THE HOMEWORK MANIFESTO
for Teachers & Parents

I AM A TEACHER AND I AGREE:

1. To find out my district's homework policy- and follow it. If my district does not have a homework policy, I will base my own homework policy on sound scientific study and what is best for my students.

2. To only assign meaningful homework- never busy work. If I don't plan on looking at it, I won't assign it.

3. To trust parents to do positive and constructive activities with their children and not feel that I must "give them something to do."

4. To recognize that students (as well as adults) need a break and will not assign weekend and vacation homework (or make it truly optional).

5. To not give 100 problems when a half dozen will tell me whether or not a student understands a concept.

6. To not always require that answering questions or journaling follow reading.

7. To create my own homework, based on what students have learned and what they are interested in learning.

8. To not require that every student in the class do the same type and amount of homework.

9. To never expect parents to teach a new concept.

10. To remain open to parents' concerns and be willing to consider and implement their ideas and suggestions.

I AM A PARENT AND I AGREE:

2. To figure out my personal homework philosophy, and live by it.

3. To trust my instincts. Sometimes, my child needs to complete an assignment or project; other times, he needs a break or a reprieve.

4. To attend Back to School Night and ask Homework Questions. If I miss this event, I will make an appt. with the teacher.

5. To support my child's learning and studying by knowing and understanding their unique Homework Personality.
   
   
6. To be sure that my kids have free time, play time, social time and time to fully and freely participate in family holidays and vacations. I will write make certain that my child's teacher knows my decisions.

7. To make certain that my kids get enough sleep because I understand that Kids Need Sleep More Than Homework.
   
   
8. To encourage my children to read and explore purely for pleasure. Some of the most powerful and lasting discoveries are not assigned.

9. To communicate with my child's teacher if homework is regularly taking too long, becoming a problem, interfering with outside activities and free time or making my child hate school.

10. To understand that teachers are under pressure to cover more material each year, constantly raise test scores and that some parents want homework.

11. To speak up verbally and in writing with others (teachers, parents, educators, politicians, school boards, newspapers, etc) in an effort to bring positive homework changes.

Daleda Shamon, Student
Chicago, Ill.

Kanishkan Mathavan
Toronto, Ontario

Erica Etelson
Berkeley, CA

Shaktisingh Jhala
Merit Island, FL

Claire Dommpil
Wellington, FL

Laurie, Parent
Kalamazoo, MI

Winston, Student
Mississauga, Ontario

James, Parent
Toronto, Canada

Patti Barrett, Parent
Bend, OR

Richard Bernhard, Just Interested
Allentown, PA

Jacob Folsom, Parent
Springs, KS

Nicole Williams, Teacher
Las Vegas, NV

Gina Scaletta-Nelson, Parent
Willow Springs, IL

Anteneh Demissie, Student
Baltimore, MD

Laurie Guzman, Parent
Paterson, NJ

Dawn Ward, Parent
Glen Ridge, NJ

Amanda Mackenzie, Student
Reno, NV

Ivonne Alegria, Parent
Los Angeles, CA

Carolyn Walker, Parent
San Jose, CA

Michael DeAmicis, Parent
Corona, CA

Mitzi Rivas, Parent
Albany, CA

Ibrahim Murtala, Parent
Kano City, Nigeria

Cindy Gallmeyer, Parent
Decatur, IN

Shania Tyler
Bend, OR

H. Polle, Student
Salem, MA

Apollo Asnew, Student
Brooklyn, NY

Menard Bianson, Student
New York, NY

Deborah Holmes, Parent
Alton, IL

Brenda Armstrong, Student
Navarre, FL

Pamela Rodriguez, Just Interested
Cottonwood, CA

Rena Whitaker, Parent
Kenner, LA

D Soignet, Parent
Prairieville, LA

Kulraj Dhanjal, Student
Mississauga, ON

Jeanne Pollet, Parent
Destrehan, IA

Ernesto Granese, Parent
East Sussex, United Kingdom

Vlad Skater, Parent
Portland, OR

Sharon Muhlenkort
Walnut Creek, CA

Kendra Snyder, Student
Pendleton, OR

Taylor Hudema, Student
Longview, WS

Eric Harleston, Student
Houston, TX

Jessica Sanders, Student
Zebulon, NC

Marie Whitt, Teacher
Atlanta, GA

Nancy Cole, Parent
Roswell, NM

Estefani Pinzon, Student
Wilmington, CA

Teresa Perez, Parent
Rockville, MD

Sebastian Burns, Student
Marlborough, NH

Rameen Bismil, Just Interested
Huddersfield, England

John Purchase, Parent
Ottawa, ON

Cassy T, Student
Georgetown, ON

Suzette Cano, Parent
Whittier, CA

Michael McKibbin, Student
Naperville, IL

Nasir, Mohamed, Parent
Addu, South Province

David Laird, Parent
Ephrata, WA

Kristel Munoz, Student
Gilroy, CA

Fred Gaton
New Orleans, LA

Rizwan Khawaja, Teacher
Karachi, Sindh

Joe Smith, Student
Carson City, NV

Carlin Miroslava, Student
Victorville, CA

Sania Irfan, Student
Karachi, Pakistan

Gilliam Ashley, Parent
Ashford, AL

Maria Hernandez, Parent
Miamia, FL

Catherine Jordan, Parent
San Francisco, CA

Kathryn Young, Parent
Abingdon, MD

Blake Bailey, Student
Big Bear Lake, CA

Aaron DeRose, Student
Queens, NY

Nicolas W, Student
Frankford, ON

Abby Peterson, Student
Rifle, CO

Sarah Diaz, Student
Waco, TX

Arlene Rodriguez, Student
Paulsboro, NJ

Sharon Allie, Parent
Santa Monica, CA

Jessica Rasulis, Student
Cincinatti, OH

Raina Faisal, Teacher
Gujrat, Punjab

Mahwish Ehtesham
Karachi, Pakistan

Namal Sondhi, Student
Delhi, New Delhi

Lawrence Hu, Student
St. Louis, MO

Alexandria Watts, Student
Birmingham, AL

Vanshika Iglesias, Student
Mississauga, ON

Jennifer Gallop, Student
Easton, PA

Zuha Shaikh, Student
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

Paige Rinker, Parent
Woodstock, GA

Mariya Kanwal, Student
Karachi, Sindh

Jeffery Wright, Student
Elizabeth City, NC

Verena Karam, Parent
Poway, CA

Hayley Deeken, Student
Fishers, IN

Muhammad Usman, Student
Athabasca, Alberta

Dorothy Finch, Parent
Baltimore, MD

Grace Tang, Student

Reece Redfern, Student
Chelsea, Victoria

Sabrina Jones, Student
Seattle, WA

Katy W., Parent
Noblesville, IN

There's More!