Is it time to do away with homework?
Summary
Drive Time explores whether homework should be abolished, featuring teacher Conor Murphy, who has not assigned homework for 25 years to ensure equity for students with difficult home lives. Principal Simon Lewis cites research indicating no academic benefit to homework for primary students, advocating instead for meaningful, optional tasks like family reading. The discussion highlights the inequities of mandatory assignments and the stress they place on students, contrasting radical no-homework policies with traditional views that value routine and parental involvement.
Topics discussed
Introduction: The debate on homework
Public opinions on homework burden and benefits
Introducing guests: Conor Murphy and Simon Lewis
Conor Murphy's radical no-homework policy
The inequity of homework and student workload
Teacher reactions to the no-homework approach
Simon Lewis on primary school homework policies
Research findings: No benefit for primary homework
Redefining homework: Meaning, choice, and mindset
Listener feedback on early years homework
The impact of home life on homework completion
Creative homework examples and closing remarks
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