Debate on benefits of homework rages on

A parent wrote today to express her frustration not only with homework but with the response she hears from teachers when she complains about homework.

Even those teachers who are sufficiently knowledgeable and brave to admit that research fails to show any meaningful benefit from making kids do homework -- particularly in elementary school -- tend to insist that pressure to cover an absurd number of topics prescribed by the state standards means they just can't get through it all during the day. Hence the apparent need for homework.

To learn more and read responses to this claim, read the article by Alfie Kohn in the Education section of The Washington Post.