在我的前一篇文章《你敢不敢让孩子不写作业》中提到,美国有的学校是规定没有作业的,甚至有的学校还没有考试。
你也许会问,那么孩子们还能学到知识吗?要学校干什么?不写作业,不用拼爹不用拼妈,孩子难道能靠自己?
如果这真是你的问题,那我希望你在否定美国的教育方式之前,把这篇文章读完。
1.
讲三个没作业的学校
(1)
美国佛罗里达州一所公立小学(Marion County public school district in Florida),在今年免掉作业之后,取而代之的是要求学生每晚都要阅读至少20分钟以上。
老师可以推荐读物,孩子们自己也可以从学校的图书馆借阅自己喜欢的书籍。
对于那些家中无人能帮忙阅读的孩子们,学校会安排义工、有声读物等辅助阅读。
因为对于这些孩子来说,即使原始地留作业,家里也照样没有人帮助他们。
校长Heidi Maier相信科学结论,对教育部门的政策规定视而不见,因为对她来说,那些规定太落后了,跟不上科技的进步,并不是在培养优秀的“人才”。
做作业和培养人才无关。
(That may seem like something of a no-brainer, but in the world of education, policymakers are notorious for making a great deal of policy without knowing and/or caring about what the best research shows.)
Maier said that students would be allowed to select their own reading material and would get help from teachers and school libraries. For those children who have no adult at home to help them read — the same students who had no adult at home to help them with their traditional homework — volunteers, audiobooks and other resources will be made available.——
“Why this superintendent is banning homework — and asking kids to read instead” from Washington Post 2017/7/17
(2)
可汗实验小学(Khan Lab School)做得更彻底,除了没有作业之外,连考试也免了,孩子人手一台电脑,用软件记录自己的学习进度,设计自己的学习目标,完成应该完成的任务。
班级不分年纪,分学习能力,旨在培养孩子们学习的自主性。
这种教育方式被称为“项目式学习”(Project-based Learning)。
那么要老师干什么?
老师要做的是看一个学生能有多独立,学生设计的项目里包含了多少自己的思考——批判性思维。
创始人,萨尔曼.可汗曾说:“既然我们无法预测10年、20年需要什么样的知识,那么比起现在教给他们知识内容,不如教给他们自学的方法和能力。”
学习习惯和学习方法对孩子们的影响远远大于学习内容。
(3)
美国佛蒙特州的小学(Orchard School in Vermont)校长Mark Trifilio在分析有关小学生作业的相关研究后,今年决定也免掉学生们的所有作业。
取而代之的是四条
No Homework Policy
Orchard School Homework Information
Student’s Daily Home Assignment
1. Read just-right books every night —
(and have your parents read to you too).
2. Get outside and play —
that does not mean more screen time.
3. Eat dinner with your family —
and help out with setting and cleaning up.
4. Get a good night’s sleep.
(1)每晚都要读书
(2)出去玩
(3)与父母吃晚餐,饭前帮助父母摆碗筷,饭后收拾桌子。
(4)睡好觉
6个月后,校长发现,不但没有学生被落下,孩子们还变得更有创造性,更有求知欲了。
在对家长的调查中也发现,很多孩子比以前更愿意阅读,只有少数父母担心没有作业会影响孩子们的中学成绩。
适合孩子身体健康和与家人的沟通的“作业”有利于孩子们的成长。
Trifilio said he conducted a family survey asking about the policy, and most parents at the nearly 400-student school responded. The vast majority supported it, saying their kids now have time to pursue things other than math work sheets, and many report that students are reading more on their own than they used to. He said a small minority of parents are concerned that students are missing learning opportunities from doing homework and won’t be prepared for middle school.——“What happened when one school banned homework — and asked kids to read and play instead” from Washington Post 2017/2/26
2
那么家长和老师什么反应呢?
再讲两个故事,
(1)第一个故事来自家长
作家Jodi Meltzer Darter有两个孩子,一个7岁一个9岁。他们都上得是全日制的小学,每天在学校6小时,有20分钟自由活动时间,午餐时间是25分钟,下午有间食,放学回家放下书包还要写作业,孩子累得怨声载道,看见书就烦,还不愿意去上学。
当学校取消了作业之后,两个孩子每天都主动读自己喜欢看的书,根本不止20分钟;跟老师的关系也变好了,也愿意去上学了,关键是成绩上去了;除此之外还有更多时间参加体育运动,在外面玩。
所以她撰文说,孩子们开心,她也开心。现在他们能像一个孩子一样的成长,我也可以像一位母亲一样跟他们相处。
让孩子成为孩子,父母成为父母才能看见教育的意义
The underlying message of testing a ‘no homework’ policy is trust. It shows me, as a parent, that administrators believe in the chosen curriculum. They believe in teachers’ ability to connect with students. They believe kids will learn what they need to learn during the day. And they believe in us, as a community, to embrace change.
The homework reprieve has created a seismic shift in my house. The boys are happier. I am happier. They have more time to be kids, and I have more time to be a mom/bonus mom…a perfect score in my book.——“‘No Homework’ Policy Lets Elementary School Kids Be Kids”
(2)第二个故事来自老师
M是一位小学教师,她所在的学校去年取消了99%的作业,这意味着,如果有必要老师还是可以留作业的。
一年后M老师发现,学生们为了让老师不留作业,上课比以前更认真听讲了,而且学习习惯也发生了很大的变化,大部分孩子们都可以在课堂完成任务,关键是正确率提高了。
当然,也有做不完的,只能做完才回家。但是那些孩子即使以前留作业,也完成不了。
没有作业是学校对老师、学生、父母的信任的结果。
When I say it brought out the best in them, I mean it changed their study habits permanently. They created habits that I hope will continue on with them for years and years to come. They knew that in order to continue having no homework, they truly had to give me their all during the day. It wasn't easy. They had to not only complete their assignments, but complete them well. We had very, very little down time, and I expected more from this group of kids than ever before. Some rose to the challenge and THRIVED under the challenge...——“NO HOMEWORK POLICY: ONE YEAR LATER”(2017/7/16)
3
最后再讲两项专业研究。
(1)
2006年有一项关于小学生作业的研究,研究指出早期教育作业的意义不大,跟中学生不一样,小学生们并不能通过作业多学到什么知识,只能让他们更忙碌,让父母的负担加重。
(2)
科学数据显示,五岁至十岁的孩子把读书当成乐趣,更有可能更好地在学校上学,平均而言,在他们以后的考试中成绩也会更高,而且是各门成绩
4
未来的教育什么样?只有活在未来的孩子才有权力吐槽。
但是我们今天的孩子们,又有多少能看见自己的未来呢?
有作业也好,没作业也罢,我们今天的小学生至少应该意识到一件事,自己才是“学习”的主人。
就好像参天大树,靠得是光合作用,而不是园丁。
当阅读、思考成为一种习惯和日常,又何需担心学习成绩?
当然一对好父母,一个有爱,富裕的家对孩子的影响是巨大的,他们对孩子的支持、鼓励和引导是孩子们日后“奋进”的物质和情感储备,也是父母们应该为孩子们做的最重要的“作业”!
PS:我跟孩子说:你要是每天读20分钟书,自己选书,大声地读给我听,每天不重样,我给你免作业。这熊孩子告诉我:妈妈,你还是让我写作业吧。所以,看明白哪个更难了吗?