End of Year Teacher Gift Idea

Why not give the gift of a book to a teacher as the school year winds down?  Click here for my suggestions on books about homework.

My three favorites from this list are:

The Homework Myth by Alfie Kohn

The Case Against Homework by Sara Bennett and Nancy Kalish

The above two books are parent-friendly and this one is more teacher-friendly:

Rethinking Homework: Best Practices That Support Diverse Needs by Cathy Vatterott

I happen to have 2 copies of Rethinking Homework for my local friends.  If you would like to buy one from me, please email me at KerryTeegen@gmail.com.  The cost is $10.00.

Two in the Middle

I recently received this email and wanted to share it with my blog readers.  I applaud Pamela's efforts to do something creative, effective, productive and loving for her daughter.  Please read her story:


Dear Kerry,

I so admire the effort you have put into changing the way your school district looks at homework.  I know you wish it were even better, but what you accomplished was huge.

Alfie Kohn's book The Homework Myth gave my UCLA professor husband and I the courage to reconsider the importance of having any homework during 7th and 8th grade, when we home-schooled our daughter.  When our daughter Natalie arrived home each day from her 6^th grade class (where the focus was preparing the children for middle school) looking as depleted as the most overworked adult we knew, we made a bold decision.  We decided to jump off the stress wagon to help her rediscover the joy of learning and healthy living.   By home schooling for two years, our daughter was able to wholeheartedly delve into subjects, which included not only history and math, but also music, dance and gardening.   She did not have homework, although she read every night for pleasure, which I know expanded her vocabulary better than vocabulary lists and quizzes.  By the end of 8^thgrade, she was totally prepared for high school, and all of us were healthier and happier.   And we purposely chose a high school with a healthy homework policy.  I've recently completed a memoir about our adventure, which I hope will be published sooner than later.  You might like to visit my website: Two in the Middle 


Best regards,

Pamela

Homework Book Club Recommendations

I recently received this email:

"Kerry, can you recommend some books to read for an adult book group about homework? I know our teachers aren't following the SRVUSD policy and I'd like to raise awareness and do something about it."

The two books I recommended were:

The Case Against Homework by Sara Bennett and Nancy Kalish

and

The Homework Myth by Alfie Kohn.

In fact, these two books launched me into rethinking homework and becoming pro-active about it. The Case Against Homework has many action steps and tools for homework reform that are helpful for parents wanting to create change in their children's school districts. In The Homework Myth, Kohn debunks the myth that homework "promotes higher achievement, reinforces learning, teaches study skills and responsibility."

If these suggestions are too subversive for your taste, a more school-district and teacher-friendly book I'd also recommend is:

Rethinking Homework: Best Practices that Support Diverse Needs by Cathy Vatterott.

This book is endorsed by the ASCD (formerly the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development) so teachers and administrators will be able to stomach it.

As the holidays approach, perhaps the gift of a homework book for some of your children's teachers is a good idea?