- Audio/Video
- Lecture Topics
- Special Issues
- Standards & Testing
- Follow on Twitter
Rethinking Homework
Share this article
The Homework Myth: Why Our Kids Get Too Much of a Bad Thing
256 pages, Hardcover
First published August 21, 2006
About the author
Ratings & Reviews
What do you think? Rate this book Write a Review
Friends & Following
Community reviews.
Join the discussion
Can't find what you're looking for.
The Homework Myth
How to fix schools so kids really learn
Is It Enough for Students to Be "Engaged"?
Alfie Kohn on October 10, 2022
It's good when kids are absorbed by something they're doing. It's better—and more likely to be intellectually beneficial—when what they're doing is driven by their curiosity.
Sport and Competition
The case for cooperative games.
Alfie Kohn on February 14, 2022
We've been raised to assume that playing a game means struggling to defeat other people. But activities without winners or losers actually reveal how much fun competition isn't
Schooling Is Never Values-Free or Apolitical
Alfie Kohn on November 5, 2021
Why is it "political" to teach the history of racism in this country but apolitical to ignore it? Or do conservatives actually fear kids' being taught to think for themselves?
What Makes a True Skeptic?
Alfie Kohn on September 27, 2021
When conspiracy theorists, anti-vaxxers, and climate science deniers claim to be brave truth-tellers and skeptics, how do we distinguish that from genuine skepticism?
The Progressive Teacher's Role in the Classroom
Alfie Kohn on May 3, 2021
What's harder than either traditional or hands-off teaching? Artfully complicating students' thinking. And being in control of putting kids in control.
Lessons About Education: Dewey, Piaget, and Frosted Mini-Wheats
Alfie Kohn on March 8, 2021
A meditation on why sugarcoating is best avoided, both literally (in cereals) and figuratively (in education and parenting).
The Tests Are Lousy, So How Could the Scores Be Meaningful?
Alfie Kohn on December 21, 2020
Why do so many teachers privilege test scores (falsely endowing them with "objectivity") over their own, more meaningful knowledge of how kids are faring?
Self-Esteem
Fame is the name of the game.
Alfie Kohn on October 16, 2020
The pervasive (and poignant) desire to be known by millions of strangers—or to bask in the reflected glory of famous people—is an intriguing psychological puzzle.
All of Us Are Smarter Than Any of Us
Alfie Kohn on September 23, 2020
There's a substantial cost to students, and perhaps especially to working-class students, of our extreme ideology of individualism.
Out of Control
Alfie Kohn on May 21, 2020
Having some control over what happens to us is a basic human need. Selfish individualism is not.
Autism and Behaviorism
Alfie Kohn on January 29, 2020
Part 3 of 3: A new review of 50 years of research finds little support for ABA. The evidence actually supports treating autistic kids as human beings, not bundles of behaviors.
Alfie Kohn on January 28, 2020
ABA can objectify and dehumanize autistic children, with mindless compliance the price for acceptance. Is it any wonder it's widely despised by the children to whom it's done?
Alfie Kohn on January 27, 2020
Part 1 of 3: Research has long shown that rewards inevitably backfire. That includes "positive reinforcement" to manipulate children with special needs.
What the Presidential Candidates Should Say About Education
Alfie Kohn on October 18, 2019
There's a big difference between being politically progressive (when talking about education policy) and also being educationally progressive.
- Personality
Gener(aliz)ations
Alfie Kohn on July 16, 2019
Let's quit the Millennial bashing and, while we're at it, stop the simplistic summaries of Baby Boomers, Gen X'ers, and other huge groups that only have age in common.
The Trouble(s) with College
Alfie Kohn on May 23, 2019
The low points of higher ed: How the system for deciding who's accepted makes our society more inequitable, and how the teaching isn't always so hot for those who do get in.
- Child Development
Deconstructing "Scaffolding"
Alfie Kohn on March 7, 2019
Educators often use a metaphor from the construction industry to describe giving students temporary help. But a closer look suggests the idea is more controversial than it seems.
The Why Axis
Alfie Kohn on November 26, 2018
Progressive teaching is hard to do well. But describing its rationale to skeptical outsiders is also important.
When Oprah Calls, You Don't Say No
Alfie Kohn on August 24, 2018
In 1996, Oprah Winfrey did an experiment in which some kids were rewarded for evaluating puzzles, and she invited me to explain the results. Here's what happened.
The Overselling of Gratitude
Alfie Kohn on July 11, 2018
Should we really adopt a "count your blessings" stance across the board, or is it more authentic to see (and react to) circumstances as they are?
- Find a Therapist
- Find a Treatment Center
- Find a Psychiatrist
- Find a Support Group
- Find Teletherapy
- United States
- Brooklyn, NY
- Chicago, IL
- Houston, TX
- Los Angeles, CA
- New York, NY
- Portland, OR
- San Diego, CA
- San Francisco, CA
- Seattle, WA
- Washington, DC
- Asperger's
- Bipolar Disorder
- Chronic Pain
- Eating Disorders
- Passive Aggression
- Goal Setting
- Positive Psychology
- Stopping Smoking
- Low Sexual Desire
- Relationships
- Therapy Center NEW
- Diagnosis Dictionary
- Types of Therapy
Knowing what you value will help you build the most meaningful life possible.
- The Surprising Role of Empathy in Traumatic Bonding
- Can ChatGPT Be Darkly Creative?
- Women’s Sexual Desire May Not Vary More Than Men’s
- Coronavirus Disease 2019
- Affective Forecasting
- Neuroscience
Due to a planned power outage on Friday, 1/14, between 8am-1pm PST, some services may be impacted.
Internet Archive Audio
- This Just In
- Grateful Dead
- Old Time Radio
- 78 RPMs and Cylinder Recordings
- Audio Books & Poetry
- Computers, Technology and Science
- Music, Arts & Culture
- News & Public Affairs
- Spirituality & Religion
- Radio News Archive
- Flickr Commons
- Occupy Wall Street Flickr
- NASA Images
- Solar System Collection
- Ames Research Center
- All Software
- Old School Emulation
- MS-DOS Games
- Historical Software
- Classic PC Games
- Software Library
- Kodi Archive and Support File
- Vintage Software
- CD-ROM Software
- CD-ROM Software Library
- Software Sites
- Tucows Software Library
- Shareware CD-ROMs
- Software Capsules Compilation
- CD-ROM Images
- ZX Spectrum
- DOOM Level CD
- Smithsonian Libraries
- FEDLINK (US)
- Lincoln Collection
- American Libraries
- Canadian Libraries
- Universal Library
- Project Gutenberg
- Children's Library
- Biodiversity Heritage Library
- Books by Language
- Additional Collections
- Prelinger Archives
- Democracy Now!
- Occupy Wall Street
- TV NSA Clip Library
- Animation & Cartoons
- Arts & Music
- Computers & Technology
- Cultural & Academic Films
- Ephemeral Films
- Sports Videos
- Videogame Videos
- Youth Media
Search the history of over 797 billion web pages on the Internet.
Mobile Apps
- Wayback Machine (iOS)
- Wayback Machine (Android)
Browser Extensions
Archive-it subscription.
- Explore the Collections
- Build Collections
Save Page Now
Capture a web page as it appears now for use as a trusted citation in the future.
Please enter a valid web address
- Donate Donate icon An illustration of a heart shape
The Homework Myth
Item preview, share or embed this item, flag this item for.
- Graphic Violence
- Explicit Sexual Content
- Hate Speech
- Misinformation/Disinformation
- Marketing/Phishing/Advertising
- Misleading/Inaccurate/Missing Metadata
![[Amazon]](https://archive.org/images/amazon-small.png "[Amazon]")
plus-circle Add Review comment Reviews
644 Previews
10 Favorites
Better World Books
DOWNLOAD OPTIONS
No suitable files to display here.
14 day loan required to access EPUB and PDF files.
IN COLLECTIONS
Uploaded by Tracey Gutierres on March 31, 2014
SIMILAR ITEMS (based on metadata)
- Education & Teaching
- Schools & Teaching
Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) is a service we offer sellers that lets them store their products in Amazon's fulfillment centers, and we directly pack, ship, and provide customer service for these products. Something we hope you'll especially enjoy: FBA items qualify for FREE Shipping and Amazon Prime.
If you're a seller, Fulfillment by Amazon can help you grow your business. Learn more about the program.
Sorry, there was a problem.
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required . Learn more
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web .
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Follow the Author
The Homework Myth Hardcover – August 21, 2006
- Kindle $9.99 Read with Our Free App
- Hardcover $13.68 37 Used from $1.17 1 New from $10.25
- Paperback $10.78 81 Used from $1.59 30 New from $5.29
- Audio CD $28.12 1 Used from $25.30 7 New from $5.77
- Print length 256 pages
- Language English
- Publisher Da Capo Lifelong Books
- Publication date August 21, 2006
- Dimensions 6 x 1.25 x 9 inches
- ISBN-10 0738210854
- ISBN-13 978-0738210858
- See all details
Customers who viewed this item also viewed
Editorial Reviews
From publishers weekly, from booklist, about the author, product details.
- Publisher : Da Capo Lifelong Books; 1st Da Capo Press Ed edition (August 21, 2006)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 256 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0738210854
- ISBN-13 : 978-0738210858
- Item Weight : 15 ounces
- Dimensions : 6 x 1.25 x 9 inches
- #254 in Parent Participation in Education (Books)
- #459 in Philosophy & Social Aspects of Education
- #3,418 in Parenting (Books)
About the author
Alfie Kohn writes and speaks widely on human behavior, education, and parenting. He is the author of twelve books and hundreds of articles. Kohn has been described by Time Magazine as “perhaps the country’s most outspoken critic of education’s fixation on grades and test scores.” He has appeared twice on “Oprah,” as well as on “The Today Show,” NPR’s “Talk of the Nation,” and on many other TV and radio programs. He spends much of his time speaking at education conferences, as well as to parent groups, school faculties, and researchers. Kohn lives (actually) in the Boston area – and (virtually) at www.alfiekohn.org.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
- Top reviews Most recent Top reviews
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. please try again later..
Top reviews from other countries
- Amazon Newsletter
- About Amazon
- Accessibility
- Sustainability
- Press Center
- Investor Relations
- Amazon Devices
- Amazon Science
- Sell products on Amazon
- Sell apps on Amazon
- Supply to Amazon
- Protect & Build Your Brand
- Become an Affiliate
- Become a Delivery Driver
- Start a package delivery business
- Advertise Your Products
- Self-Publish with Us
- Host an Amazon Hub
- › See More Ways to Make Money
- Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Cards
- Amazon Store Card
- Amazon Secured Card
- Amazon Business Card
- Shop with Points
- Credit Card Marketplace
- Reload Your Balance
- Amazon Currency Converter
- Amazon and COVID-19
- Your Account
- Your Orders
- Shipping Rates & Policies
- Amazon Prime
- Returns & Replacements
- Manage Your Content and Devices
- Your Recalls and Product Safety Alerts
- Amazon Assistant
- Conditions of Use
- Privacy Notice
- Your Ads Privacy Choices
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
In The Homework Myth, Alfie Kohn systematically examines the usual defenses of homework – that it promotes higher achievement, “reinforces” learning, teaches study skills and responsibility. None of these assumptions, he shows, actually passes the test of research, logic, or experience.
Kohn, Alfie. The Homework Myth: Why Our Kids Get Too Much of a Bad Thing (Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press, 2006). Kralovec, Etta, and John Buell. The End of Homework: How Homework Disrupts Families, Overburdens Children, and Limits Learning (Boston: Beacon Press, 2000). Samway, Katharine.
In The Homework Myth, nationally known educator and parenting expert Alfie Kohn systematically examines the usual defenses of homework--that it promotes higher achievement, "reinforces" learning, and teaches study skills and responsibility. None of these assumptions, he shows, actually passes the test of research, logic, or experience.
Fame Is the Name of the Game. Alfie Kohn on October 16, 2020. The pervasive (and poignant) desire to be known by millions of strangers—or to bask in the reflected glory of famous people—is an ...
The Homework Myth by Alfie Kohn Publication date 2006-08-21 Topics Teaching skills & techniques, Parenting - General, Education (General), Family And Child Development, Education, Education / Teaching, General, Research, Educational Policy & Reform, Educational change, Homework, Parent participation, Social aspects, United States Publisher
In The Homework Myth, nationally known educator and parenting expert Alfie Kohn systematically examines the usual defenses of homework--that it promotes higher achievement, "reinforces" learning, and teaches study skills and responsibility. None of these assumptions, he shows, actually passes the test of research, logic, or experience.