No More Practice. No More Homework.
- Details
- Category: Tales From The Podium
Want Better Students? Get Rid Of The Homework!
Read
this posting with an open mind. The ideas that I am throwing out here
may seem downright absurd. Some of the thoughts I
have spelled out here scare even me. But what if they are right?
One of the hardest things
for a music student to do is to learn how to balance their teacher's
request for regular practice with the homework given them by their
other teachers. At the same time, the national trend seems to lean
toward heavier and heavier core homework assignments, leaving some
students to spend as many as two to three hours each evening doing
written assignments. On top of this homework even more time is taken
up with sports, clubs, and other extra-curricular activities that are
the essence of what being a kid is all about. The end result of having all
these obligations leads to the student having very little time to spend
with their families, let along having time to practice outside of the
normal band rehearsal and/or private lesson time. There are those in
our classrooms that do find the time to practice, but they are often
the exception rather than the rule. Yet at the same time music programs
across the nation continue to produce highly capable ensembles.  Doesn't this seem strange?
This
point brings up an interesting question about our schools in general.Â
If students can be successful in such an abstract class as band or
choir using little more than the class time they get each day, could
other curricular subjects also accomplish the same goals without giving
homework?
This whole train of thought came up recently as I was researching the subject of balancing homework and practice time. Along the way I came across a very interesting article published by Gary Stager he attempts to build the case for doing away with homework in our schools in favor of allowing our kids to be kids again. In his article he
speaks of his visits to Australia where students rank high above us in
many areas, yet have no homework to speak of. Evenings are filled with
family activities, in a seemingly idyllic setting. He contrasts this
fact with the statement that in the United States "Homework is [...] a
form of surveillance designed to ensure that
the first priority of childhood is to comply with the demands of
school."
As
a parent with three young children I am already being faced with a lack
of time to simply play and have family time with my kids.  I can only imagine what lies around the corner
when they enter middle school.
Get rid of all mandatory homework and practice time. Â
Notice I didn't say ALL practice time. A teacher could suggest practicing more at home, but not require it nor work it into the student's grade. This
seems a scary proposition, especially coming from a band director who traditionally required two hours of practice each week. Could it
work? Could requiring less of a student actually make him more likely to succeed in my ensemble? Perhaps so, but it flies in the face of everything I have ever been taught or experienced. If I am a good teacher and have an adequate amount of
class time and private lessons I could make it work. In turn my
students might want to practice more simply because they love music
again instead of being prodded each week under threat of a lowered
grade. It's something to think about, but the first step is always the
hardest. And changing the way you look at teaching is a big first step.
I'd be very interested to see what other band directors and music educators might have to say about this topic. Please feel free to start or join in the discussion!
{mos_fb_discuss:2}Â
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