| Abstrakt: |
At the end of a two-year discussion about the value of homework in elementary school, the Seaview district decided to move away from the traditional model of homework, and introduced Wonder, Reading, and Play (WRaP) intended to be more equitable and authentic. A case study was conducted to assess the district's goals for and implementation of more equitable learning through WRaP. The experiences of stakeholders with regard to equity issues revealed success in reading due to an already established culture of reading. Lack of structure, consistency, and accountability in wonder, play, and content areas other than language arts resulted in limited success. The Seaview school district spent two years discussing the value of homework in elementary school (Cooper, 2007; Cooper et al., 2012; Kohn, 2006b; Weir, 2016). Subsequently, the district decided to move from the traditional model of homework and introduced Wonder, Reading, and Play (WRaP) for the 2018-19 school year, intended to be a more equitable and meaningful way to spend time with family and produce opportunities for authentic learning. A district-wide letter (in Spanish and English) from the superintendent shared research on the ineffectiveness of homework at the elementary level (Hattie, 2014) and the benefits of WRaP. The letter encouraged guardians' involvement in literacy activities, including reading to children in their native language or having children read to them in English. Attentive to the demographics of the district (59% White, 27% Hispanic/Latino, 8% Black/African American, 4% Asian/Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, 2% Multiracial; 28% Economically Disadvantaged; 5% English Language Learners; 16% Students with Disabilities (New York State Education Department, 2022), in an interview, the superintendent argued for the elimination of traditional homework to serve the principle of equity: Independent reading ... automatically differentiates ... We want to ensure that the playing field is level in terms of what they can accomplish [at home] regardless of ability and resources. Reading does that in ways that other ... assignments do not." If reading was seen as accessible to all families, math was not. Therefore, math would not be the province of families in the home; rather, it was fairer to leave math to the classroom teachers: "We want practice in Math in school with people who can help them." WRaP activities, more than traditional homework, would help neutralize the disparate socioeconomic statuses, languages, and abilities of students in the district, providing access to and engagement in the curriculum for all students. Prior to the administration sharing plans with teachers and guardians, an area newspaper reported that the district was rolling out a "No Homework" policy. Thus, the first information about WRaP that circulated was neither from district officials, nor accurate. The resulting confusion was reflected in a teacher's anecdote. Her son's friend (not in Seaview) had packed a bag, come to her door, and asked to please take him to Seaview, where there was no homework. At the district's request, we conducted a case study of the WRaP program over the 2018-19 academic year. Here, we assess the district's goals for and implementation of more equitable learning through WRaP. Findings suggested success in reading due to an already established culture of reading. Lack of structure, consistency, and accountability in wonder, play, and content areas other than language arts resulted in limited success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
