Follow up on the use of The Homework Trap

Last week, I reported an example of success using the Homework Trap model. I just received an update that the child continues to do well, and that the parent has now identified the types of difficulties the child was having.

In my model, I advocate for time bound assignments and for parents to transition from acting as enforcers and, instead, becoming observers. Once you cap the time and dispel the belief that all homework must get done, you can stop and step back, and figure out what is happening with your child. As an observer, you can obtain information and share it with the teacher, with the goal of ultimately helping your child. As an enforcer, you get caught in an ongoing and inevitable, unproductive battle.

_{For more information on Dr. Goldberg's model, read other postings on this blog, visit his website, The Homework Trap, or read his book, The Homework Trap: How to Save the Sanity of Parents, Students and Teachers.} 

Article on timeouts

I came across this article about the use of timeouts. It is geared for parents of preschool children and not exactly related to homework problems. But there are some general principles about punishment and reward that apply and are found in my book, The Homework Trap: How to Save the Sanity of Parents, Students, and Teachers.

Here is a link to the article, and here is what I posted as a comment to the article.

Good article. I'd like to add that the central component of a good consequence is that "it works," and that we know it works because we don't have to use it again (or very often). Consequences that are repeated without success reinforce strategies to get around the consequence, which is usually more "bad behavior." This article points to the need for the expected behavior to be age appropriate, i.e. possible for the child, and that is absolutely true. In my own work, I've focused on older children and homework compliance and have highlighted how repetitive, unrelenting penalties, i.e. low grades, reinforce acting out. They are based on the misguided notion that the child can do the work (at least in a reasonable amount of time). And just as we have to understand what the child is able to do, we also need to understand what the parent is able to do. Some parents are good at using timeouts and some are not, and that's okay -- we're all different. Just keep in mind that if you are repeating a penalty without results, stop and step back before doing it again.

_{For more information on Dr. Goldberg's model, read other postings on this blog, visit his website, The Homework Trap, or read his book, The Homework Trap: How to Save the Sanity of Parents, Students and Teachers.} 

Classroom Management

I came across an article on classroom management. It may help address the problem of excessive and untimed homework by helping teachers see that homework actually disrupts the classroom. I wrote a comment to the editors of the website that published this article. Here's what I wrote:

I read the article by Amy Pearson, How to Reduce Behavioral Problems in the ElementarySchool Classroom. I'm a psychologist, not an educator, and I defer to educators on issues of curricula and classroom management, but I am absolutely sure that a large number of behavioral problems are actually manufactured by teachers in their efforts to control environments outside the classroom, i.e. the home. Everything said in Ms. Pearson's article makes sense, but it makes sense largely because it involves strategies where the teacher has control. As soon as the teacher tries to establish requirements and standards outside her domain, she loses authority, which will ultimately translate into problematic behavior -- not for all, but for enough students that the class gets disrupted. Homework reform is the most important step the teacher can take to reduce those disruptions. And since homework does not garner research support in the elementary school and since teachers do not take courses in giving homework when they go to school, it's a complete win-win to modify homework practice.

_{For more information on Dr. Goldberg's model, read other postings on this blog, visit his website, The Homework Trap, or read his book, The Homework Trap: How to Save the Sanity of Parents, Students and Teachers.} 

 

An example of the homework trap

A major tenet of The Homework Trap is that parents must be the final decision-makers in the home while teachers can remain the final decision-makers at school. This rational demarcation of authority gets muddied when parents fear that the decisions they make limiting homework will lead to serious consequences for their child at school. A second major tenet is that persistent homework problems have to do with learning and not behavior. A third major tenet is that children need time-bound, rather than assignment based containers within which to work.

The other day, a frustrated parent contacted me about the problem she was having. We had a brief, e-conversation, in which I shared my advice. She gave me permission to publish our conversation (without identifying her by name).  Here is what was said.

Parent's question:

My eight-year-old son is in the homework trap. He is the youngest of four and the only one who got trapped. I have begged his teacher to modify homework assignments for him in a way that he could actually complete them or, in a way that whatever is more important for his grades, could get done. She's always said no. Sometimes, I have made the decision to prioritize important assignments and ignore the rest, but his grades suffer because she gives him zeros for undone assignments. I have had multiple teacher-parent conferences with no results. I just keep being told that homework is for a reason and that it wouldn't be fair to allow my son to do less homework than his peers and that homework should not take him any longer than 30 minutes to complete (which is actually impossible).

I want to make a formal request that homework be done at my discretion and request that he be graded for what he knows and not for the amount of work he does. How can I make my request strong enough that she listens?

My response:

I would start by setting my own time based standard for homework. At 8 years of age, I think 20 minutes a night, Monday through Thursday is fair. If you think 30 is better, that’s okay. If you think a prep time for the next week Sunday night is good, that’s okay, too. It is your decision but let your child know your rule (not just you backing up the teacher) and that he’s fulfilled his obligation when the time is up. He’ll do more under those conditions. That is the only thing you can do entirely on your own. Next, I would tell the teacher of your decision, no hostility, just something that is non-negotiable. I would ask for her input on prioritizing assignments: which is most important, which should be done first. Once the teacher sees you are serious and non-combative, she might bend.

If she won’t work with you, I would (again without hostility) suggest that you bring in a third party, like the principal, to join the discussion.

It is very important that you have copies of my book for everyone who is involved in the discussion (you, the teacher, the principal). Everything I say in the book is somewhere on my website or blog, but that only helps you, since you have chosen to read what I say. The book is written to be a tool, not just a source of information, and intended to be shared with people who do not readily agree with you. It is a short book, and one you can reasonably expect professional educators to read. If you insure that they have copies, then you have a basis to refer back to a particular page or concept in a book they have in their possession. You can ask them to respond to what I say, not just what you are saying about your child.

Parent's response a few days later:

Just to thank you and to give you an update.


After I contacted you, I let the teacher know my son was going to work on homework for 30 minutes a day how you explained it to me and asked for her advise in prioritizing assignments.

We started that on Wednesday. It's only been 2 days and my son is even liking it. The teacher is not liking it yet but since she said homework shouldn't take more than 30 minutes, she is now realizing my son, for some reason, is not able to complete full homework in that time. My inquiry got all the way up to the principal, who, even though she was not familiar with your concept, she took the time to review my case and to ask me questions. The next day, she sent me a note telling me not to worry and that they will work with us.

Thank you!

_{For more information on Dr. Goldberg's model, read other postings on this blog, visit his website, The Homework Trap, or read his book, The Homework Trap: How to Save the Sanity of Parents, Students and Teachers.} 

 

Teacher beliefs

Here's an article by an experienced teacher who has reevaluated her perspective on homework. I left a comment to her article that I'm posting here:

I think the operative phrase in this post is "I firmly believed in homework every night." Over time and with additional information, you altered that belief just as many teachers have. But let's think about where that belief came from: your training, your life experiences, what other teachers did, your religion? I add religion because I have religious beliefs that I have figured out over the years. They have changed and evolved from the religion I was taught. Most importantly, they are personal beliefs which do not impinge on other people. But homework beliefs do. In your evolution as a teacher and a thinker, you held the power to make decisions in many people's homes based on your beliefs as they had evolved at that time. And those beliefs could render your students' parents helpless in the face of what you required them to do. The difference between and religion and a profession lies in training, and on that score, you and countless teachers have been placed in a position where you were expected to use a method for which you were never adequately trained. Did you have courses in homework in your school of education? Did you have adequate access to continuing education courses on the topic? Did the school where you worked, in presenting its homework policy, offer in-service training on the research, theory and practice of homework? I'm sure the answers are no, and that is why you, and many other teachers, have been in the position of acting on your "beliefs" without the benefit of professional training upon which they could be formed.

_{For more information on Dr. Goldberg's model, read other postings on this blog, visit his website, The Homework Trap, or read his book, The Homework Trap: How to Save the Sanity of Parents, Students and Teachers.} 

 

Parent laments child's dislike for math

I came across an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal, "Our child hates math: Is it our fault?" The article highlights clearly the destructive effects that homework can have on children. I wrote the following comment to the article:

Thank you for this excellent article. It gives me the chance to make an important point. No, you should not feel guilty that your child hates math. No, you should not brush up on your own math skills. The problem here is not that you don’t know or like math. The problem is that someone outside your family is setting the agenda for what goes on in your home.

You do not tell your child’s teacher what lessons she should teach. Why is she telling you and your child what you have to do at home? It’s the homework, not the math, that is causing your child’s response. For God’s sake, she is only 7 years old.

Your child was born to a mommy and daddy who are well versed in the humanities and the arts. She could have been born to a handyman, who likes to work around the house. She could have been born to an accountant, who uses numbers every day. She’s your child and it’s your home, and she does not need her teacher disrupting your milieu, and interfering with what your family considers fun.

I was born to a “math family.” Math was fun. I majored in math in college. I began graduate studies in math before switching to psychology and, later, learning to write. My love for math started in my home. As I grew up, I had a number of teachers who inspired me to pursue things my parents did not do.

Your child’s teacher can instill an appreciation for science and math if she teaches her students with passion. They can learn everything they need to know about first and second grade math within the 6+ hours they have with her every day. They can increase their understanding and interest in these topics as they move through the grades and meet other teachers who teach subjects like science and math, with knowledge, passion, and delight. But she will not develop interests when teachers are encouraged and allowed to co-opt a setting, your home, that is outside the class.

Research does not even support that idea that homework has value for children your child’s age. And teachers are not taught in their schools of education the theory, research and practice of giving homework.

So, love your child. Make sure your home is filled with fun. And if humanities and arts are of interest to you, share those passions unabashedly with your child, without worrying at all that you should do something else.

What do you think? Please post a comment.

_{For more information on Dr. Goldberg's model, read other postings on this blog, visit his website, The Homework Trap, or read his book, The Homework Trap: How to Save the Sanity of Parents, Students and Teachers.} 

 

Scholastic Teachers

Scholastic Teachers has a Facebook page. They frequently let teachers pose questions for other teachers to answer. Even though I'm not a teacher, I take the liberty of commenting on those questions. I came across two questions today for which I offered comments.

The first question was from a teacher who was frustrated working for a micromanaging principal. Here's what I said:

It's a very difficult situation and one that is hard to deal with when you are micromanaged. I've had different bosses over the course of my career and, in the end, I've found that the most productive solution has been to secure a job (if I could) elsewhere, with a boss I liked. I do a certain amount of career counseling, and one of the things I tell people when interviewing for a job is to always look for who will be your boss, and consider what that person is like during the interview. That said so far, I would now like for you to think about what it is like for you, as a teacher, to micromanage the home. Teachers don't typically realize this, but when you give homework assignments that override the authority of the parents, you are actually micromanaging the home. That can be as difficult for the parent as your situation with your principal is. I'm not saying that you should not give homework. I'm saying that you should do so understanding that the parent is the final decision-maker in the home. If the parent feels it is best to reduce the homework demand, you should always defer (whether or not you agree) to what the parent decides. You can make your point. Just understand who has the final say.

The second question was from a teacher seeking advice about how to deal with a "reluctant reader." Here's my comment to that question:

I would be very careful using the concept "reluctant readers." Kids who appear reluctant often have under-the-radar reading problems. When we fail to understand this, we risk causing them harm. If a child is a reluctant reader, then that child most likely has homework problems as well. If we hold on to the notion that he could do his homework if he only tried, without realizing that he cannot read at a reasonable pace, we set that kid up for a lifetime of negativity and a distaste for school.

What do you think? Please post a comment.

_{For more information on Dr. Goldberg's model, read other postings on this blog, visit his website, The Homework Trap, or read his book, The Homework Trap: How to Save the Sanity of Parents, Students and Teachers.} 

Parenting Style -- Does it Matter with Homework?

In today's New York Times, there is a debate over whether or not to include children in determining their punishments (Should Kids Pick Their Own Punishments?) Frankly, I would rather see kids pick their own punishments than to have teachers pick the punishments for in-the-home behaviors over the judgments of the parents. Here's the comment I submitted to the paper:

This discussion is entirely academic when we consider that the primary cause of child, behavioral problems is homework. As a psychologist of 35 years and a parent of 3 children, I can say, with confidence, that there is no issue that makes parents feel so helpless or impacts the family, more severely, than our practice of vesting in 30 or more homework-giving teachers (over 12 years of public education), the power to exert severe, life-impacting penalties on our children. Children who have trouble absorbing and retaining verbal instructions and who read or write slowly cannot do their work in a reasonable period of time. Yet, unlike the time-bound school day, the homework session is endless. This basic fact (individual differences between children and the parents’ lack of say in their own homes) drives behavioral problems to the point that the differences in parenting styles and beliefs discussed here are irrelevant to resolving problems. Without the behavioral engine being driven by homework demands, either of these approaches is equally good. www.thehomeworktrap.com.

 

_{For more information on Dr. Goldberg's model, read other postings on this blog, visit his website, The Homework Trap, or read his book, The Homework Trap: How to Save the Sanity of Parents, Students and Teachers.} 

Teaching Children to Cheat

It’s big news that nationally recognized Superintendent Beverly Hall and 34 teachers from Atlanta, Georgia have been indicted on charges of altering test scores to give the false impression that the school system is on the rise. Apparently, this is the “tip of the iceberg” of an ongoing pattern of teachers “cheating” and altering test scores. As we learn what has happened, let’s consider how it affects our children. Further, let’s consider the commonalities between what happened in Georgia and the national homework debate.

The news seems to focus on the financial incentives that came to Superintendent Hall at the expense of the children. Perhaps, that explains her behavior, but I doubt that it tells the whole story. In general, people of good virtue, teachers and parents, don’t generally lie unless they’re boxed into a corner and asked to do something they cannot do. This is true for teachers who work under the dictates of No Child Left Behind, The Race to the Top, and the Common Core curriculum. It is also true for parents who are pressured by teachers, who might fail their children, if they don’t get their homework done.

The most fundamental building block of education is the relationship between the student and the teacher.  Even before they go to school, children have learned a lot from their parents. They learn through instruction and they learn by modeling: modeling their parents and then modeling their teachers. If we tell teachers to put their judgments aside and, instead, teach to the tests, this will elevate those tests to a level of importance that far exceeds what those tests were meant to do. In the process some teachers will cheat, and the lesson they teach is that it’s okay to cheat.

If we tell parents that their children will get zeros if they don’t do their homework, and give them failing grades (50%) when they get it half done, we essentially strip those parents of the power to decide, leaving them feeling boxed in. If the child does half the work, the parent may do the rest. So what does the child learn? That parents are helpless and that it’s okay to cheat.

What happened in Atlanta is awful. But what is happening with our systems is also quite bad. We have abandoned the core of education, the personal relationship between the mentor and the mentee, by allowing outside influences to determine what must be done. Teachers need authority in the class. Tests should offer measures that the teacher can look at and use. They should not be the basis on which one decides how and what to teach.

Similarly, parents need recognition as the rightful leaders of their own homes. Teachers can give assignments. Parents must be the ones who ultimately decide what should be done, and what can slide.

If we don’t make these adjustments, we will continue to see desperate educators altering the results, and desperate parents doing homework for their children. So why should we be surprised when children lack values and feels it’s okay to cheat and lie?


_{For more information on Dr. Goldberg's model, read other postings on this blog, visit his website, The Homework Trap, or read his book, The Homework Trap: How to Save the Sanity of Parents, Students and Teachers.}