‘THERES ONLY SO FAR I

CAN TAKE THEM’

Jessica Calarco

ARTICLE OF THE WEEK

ENGL 3690
LEAH BUNING
 What’s the deal?
◦ Is there a link between how teachers reward/penalize students for doing or not
doing their homework and family income?

◦ Research shows that students from high-income families make bigger

achievement gains through homework than students from low-income
families.
◦ In addition, parents who have limited educational experience find it difficult to
help their kids with math homework and get overwhelmed.
One teacher of 22 interviewed stated:

“When you don’t have that support from

home, what can you do? They can’t study by
themselves. So, if they don’t have parents
that are going to help them out with that,
then that’s tough on them and it shows.”
 An Issue of Equity?
◦ “While educators recognize the different levels of resources that
students have at home, they continue to assign homework that is
too difficult for students to complete independently, and reward
students who complete the homework anyway.”

◦ Could homework contribute to disparities in students’ performance

in school?
 The Myth of Meritocracy

◦ Suggests that all students in the US have the same opportunities

to succeed in school and any differences are a result of different
levels of effort.

HOW CAN WE CHANGE THAT BELIEF?

 Ways to Help 
◦ During free-time, offer homework help!
Or offer homework time during class.

◦ Create a safe space! This allows students to feel confident enough to ask
questions in class or come to you for help 1-on-1.

◦ Encourage students to help each other!

◦ Provide parents with resources and info!

 Citations
Calarco, Jessica, and Ilana Horn. “'There's Only so Far I Can Take Them' – Why Teachers Give up
on Struggling Students Who Don't Do Their Homework.” The Conversation, 26 Sept. 2022,
https://theconversation.com/theres-only-so-far-i-can-take-them-why-teachers-give-up-on-struggling-students-who-d
ont-do-their-homework-187896

“And that trickles down to less support at home, homework not being done,
stuff not being returned and signed. It should be almost 50-50 between home
and school. If they don’t have the support at home, there’s only so far, I can
take them. If they’re not going to go home and do their homework, there’s
just not much I can do.”