"In a thought-provoking
presentation, Alfie Kohn makes a compelling case that two traditional features
of schooling -- grades and homework -- are not only unnecessary but actually
undermine students’ interest in learning.
Research consistently finds
that giving students letter or number grades leads them to think less deeply,
avoid challenging tasks, and become less enthusiastic about whatever they’re
learning – and that’s true for those who get A’s as well as D’s. Similarly,
making children work what amounts to a second shift after having spent all day
in school not only proves frustrating but also turns learning into a chore.
Surprisingly, claims that homework enhances understanding or promotes better
work habits are contradicted by both research and experience.
Rather than trying to tweak the
details of how students are graded, or how much (or even what kind of) homework
they’re assigned, Kohn argues that we need to ask whether the practices
themselves really make sense.
Alfie Kohn writes and speaks
widely on education, parenting, and human behavior. His 11 books include
PUNISHED BY REWARDS (1993), THE SCHOOLS OUR CHILDREN DESERVE (1999), and THE
HOMEWORK MYTH (2006). Time magazine has described him as "perhaps the
country’s most outspoken critic of education’s fixation on grades [and] test
scores."
Enjoy each part is only just over a minute long
Part 1:
Part 2:
Part 3:
Part 4:
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