Does Homework Really Help?
3:15- After school basketball practice 4:30- Walk home from practice 5:00- Home, get snack 5:30- Go to neighbors to carpool for tumbling 6:00- Tumbling 7:00- Carpool home 7:30- Dinner 8:15- Math Homework- 50 algebra problems 9:00- English homework- writing 9:30- Social Studies, Science, and Spanish Homework 10:15- Get ready to go to sleep 10:45- Go to bed Many students across America follow, in some way or another, a schedule like the example one above.
They have multiple extracurricular activities after school and have very little time for homework. Teens also stay up late trying to squeeze in time for homework. Homework isn’t the only priority for students across the nation. Homework causes stress, it causes family problems, and it doesn’t show any signs of academic benefit in kids and teens. Teachers, principals, and parents should not stress the pressures of too much homework on students. A survey on encyclopedia.com asked a variety of students what caused them the most stress. 36% of the students say that homework is their main stressor. That’s not a mind blowing number, but it does show that homework really does cause kids stress and frustration. Also Stephanie Dunnewind, a staff reporter for the Seattle Times, says in her article that eight out of ten parents say their children are suffering from homework stress. “The amount of homework has gradually increased since the 1970’s,” says a teacher from Stevens Elementary School in Seattle. He also says, “Homework is more difficult and consistent than it was when I was in school.
” Since the amount of homework has increased this puts more pressure on children and teenagers. An article from the Orlando Sentinel says that nine out of ten students are stressed from homework. These statements prove that homework is or can be stressful for students, but students aren’t the only ones who get stressed from homework. It can also create stress for families as well. Alfie Kohn, the writer of The Homework Myth, says in an article that homework causes parents to keep enforcing their kids to complete their assignments. This can cause resentment between parents and their children.
For example say your mom tells you to do your homework while you are doing something that you feel is important. You are bound to have an argument with your parent about what you want to do. These sorts of situations could very easily cause frustration within families. Also Andrea Matthews, a licensed professional counselor, says that parents and students are spending countless hours arguing about finishing their homework. She also says that when a child is told to do their homework their mood immediately turns negative. Families and homework don’t go well together, but that could easily be because students feel that homework isn’t helpful.
Kohn also says in an article that the positive effects on homework are largely mythical. Matthews also states that there is no evidence of any academic benefit from assigning homework. Especially with younger kids there isn’t even a correlation between whether children do their homework. The Orlando Sentinel states that teachers spend fifteen percent of their work life on homework. Teachers are spending so much time on something that doesn’t even benefit students or themselves.
The Sentinel also states that three out of ten parents say that their children’s homework is of poor quality, and four out of ten parents say their homework is just busy work. These parents are letting us know that their children’s homework is not benefitting them whatsoever. Homework causes many problems within families and causes stress for students and teachers. It doesn’t improve your academics and it doesn’t help you succeed in school. Homework only takes kids away from getting the right amount of exercise and sleep. Why would teachers and students want to be spending time on something that doesn’t even benefit and improve their learning and teaching?
