IN THE 20S, HOMEWORK IS A NO GO

I don't know if this was caused by the pandemic or some cultural trend independent of Covid 19, but the current junior high students are dead set against homework.

I have had to completely change my approach to class to allow all work to be done within the given period because at least half of the students will simply never do homework. 

And it's not that they forget to do it. Or that they are too busy to do it. 

They are adamantly opposed to the very concept of homework. 

A few days back in one class I announced that we were going to read chapter 9 of The Outsiders together. One young lady said, "We can't read it together. I haven't finished chapter 7 yet. How am I supposed to get caught up if we keep moving forward in class?"

I said, "Well, there's a weekend coming up."

Shock and indignation flashed across her face: "Wait. You don't expect me to read this ON MY OWN TIME, do you?!"

I said, "Yes, that's exactly what I expect."

Or, rather, it is what I used to expect.

(She confirmed today that she never did finish the book. Currently we are writing an essay over The Outsiders. I anticipate at least one in five will not turn any sort of essay in.)