Also by the way, did you actually read the article? I'll admit I didn't finish it all the way through. From the very get go they seemed to be arguing that kids in homes with parents who support homework will be able to do the homework while kids in homes where parents aren't supportive of homework will be stressed by the work load. Thus the kids who need the homework the most, the ones with harsher home environments, will benefit the least by the homework given as apparently they can't get it done properly in their home! Thus, claims the article, the gap widens. Well if the gap is widening that means the kids doing the homework in a home environment that supports the homework are doing better!
Also the article mentions that in Japan there is less homework given when compared to the US but the kids test better. But what they don't mention is that kids in Japan have a longer school day and they attend school for more days in a year than our kids! Also Japanese schools focus on education. American schools focus on a wide array of crap that Japanese teachers simply don't waste time on. Schools in the US in many ways act as "parents" and the children are cared for in numerous ways that go above and beyond education. In other words while kids in Japan attend school in uniforms for more days and longer days they are not only getting extra time it is all very focused time. Time focused on learning. In comparison our kids wear whatever they want to school, waste tons of time on self esteem, tolerance, feelings, ect... Our kids need homework 'cause the kids are not in school often enough and when they are there the teachers are distracted by so many other things that it is a miracle if any actual math or reading is done.
Japan produces average self esteem students who know much more than our students. We produce kids who think they're great and don't have a f-ucking clue about anything.
