COMMUNITIES REVOLUTIONIZING OUR SCHOOLS AND CULTURE

THE H OMEWORK PLED GE TOOL KIT

Now that youve pledged to support homework-free weekend and holiday breaks in your school, use our Homework Pledge Tool Kit to take action. Inside, youll find concrete action ideas; sample letters to superintendents, teachers, and principals; and additional resources to help you revolutionize your school today!

END THE RACE

WWW.ENDTHERACE.ORG

END THE RACE

COMMUNITIES REVOLUTIONIZING OUR SCHOOLS AND CULTURE

LETTER FROM V ICKI AB ELES D IR ECTOR , RACE T O NOWHERE

Dear Homework Pledgers, Having toured the country talking to thousands of teachers, parents, and students on the front lines of education for the last year, Ive seen people expend tremendous energy on the Goldilocks question of homework (too much, too little, or just right?). I propose that the real question about homework is: To what end? And at what cost? The research on homework is clear and unanimous. Experts who have conducted such research or synthesized it, including Alfie Kohn, Dr. Etta Kralovec and Harris Cooper, concur with what Professor Gerald LeTendre at Pennsylvania State University so bluntly stated: People [ask], Doesn't doing more homework mean getting better scores? LeTendre recounted. The answer quite simply is no. Nor will it adequately prepare our kids for the future. Heres what most of todays typical homework does: It encourages conformity. It diminishes a childs intrinsic motivation to learn. It invites cheating. It turns kids off to learning. It emphasizes getting through the material at the cost of sleep, friendship, family time, play, physical activity and health. It stresses that rote repetition is somehow superior to passion, curiosity, creativity and invention. How is this possible? Because most homework robs our children and our families of our most precious resource: time. Time to think, time to play, time to connect, time to be bored. Time to read, rest, discover, run, fall, fail and learn from it all. Time to fight with their friends and make up; time to fall in love; time to test their parents. Time to be human. Its time to change! What happens when we reduce homework and implement practices aligned with education research and the developmental needs of children? Engagement with learning increases. Graduation rates go up. Physical and mental health improves. Cheating plummets. And were not relying on parents of varying affluence and educational backgrounds to put in a second shift as homework wardens. Eliminating most homework is not an outlandish proposition. And its being embraced in towns across the country. Last year, Ridgewood High School in New Jersey, experimented with homework-free holiday breaks; this year, the administration is committed to doing it again. Why? They acknowledge that holiday breaks are not actually part of the academic calendar. Families are grateful; students come back rested, energized, ready to learn. Oak Knoll Elementary School in Menlo Park, California took a homework hiatus to see what happens to family life and learning when the stress of schoolwork doesnt spill into home life. A school in Maryland has eliminated all homework except for reading. Independent schools in Manhattan have joined the movement to reduce homework. The list goes on. Thank you for adding your name to list of those who commit to supporting homework-free weekends and holiday breaks in your home, your classroom and your school. Together, we can make time for change. Sincerely, Vicki Abeles November 2011

END THE RACE

COMMUNITIES REVOLUTIONIZING OUR SCHOOLS AND CULTURE

ACTION IDEA S
Whether youre a teacher, parent, student or administrator, you can take immediate action to revolutionize your school by supporting homework-free weekend and holiday breaks. If youre a student:
Form a coalition of students in your school that will work with school administrators and classroom teachers to urge a schoolwide, homework-free weekend and holiday break policy. Communicate with your teacher or principal about homework assignments: how long they take to complete, how much parental or adult help they require, and how much you learn from them. Make sure your teacher knows whether homework assignments are helping or hurting. Communicate with school counselors and your parents when there are concerns. Ask your teacher to design homework assignments with you not for you. Contribute your ideas about deadlines, project parameters, and grading standards. If youre in middle school, stick to an average of one hour of homework a night; if youre in high school, stick to two, and encourage your peers to do the same. If you cant complete assigned work in that time, let your teacher know and encourage him or her to shift homework assignments so that you can. Using the samples included here, write a letter to your school board, district superintendent or principal showcasing your support of a district-wide policy that supports homework-free weekend and holiday breaks. Ask to be among a coalition of students who make a statement about supporting homework-free weekend and holiday breaks at the next school board meeting. Circulate a petition for homework-free weekends and holiday breaks among your fellow students, and aim to attract signatures from a minimum of 75% of your student body. When youve reached your goal, present your petition and list of signatures to your principal to illustrate broad student support for homework-free weekends and holiday breaks among students.

If youre a teacher:
Assign no homework on weekends and holiday breaks. Schedule deadlines for papers, exams and large projects before holiday breaks for high school and middle school students. Solicit student opinion when assigning projects and setting deadlines. Assign no homework in elementary school. Communicate with your colleagues about scheduling homework and exams in middle and high school. Stop grading homework, and eliminate punitive consequences for incomplete or late assignments. Work with students to craft homework assignments that dont require parental or adult help. continues

ACTION IDEA S, CONTINUED

Make weeknight homework the exception rather than the rule. Consider project-based learning that allows for choice, develops a students interests, and is relevant to students daily lives. Arrange a meeting with your principal or write a letter to your school board or district superintendent showcasing your support of a district-wide policy that supports homework-free weekend and holiday breaks.

If youre a principal:
Launch and enforce a school-wide homework-free weekend and holiday break policy for all teachers and students in your school. Require that faculty work together to limit homework to two hours per night in high school and one hour per night in middle school, and eliminate homework altogether for elementary grades. In middle school and high school, create structures that make a one- or two-hours-per night approach attainable. For example, build in-school time for study hall, free block periods or reading periods for students to work on assignments. Survey parents, teachers and students for their perspectives on the impact and efficacy of homework and appoint a homework committee or task force to encourage ongoing collaboration and communication on schoolwide homework policies. Offer occasional community nights during the week on which no homework is assigned.

If youre a parent:
Form a coalition of parents in your school community that will work with school administrators and classroom teachers to urge a schoolwide, homework-free weekend and holiday break policy. Using the samples included here, write a letter to your school board, district superintendent, or childs principal showcasing your support of a district-wide policy that supports homework-free weekend and holiday breaks. Arrange a meeting with your child and his or her teachers to talk about the importance of balancing time spent on homework with free time, family time and time for physical and mental health. Set a limit on the amount of time your child can spend on homework just as you might set limits on junk food or TV or computer time. If your child cant complete assignments in one hour per night (for middle schoolers) or two hours per night (for high schoolers), arrange a meeting with your childs principal to communicate your concerns. Support your child in opting out of homework that interrupts his or her sleep, extracurricular interests or family responsibilities; encourages the consumption of caffeine and other stimulants; or requires parental or adult involvement.

END THE RACE

COMMUNITIES REVOLUTIONIZING OUR SCHOOLS AND CULTURE

SAMPLE LETTERS
Use the sample letters below to draft a letter supporting homework-free weekends and holiday breaks in your school community. If you can, include a personal example or two to lend context to your letter! If your school has not yet hosted a community screening of Race to Nowhere, you may also wish to include your wish to host a screening as a way to spark discussion about homework policies.
FOR PARENTS: LETTER TO YOUR CHILDS PRINCIPAL, SUPERINTENDENT, CLASSROOM TEACHER, or THE BOARD OF EDUCATION

Dear

As a parent of a student at [your school], I respectfully urge you to support a [schoolwide / district-wide / classroom-wide] policy of homework-free weekends and holiday breaks for all students. As you may know, schools across the country have already experimented with homework-free academic breaks and weekends to great effect. Success stories are already popping up in Ridgewood, New Jersey; Menlo Park, California; and Gaithersburg, Maryland, to name just a few. Many schoolshave adopted homework-free policies in the wake of their screenings of the documentary film Race to Nowhere, which [ your school] also hosted on [date of screening]. The benefits of homework-free weekends and holiday breaks can be revolutionary. For students, engagement with learning increases. Graduation rates go up. Physical and mental health improves. The pressure to cheat plummets. For families, time is gained for shared conversation, meals and visits with far-flung relatives. And more balanced homework loads relieve parents from a second shift as homework wardens. Most of all, a homework-free weekend and holiday break policy sends a powerful message to our children: a message that we value making time for unstructured learning, health, play, family, friendships and creative pursuits in the hours outside the seven-hour school day. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss with you the possibility of a policy supporting homework-free weekends and holiday breaks at [school] and look forward to following up next week to arrange a time to meet with me and other concerned parents. Please dont hesitate to be in touch at [(xxx) xxx-xxxx] or [xxx@xxx.com]. Sincerely, [Name]

S AM PLE LETTER S, CONTINU ED

FOR STUDENTS: LETTER TO YOUR PRINCIPAL, SUPERINTENDENT, CLASSROOM TEACHER, or THE BOARD OF EDUCATION

Dear

I am a student at [your school], and I recently made a pledge to work for homework-free weekends and holiday breaks in my community. I hope you will support me and my fellow students in working toward a homework policy that encourages time for a healthy balance among school, family, friends, creative and extracurricular pursuits, and community involvement. As you may know, schools across the country have already experimented with homework-free academic breaks and weekends to great effect. Success stories are already popping up in Ridgewood, New Jersey; Menlo Park, California; and Gaithersburg, Maryland, to name just a few. Many schools have adopted homework-free policies in the wake of their screenings of the documentary film Race to Nowhere, which [your school] also hosted on [date of screening]. The benefits of homework-free weekends and holiday breaks can be revolutionary for students. With balanced homework policies, we gain time to pursue passions and learning for its own sake. We gain time for physical and mental health, including adequate sleep. We gain time for family and friends. And we gain the kind of rest and downtime that encourages refreshed, engaged learning when we return to school at the end of a weekend or school break. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss with you the possibility of a schoolwide policy supporting homework-free weekends and holiday breaks at [school]. I hope you will consider meeting with me and a coalition of my fellow students to discuss this important issue. Please dont hesitate to be in touch at [(xxx) xxx-xxxx] or [xxx@xxx.com]. Sincerely, [Name]

S AM PLE LETTER S, CONTINU ED

FOR TEACHERS: LETTER TO YOUR PRINCIPAL, SUPERINTENDENT, or THE BOARD OF EDUCATION

Dear

I am a teacher at [your school], and I recently made a pledge to work for homework-free weekends and holiday breaks in my classroom and wider school community. I hope you will support me in working toward a schoolwide homework policy that allows time for students to achieve a healthy balance among school, family, friends, creative and extracurricular pursuits, and community involvement. Such a policy would not only foster a healthier culture of learning for my own students, but would also afford me and my fellow teachers the opportunity to truly challenge and excite our students and to bring out their best. As you may know, schools across the country have already experimented with homework-free academic breaks and weekends to great effect. Success stories are already popping up in Ridgewood, New Jersey; Menlo Park, California; and Gaithersburg, Maryland, to name just a few. Many schools have adopted homework-free policies in the wake of their screenings of the documentary film Race to Nowhere, which [your school] also hosted on [date of screening]. The benefits of homework-free weekends and holiday breaks can be revolutionary for students and teachers alike. With balanced homework policies, students gain time to pursue passions and learning for its own sake, and they are thereby given a chance to develop a true, lifelong passion for academic engagement. Additionally, they gain time for physical and mental health, including adequate sleep, which in turn makes them more attentive, dynamic, and committed students in the classroom. I would welcome the opportunity to discuss with you the possibility of a schoolwide policy supporting homework-free weekends and holiday breaks at [school]. I hope you will consider meeting with me and a coalition of my fellow teachers to discuss the ways we might shape an innovative approach to homework for the benefit of the school at large. Please dont hesitate to be in touch at [(xxx) xxx-xxxx] or [xxx@xxx.com]. Sincerely, [Name]

END THE RACE

COMMUNITIES REVOLUTIONIZING OUR SCHOOLS AND CULTURE

POSTC ARD TEXT

If your school hosts a screening of Race to Nowhere, convene a post-film postcard-writing campaign to communicate your support of homework-free weekends and holiday breaks to your district superintendent. Strength lies in numbers, so aim to write as many postcards from as many stakeholders as you can. Send them on the same day for maximum impact!

Dear Superintendent, I recently attended a screening of the documentary film Race to Nowhere and am writing to encourage you to support positive change in our school community by pledging to work toward a homework-free weekend and holiday break policy in our school community. As an education leader, I hope you join a growing chorus of stakeholders in our community who believe we need to make more time for: Students who enjoy a balanced schedule that includes family, friendship, creative pursuits, and community involvement. Students who have time to be passionate, curious, inventive, and creative. Students whose daily schedule makes time for physical and mental health including sleep, healthy meals, physical activity and down time. I encourage you to involve teachers, parents and students in your decision-making process, and to see Race to Nowhere for further evidence of how shifting homework policies can enhance learning for our students. Sincerely, [Name]

Race to Nowhere is a documentary film that seeks to mobilize families, educators, and policy makers to challenge current assumptions on how to best prepare the youth of America to become healthy, bright, contributing and leading citizens. www.endtherace.org