"Julia dimly suspected, and research by Harris Cooper of
Duke University confirms, that there is only tenuous correlation between how
much homework elementary students do and how well they do on tests of the
material or with other measures of achievement.
"She also suspected that this
nightly homework ordeal served other purposes--to convince parents that their
kids are getting a suitably rigorous education; to introduce the children to
their future lives as spiritually crushed drones; or, more positively, to
introduce children to the study habits they would need later in life.
"In any case, Julia, trapped in the over-pressured parenting
life that everybody in her social class ridicules but few renounce, girded
herself for the bribery and cajolery that would follow.
"She would, over the next
few minutes, present Harold with an ever more elaborate series of
incentives--gold stars, small pieces of candy, BMWs--all to induce him to do his
homework. When these failed, as they inevitably would, she would wheel out the
disincentives--threats to cut off TV privileges, to take away all computer games
and videos, to write him out of her will, to imprison him in a cardboard box
with nothing to eat but bread and water."
This delightful account of modern education comes from David
Brooks in his excellent book, The Social
Animal.
All humor aside, there is so much to learn from this quote.
Most
importantly, perhaps, is the reality that there is a better way.
Or in non-TJEd terms, Unschooling for very
small children, Montessori-style learning for children in the 6-12 range, and
intense individualized and personalized mentoring tailored to each youth
(frequently with a classical-style bent).
Undergirding all this is a long-term family attachment to
reading together most days.
The energy, feelings, and flow of brain waves in
such family reading is drastically different than the, "I'll force you to do
your homework" experience.
...And much, much more!Log in or 
