The 8th Grade Team's Philosophical Stance on Homework

In response to a parent email about 8th grade homework, Bert and I realized that it might be appropriate to reiterate our shared approach to homework – seeing as we pretty much share a brain with regards to our attitudes and policies towards that rather controversial topic. (Just hearken back to the Seattle PI’s 2006 front page coverage of the debate among pundits on this hot topic!) Basically we are in full agreement with educational researcher and analyst, Dr. Alfie Kohn, as well as others who question the efficacy of "homework for homework's sake." (See http://www.alfiekohn.org/books/hm.htm if you're not familiar with Dr. Kohn's work and/or you're interested in learning more. I do own a coveted copy of his latest book, "The Homework Myth: Why Our Kids Get Too Much of a Bad Thing" which I'd be willing to share with those who want more after investigating the website!) According to Kohn's (et al) survey of the research, studies show that prior to high school, homework has, at best, a neutral effect, while other studies indicate that it has a detrimental effect on learning as well as students’ intrinsic motivation to learn. There are no studies showing any positive effects of regular homework prior to high school.
As we see it, whether or not a given student will get anything meaningful
out of homework depends on three factors:
1. the cognitive/emotional maturity of the student as she seeks to investigate information through homework (usually through an independent learning experience)
2. the meaningfulness/ appropriateness of the type of work assigned as homework (...this is individual as well.) Can the student accomplish the assigned tasks without adult/parental intervention AND does it seem intrinsically meaningful to the student and thus worthy of her after-school energy?
3. the quantity of assigned homework such that it does not detract from other significant areas of life...like family relationships, sleep, exercise, and very important "down time."
Interestingly enough, (and at the risk of promoting my own agenda!) three types of homework manage to make it through the research gauntlet: independent, student-selected reading (as in the independent reading program that we run in 8th grade through our Reading Workshop), projects that require students to directly and meaningfully interact with family members (as in the "Significant Adult Reading Project" we typically introduce in fall of 8th grade), and the occasional continuation of a process/project begun in class (such as the continuation of peer editing, or the practice or completion of math/science problems that have been thoroughly explained in class, for example...)
Thus, you should not have seen an impressive amount of "homework for homework's sake" coming home with your 8th grader this year (other than the type of considerations mentioned above.) We believe that in our shared eight hours each day, we should be able to accomplish the academic tasks and intellectual explorations we've assigned ourselves. We echo the Roman physician, Galen's dictum: "Primum non nocere" - "First, do no harm!" with regards to homework, and value not only family time but also family relations (which copious amounts of demanding homework tend to undermine.)

As always, do feel free to communicate with any or all of us about this or any other issue, concern or appreciation.

(Note: At the risk of contradicting myself with regards to homework, I do expect that each SGS 8th grader is actively maintaining her Word-of-the-Day journal with an entry for each day that school is in session…AND the thirty minutes of reading per day expectation remains firmly in place!)

Who is the Dalai Lama...and why should we care?

As I'm sure you're aware, our first week back from Spring Break was devoted to answering the question above...in anticipation of our all school field trip to Key Arena to partake in the "Seeds of Compassion" children's day with his holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama. We began our investigation with a look at PBS's "Biography: the 14th Dalai Lama" which gave us a "Dalai Lama 101" grasp of this amazing figure's life and legacy. Then Bert devoted two cores to reminding the girls what they already know about Buddhism, explaining the historical significance of the Dalai Lama, and highlighting the ongoing international issues surrounding the conflict between Tibet and China. Finally, we watched and commentated Martin Scorsese's award-winning film "Kundun" - based on the early life of the 14th Dalai Lama. Thus, by the time Monday, April 14th rolled around, SGS 8th graders had a firm grasp of the history and current issues pertaining to the Dalai Lama and could readily respond to the initial question posed!

The Production is Underway!

While third term may not always mean Spring...or at least spring-like weather (as I write this, it's 39 degrees and SNOWING!)...it does mean "Production Time" in 8th grade. Typical of this year's crew, nothing has proven typical! The girls started the term in what we call a "large group" and stayed in that configuration throughout the brainstorming,consensus building and final cutting in order to arrive at this year's theme. More often than not, their process resembled a cross between a World Wrestling Federation free-for-all and a typical morning at the New York Stock Exchange: lots of loud, contentious talking, ruffled feathers and even some fur flying. Most amazing of all - at the end of these volatile sessions, they'd actually made progress, so that they're right on schedule with production benchmarks. Having determined their overall (what we call "the umbrella") theme, they're now busily script-writing the various vignettes in smaller groups, scenes that will come together to form their movie. This week they'll slide from script-writing into preliminary rehearsals which will then lead to further script editing and refinement. In addition, they'll start test filming some of the rehearsals and will undergo some workshops on basic film technique. We typically devote three afternoons a week to the Production, with the possibility of adding some morning core time as the pace picks up and the deadline approaches. As you might imagine, the Production is about more than a sixty minute original film. It provides our 8th graders with one last chance to hone their group management and inter-personal skills. Plus, it's fertile ground for practicing coping mechanisms as well as negotiating tactics. Most importantly, it's an excellent way to allay those "senioritis" sentiments that could so easily taint third term. And so...the adventure continues...