Second-grade teacher's unique homework policy goes viral

Every school year, elementary school students are faced with new challenges.

They have to make new friends, get to know new teachers and learn how to juggle more complex courses.

But there’s at least one stressful thing second-graders at Godley Elementary School in Texas won’t have to worry about this year: homework.

Brandy Young, a second-grade teacher at the school, passed out a letter to every parent at a “Meet the Teacher Night” ahead of the start of the school year to explain her new homework policy -- or should we say, no-homework policy. 

A pleased parent posted a photo of the letter on her Facebook page, and it went viral with more than 59,000 shares.

“Brooke is loving her new teacher already!” Samantha Gallagher captioned the picture.

The mother of 7-year-old Brooke was thrilled to know that her daughter won’t be overwhelmed with homework this year.

“There will be no formally assigned homework this year,” Brandy Young explained in the letter. “Rather, I ask you spend your evenings doing things that are proven to correlate with student success. Eat dinner as a family, read together, play outside, and get your child to bed early.”

The teacher said homework just wasn’t working for her classroom anymore. So, she decided to make meaningful change.

“[Students] work hard all day. When they go home they have other things they need to learn there,” Young told CBS News. “I’m trying to develop their whole person; it’s not beneficial to go home and do pencil and paper work.”

Dozens of people praised Young’s view on homework, Gallagher included.

“Finally more teachers are catching on to this!” one Facebook user commented.

“Hopefully this will change some things,” another wrote.

Gallagher is looking forward to the new routine.

“We’re happy that at the end of a long school day she’ll get to come home and unwind and be a kid... go outside to play, make new friends, spend more time as a family,” Gallagher said.

Young, who is a parent herself, wants to bring more families together.

The Godley Independent School District is a district of innovation, following The Leader in Me school model, Young explained.

“Our superintendent really encouraged us to be innovators,” Young said. “Whether or not it’s popular, I just wanted to see if it would work. You can’t know if it’s gonna work unless you try it.”

Several other teachers within the district are also considering taking a similar “no homework” approach. And Young is happy to hear it. 

“For any teacher considering anything that might benefit their students I say go for it; if something doesn’t work, change it,” she said.