want to do the homework.
I appreciated that the organizers of the convention gave us the opportunity to
present our ideas. We never expected
that NASP would take a position one way or the other, but would rather serve as
a professional forum where psychologists could share and debate different ideas.
Beyond the question of NASP’s positions on homework, I am further
concerned if school psychologists as a group are not questioning the idea that
children who don’t do their work really can do their work. In ways, school
psychologists could be on the front line of efforts to protect and help
homework-trapped children. The under-the-radar learning problems that I often
refer to as contributing to homework noncompliance are typically found in the
areas of working memory and processing speed. School psychologists routinely administer
IQ tests in evaluating children who are having problems in school. The standard
IQ test generates four composite scores, two of them being working memory and
processing speed. One of my concerns and a point I make when I review records of
children who are homework-trapped is that the implications of these findings
(low scores on one or both of these scales) frequently get overlooked. Child
study teams garner a wealth of information in their efforts to help children. Yet,
they cannot help homework-trapped children if they hold onto the “myth of
motivation.” They need to look at the data from a new perspective so they can
see how behavioral problems are often learning problems in disguise. Otherwise,
acting out becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy, and the child moves down a path
of greater behavioral disturbance. Ironically, the child may then move into a
special education class or an alternative school where homework is not given at
all. It’s a curious result that the child, who could have thrived in regular
classes by being given homework relief, now gets the relief he needed all
along, at the cost of being excluded from the regular classrooms.
I know that many people who follow my blog have children who
are homework-trapped and have been evaluated by the child study team. If you
are one of those parents, I recommend that you pass my comments on to the
school psychologist on your child’s child study team. I don’t know if the claim
cited at the beginning of this blog post truly reflects the position of NASP.
If it does, it might be helpful for your child’s school psychologist to know
there is another point of view.
Dr. Kenneth Goldberg is a clinical psychologist with 35 years of professional experience in dealing with many different psychological issues. He is the author of The Homework Trap: How to Save the Sanity of Parents, Students and Teachers and currently works in his own private practice.
Visit the website
Read book reviews of The Homework Trap
What is The Homework Trap?
A Roadmap to Success
504 plans
Dr. Kenneth Goldberg is a clinical psychologist with 35 years of professional experience in dealing with many different psychological issues. He is the author of The Homework Trap: How to Save the Sanity of Parents, Students and Teachers and currently works in his own private practice.
Visit the website
Read book reviews of The Homework Trap
What is The Homework Trap?
A Roadmap to Success
504 plans
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