Homework in the Responsive Classroom

Cathy Vatterott is an associate professor of education at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. A former middle school teacher and principal, Vatterott learned first-hand about homework struggles as the parent of a child with learning disabilities. Today, her son is a successful college student and she is known as “the homework lady.” She earned the title after years of research and writing about homework. She has presented on the topic to over 6,000 educators and parents in the United States, Canada, and Europe.

Her most recent book, Rethinking Homework: Best Practices That Support Diverse Needs (ASCD, 2009), details a differentiated approach to homework—one that can serve teachers, students, and parents. Vatterott believes that homework needn’t stretch into the wee hours of the night, and that teachers shouldn’t take a punitive stance against unfinished homework. In fact, Vatterott sees incomplete homework as a crucial window for teachers into the academic and personal needs of students. She also sees an important role for parents in providing feedback to teachers on the struggles of their children to complete homework.

We spoke to Vatterott about her homework philosophy and why too much homework can bring about academic failure.