Homework Free Age
Suddenly my world has been besieged by the word "education". The exchange program HKICC is organizing (above), the School of Creativity (still), the new course "Curriculum Issues and Assessments" E and I are teaching at the Polytechnic University, and, thus, our regular discussions. I am even starting to revisit all those notes and handouts of my education study. And now, it's my blog.
In Telegarph today, the head teacher of St John's in Marlborough, Wilts, says scrapping homework is the third step of the school to encourage students-of-the-information-age to "love learning for its own sake". The "controversial" measure comes after (1) replacing subjects with "cross-curricular projects" and (2) allowing pupils to mark each other's work.
Everybody seems like talking more or less the same objective and direction for education reform all over the world (at least -or just?- most of the metropolitan cities). Hong Kong government has titled its paradigm shift of education straightly as "Learning to Learn" since the beginning of the millennium. But, how, is the though one, at which most complaints have targeted. The three-step UK version sounds not particularly inspiring, with the citation "Homework is a dinosaur" echoing in the press more like a gimmick in fact.
No homework? I wonder. Or he means what kind of homework to give instead? Well, when I was a student, I liked homework to a certain extent, even the "repetitive" kind. "Practice makes perfection" is my way of learning. My piano teacher said today a MAN at my age, and an intermediate learner, can hardly twist the fingers in the speed I played today. Well, I answered, totally flattered, I did practise a few hours more this week.
This is hardly an example to rule out today's subject, piano playing is skill-based in the end and education is more than that.
(Update: Too bad the exchange programme was cancelled.)
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