Orchard Elementary School in South Burlington, Vermont, has just made the decision to stop issuing kids homework.
“It’s true,” confirmed principal Mark Trifilio. “We just went to being a homework-free school this year.”
It seems strange, to think kids would be better off without that extra study, but there isn’t much research to suggest little kids benefit from having their nights swamped by book work.
“What is the purpose of homework?” asks Trifilio. “There is little or no research that supports any kind of academic achievement with [it].”
The decision was made last week in a newsletter sent to parents of the nearly 400 students, ranging from pre kindergarten to fifth grade.
The teachers voted to ban homework for the year, believing the kids would be better off spending their evenings with their families and playing outside.
Parents, for the most part, are extremely supportive of the measure.
Though official homework is off the agenda, kids will still be asked to read at home. And one final assignment, directly from the principal: “we also are asking everybody to get outside and play.”
