Homework Favors the Privileged

Photo by Christian Erfurt on Unsplash

Nathan was notorious for not completing homework, and when he did, it emerged as a crumpled and stained mess from the depths of his backpack. Was Nathan irresponsible and lazy? Did Nathan lack discipline? Nathan was also known as a fierce competitor on the varsity debate team where he was capturing the attention of the college coaches of an activity that requires responsibility, studiousness, and discipline. What’s more, Nathan was also known for scoring high, really high, on classroom and standardized tests. But, he didn’t do his homework, so despite his academic prowess, Nathan’s grades remained abysmal.

What did Nathan’s grades report -- his levels of knowledge and skill? No. His character? No. His work ethic? No. Nathan’s grades reported what his teachers valued and how Nathan fell into their value system for fifty minutes a day. What Nathan rarely told his teachers is that his parents were battling addiction and in and out of rehab or jail as a result. Nathan didn’t tell them that he was often taking care of his younger siblings. Instead, he did his best to maintain the image of a smart student and a successful debater.

Maybe everything would have been different if Nathan had been more open and honest with his teachers. But, who wants to tell the people you admire about the dark side of your life? Who wants their family to become the topic of gossip (or even a blog post)? Nathan allowed some teachers, those he trusted most, into the details of his life -- but only some.

For some teachers, Nathan is a typical student. But, what if Nathan’s story seems extreme for your school? The students not completing homework seem to have all of the advantages Nathan didn’t have. Why aren’t they completing their homework? For my students, the reasons run the gamut: mental illness (depression, anxiety, ADD, OCD, etc.), physical illness (concussion, digestive issues, headaches, etc.), their parents’ mental or physical illness, abuse, stress at home, etc. Some students have trusted me with this information. I am certain others have kept it to themselves.

My point is that homework favors the privileged. Homework favors those who don’t have to work long hours to contribute to their family. Homework favors those who have access to wifi and an environment conducive to studying. Homework favors those who have parents home at night with the energy and ability to provide help and encouragement. In short, if your desire is to keep the rich rich and the poor poor, assign mountains of homework.

If homework is bringing students’ grades down, those students are less likely to graduate, but even if they graduate, they are less likely to receive scholarships for a post-secondary education. If those students find loans to pay for college, the debt will likely be overwhelming. Certainly, many factors in addition to homework contribute to the marginalization of students, but why even contribute when homework is easy to cheat on and lacks expert support anyway?

Some will say that homework is necessary to develop the knowledge and skills students need to increase their options and opportunities in life. Without giving homework, aren’t teachers keeping their students marginalized? No. The opposite is true. Homework-heavy classrooms contribute to the marginalization of their students. So, why give homework?

“Students need more time with the learning than they can get during a class period.”

To this argument, I have these questions:

• Are you doing more than the curriculum requires?
• Should you expand the lesson over more class periods?
• Should you limit or eliminate parts of your curriculum to allow for more time with what matters most?

“Students had enough time during the class period but did not use it due to distraction, illness, other obligations, etc.”

To this argument, I have more questions:

• If distraction is the cause, can the teacher use the student-teacher relationship to minimize those distractions?
• If the student is ill (physically or mentally), should homework add to that student’s distress while the student tries to heal or just survive?
• Has the student chosen the other obligation, or has the other obligation (instrument lessons, meeting with another adult in the building, work for another class, etc.) been forced upon the student? If it is the latter, how can the teacher be sensitive to the student’s increased obligations? Differentiation might be called for. Does the student need the practice? Could the practice for this student be eliminated, reduced, or revised?

“Some students prefer to complete the practice in their home environment.”

In these cases, homework is not a problem because the homework was the student’s choice, not the teacher’s. Similarly, some teachers give optional homework, a healthy alternative that allows for differentiation and ownership of one’s own learning.

“Students were absent from class due to illness or other obligations.”

To this argument, I’d like to repeat some questions above:

• Should homework add to that student’s distress while trying to heal and/or catch up on missed learning?
• Should homework make students question their ability to participate in extracurricular activities? Don’t we want students to participate in their community and be well rounded?
• Is differentiation called for here through eliminated, reduced, or revised practice?

“The homework requires an application that cannot occur inside the school building and/or school day.”

Are you certain all of your students will have the resources and time to complete this homework? If not, what other options exist for this learning to occur?

“Homework, especially in the summer or first weeks of schools, weeds out the students who can’t hack it.”

• Who are we to deny students the opportunity to challenge themselves?
• If a teacher is certain that the student would thrive in a different class and drown in the present class, a conversation -- not homework -- is the compassionate way to address this concern.

“Homework creates study habits that students will need for college.”

• Homework and studying are not the same. Homework is highly dictated by the teacher, whereas studying, like optional homework, is highly dictated by the student.
• Are all of your students going to college?
• Are you willing to sacrifice a student’s grades and enjoyment in learning for study habit development or extra content? I cannot count how many times I’ve heard students say, “I used to love school, but now all of this homework makes me hate it.” What should be a school’s priority, developing study habits or cultivating curiosity and a love for learning?
• What’s more, college students devote maybe three hours a day to being in class. They have time for studying. K-12 students are in school for roughly seven hours a day. We’ve already taken enough of their time. Let them have their own time for developing family and social relationships, skills in extracurricular activities, and other interests that will make them well-rounded, healthy people. Just last month, my daughter had to choose between being at a team practice, going to church youth group, and getting enough sleep. She chose practice and church and stayed up until 2 a.m. to complete her homework. I hear similar situations from my students weekly, if not daily.

Minds learn best when not under stress. Teachers have a lot of tools at their disposal to nurture minds that are fertile for learning. In an ideal world, homework would be one such tool to enhance learning and students’ grades. In our world, the real world, homework favors the privileged.

Photo by Scott Webb on Unsplash

Gina Benz teaches AP students, EL students, and future teachers at Roosevelt High School in Sioux Falls, SD, where she began her career as an English teacher 19 years ago. To learn more about this topic and her other passions as a teacher, go to GinaBenz.org or follow her on Twitter @GinaBenz605.