The Homework Conversation

I have been holding some conversations with students around the issues of homework. I think they are being very serious in their concerns, yet I have some nagging 'teacher issues' as well. Many refer to the hours that it takes them to do their math alone. Some of the kids are responsible for many chores as well. I know that parents rely on them to tend animals, take care of wood, care for younger siblings and the like. I can see these legitimate issues and the stress that a nightly reading assignment can cause, but I also know that those kids aren't necessarily the ones that aren't completing it. This past Friday night I sat with a girl until 6:15 at night (when I finally had to tell her it was time to go) because she was failing English for not having completed her homework and hoped to squeeze in a few last minute make-ups to pass. Her problem clearly related to homework. She did not complete the reading assignments of 10 pages or less a night, nor did she complete the guided reading questions when she did do the reading. This is a girl with no chores, only older siblings, and supportive parents. Are the issues with homework completion an issue of not enough time or is it an issue of downright laziness? This girl still seemed unconcerned. She is a sweet kid- funny and good-natured, but homework was not a priority. Nothing is really a priority. This kid is not responsible for anything at home. Why would I think that I could break this? Who am I to assume that by assigning better or more engaging work that it would get done? As you can see, I am still grappling with this issue. One teacher, who I stumbled upon through various blogs, has an interesting answer- he is eliminating failure as an option. Maybe this is the direction I too need to head.