homework must be banned speech

25 Reasons Homework Should Be Banned (Busywork Arguments)

As students across the globe plow through heaps of homework each night, one question lingers in the minds of educators, parents, and students alike: should homework be banned?

This question is not new, yet it continues to spark lively debate as research findings, anecdotal evidence, and personal experiences paint a complex picture of the pros and cons of homework.

On one hand, proponents of homework argue that it reinforces classroom learning, encourages a disciplined work ethic, and provides teachers with valuable insight into student comprehension. They see homework as an extension of classroom instruction that solidifies and enriches learning while fostering important skills like time management and self-discipline. It also offers an opportunity for parents to be involved in their children's education.

However, some people say there are a lot of downsides. They argue that excessive homework can lead to stress and burnout, reduce time for extracurricular activities and family interactions, exacerbate educational inequalities, and even negatively impact students' mental health.

This article presents 25 reasons why we might need to seriously consider this radical shift in our educational approach. But first, lets share some examples of what homework actually is.

Examples of Homework

These examples cover a wide range of subjects and complexity levels, reflecting the variety of homework assignments students might encounter throughout their educational journey.

• Spelling lists to memorize for a test
• Math worksheets for practicing basic arithmetic operations
• Reading assignments from children's books
• Simple science projects like growing a plant
• Basic geography assignments like labeling a map
• Art projects like drawing a family portrait
• Writing book reports or essays
• Advanced math problems
• Research projects on various topics
• Lab reports for science experiments
• Reading and responding to literature
• Preparing presentations on various topics
• Advanced math problems involving calculus or algebra
• Reading classic literature and writing analytical essays
• Research papers on historical events
• Lab reports for advanced science experiments
• Foreign language exercises
• Preparing for standardized tests
• College application essays
• Extensive research papers
• In-depth case studies
• Advanced problem-solving in subjects like physics, engineering, etc.
• Thesis or dissertation writing
• Extensive reading and literature reviews
• Internship or practicum experiences

Lack of proven benefits

Homework has long been a staple of traditional education, dating back centuries. However, the actual efficacy of homework in enhancing learning outcomes remains disputed. A number of studies indicate that there's no conclusive evidence supporting the notion that homework improves academic performance, especially in primary education . In fact, research suggests that for younger students, the correlation between homework and academic achievement is weak or even negative .

Too much homework can often lead to increased stress and decreased enthusiasm for learning. This issue becomes particularly pressing when considering the common 'more is better' approach to homework, where the quantity of work given to students often outweighs the quality and effectiveness of the tasks. For instance, spending countless hours memorizing facts for a history test may not necessarily translate to better understanding or long-term retention of the subject matter.

However, it's worth noting that homework isn't completely devoid of benefits. It can help foster self-discipline, time management skills, and the ability to work independently. But, these positive outcomes are usually more pronounced in older students and when homework assignments are thoughtfully designed and not excessive in volume.

When discussing the merits and drawbacks of homework, it's critical to consider the nature of the assignments. Routine, repetitive tasks often associated with 'drill-and-practice' homework, such as completing rows of arithmetic problems or copying definitions from a textbook, rarely lead to meaningful learning. On the other hand, assignments that encourage students to apply what they've learned in class, solve problems, or engage creatively with the material can be more beneficial.

Increased stress

Homework can often lead to a significant increase in stress levels among students. This is especially true when students are burdened with large volumes of homework, leaving them with little time to relax or pursue other activities. The feeling of constantly racing against the clock to meet deadlines can contribute to anxiety, frustration, and even burnout.

Contrary to popular belief, stress does not necessarily improve performance or productivity. In fact, high levels of stress can negatively impact memory, concentration, and overall cognitive function. This counteracts the very purpose of homework, which is intended to reinforce learning and improve academic outcomes.

However, one might argue that homework can teach students about time management, organization, and how to handle pressure. These are important life skills that could potentially prepare them for future responsibilities. But it's essential to strike a balance. The pressure to complete homework should not come at the cost of a student's mental wellbeing.

Limited family time

Homework often infringes upon the time students can spend with their families. After spending the entire day in school, children come home to yet more academic work, leaving little room for quality family interactions. This limited family time can hinder the development of important interpersonal skills and familial bonds.

Moreover, family time isn't just about fun and relaxation. It also plays a crucial role in the social and emotional development of children. Opportunities for unstructured play, family conversations, and shared activities can contribute to children's well-being and character building.

Nonetheless, advocates of homework might argue that it can be a platform for parental involvement in a child's education. While this may be true, the involvement should not transform into parental control or cause friction due to differing expectations and pressures.

Reduced physical activity

Homework can often lead to reduced physical activity by eating into the time students have for sports, recreation, and simply being outdoors. Physical activity is essential for children's health, well-being, and even their academic performance. Research suggests that physical activity can enhance cognitive abilities, improve concentration, and reduce symptoms of ADHD .

Homework, especially when it's boring and repetitive, can deter students from engaging in physical activities, leading to a sedentary lifestyle. This lack of balance between work and play can contribute to physical health problems such as obesity, poor posture, and related health concerns.

Homework proponents might point out that disciplined time management could allow students to balance both work and play. However, given the demanding nature of many homework assignments, achieving this balance is often easier said than done.

Negative impact on sleep

A significant concern about homework is its impact on students' sleep patterns. Numerous studies have linked excessive homework to sleep deprivation in students. Children often stay up late to complete assignments, reducing the amount of sleep they get. Lack of sleep can result in a host of issues, from poor academic performance and difficulty concentrating to physical health problems like weakened immunity.

Even the quality of sleep can be affected. The stress and anxiety from a heavy workload can lead to difficulty falling asleep or restless nights. And let's not forget that students often need to wake up early for school, compounding the negative effects of late-night homework sessions.

On the other hand, some argue that homework can teach children time management skills, suggesting that effective organization could help prevent late-night work. However, when schools assign excessive amounts of homework, even the best time management might not prevent encroachment on sleep time.

Homework can exacerbate existing educational inequalities. Not all students have access to a conducive learning environment at home, necessary resources, or support from educated family members. For these students, homework can become a source of stress and disadvantage rather than an opportunity to reinforce learning.

Children from lower socio-economic backgrounds might need to contribute to household chores or part-time work, limiting the time they have for homework. This can create a gap in academic performance and grades, reflecting not on the students' abilities but their circumstances.

While homework is meant to level the playing field by providing additional learning time outside school, it often does the opposite. It's worth noting that students from privileged backgrounds can often access additional help like tutoring, further widening the gap.

Reduced creativity and independent thinking

Homework, particularly when it involves rote learning or repetitive tasks, can stifle creativity and independent thinking. Students often focus on getting the "right" answers to please teachers rather than exploring different ideas and solutions. This can hinder their ability to think creatively and solve problems independently, skills that are increasingly in demand in the modern world.

Homework defenders might claim that it can also promote independent learning. True, when thoughtfully designed, homework can encourage this. But, voluminous or repetitive tasks tend to promote compliance over creativity.

Diminished interest in learning

Overburdening students with homework can diminish their interest in learning. After long hours in school followed by more academic tasks at home, learning can begin to feel like a chore. This can lead to a decline in intrinsic motivation and an unhealthy association of learning with stress and exhaustion.

In theory, homework can deepen interest in a subject, especially when it involves projects or research. Yet, an excess of homework, particularly routine tasks, might achieve the opposite, turning learning into a source of stress rather than enjoyment.

Inability to pursue personal interests

Homework can limit students' ability to pursue personal interests. Hobbies, personal projects, and leisure activities are crucial for personal development and well-being. With heavy homework loads, students may struggle to find time for these activities, missing out on opportunities to discover new interests and talents.

Supporters of homework might argue that it teaches students to manage their time effectively. However, even with good time management, an overload of homework can crowd out time for personal interests.

Excessive workload

The issue of excessive workload is a common complaint among students. Spending several hours on homework after a full school day can be mentally and physically draining. This workload can lead to burnout, decreased motivation, and negative attitudes toward school and learning.

While homework can help consolidate classroom learning, too much can be counterproductive. It's important to consider the overall workload of students, including school, extracurricular activities, and personal time, when assigning homework.

Limited time for reflection

Homework can limit the time students have for reflection. Reflection is a critical part of learning, allowing students to digest and integrate new information. With the constant flow of assignments, there's often little time left for this crucial process. Consequently, the learning becomes superficial, and the true understanding of subjects can be compromised.

Although homework is meant to reinforce what's taught in class, the lack of downtime for reflection might hinder deep learning. It's important to remember that learning is not just about doing, but also about thinking.

Increased pressure on young children

Young children are particularly vulnerable to the pressures of homework. At an age where play and exploration are vital for cognitive and emotional development, too much homework can create undue pressure and stress. This pressure can instigate a negative relationship with learning from an early age, potentially impacting their future attitude towards education.

Advocates of homework often argue that it prepares children for the rigors of their future academic journey. However, placing too much academic pressure on young children might overshadow the importance of learning through play and exploration.

Lack of alignment with real-world skills

Traditional homework often lacks alignment with real-world skills. Assignments typically focus on academic abilities at the expense of skills like creativity, problem-solving, and emotional intelligence. These are crucial for success in the modern workplace and are often under-emphasized in homework tasks.

Homework can be an opportunity to develop these skills when properly structured. However, tasks often focus on memorization and repetition, rather than cultivating skills relevant to the real world.

Loss of motivation

Excessive homework can lead to a loss of motivation. The constant pressure to complete assignments and meet deadlines can diminish a student's intrinsic motivation to learn. This loss of motivation might not only affect their academic performance but also their love of learning, potentially having long-term effects on their educational journey.

Some believe homework instills discipline and responsibility. But, it's important to balance these benefits against the potential for homework to undermine motivation and engagement.

Disruption of work-life balance

Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is as important for students as it is for adults. Overloading students with homework can disrupt this balance, leaving little time for relaxation, socializing, and extracurricular activities. All of these are vital for a student's overall development and well-being.

Homework supporters might argue that it prepares students for the workloads they'll face in college and beyond. But it's also crucial to ensure students have time to relax, recharge, and engage in non-academic activities for a well-rounded development.

Impact on mental health

There's a growing body of evidence showing the negative impact of excessive homework on students' mental health. The stress and anxiety from heavy homework loads can contribute to issues like depression, anxiety, and even thoughts of suicide. Student well-being should be a top priority in education, and the impact of homework on mental health cannot be ignored.

While some might argue that homework helps students develop resilience and coping skills, it's important to ensure these potential benefits don't come at the expense of students' mental health.

Limited time for self-care

With excessive homework, students often find little time for essential self-care activities. These can include physical exercise, proper rest, healthy eating, mindfulness, or even simple leisure activities. These activities are critical for maintaining physical health, emotional well-being, and cognitive function.

Some might argue that managing homework alongside self-care responsibilities teaches students valuable life skills. However, it's important that these skills don't come at the cost of students' health and well-being.

Decreased family involvement

Homework can inadvertently lead to decreased family involvement in a child's learning. Parents often feel unqualified or too busy to help with homework, leading to missed opportunities for family learning interactions. This can also create stress and conflict within the family, especially when parents have high expectations or are unable to assist.

Some believe homework can facilitate parental involvement in education. But, when it becomes a source of stress or conflict, it can discourage parents from engaging in their child's learning.

Reinforcement of inequalities

Homework can unintentionally reinforce inequalities. Students from disadvantaged backgrounds might lack access to resources like private tutors or a quiet study space, placing them at a disadvantage compared to their more privileged peers. Additionally, these students might have additional responsibilities at home, further limiting their time to complete homework.

While the purpose of homework is often to provide additional learning opportunities, it can inadvertently reinforce existing disparities. Therefore, it's essential to ensure that homework doesn't favor students who have more resources at home.

Reduced time for play and creativity

Homework can take away from time for play and creative activities. These activities are not only enjoyable but also crucial for the cognitive, social, and emotional development of children. Play allows children to explore, imagine, and create, fostering innovative thinking and problem-solving skills.

Some may argue that homework teaches discipline and responsibility. Yet, it's vital to remember that play also has significant learning benefits and should be a part of every child's daily routine.

Increased cheating and academic dishonesty

The pressure to complete homework can sometimes lead to increased cheating and academic dishonesty. When faced with a large volume of homework, students might resort to copying from friends or searching for answers online. This undermines the educational value of homework and fosters unhealthy academic practices.

While homework is intended to consolidate learning, the risk of promoting dishonest behaviors is a concern that needs to be addressed.

Strained teacher-student relationships

Excessive homework can strain teacher-student relationships. If students begin to associate teachers with stress or anxiety from homework, it can hinder the development of a positive learning relationship. Furthermore, if teachers are perceived as being unfair or insensitive with their homework demands, it can impact the overall classroom dynamic.

While homework can provide an opportunity for teachers to monitor student progress, it's important to ensure that it doesn't negatively affect the teacher-student relationship.

Negative impact on family dynamics

Homework can impact family dynamics. Parents might feel compelled to enforce homework completion, leading to potential conflict, stress, and tension within the family. These situations can disrupt the harmony in the household and strain relationships.

Homework is sometimes seen as a tool to engage parents in their child's education. However, it's crucial to ensure that this involvement doesn't turn into a source of conflict or pressure.

Cultural and individual differences

Homework might not take into account cultural and individual differences. Education is not a one-size-fits-all process, and what works for one student might not work for another. Some students might thrive on hands-on learning, while others prefer auditory or visual learning methods. By standardizing homework, we might ignore these individual learning styles and preferences.

Homework can also overlook cultural differences. For students from diverse cultural backgrounds, certain types of homework might seem irrelevant or difficult to relate to, leading to disengagement or confusion.

Encouragement of surface-level learning

Homework often encourages surface-level learning instead of deep understanding. When students are swamped with homework, they're likely to rush through assignments to get them done, rather than taking the time to understand the concepts. This can result in superficial learning where students memorize information to regurgitate it on assignments and tests, instead of truly understanding and internalizing the knowledge.

While homework is meant to reinforce classroom learning, the quality of learning is more important than the quantity. It's important to design homework in a way that encourages deep, meaningful learning instead of mere rote memorization.

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Student Opinion

Should We Get Rid of Homework?

Some educators are pushing to get rid of homework. Would that be a good thing?

By Jeremy Engle and Michael Gonchar

Do you like doing homework? Do you think it has benefited you educationally?

Has homework ever helped you practice a difficult skill — in math, for example — until you mastered it? Has it helped you learn new concepts in history or science? Has it helped to teach you life skills, such as independence and responsibility? Or, have you had a more negative experience with homework? Does it stress you out, numb your brain from busywork or actually make you fall behind in your classes?

Should we get rid of homework?

In “ The Movement to End Homework Is Wrong, ” published in July, the Times Opinion writer Jay Caspian Kang argues that homework may be imperfect, but it still serves an important purpose in school. The essay begins:

Do students really need to do their homework? As a parent and a former teacher, I have been pondering this question for quite a long time. The teacher side of me can acknowledge that there were assignments I gave out to my students that probably had little to no academic value. But I also imagine that some of my students never would have done their basic reading if they hadn’t been trained to complete expected assignments, which would have made the task of teaching an English class nearly impossible. As a parent, I would rather my daughter not get stuck doing the sort of pointless homework I would occasionally assign, but I also think there’s a lot of value in saying, “Hey, a lot of work you’re going to end up doing in your life is pointless, so why not just get used to it?” I certainly am not the only person wondering about the value of homework. Recently, the sociologist Jessica McCrory Calarco and the mathematics education scholars Ilana Horn and Grace Chen published a paper, “ You Need to Be More Responsible: The Myth of Meritocracy and Teachers’ Accounts of Homework Inequalities .” They argued that while there’s some evidence that homework might help students learn, it also exacerbates inequalities and reinforces what they call the “meritocratic” narrative that says kids who do well in school do so because of “individual competence, effort and responsibility.” The authors believe this meritocratic narrative is a myth and that homework — math homework in particular — further entrenches the myth in the minds of teachers and their students. Calarco, Horn and Chen write, “Research has highlighted inequalities in students’ homework production and linked those inequalities to differences in students’ home lives and in the support students’ families can provide.”

Mr. Kang argues:

But there’s a defense of homework that doesn’t really have much to do with class mobility, equality or any sense of reinforcing the notion of meritocracy. It’s one that became quite clear to me when I was a teacher: Kids need to learn how to practice things. Homework, in many cases, is the only ritualized thing they have to do every day. Even if we could perfectly equalize opportunity in school and empower all students not to be encumbered by the weight of their socioeconomic status or ethnicity, I’m not sure what good it would do if the kids didn’t know how to do something relentlessly, over and over again, until they perfected it. Most teachers know that type of progress is very difficult to achieve inside the classroom, regardless of a student’s background, which is why, I imagine, Calarco, Horn and Chen found that most teachers weren’t thinking in a structural inequalities frame. Holistic ideas of education, in which learning is emphasized and students can explore concepts and ideas, are largely for the types of kids who don’t need to worry about class mobility. A defense of rote practice through homework might seem revanchist at this moment, but if we truly believe that schools should teach children lessons that fall outside the meritocracy, I can’t think of one that matters more than the simple satisfaction of mastering something that you were once bad at. That takes homework and the acknowledgment that sometimes a student can get a question wrong and, with proper instruction, eventually get it right.

Students, read the entire article, then tell us:

Should we get rid of homework? Why, or why not?

Is homework an outdated, ineffective or counterproductive tool for learning? Do you agree with the authors of the paper that homework is harmful and worsens inequalities that exist between students’ home circumstances?

Or do you agree with Mr. Kang that homework still has real educational value?

When you get home after school, how much homework will you do? Do you think the amount is appropriate, too much or too little? Is homework, including the projects and writing assignments you do at home, an important part of your learning experience? Or, in your opinion, is it not a good use of time? Explain.

In these letters to the editor , one reader makes a distinction between elementary school and high school:

Homework’s value is unclear for younger students. But by high school and college, homework is absolutely essential for any student who wishes to excel. There simply isn’t time to digest Dostoyevsky if you only ever read him in class.

What do you think? How much does grade level matter when discussing the value of homework?

Is there a way to make homework more effective?

If you were a teacher, would you assign homework? What kind of assignments would you give and why?

Want more writing prompts? You can find all of our questions in our Student Opinion column . Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate them into your classroom.

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

Jeremy Engle joined The Learning Network as a staff editor in 2018 after spending more than 20 years as a classroom humanities and documentary-making teacher, professional developer and curriculum designer working with students and teachers across the country. More about Jeremy Engle

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No More Homework: 12 Reasons We Should Get Rid of It Completely

Last Updated: February 16, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Finn Kobler . Finn Kobler graduated from USC in 2022 with a BFA in Writing for Screen/Television. He is a two-time California State Champion and record holder in Original Prose/Poetry, a 2018 finalist for the Los Angeles Youth Poet Laureate, and he's written micro-budget films that have been screened in over 150 theaters nationwide. Growing up, Finn spent every summer helping his family's nonprofit arts program, Showdown Stage Company, empower people through accessible media. He hopes to continue that mission with his writing at wikiHow. There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 115,290 times. Learn more...

The amount of homework students are given has increased dramatically in the 21st century, which has sparked countless debates over homework’s overall value. While some have been adamant that homework is an essential part of a good education, it’s been proven that too much homework negatively affects students’ mood, classroom performance, and overall well-being. In addition, a heavy homework load can stress families and teachers. Here are 12 reasons why homework should be banned (or at least heavily reduced).

School is already a full-time job.

• For years, teachers have followed the “10-minute rule” giving students roughly 10 minutes of homework per grade level. However, recent studies have shown students are completing 3+ hours of homework a night well before their senior years even begin. [2] X Trustworthy Source American Psychological Association Leading scientific and professional organization of licensed psychologists Go to source

Homework negatively affects students’ health.

Homework interferes with student’s opportunities to socialize.

Homework hinders students’ chances to learn new things.

Homework lowers students’ enthusiasm for school.

Homework can lower academic performance.

Homework cuts into family time.

Homework is stressful for teachers.

Homework is often irrelevant and punitive.

• There are even studies that have shown homework in primary school has no correlation with classroom performance whatsoever. [9] X Research source

Homework encourages cheating.

Homework is inequitable.

Other countries have banned homework with great results.

• There are even some U.S. schools that have adopted this approach with success. [13] X Research source

Community Q&A

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• ↑ https://www.edutopia.org/no-proven-benefits
• ↑ https://www.apa.org/monitor/2016/03/homework
• ↑ https://healthier.stanfordchildrens.org/en/health-hazards-homework/
• ↑ https://teensneedsleep.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/galloway-nonacademic-effects-of-homework-in-privileged-high-performing-high-schools.pdf
• ↑ https://time.com/4466390/homework-debate-research/
• ↑ https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00220485.2022.2075506?role=tab&scroll=top&needAccess=true&journalCode=vece20
• ↑ https://kappanonline.org/teacher-stress-balancing-demands-resources-mccarthy/
• ↑ https://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/ct-life-homework-pros-cons-20180807-story.html
• ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6294446/
• ↑ https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2016/06/homework-inequality-parents-schedules-grades/485174/
• ↑ https://www.bbc.com/news/education-37716005
• ↑ https://www.wsj.com/articles/no-homework-its-the-new-thing-in-u-s-schools-11544610600

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Should homework be banned?

Social media has sparked into life about whether children should be given homework - should students be freed from this daily chore? Dr Gerald Letendre, a professor of education at Pennsylvania State University, investigates.

We’ve all done it: pretended to leave an essay at home, or stayed up until 2am to finish a piece of coursework we’ve been ignoring for weeks. Homework, for some people, is seen as a chore that’s ‘wrecking kids’ or ‘killing parents’, while others think it is an essential part of a well-rounded education. The problem is far from new: public debates about homework have been raging since at least the early-1900s, and recently spilled over into a Twitter feud between Gary Lineker and Piers Morgan.

Ironically, the conversation surrounding homework often ignores the scientific ‘homework’ that researchers have carried out. Many detailed studies have been conducted, and can guide parents, teachers and administrators to make sensible decisions about how much work should be completed by students outside of the classroom.

So why does homework stir up such strong emotions? One reason is that, by its very nature, it is an intrusion of schoolwork into family life. I carried out a study in 2005, and found that the amount of time that children and adolescents spend in school, from nursery right up to the end of compulsory education, has greatly increased over the last century . This means that more of a child’s time is taken up with education, so family time is reduced. This increases pressure on the boundary between the family and the school.

Plus, the amount of homework that students receive appears to be increasing, especially in the early years when parents are keen for their children to play with friends and spend time with the family.

Finally, success in school has become increasingly important to success in life. Parents can use homework to promote, or exercise control over, their child’s academic trajectory, and hopefully ensure their future educational success. But this often leaves parents conflicted – they want their children to be successful in school, but they don’t want them to be stressed or upset because of an unmanageable workload.

However, the issue isn’t simply down to the opinions of parents, children and their teachers – governments also like to get involved. In the autumn of 2012, French president François Hollande hit world headlines after making a comment about banning homework, ostensibly because it promoted inequality. The Chinese government has also toyed with a ban, because of concerns about excessive academic pressure being put on children.

The problem is, some politicians and national administrators regard regulatory policy in education as a solution for a wide array of social, economic and political issues, perhaps without considering the consequences for students and parents.

Does homework work?

Homework seems to generally have a positive effect for high school students, according to an extensive range of empirical literature. For example, Duke University’s Prof Harris Cooper carried out a meta-analysis using data from US schools, covering a period from 1987 to 2003. He found that homework offered a general beneficial impact on test scores and improvements in attitude, with a greater effect seen in older students. But dig deeper into the issue and a complex set of factors quickly emerges, related to how much homework students do, and exactly how they feel about it.

In 2009, Prof Ulrich Trautwein and his team at the University of Tübingen found that in order to establish whether homework is having any effect, researchers must take into account the differences both between and within classes . For example, a teacher may assign a good deal of homework to a lower-level class, producing an association between more homework and lower levels of achievement. Yet, within the same class, individual students may vary significantly in how much homework improves their baseline performance. Plus, there is the fact that some students are simply more efficient at completing their homework than others, and it becomes quite difficult to pinpoint just what type of homework, and how much of it, will affect overall academic performance.

Over the last century, the amount of time that children and adolescents spend in school has greatly increased

Gender is also a major factor. For example, a study of US high school students carried out by Prof Gary Natriello in the 1980s revealed that girls devote more time to homework than boys, while a follow-up study found that US girls tend to spend more time on mathematics homework than boys. Another study, this time of African-American students in the US, found that eighth grade (ages 13-14) girls were more likely to successfully manage both their tasks and emotions around schoolwork, and were more likely to finish homework.

So why do girls seem to respond more positively to homework? One possible answer proposed by Eunsook Hong of the University of Nevada in 2011 is that teachers tend to rate girls’ habits and attitudes towards work more favourably than boys’. This perception could potentially set up a positive feedback loop between teacher expectations and the children’s capacity for academic work based on gender, resulting in girls outperforming boys. All of this makes it particularly difficult to determine the extent to which homework is helping, though it is clear that simply increasing the time spent on assignments does not directly correspond to a universal increase in learning.

Can homework cause damage?

The lack of empirical data supporting homework in the early years of education, along with an emerging trend to assign more work to this age range, appears to be fuelling parental concerns about potential negative effects. But, aside from anecdotes of increased tension in the household, is there any evidence of this? Can doing too much homework actually damage children?

Evidence suggests extreme amounts of homework can indeed have serious effects on students’ health and well-being. A Chinese study carried out in 2010 found a link between excessive homework and sleep disruption: children who had less homework had better routines and more stable sleep schedules. A Canadian study carried out in 2015 by Isabelle Michaud found that high levels of homework were associated with a greater risk of obesity among boys, if they were already feeling stressed about school in general.

For useful revision guides and video clips to assist with learning, visit BBC Bitesize . This is a free online study resource for UK students from early years up to GCSEs and Scottish Highers.

It is also worth noting that too much homework can create negative effects that may undermine any positives. These negative consequences may not only affect the child, but also could also pile on the stress for the whole family, according to a recent study by Robert Pressman of the New England Centre for Pediatric Psychology. Parents were particularly affected when their perception of their own capacity to assist their children decreased.

What then, is the tipping point, and when does homework simply become too much for parents and children? Guidelines typically suggest that children in the first grade (six years old) should have no more that 10 minutes per night, and that this amount should increase by 10 minutes per school year. However, cultural norms may greatly affect what constitutes too much.

A study of children aged between 8 and 10 in Quebec defined high levels of homework as more than 30 minutes a night, but a study in China of children aged 5 to 11 deemed that two or more hours per night was excessive. It is therefore difficult to create a clear standard for what constitutes as too much homework, because cultural differences, school-related stress, and negative emotions within the family all appear to interact with how homework affects children.

Should we stop setting homework?

In my opinion, even though there are potential risks of negative effects, homework should not be banned. Small amounts, assigned with specific learning goals in mind and with proper parental support, can help to improve students’ performance. While some studies have generally found little evidence that homework has a positive effect on young children overall, a 2008 study by Norwegian researcher Marte Rønning found that even some very young children do receive some benefit. So simply banning homework would mean that any particularly gifted or motivated pupils would not be able to benefit from increased study. However, at the earliest ages, very little homework should be assigned. The decisions about how much and what type are best left to teachers and parents.

As a parent, it is important to clarify what goals your child’s teacher has for homework assignments. Teachers can assign work for different reasons – as an academic drill to foster better study habits, and unfortunately, as a punishment. The goals for each assignment should be made clear, and should encourage positive engagement with academic routines.

Parents should inform the teachers of how long the homework is taking, as teachers often incorrectly estimate the amount of time needed to complete an assignment, and how it is affecting household routines. For young children, positive teacher support and feedback is critical in establishing a student’s positive perception of homework and other academic routines. Teachers and parents need to be vigilant and ensure that homework routines do not start to generate patterns of negative interaction that erode students’ motivation.

Likewise, any positive effects of homework are dependent on several complex interactive factors, including the child’s personal motivation, the type of assignment, parental support and teacher goals. Creating an overarching policy to address every single situation is not realistic, and so homework policies tend to be fixated on the time the homework takes to complete. But rather than focusing on this, everyone would be better off if schools worked on fostering stronger communication between parents, teachers and students, allowing them to respond more sensitively to the child’s emotional and academic needs.

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Nobody knows what the point of homework is

The homework wars are back.

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As the Covid-19 pandemic began and students logged into their remote classrooms, all work, in effect, became homework. But whether or not students could complete it at home varied. For some, schoolwork became public-library work or McDonald’s-parking-lot work.

Luis Torres, the principal of PS 55, a predominantly low-income community elementary school in the south Bronx, told me that his school secured Chromebooks for students early in the pandemic only to learn that some lived in shelters that blocked wifi for security reasons. Others, who lived in housing projects with poor internet reception, did their schoolwork in laundromats.

According to a 2021 Pew survey , 25 percent of lower-income parents said their children, at some point, were unable to complete their schoolwork because they couldn’t access a computer at home; that number for upper-income parents was 2 percent.

The issues with remote learning in March 2020 were new. But they highlighted a divide that had been there all along in another form: homework. And even long after schools have resumed in-person classes, the pandemic’s effects on homework have lingered.

Over the past three years, in response to concerns about equity, schools across the country, including in Sacramento, Los Angeles , San Diego , and Clark County, Nevada , made permanent changes to their homework policies that restricted how much homework could be given and how it could be graded after in-person learning resumed.

Three years into the pandemic, as districts and teachers reckon with Covid-era overhauls of teaching and learning, schools are still reconsidering the purpose and place of homework. Whether relaxing homework expectations helps level the playing field between students or harms them by decreasing rigor is a divisive issue without conclusive evidence on either side, echoing other debates in education like the elimination of standardized test scores from some colleges’ admissions processes.

I first began to wonder if the homework abolition movement made sense after speaking with teachers in some Massachusetts public schools, who argued that rather than help disadvantaged kids, stringent homework restrictions communicated an attitude of low expectations. One, an English teacher, said she felt the school had “just given up” on trying to get the students to do work; another argued that restrictions that prohibit teachers from assigning take-home work that doesn’t begin in class made it difficult to get through the foreign-language curriculum. Teachers in other districts have raised formal concerns about homework abolition’s ability to close gaps among students rather than widening them.

Many education experts share this view. Harris Cooper, a professor emeritus of psychology at Duke who has studied homework efficacy, likened homework abolition to “playing to the lowest common denominator.”

But as I learned after talking to a variety of stakeholders — from homework researchers to policymakers to parents of schoolchildren — whether to abolish homework probably isn’t the right question. More important is what kind of work students are sent home with and where they can complete it. Chances are, if schools think more deeply about giving constructive work, time spent on homework will come down regardless.

There’s no consensus on whether homework works

The rise of the no-homework movement during the Covid-19 pandemic tapped into long-running disagreements over homework’s impact on students. The purpose and effectiveness of homework have been disputed for well over a century. In 1901, for instance, California banned homework for students up to age 15, and limited it for older students, over concerns that it endangered children’s mental and physical health. The newest iteration of the anti-homework argument contends that the current practice punishes students who lack support and rewards those with more resources, reinforcing the “myth of meritocracy.”

But there is still no research consensus on homework’s effectiveness; no one can seem to agree on what the right metrics are. Much of the debate relies on anecdotes, intuition, or speculation.

Researchers disagree even on how much research exists on the value of homework. Kathleen Budge, the co-author of Turning High-Poverty Schools Into High-Performing Schools and a professor at Boise State, told me that homework “has been greatly researched.” Denise Pope, a Stanford lecturer and leader of the education nonprofit Challenge Success, said, “It’s not a highly researched area because of some of the methodological problems.”

Experts who are more sympathetic to take-home assignments generally support the “10-minute rule,” a framework that estimates the ideal amount of homework on any given night by multiplying the student’s grade by 10 minutes. (A ninth grader, for example, would have about 90 minutes of work a night.) Homework proponents argue that while it is difficult to design randomized control studies to test homework’s effectiveness, the vast majority of existing studies show a strong positive correlation between homework and high academic achievement for middle and high school students. Prominent critics of homework argue that these correlational studies are unreliable and point to studies that suggest a neutral or negative effect on student performance. Both agree there is little to no evidence for homework’s effectiveness at an elementary school level, though proponents often argue that it builds constructive habits for the future.

For anyone who remembers homework assignments from both good and bad teachers, this fundamental disagreement might not be surprising. Some homework is pointless and frustrating to complete. Every week during my senior year of high school, I had to analyze a poem for English and decorate it with images found on Google; my most distinct memory from that class is receiving a demoralizing 25-point deduction because I failed to present my analysis on a poster board. Other assignments really do help students learn: After making an adapted version of Chairman Mao’s Little Red Book for a ninth grade history project, I was inspired to check out from the library and read a biography of the Chinese ruler.

For homework opponents, the first example is more likely to resonate. “We’re all familiar with the negative effects of homework: stress, exhaustion, family conflict, less time for other activities, diminished interest in learning,” Alfie Kohn, author of The Homework Myth, which challenges common justifications for homework, told me in an email. “And these effects may be most pronounced among low-income students.” Kohn believes that schools should make permanent any moratoria implemented during the pandemic, arguing that there are no positives at all to outweigh homework’s downsides. Recent studies , he argues , show the benefits may not even materialize during high school.

In the Marlborough Public Schools, a suburban district 45 minutes west of Boston, school policy committee chair Katherine Hennessy described getting kids to complete their homework during remote education as “a challenge, to say the least.” Teachers found that students who spent all day on their computers didn’t want to spend more time online when the day was over. So, for a few months, the school relaxed the usual practice and teachers slashed the quantity of nightly homework.

Online learning made the preexisting divides between students more apparent, she said. Many students, even during normal circumstances, lacked resources to keep them on track and focused on completing take-home assignments. Though Marlborough Schools is more affluent than PS 55, Hennessy said many students had parents whose work schedules left them unable to provide homework help in the evenings. The experience tracked with a common divide in the country between children of different socioeconomic backgrounds.

So in October 2021, months after the homework reduction began, the Marlborough committee made a change to the district’s policy. While teachers could still give homework, the assignments had to begin as classwork. And though teachers could acknowledge homework completion in a student’s participation grade, they couldn’t count homework as its own grading category. “Rigorous learning in the classroom does not mean that that classwork must be assigned every night,” the policy stated . “Extensions of class work is not to be used to teach new content or as a form of punishment.”

Canceling homework might not do anything for the achievement gap

The critiques of homework are valid as far as they go, but at a certain point, arguments against homework can defy the commonsense idea that to retain what they’re learning, students need to practice it.

“Doesn’t a kid become a better reader if he reads more? Doesn’t a kid learn his math facts better if he practices them?” said Cathy Vatterott, an education researcher and professor emeritus at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. After decades of research, she said it’s still hard to isolate the value of homework, but that doesn’t mean it should be abandoned.

Blanket vilification of homework can also conflate the unique challenges facing disadvantaged students as compared to affluent ones, which could have different solutions. “The kids in the low-income schools are being hurt because they’re being graded, unfairly, on time they just don’t have to do this stuff,” Pope told me. “And they’re still being held accountable for turning in assignments, whether they’re meaningful or not.” On the other side, “Palo Alto kids” — students in Silicon Valley’s stereotypically pressure-cooker public schools — “are just bombarded and overloaded and trying to stay above water.”

Merely getting rid of homework doesn’t solve either problem. The United States already has the second-highest disparity among OECD (the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) nations between time spent on homework by students of high and low socioeconomic status — a difference of more than three hours, said Janine Bempechat, clinical professor at Boston University and author of No More Mindless Homework .

When she interviewed teachers in Boston-area schools that had cut homework before the pandemic, Bempechat told me, “What they saw immediately was parents who could afford it immediately enrolled their children in the Russian School of Mathematics,” a math-enrichment program whose tuition ranges from $140 to about $400 a month. Getting rid of homework “does nothing for equity; it increases the opportunity gap between wealthier and less wealthy families,” she said. “That solution troubles me because it’s no solution at all.”

A group of teachers at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia, made the same point after the school district proposed an overhaul of its homework policies, including removing penalties for missing homework deadlines, allowing unlimited retakes, and prohibiting grading of homework.

“Given the emphasis on equity in today’s education systems,” they wrote in a letter to the school board, “we believe that some of the proposed changes will actually have a detrimental impact towards achieving this goal. Families that have means could still provide challenging and engaging academic experiences for their children and will continue to do so, especially if their children are not experiencing expected rigor in the classroom.” At a school where more than a third of students are low-income, the teachers argued, the policies would prompt students “to expect the least of themselves in terms of effort, results, and responsibility.”

Not all homework is created equal

Despite their opposing sides in the homework wars, most of the researchers I spoke to made a lot of the same points. Both Bempechat and Pope were quick to bring up how parents and schools confuse rigor with workload, treating the volume of assignments as a proxy for quality of learning. Bempechat, who is known for defending homework, has written extensively about how plenty of it lacks clear purpose, requires the purchasing of unnecessary supplies, and takes longer than it needs to. Likewise, when Pope instructs graduate-level classes on curriculum, she asks her students to think about the larger purpose they’re trying to achieve with homework: If they can get the job done in the classroom, there’s no point in sending home more work.

At its best, pandemic-era teaching facilitated that last approach. Honolulu-based teacher Christina Torres Cawdery told me that, early in the pandemic, she often had a cohort of kids in her classroom for four hours straight, as her school tried to avoid too much commingling. She couldn’t lecture for four hours, so she gave the students plenty of time to complete independent and project-based work. At the end of most school days, she didn’t feel the need to send them home with more to do.

A similar limited-homework philosophy worked at a public middle school in Chelsea, Massachusetts. A couple of teachers there turned as much class as possible into an opportunity for small-group practice, allowing kids to work on problems that traditionally would be assigned for homework, Jessica Flick, a math coach who leads department meetings at the school, told me. It was inspired by a philosophy pioneered by Simon Fraser University professor Peter Liljedahl, whose influential book Building Thinking Classrooms in Mathematics reframes homework as “check-your-understanding questions” rather than as compulsory work. Last year, Flick found that the two eighth grade classes whose teachers adopted this strategy performed the best on state tests, and this year, she has encouraged other teachers to implement it.

Teachers know that plenty of homework is tedious and unproductive. Jeannemarie Dawson De Quiroz, who has taught for more than 20 years in low-income Boston and Los Angeles pilot and charter schools, says that in her first years on the job she frequently assigned “drill and kill” tasks and questions that she now feels unfairly stumped students. She said designing good homework wasn’t part of her teaching programs, nor was it meaningfully discussed in professional development. With more experience, she turned as much class time as she could into practice time and limited what she sent home.

“The thing about homework that’s sticky is that not all homework is created equal,” says Jill Harrison Berg, a former teacher and the author of Uprooting Instructional Inequity . “Some homework is a genuine waste of time and requires lots of resources for no good reason. And other homework is really useful.”

Cutting homework has to be part of a larger strategy

The takeaways are clear: Schools can make cuts to homework, but those cuts should be part of a strategy to improve the quality of education for all students. If the point of homework was to provide more practice, districts should think about how students can make it up during class — or offer time during or after school for students to seek help from teachers. If it was to move the curriculum along, it’s worth considering whether strategies like Liljedahl’s can get more done in less time.

Some of the best thinking around effective assignments comes from those most critical of the current practice. Denise Pope proposes that, before assigning homework, teachers should consider whether students understand the purpose of the work and whether they can do it without help. If teachers think it’s something that can’t be done in class, they should be mindful of how much time it should take and the feedback they should provide. It’s questions like these that De Quiroz considered before reducing the volume of work she sent home.

More than a year after the new homework policy began in Marlborough, Hennessy still hears from parents who incorrectly “think homework isn’t happening” despite repeated assurances that kids still can receive work. She thinks part of the reason is that education has changed over the years. “I think what we’re trying to do is establish that homework may be an element of educating students,” she told me. “But it may not be what parents think of as what they grew up with. ... It’s going to need to adapt, per the teaching and the curriculum, and how it’s being delivered in each classroom.”

For the policy to work, faculty, parents, and students will all have to buy into a shared vision of what school ought to look like. The district is working on it — in November, it hosted and uploaded to YouTube a round-table discussion on homework between district administrators — but considering the sustained confusion, the path ahead seems difficult.

When I asked Luis Torres about whether he thought homework serves a useful part in PS 55’s curriculum, he said yes, of course it was — despite the effort and money it takes to keep the school open after hours to help them do it. “The children need the opportunity to practice,” he said. “If you don’t give them opportunities to practice what they learn, they’re going to forget.” But Torres doesn’t care if the work is done at home. The school stays open until around 6 pm on weekdays, even during breaks. Tutors through New York City’s Department of Youth and Community Development programs help kids with work after school so they don’t need to take it with them.

As schools weigh the purpose of homework in an unequal world, it’s tempting to dispose of a practice that presents real, practical problems to students across the country. But getting rid of homework is unlikely to do much good on its own. Before cutting it, it’s worth thinking about what good assignments are meant to do in the first place. It’s crucial that students from all socioeconomic backgrounds tackle complex quantitative problems and hone their reading and writing skills. It’s less important that the work comes home with them.

Jacob Sweet is a freelance writer in Somerville, Massachusetts. He is a frequent contributor to the New Yorker, among other publications.

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Why Homework Should Be Banned: Exposing the Downsides

Ever find yourself tangled in the timeless debate over homework's place in the grand scheme of education? We've all been there, juggling report writing, math headaches, and the daunting task of creating scientific masterpieces. But here's the real head-scratcher: Is homework truly the indispensable learning buddy we've always thought it to be, or is it time for a reevaluation? Some swear by its magic and explain why should homework not be banned, while others can't help but wonder if it's become more of a cumbersome load on our students. Surveys even hint at a connection between too much schoolwork and the stress and health woes of our budding scholars. Beyond the academic hustle, there's a rallying cry for an all-out homework ban for a host of other reasons.

In the spirit of our friendly exploration, let's roll up our sleeves and delve into the nitty-gritty of why some folks champion schoolwork as a necessary companion on the learning journey while others share reasons why homework should be banned. Our essay writing service experts will sift through real-life success stories of schools or places where the ban-homework movement has gained traction, exploring the outcomes and implications.

10 Reasons Why Homework Should Be Banned

Now, let's shine a spotlight on the crux of the matter – the top 10 reasons why the cry for banned homework is getting louder.

Too Much Homework

School takes up all time, messes with sleep and health, no time for exercise.

• Makes Stress and Anxiety Worse
• Less Time to Hang Out with Friends
• Not Enough Time for Myself
• Less Time with Family
• Fights with Parents
• Limits Student Freedom

From the perennial issue of too much homework to the struggle for personal time and the toll it takes on sleep, health, and relationships, each reason is a thread in the tapestry of the anti-homework movement. So, let our ' do my homework ' writers uncover the challenges that homework poses on multiple fronts.

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Ah, the perpetual struggle against the mountainous pile of homework! It seems like every student's lament, doesn't it? The argument for why homework should be banned isn't about shirking responsibilities but rather about striking a balance. When the load becomes overwhelming, it can lead to stress, burnout, and a loss of the joy of learning.

Imagine the energy and enthusiasm that high school or college students could channel into exploring their passions or honing other essential life skills if they weren't constantly buried beneath assignments. The quantity of homework should complement the learning process, not overshadow it. A bit of reflection on the purpose and effectiveness of each assignment might just be the key to making homework a valuable tool rather than a source of dread.

But fear not! Here's a game-changer to transform your homework woes into a breeze – our homework planner online . This nifty tool is all about making school life simpler and boosting your study game. Easily keep tabs on tasks, exams, seminars, and even classmates' birthdays. No more missing deadlines – get timely notifications for upcoming classes, pending homework, and approaching exams. Take the reins of your schedule, customize your school calendar, and stay ahead with our clever homework manager. You can even hand off tasks to experienced experts. Consider it your go-to for acing your academic adventure!

The education system plays a pivotal role in shaping young minds, but should it consume every waking hour? The argument here isn't against the significance of learning but rather about reclaiming a sense of balance. School should be a place that nurtures well-rounded individuals, not a 24/7 commitment that leaves no room for personal exploration and growth. The discussion around the need for a homework ban amplifies this call for a more balanced and holistic educational experience.

Think about it—what about those hobbies that spark creativity, the friendships that build character, and the downtime that allows for self-reflection? When school takes up all the time, these crucial elements of personal development often fall by the wayside. The question then becomes: Are we preparing students for a life of constant work, or are we instilling in them the tools to navigate a diverse and fulfilling existence? It's time to reconsider the hours spent on school-related activities and ensure that students have the time and space to become well-rounded individuals who are not just academically adept but also equipped for the complexities of the real world.

Picture this: a student burning the midnight oil to complete assignments, sacrificing precious hours of sleep. It's a scenario all too common in the realm of repetitive homework tasks, and it begs the question—what's the cost to one's well-being? Sleep is not a luxury; it's a biological necessity. When homework interferes with this fundamental aspect of health, it becomes a cause for concern.

The repercussions extend beyond just feeling groggy in class. Lack of sleep can impact cognitive function, memory, and even mood. The irony is that the very tasks meant to enhance learning might be hindering it by compromising the health of students. Perhaps it's time to ask whether the pursuit of academic excellence should come at the expense of a good night's sleep and overall well-being.

In the hustle and bustle of academic demands, physical activity often takes a back seat. The argument here isn't about making everyone a fitness enthusiast but recognizing the vital role exercise plays in maintaining a healthy body and mind. When homework becomes an insurmountable obstacle, the opportunity for physical activity diminishes, contributing to a sedentary lifestyle that can have long-term consequences.

Exercise is not just about staying fit; it's a natural stress reliever and mood enhancer. By sidelining physical activity, we risk compromising not only physical health but also mental and emotional well-being. As we advocate for a balanced and holistic education, let's consider the importance of creating space for exercise and fostering healthy habits that extend beyond the confines of the classroom.

More Stress and Worry

Our dissertation service experts believe that homework, when excessive, can turn into a breeding ground for stress and worry. It's not just about meeting deadlines; it's about the toll it takes on the mental health of students. The pressure to excel academically is a given, but when the scale tips too far, it can result in a generation of students burdened with anxiety and worry.

Education is meant to be empowering, not anxiety-inducing. The worry about grades, completing assignments, and maintaining a stellar academic record can overshadow the joy of learning. Striking a balance that allows for intellectual growth without compromising mental health is not just a plea for sanity but a call for a more compassionate approach to education. After all, education should be a journey that enlightens, not a path wrought with stress and constant apprehension.

Homework Gets in the Way of Friends

Remember the laughter, camaraderie, and shared moments with friends? Excessive homework seems to have a knack for wedging itself between these precious connections. Friendships are not just a delightful aspect of student life; they contribute significantly to social development, emotional support, and the overall well-being of individuals.

When homework monopolizes time, the opportunity to nurture these vital friendships dwindles. It's not merely about hanging out; it's about the exchanges that shape character, build resilience, and offer perspectives beyond the confines of textbooks. Perhaps it's time to question whether homework should stand as a barrier to the formation of these meaningful relationships.

Not Enough Time for Oneself

In the race to complete assignments and meet deadlines, one casualty often overlooked is personal time. Every student needs moments of solitude and self-reflection. It's in these moments that passions are discovered, creativity thrives, and a sense of self deepens. Yet, the perpetual avalanche of homework leaves little room for this crucial aspect of personal development.

Time for oneself is not a luxury but a necessity. It's the space where one explores interests, dreams, and aspirations beyond the academic realm. When homework becomes an all-consuming force, it deprives students of the opportunity to discover their unique strengths and inclinations. The discussion on why should homework be banned calls for the reevaluation of the true purpose of education – is it merely about grades, or is it also about nurturing individuals who are self-aware, curious, and passionate about their own journeys?

Less Family Time

Family, the cornerstone of support and love, often takes a backseat when homework becomes the tyrant of time. Quality family time is not just a sentimental ideal; it plays a pivotal role in shaping values, building strong foundations, and fostering emotional well-being. However, when the demands of school spill over into every corner of a student's life and there is constant worry about how to write a coursework , family time inevitably suffers.

Think about the conversations around the dinner table, the shared activities, and the simple joys of being together. Excessive homework disrupts these essential moments, potentially eroding the very support system that is crucial for a student's success and happiness. It's a call to reconsider the balance between academic pursuits and the priceless moments spent with family members – moments that contribute to a well-rounded, emotionally resilient individual.

Arguments with Parents

Homework often becomes the battlefield for nightly skirmishes between parents and students. While parents may perceive themselves as enforcers of responsibility, the constant struggle over completing assignments can strain the parent-child relationship. It's not just about completing tasks; it's about the quality of family interactions and the emotional toll these conflicts can take.

The pressure to excel academically, often exacerbated by homework, can create a tense atmosphere at home. Arguments over study hours, completion of assignments, and academic performance can overshadow the nurturing and supportive role that parents are ideally meant to play, emphasizing the importance of parents' support. The discussion around a potential homework ban prompts us to question whether the burden of excessive homework is fostering a healthy parent-child dynamic or inadvertently becoming a source of familial tension.

Limits Students' Freedom

Ah, freedom—the essence of youth. Yet, excessive homework can feel like an invisible chains, restricting the very freedom that defines the student experience. Beyond academic pursuits, students need the freedom to explore, create, and discover their passions. At our college essay writing service , we firmly believe when homework becomes an all-encompassing force, it infringes upon this fundamental aspect of personal growth.

Think about the projects left unfinished, the books unread, and the hobbies neglected. The lack of freedom extends beyond the physical confines of the classroom; it infiltrates the very essence of what it means to be a student. It's time to reflect on whether education should be a process of liberation, encouraging students to spread their intellectual wings, or if it should be a rigid structure that confines them to a predetermined path.

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Why Should Homework Not Be Banned: Exploring 5 Benefits

Now that we've delved into the challenges and concerns surrounding homework let's pivot to the other side of the debate. While there are valid arguments against excessive homework, it's essential to consider the potential benefits that well-structured assignments can bring to a student's academic and personal development. Let's explore five reasons why homework, when approached thoughtfully, may have its merits.

Instills Discipline in Students

According to our essay writer , assigning homework in moderation serves as a valuable tool for instilling discipline in students. The process of setting aside time, managing tasks, and adhering to deadlines cultivates essential skills that extend far beyond the academic realm. It lays the foundation for time management, responsibility, and a strong work ethic—qualities that are undeniably beneficial as students transition into adulthood.

Consider homework as a training ground for life's challenges. Completing assignments teaches students to prioritize, organize, and persevere in the face of tasks that may not always align with their immediate desires. In this sense, homework becomes more than just a task; it becomes a character-building exercise that prepares students for the responsibilities they'll encounter in various facets of life.

Fosters Improved Understanding Among Peers

Collaboration is a cornerstone of effective learning, and well-designed homework assignments can facilitate improved understanding among peers. When considering why should homework not be banned, doing group projects or assignments with others not only helps students grasp the subject more deeply but also gets them better at teamwork.

Homework that encourages group discussions, knowledge sharing, and joint problem-solving contributes to a dynamic learning environment. Students learn not only from textbooks and lectures but also from the diverse perspectives of their peers. This fosters a sense of community within the classroom, promoting a cooperative spirit that extends beyond the completion of assignments and into the broader context of learning and growth.

Equips Students for Real-World Challenges

One of the often-overlooked benefits of homework lies in its capacity to prepare students for the challenges they'll face in the real world. Assignments that require critical thinking, problem-solving, and independent research mirror the complexities of professional and personal life beyond the classroom.

Consider a scenario where students are tasked with solving real-world problems, conducting interviews, or researching current events. These assignments not only deepen their understanding of the subject matter but also equip them with the practical skills needed for navigating the complexities of adulthood. Homework, when designed with an eye toward relevance, becomes a bridge between theoretical knowledge and the practical application of that knowledge in the real world.

Cultivates Skills and Expertise

Homework, when thoughtfully crafted, serves as a platform for students to cultivate a diverse set of skills and expertise. Beyond the acquisition of knowledge, assignments can hone analytical thinking, research skills, and the ability to articulate ideas effectively. Whether it's a written essay, a science project, or a math homework paper , each task contributes to the development of specific skills that are crucial for success in various fields.

Consider the student who delves into a research project or a creative endeavor as part of their homework. This isn't merely about completing an assignment; it's an opportunity for them to explore their interests, deepen their expertise in a particular area, and develop a passion for lifelong learning. Homework, in this sense, becomes a vehicle for skill development and personal growth, nurturing students into well-rounded individuals equipped to face the challenges of a rapidly evolving world.

Fosters a Sense of Responsibility

Responsibility is a trait that transcends academic achievements and holds immense value in the broader spectrum of life. Homework, when approached with a sense of accountability, instills in students the importance of meeting obligations and honoring commitments.

Consider the student who consistently completes assignments, meets deadlines, and takes ownership of their academic responsibilities. This isn't just about earning good grades; it's about fostering a sense of responsibility that will serve them well in future endeavors. So, when arguing for why should homework not be banned, it becomes a microcosm of life's demands, teaching students the significance of reliability and accountability—qualities that are indispensable in both personal and professional spheres.

Banning Homework: Successful Cases

As the debate over homework rages on, some educational institutions and communities have taken a bold step—banning or significantly reducing homework. Let's explore a few stories of schools that have embraced this approach and the impact it has had on students, families, and the overall learning environment.

The Case of P.S. 116 in New York City:

In a groundbreaking move, P.S. 116, a public elementary school in New York City, decided to ban traditional homework for its students. Instead, the school focused on fostering a love for reading and encouraged students to engage in activities outside the classroom. The decision was based on research indicating that excessive homework might not necessarily lead to improved academic outcomes, and it could even contribute to stress and burnout.

The results were compelling. Parents reported a positive change in their children's attitude toward learning, with elementary students becoming more motivated and enthusiastic. Teachers noted that without the burden of traditional homework, they had more time for meaningful interactions with students during class hours. The experiment not only challenged conventional norms but also showcased the potential benefits of reimagining the role of homework in the learning process.

Finland's Education System:

Finland, often lauded for its innovative approach to education, has significantly reduced the emphasis on homework in its schools. Instead of focusing on quantity, Finnish educators prioritize the quality of instruction during school hours. Students are encouraged to engage in extracurricular activities, spend time with their families, and pursue interests outside of the academic realm.

The success of this approach is reflected in Finland's consistently high rankings in global education assessments. Students in Finland not only perform well academically but also report higher levels of satisfaction and well-being. The Finnish model challenges the notion that copious amounts of homework are essential for academic success and underscores the importance of a balanced and holistic approach to education.

The Harris Cooper Study:

While not a case of a specific school, the work of Harris Cooper, a renowned homework researcher, provides valuable insights into the impact of homework. Cooper's comprehensive analysis of various studies on homework found that, in elementary school, homework has little to no effect on academic achievement. In high school, the correlation between homework and achievement is modest, and excessive homework can have negative effects on well-being.

These cases and studies collectively suggest that reevaluating the role of homework can lead to positive outcomes for students and contribute to a more balanced and effective education system. As schools and communities continue to experiment with homework policies, these stories offer valuable lessons in shaping the future of education.

Final Outlook

So, here we are, exploring the reasons people say why homework should be banned, a mix of worries and possible advantages. It's a bit like navigating the ever-shifting currents of education, isn't it?

As we contemplate the future of education, let's pause. Let's ponder a landscape where the weight of assignments doesn't overshadow the joy of discovery. It's a quest for balance—where academic rigor dances with personal well-being, creating a melody that echoes through the halls of learning.

So, here's to an education that nurtures not just the mind but the spirit, an education that cherishes the uniqueness of each learner. As we stride forward, let's envision a realm where homework isn't a battleground but a bridge to knowledge and where the pursuit of excellence walks hand in hand with the pursuit of happiness. Cheers to finding that sweet spot in the symphony of education!

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Should We Ban Homework?

The cons of homework are starting to outweigh the pros.

Recent research shows that teenagers have doubled the amount of time they spend on homework since the 1990s. This is in spite of other, well-documented research that calls the efficacy of homework into question, albeit in the younger grades. Why are students spending so much time on homework if the impact is zero (for younger kids) or moderate (for older ones)? Should we ban homework? These are the questions teachers, parents, and lawmakers are asking.

Bans proposed and implemented in the U.S. and abroad

The struggle of whether or not to assign homework is not a new one. In 2017, a Florida superintendent banned homework for elementary schools in the entire district, with one very important exception: reading at home. The United States isn’t the only country to question the benefits of homework. Last August, the Philippines proposed a bill  to ban homework completely, citing the need for rest, relaxation, and time with family. Another bill there proposed no weekend homework, with teachers running the risk of fines or two years in prison. (Yikes!) While a prison sentence may seem extreme, there are real reasons to reconsider homework.

Refocus on mental health and educate the “whole child”

Prioritizing mental health is at the forefront of the homework ban movement. Leaders say they want to give students time to develop other hobbies, relationships, and balance in their lives.

This month two Utah elementary schools gained national recognition for officially banning homework. The results are significant, with psychologist referrals for anxiety decreasing by 50 percent. Many schools are looking for ways to refocus on wellness, and homework can be a real cause of stress.

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Research supports a ban for elementary schools

Supporters of a homework ban often cite research from John Hattie, who concluded that elementary school homework has no effect on academic progress. In a podcast he said, “Homework in primary school has an effect of around zero. In high school it’s larger. (…) Which is why we need to get it right. Not why we need to get rid of it. It’s one of those lower hanging fruit that we should be looking in our primary schools to say, ‘Is it really making a difference?'”

In the upper grades, Hattie’s research shows that homework has to be purposeful, not busy work. And the reality is, most teachers don’t receive training on how to assign homework that is meaningful and relevant to students.

Parents push back, too

In October this Washington Post article made waves in parenting and education communities when it introduced the idea that, even if homework is assigned, it doesn’t have to be completed for the student to pass the class. The writer explains how her family doesn’t believe in homework, and doesn’t participate. In response, other parents started “opting out” of homework, citing research that homework in elementary school doesn’t further intelligence or academic success. 

Of course, homework has its defenders, especially in the upper grades

“I think some homework is a good idea,” says Darla E. in our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook. “Ideally, it forces the parents to take some responsibility for their child’s education. It also reinforces what students learn and instills good study habits for later in life.”

Jennifer M. agrees. “If we are trying to make students college-ready, they need the skill of doing homework.”

And the research does support some homework in middle and high school, as long as it is clearly tied to learning and not overwhelming.

We’d love to hear your thoughts—do you think schools should ban homework? Come and share in our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

Plus, why you should stop assigning reading homework.

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Caitlin Moran on why homework should be banned

Hi, I’m Caitlin Moran, and welcome to this week’s Moranifesto.

On the 3rd May, the day this blog goes online, a national protest has been suggested by parents, despairing of how pressurised their children’s education has become. A group called ‘Let Kids Be Kids’ are calling on parents to remove their children from school for the day and let them run around in the sun, or more realistically, snow, and have some fun. Or at the very least stay at home in their pyjamas and watch Homes under the Hammer while eating Quavers. They are concerned about the increasingly joyless, test-driven, uncreative, sedentary curriculum imposed on our small, curious and restless children. A curriculum, I should add, which is generally hated by the teachers who are meant to enforce it.

In Moranifesto, I address modern education’s unhappy march towards meaningless tasks, constant tests and bloodless, force-fed fact regurgitation, with, I might claim, a rather bold suggestion. Now, I’m not one for craven populism. I dare to say the unsayable. In my time, I’ve suggested some pretty contentious things: that jam is horrible, that fish are evil, ketchup shouldn’t be kept in the fridge, and Father Christmas is the sexiest man alive. But this week, I’m going to say something that I confidently expect will win 100% support. I cannot imagine a single person disagreeing with me, because, it is this: We should ban homework.

If one thing happens in 2016, it should be a concerted campaign to eradicate this illogical, damaging, pain-in-the-ass institution once and for all. It is an invention universally loathed, and it is slightly less popular than mouth ulcers. For children, homework is one of the classic immortal foes up there with vegetables, darkness, teeth-cleaning and bed-time. Parents, meanwhile, are doubly enraged. As former children themselves, parents can’t believe this homework stuff has come round again, this time with the added top-spin of you now being the poor sap that has to haul the kids in from the playground and make them give any kind of a shit about Richard II on one side of A4 paper. Even as your offspring scream, ‘I hate you! I’m too tired to do this and I want to die.’

 Finally, should parents and children wish to round on the people who have given them the homework – the teachers –  they would find that teachers are the ones who hate homework most of all. Teachers are all like, ‘don’t have a go at us. We’d kick homework in the nuts if we could’.  Teachers loathe homework. It’s yet another round of projects to be set, handed out, nagged over and then marked. Homework for kids basically means homework for teachers, too. And everyone is quite right to hate it. For it makes life far worse than we had ever imagined.

Look, these are days of rocketing child obesity, anxiety and emotional disorders. Prescriptions for tranquilizers for children have gone through the roof. I don’t think I’m being too fanciful to suggest that as soon as children complete their seven-hour long academic day, they should be free to run around in the park, muck about with their friends and have a chance to interact with their parents, not centred around screaming ‘I hate you! I’m too tired to do this and I want to die.’ And this would, obviously, improve the physical and mental health of British children immeasurably.

When else are they going to do all that running around and being happy we keep saying that they need to do? The winters are long, they’ve got homework until 8pm, and then they’ve got that big history project over the weekend. Homework means our children never really leave school. Even when they’re at home, they’re still strapped to that bulging rucksack of folders. They’re still on deadlines. They’re still producing. And whilst that’s never fun for any child, for some, it’s utterly devastating.

If you know in your bones that academia is not for you, then those final hours of homework mean you’ve spent your entire waking day doing stuff that you feel a failure at. You have no time to go out there and find the things that you might excel at, that give you joy and change your life. You could be helping your mum mend the clutch on the car, or being taught how to cook by your dad, or hearing the record that makes you form a band, or spending five hours obsessively practicing free kicks with your mates. Instead, it’s that sad chair at the kitchen table and the slow pen across the pages as your heart revolts and, sometimes, breaks.

I loathe my children’s homework with a passion. When they come home from school, I want that time to be ours. I want my children. How many hours do we have left of their already dwindling childhood? How many more of these ultra vivid years do we have, when an evening walking along the river, visiting nan, learning how to do magic tricks, reading stories. It’s something that we will all remember forever, or that might even become their future. That my children spend these evenings exhaustedly weeping over a cardboard model of a neutron, which will just get chucked into some cupboard at school, and which doesn’t even count in their exams, makes me feel a sad and desperate fury. And not least because of the final awfulness of homework: that my kids are the lucky ones.

Homework just about works for them because they have a calm house and parents who have the time, just about, if we forget that I actually wanted to go and listen to Serial while having a hot bath, to help them. But for those children who are not lucky, who live in a chaotic house, who have parents who are busy or who are gone, homework is the cruellest reminder yet that the biggest factor in most children’s educational attainment is, over and over again, their parents’ education and class. It is often the final blow to the already struggling.

So, let’s call homework what it really is. It’s not homework. It’s a parent test. It’s a life vampire. It’s a future heart-attack. It’s emptied our playgrounds and panicked our children. It puts work in the home, and I wish it death. I hope the biggest dog in the world comes and eats it.

I’ll see you all next week. Thank you.

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The Homework Debate 2021: Do Primary Schoolers Really Need Homework?

The homework debate resurfaces every year without fail. It is a popular topic with parents, primary school teachers, online tutors, and politicians alike. Should homework be banned? Is homework at primary school necessary? Do pupils receive enough education in class that homework is nothing but a waste of time? – These are all questions that you have no doubt heard before.

Is the homework debate even relevant in the context of COVID-19? As an  online maths tuition service  for KS1 and KS2 pupils, we believe so! Sometimes we set our students homework. We believe that this debate is more relevant now than it has ever been. Let’s discover why…

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“Homework should be banned!” – The call to action

Our children are too tired!

Is it the case that we put too much pressure on children these days? At the age of 7, UK primary school pupils are expected to sit their Key Stage 1 SATs test. This continues in primary school up until Year 6 when they are expected to prepare for and sit their Key Stage 2 SATs test.

Some parents argue that this leaves little time for kids to wind down at home. When can they find the time to indulge in sports, hobbies, and creative interests if their time is consumed by homework? Let’s not forget the added stress caused by the UK Coronavirus lockdown.

Primary school homework does more harm than good:

A BBC Newsround report from 2018 consulted education experts on their views of the homework debate. Nansi Ellis, Assistant General Secretary at the Association of Teachers and Lecturers argued that homework gets in the way of all the good things kids enjoy. It does not always boost performance in class.

She also highlighted that it demands a lot of parents, not only their time but also of their own educational understanding. This sometimes backfires as the methods of learning in school twenty or thirty years ago are likely not the same as those taught nowadays. This can risk causing further confusion.

BBC Newsround’s own survey of the homework debate and how much homework primary school pupils receive found that parents thought:

Where is the proof?

The same BBC report saw Ellis claim that while teachers setting homework is in theory supposed to better results, there is no proof of this being the case. Rosamund McNeil from the teacher’s organisation NUT highlighted that cases abroad support this. In Finland, pupils are set minimal homework but it remains one of the most educationally successful countries in the world.

The homework debate is not just about students – it’s about teachers too!

Homework is time-consuming. Teachers must plan it and mark it, in addition to preparing their classroom lessons and reporting on pupils’ progress. Time constraints can force teachers to work late into the night at home which opens an entirely new can of worms. Overworked teachers are less effective in class. Perhaps it would be more efficient for schools to ban homework altogether.

The other side of the homework debate: Why our kids need homework

It has long been the view that homework acts as a supplement to what has been taught in class. It is an opportunity for pupils to review areas of work they might not understand, focusing their learning.

Homework for primary school students is a good thing!

Homework can be fun and imaginative, an opportunity for parents to bond with their children over education. Take the classic example of counting peas on the dinner plate to learn multiplication tables. Homework does not always have to be completed in a book or on a worksheet. It can often reflect the creativity of the teacher who can inspire children to take their learnings and apply them to the real world. Pricing a shopping list is an awesome way to practise maths while acquiring life skills!

In May 2021 we asked our social media community for their thoughts on this debate. More than two-thirds agreed that homework should not be banned. 

The UK is falling behind the rest of the world:

Once upon a time the UK may have had the best education system in the world. Now is not that time. Studies suggest that  UK literacy and maths rates are falling  while in other countries they continue to rise.

As a result, many teachers and parents agree that our children require further encouragement. This is not the time to ban homework in the UK. Especially when we take into consideration the months of lost learning caused by the COVID-19 UK lockdown. This is the time to help primary school children catch up, and homework can support the effort.

The homework debate in the context of COVID-19

We touched on this earlier before considering both sides of the argument in the UK homework debate. However, with home learning more popular than ever, is there still a place for homework in UK primary school education?

The homework debate solution: Online tuition

It’s engaging for children; it reflects what they have been learning in class and saves time for both parents and teachers.  Online tuition has soared in popularity through 2020  and 2021, and could be the solution for people on both sides of the homework debate.

Read more :  How online maths tutors are helping KS1 & KS2 pupils succeed.

In the UK there are tons of tuition services helping to provide kids with a competitive edge using an extracurricular push. You can view a list of the top 15 here:  Discover the UK’s best online tutors.

If you have any comments or questions regarding this topic, please feel free to let us know in the comment below or in our Facebook group  UK Primary School Maths – Tutoring & Tips,  we will reply to you as soon as we can.  

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The end of homework? Why some schools are banning homework

Fed up with the tension over homework, some schools are opting out altogether.

No-homework policies are popping up all over, including schools in the U.S., where the shift to the Common Core curriculum is prompting educators to rethink how students spend their time.

“Homework really is a black hole,” said Etta Kralovec, an associate professor of teacher education at the University of Arizona South and co-author of “The End of Homework: How Homework Disrupts Families, Overburdens Children, and Limits Learning.”

“I think teachers are going to be increasingly interested in having total control over student learning during the class day and not relying on homework as any kind of activity that’s going to support student learning.”

College de Saint-Ambroise, an elementary school in Quebec, is the latest school to ban homework, announcing this week that it would try the new policy for a year. The decision came after officials found that it was “becoming more and more difficult” for children to devote time to all the assignments they were bringing home, Marie-Ève Desrosiers, a spokeswoman with the Jonquière School Board, told the CBC .

Kralovec called the ban on homework a movement, though she estimated just a small handful of schools in the U.S. have such policies.

Gaithersburg Elementary School in Rockville, Maryland, is one of them, eliminating the traditional concept of homework in 2012. The policy is still in place and working fine, Principal Stephanie Brant told TODAY Parents. The school simply asks that students read 30 minutes each night.

“We felt like with the shift to the Common Core curriculum, and our knowledge of how our students need to think differently… we wanted their time to be spent in meaningful ways,” Brant said.

“We’re constantly asking parents for feedback… and everyone’s really happy with it so far. But it’s really a culture shift.”

It was a decision that was best for her community, Brant said, adding that she often gets phone calls from other principals inquiring how it’s working out.

The VanDamme Academy, a private K-8 school in Aliso Viejo, California, has a similar policy , calling homework “largely pointless.”

The Buffalo Academy of Scholars, a private school in Buffalo, New York, touts that it has called “a truce in the homework battle” and promises that families can “enjoy stress-free, homework-free evenings and more quality time together at home.”

Some schools have taken yet another approach. At Ridgewood High School in Norridge, Illinois, teachers do assign homework but it doesn’t count towards a student’s final grade.

Many schools in the U.S. have toyed with the idea of opting out of homework, but end up changing nothing because it is such a contentious issue among parents, Kralovec noted.

“There’s a huge philosophical divide between parents who want their kids to be very scheduled, very driven, and very ambitiously focused at school -- those parents want their kids to do homework,” she said.

“And then there are the parents who want a more child-centered life with their kids, who want their kids to be able to explore different aspects of themselves, who think their kids should have free time.”

So what’s the right amount of time to spend on homework?

National PTA spokeswoman Heidi May pointed to the organization’s “ 10 minute rule ,” which recommends kids spend about 10 minutes on homework per night for every year they’re in school. That would mean 10 minutes for a first-grader and an hour for a child in the sixth grade.

But many parents say their kids must spend much longer on their assignments. Last year, a New York dad tried to do his eight-grader’s homework for a week and it took him at least three hours on most nights.

More than 80 percent of respondents in a TODAY.com poll complained kids have too much homework. For homework critics like Kralovec, who said research shows homework has little value at the elementary and middle school level, the issue is simple.

“Kids are at school 7 or 8 hours a day, that’s a full working day and why should they have to take work home?” she asked.

Follow A. Pawlowski on Google+ and Twitter .

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More than two hours of homework may be counterproductive, research suggests.

A Stanford education researcher found that too much homework can negatively affect kids, especially their lives away from school, where family, friends and activities matter.   "Our findings on the effects of homework challenge the traditional assumption that homework is inherently good," wrote Denise Pope , a senior lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Education and a co-author of a study published in the Journal of Experimental Education .   The researchers used survey data to examine perceptions about homework, student well-being and behavioral engagement in a sample of 4,317 students from 10 high-performing high schools in upper-middle-class California communities. Along with the survey data, Pope and her colleagues used open-ended answers to explore the students' views on homework.   Median household income exceeded $90,000 in these communities, and 93 percent of the students went on to college, either two-year or four-year.   Students in these schools average about 3.1 hours of homework each night.   "The findings address how current homework practices in privileged, high-performing schools sustain students' advantage in competitive climates yet hinder learning, full engagement and well-being," Pope wrote.   Pope and her colleagues found that too much homework can diminish its effectiveness and even be counterproductive. They cite prior research indicating that homework benefits plateau at about two hours per night, and that 90 minutes to two and a half hours is optimal for high school.   Their study found that too much homework is associated with:   • Greater stress : 56 percent of the students considered homework a primary source of stress, according to the survey data. Forty-three percent viewed tests as a primary stressor, while 33 percent put the pressure to get good grades in that category. Less than 1 percent of the students said homework was not a stressor.   • Reductions in health : In their open-ended answers, many students said their homework load led to sleep deprivation and other health problems. The researchers asked students whether they experienced health issues such as headaches, exhaustion, sleep deprivation, weight loss and stomach problems.   • Less time for friends, family and extracurricular pursuits : Both the survey data and student responses indicate that spending too much time on homework meant that students were "not meeting their developmental needs or cultivating other critical life skills," according to the researchers. Students were more likely to drop activities, not see friends or family, and not pursue hobbies they enjoy.   A balancing act   The results offer empirical evidence that many students struggle to find balance between homework, extracurricular activities and social time, the researchers said. Many students felt forced or obligated to choose homework over developing other talents or skills.   Also, there was no relationship between the time spent on homework and how much the student enjoyed it. The research quoted students as saying they often do homework they see as "pointless" or "mindless" in order to keep their grades up.   "This kind of busy work, by its very nature, discourages learning and instead promotes doing homework simply to get points," said Pope, who is also a co-founder of Challenge Success , a nonprofit organization affiliated with the GSE that conducts research and works with schools and parents to improve students' educational experiences..   Pope said the research calls into question the value of assigning large amounts of homework in high-performing schools. Homework should not be simply assigned as a routine practice, she said.   "Rather, any homework assigned should have a purpose and benefit, and it should be designed to cultivate learning and development," wrote Pope.   High-performing paradox   In places where students attend high-performing schools, too much homework can reduce their time to foster skills in the area of personal responsibility, the researchers concluded. "Young people are spending more time alone," they wrote, "which means less time for family and fewer opportunities to engage in their communities."   Student perspectives   The researchers say that while their open-ended or "self-reporting" methodology to gauge student concerns about homework may have limitations – some might regard it as an opportunity for "typical adolescent complaining" – it was important to learn firsthand what the students believe.   The paper was co-authored by Mollie Galloway from Lewis and Clark College and Jerusha Conner from Villanova University.

Clifton B. Parker is a writer at the Stanford News Service .

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School Life Balance , Tips for Online Students

The Pros and Cons of Homework

Homework is a word that most students dread hearing. After hours upon hours of sitting in class , the last thing we want is more schoolwork over our precious weekends. While it’s known to be a staple of traditional schooling, homework has also become a rather divise topic. Some feel as though homework is a necessary part of school, while others believe that the time could be better invested. Should students have homework? Have a closer look into the arguments on both sides to decide for yourself.

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Why should students have homework, 1. homework encourages practice.

Many people believe that one of the positive effects of homework is that it encourages the discipline of practice. While it may be time consuming and boring compared to other activities, repetition is needed to get better at skills. Homework helps make concepts more clear, and gives students more opportunities when starting their career .

2. Homework Gets Parents Involved

Homework can be something that gets parents involved in their children’s lives if the environment is a healthy one. A parent helping their child with homework makes them take part in their academic success, and allows for the parent to keep up with what the child is doing in school. It can also be a chance to connect together.

3. Homework Teaches Time Management

Homework is much more than just completing the assigned tasks. Homework can develop time management skills , forcing students to plan their time and make sure that all of their homework assignments are done on time. By learning to manage their time, students also practice their problem-solving skills and independent thinking. One of the positive effects of homework is that it forces decision making and compromises to be made.

4. Homework Opens A Bridge Of Communication

Homework creates a connection between the student, the teacher, the school, and the parents. It allows everyone to get to know each other better, and parents can see where their children are struggling. In the same sense, parents can also see where their children are excelling. Homework in turn can allow for a better, more targeted educational plan for the student.

5. Homework Allows For More Learning Time

Homework allows for more time to complete the learning process. School hours are not always enough time for students to really understand core concepts, and homework can counter the effects of time shortages, benefiting students in the long run, even if they can’t see it in the moment.

6. Homework Reduces Screen Time

Many students in North America spend far too many hours watching TV. If they weren’t in school, these numbers would likely increase even more. Although homework is usually undesired, it encourages better study habits and discourages spending time in front of the TV. Homework can be seen as another extracurricular activity, and many families already invest a lot of time and money in different clubs and lessons to fill up their children’s extra time. Just like extracurricular activities, homework can be fit into one’s schedule.

The Other Side: Why Homework Is Bad

1. homework encourages a sedentary lifestyle.

Should students have homework? Well, that depends on where you stand. There are arguments both for the advantages and the disadvantages of homework.

While classroom time is important, playground time is just as important. If children are given too much homework, they won’t have enough playtime, which can impact their social development and learning. Studies have found that those who get more play get better grades in school , as it can help them pay closer attention in the classroom.

Children are already sitting long hours in the classroom, and homework assignments only add to these hours. Sedentary lifestyles can be dangerous and can cause health problems such as obesity. Homework takes away from time that could be spent investing in physical activity.

2. Homework Isn’t Healthy In Every Home

While many people that think homes are a beneficial environment for children to learn, not all homes provide a healthy environment, and there may be very little investment from parents. Some parents do not provide any kind of support or homework help, and even if they would like to, due to personal barriers, they sometimes cannot. Homework can create friction between children and their parents, which is one of the reasons why homework is bad .

3. Homework Adds To An Already Full-Time Job

School is already a full-time job for students, as they generally spend over 6 hours each day in class. Students also often have extracurricular activities such as sports, music, or art that are just as important as their traditional courses. Adding on extra hours to all of these demands is a lot for children to manage, and prevents students from having extra time to themselves for a variety of creative endeavors. Homework prevents self discovery and having the time to learn new skills outside of the school system. This is one of the main disadvantages of homework.

4. Homework Has Not Been Proven To Provide Results

Endless surveys have found that homework creates a negative attitude towards school, and homework has not been found to be linked to a higher level of academic success.

The positive effects of homework have not been backed up enough. While homework may help some students improve in specific subjects, if they have outside help there is no real proof that homework makes for improvements.

It can be a challenge to really enforce the completion of homework, and students can still get decent grades without doing their homework. Extra school time does not necessarily mean better grades — quality must always come before quantity.

Accurate practice when it comes to homework simply isn’t reliable. Homework could even cause opposite effects if misunderstood, especially since the reliance is placed on the student and their parents — one of the major reasons as to why homework is bad. Many students would rather cheat in class to avoid doing their homework at home, and children often just copy off of each other or from what they read on the internet.

5. Homework Assignments Are Overdone

The general agreement is that students should not be given more than 10 minutes a day per grade level. What this means is that a first grader should be given a maximum of 10 minutes of homework, while a second grader receives 20 minutes, etc. Many students are given a lot more homework than the recommended amount, however.

On average, college students spend as much as 3 hours per night on homework . By giving too much homework, it can increase stress levels and lead to burn out. This in turn provides an opposite effect when it comes to academic success.

The pros and cons of homework are both valid, and it seems as though the question of ‘‘should students have homework?’ is not a simple, straightforward one. Parents and teachers often are found to be clashing heads, while the student is left in the middle without much say.

It’s important to understand all the advantages and disadvantages of homework, taking both perspectives into conversation to find a common ground. At the end of the day, everyone’s goal is the success of the student.

Related Articles

Why Homework Should Be Banned: 9 Reasons Must be Discussed

Do you agree or disagree on why homework should be banned?  Should homework be made unfair? Many parents believe that professors or teachers give their students more assignments than they can handle. We will discuss reasons why homework should be banned.

As we all know, in today’s world maximum children are busy with homework, especially if they need to do that on mobile. That is why they don’t have proper time to engage in physical activities like playing outdoor games. Many students need to do online assignments, so they need to look at mobile phones or laptops. This can also be bad for children’s eye health. And there are many more issues related to children’s health that are why this is important to discuss why homework should be banned. 

Let us start with basic questions that are important to discuss before getting into the topic. Many parents think homework plays an essential role in students’ lives. So after analyzing a lot of things, we will include the pros and cons of doing homework. Let us continue with why homework should be banned. 

9 Major Reasons Why Homework Should Be Banned

Table of Contents

Here are 9 reasons why homework should be banned which are as follows:

1. Children’s Physical Health

This is the most crucial point I would bring up first on why homework should be banned. When a teacher gives homework to students, it is fairly typical for them to take their time completing it. It can take several hours to finish. As a result, children don’t have much time to play. As we all know, outdoor games are essential for children’s physical and mental development. 

Homework is an important component of academic achievement in and out of the classroom, but too much of it can ruin your development. Students who used to spend excessive amounts of time on homework may find it difficult to meet other tasks, such as being physically and socially active. So this is an important point that must be considered on why homework should be banned.

2. It Is A Full-Time Task To Go To School

Many children’s schools start at 8:00 a.m. or even earlier and end at 3:00 p.m. or later. Every day, students attend school for around 7 hours. Meanwhile, students must prepare for school, attend school, and return home, which takes a significant amount of time.

When you factor in extracurricular activities, children are forced to compete and succeed in society, such as cram school, musical instrument study, and sports participation. 

Many parents complain that children easily spend more than 10 hours each day on school-related activities. All of this amounts to the maximum amount of time a youngster can spend in a day. As a result, they will accomplish that much homework across all disciplines as a student. As a result, homework should be banned.

3. Students Are Stressed Out By Homework

This brings us to the third reason why homework should be banned. Homework can be a source of anxiety. According to a Stanford University poll, homework is a significant source of stress for 56 percent of youngsters. Only 1% of students, on the other hand, say that homework is not a significant source of stress.

No schoolwork, without a doubt, means no stress. If students don’t have homework, they don’t have to waste time sitting at their desks, exhausted, and wondering if they turned in all of their assignments. As a result, a student’s fantasy of having no schoolwork has come true.

Homework reduces their revision time, which might negatively impact their test grades. This will harm the student’s reputation, but many people don’t realize that it will also harm the school’s reputation.

The parents of the students then conclude that the school’s teaching is poor, and they may decide to send their child to a different school! The school’s popularity may decrease over time, and the simplest way to prevent this is to ban homework.

Furthermore, more than 80% of students have stress-related symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, sleep deprivation, weight loss, and gastrointestinal problems. Homework may be to blame for these aggravating stress and health problems.

4. Don’t Have Enough Time For Yourself

This brings us to the 4th reason why homework should be banned. Students who spend excessive time on schoolwork do not meet their developmental goals or learn other essential life skills. Extracurricular activities like various students spending time in athletics, musical instruments, and other activities are less likely to pursue by students who have too much homework.

Furthermore, if children spend all of their time doing homework, they may not develop essential life skills such as independence, cooking, time management, or even social interaction.

Many students feel forced to place a greater emphasis on homework than on discovering and developing other skills or talents. Without schoolwork, children would be able to devote more time to their hobbies, such as dancing, playing video games, and painting, while still functioning as adults in society.

5. There Is No Genuine Benefit To Doing Homework

This brings us to the 5th reason why homework should be banned. Teachers feel that giving students more homework will help them grow and learn. However, this is not the case. Students are less motivated to know if they have a lot of homework.

As a result, homework turns into a devil, forcing children into a corner of anxiety rather than motivating them to learn more. Many students used to spend too much time doing school homework has been linked to lower academic achievement. Despite the fact that homework can help you get better grades, it usually has diminishing returns. 

6. There Will Be No Family Time

This brings us to the 6th reason why homework should be banned. Today’s parents’ biggest issue is that they do not spend nearly enough time with their children. Kids start focusing on their schoolwork and projects as soon as they get home, and they barely have time to chat with their families because they’re so fatigued.

Those constantly focusing on schoolwork miss out on quality time with their families, shared evenings, weekend activities, and dinners. However, more time would be available for family bonding without homework, bringing families closer together.

7. A Regular Sleep Cycle

The 7th reason I feel on why homework should be banned from all schools worldwide is that it disrupts children’s sleep cycles, potentially resulting in harmful or annoying health conditions. Some may argue that the student is to blame for sleeping late.

It’s no wonder that kids are working late at night on homework when you consider travel hours, dining times, family gathering times, and so on. They haven’t noticed or taken into account that the majority of students live a long distance from school!

8. There Is A Lack Of Support

This brings us to the 8th reason why homework should be banned. It is a key reason why homework should be prohibited. Many schools or college teachers fail to express many things needed to perform the task during class, which is considered one of the most compelling grounds for forbidding homework.

Parents are unable to assist in all aspects of their children’s lives. Sometimes some students lack the essential experience to help, and they also have work to finish. Professional internet services are the only companies that can help students with their academic work.

9. Homework Is a Type of Irrelevant Content

If you think writing your homework is good, whether your homework is relevant or not. Then it is totally wrong. There is no meaning in writing irrelevant content as your homework. However, if homework has nothing to do with your topic, then it should be banned. Or we can say that you must assign only relevant material to the students as a teacher. 

This will automatically help them in improving their grades. This is the ninth reason why homework should be banned.

Is Homework Slavery: Can Homework Be Considered Slavery? 

Some people might think that is homework slavery so let’s find out. We can’t say that homework is slavery because there is no legal definition to support it. On the other hand, homework is assigned to students without their permission. If you equate this to slavery, then it is considered an argument that will fall under legal inspection.

If you consider homework slavery, you must prove something. For example, you have to prove that the instructor or teacher enjoys the economic benefits of your homework or when you complete the assignment given by teachers. 

However, teachers don’t get any financial benefits. The main aim of homework is to help students get better academic results. 

Homework is nothing but a privilege. The only thing you can say is that it is almost the direct opposite of slavery. But, too much homework for the students makes them overburdened. As a result, the students get stressed. 

If you still believe that homework doesn’t contribute positively to your career, you can state your case to the relevant authorities.

Does Homework Cause Stress: Everything You Need To Know

Extra assignments given to students by schools may lead to an imbalance in stress levels. Yes, I know students need to learn in class in order to get good academic results, but they also get some time to explore other things and chill and relax.

Imagine you’re working in an office. Your boss gives you some extra tasks to complete within a given deadline. How would you feel? Well, it is obvious to many people that you feel very stressed. That’s what a sixth or eighth-grade student feels.

As per the survey by Stanford University, almost 56 percent of the students think that homework causes stress and is the primary cause. On the other hand, the remaining students believe that getting good grades on tests can cause mental illness and lead to stress or anxiety.

Only one percent of the students think that homework or academic tests do not cause any stress, which is remarkable.

In Which State Is Homework Illegal?

In all states of the United States, there is no law banning homework, and it is legal. There is no state law prohibiting them. 

However, schools in different states of the US have their own rules about homework. Some schools have banned homework, while others limit the amount of homework given to students. 

Where homework is limited in the US:

• Connecticut

How Can Parents Help Their Children to Get Better Academic Marks? 

You might be wondering how you, as a parent, can help your children learn and get good academic grades. So, how can you boost their achievements?

Listed below are five ways to boost their academics. 

1. Engaged with your children

You can do that by asking your child what they’re learning in school.

2. Don’t forget to give some extra free time 

Give some free time to your child in order to develop creativity, problem-solving skills, and curiosity. 

3. You can teach your child formally

Start teaching your child more formally, which means that you can involve your child in some other projects instead of homework. This can be an excellent learning experience. Creating some bonding with your children is a good way to teach anything to your child.

4. Do not be overly involved with your child’s homework

Suppose you want good academic results from your children. Give them some space to study alone. You can do that by giving your children a well-designed and comfortable area for studying.

5. You can communicate with the child’s teacher

There are many reasons why you want to be in contact with your child’s teacher. If your child is having academic difficulties, you can talk with their teacher to find the best solutions so that your child does not have the same problem.

Homework Should Be Banned Agree Or Disagree: Debate

On the one hand, those who believe homework should be banned argue that it causes stress, anxiety, and even depression in students. Homework often takes up a significant amount of time and can interfere with other important activities, such as spending time with family and participating in extracurricular activities. Additionally, some students may not have access to resources at home, making it difficult to complete assignments. Proponents of banning homework believe that students would benefit from more free time and less pressure, allowing them to explore their interests and engage in activities that support their well-being.

On the other hand, those who argue against banning homework believe it is necessary to reinforce concepts learned in the classroom and develop important skills, such as time management and responsibility. Homework also helps students prepare for exams and can be an important factor in determining their grades. Furthermore, homework supporters argue that it is a crucial aspect of education and that students who do not complete it may fall behind their peers. Therefore, homework should continue to be assigned appropriately, focusing on quality rather than quantity.

As a result, it depends on the individual’s choice. If you find homework beneficial, then homework is good for you. Otherwise, your opinion is like “Homework Should Be Banned.”.

To conclude, why homework is banned many parents think homework is beneficial because it can help you improve your grades, learn new content, and prepare for tests. However, it isn’t always advantageous. A student’s perception of the subject may be tainted by pointless busywork homework (not to mention a teacher). This blog has explained why homework should be prohibited. The benefits and drawbacks of giving assignments after school was discussed. The majority of college students support such chores, and students should make every effort to complete their responsibilities.

If you need any assistance related to your homework, feel free to contact our experts. We offer various assignment help services such as math assignment help , probability assignment help , statistics assignment help , and many more. Don’t hesitate to call us.

Q1. Is homework harmful to one’s mental health?

We know what stress can do to our bodies, adding that staying up late to do projects leads to sleep disruption and tiredness. To overcome stress to can play games and do other physical activities.

Q2. Why do students hate doing their homework?

Students despise homework for various reasons, including the belief that it should only be utilized as extra practice for students who need it or to study for examinations and quizzes when possible. In addition, schoolwork can be overwhelming. It can result in weariness, stress, and various other issues.

Q3. What Are Some Weird Facts About Homework?

Here are some weird facts about homework which are as follows:

1. Homework can cause anxiety and stress.  2. There is no dought that homework is dangerous for student’s social life. 3. Homework can cause burnout. 4. There is no official research on why homework is beneficial to students. 5. Homework can replace some major parts of studying.

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20 Reasons Why Homework Should Be Banned

• Post author By admin
• September 19, 2022

Colleges and schools give a lot of homework to students. Students often do it incorrectly because they don’t have enough information and knowledge. Sometimes students get new and unknown tasks to complete. Even at home, students are unable to find anyone to assist.

These types of practices make things worse. Facts are overwhelming nowadays, which is one of the reasons why homework should be banned. Today’s parents are too busy with their responsibilities to run their families effectively. They are frequently unable to teach their students about the subjects.

These factors leave a student alone to gather knowledge and do homework. When these students return to school the next day, their teachers may punish or scold them for their poor presentation.

Table of Contents

Why Homework Should Be Banned

We can’t say that homework is not important, homework also has its importance , but that does not mean that it is too necessary. It creates many types of problems for students and their parents, which is why people demand to ban homework.

These are some of the reasons why homework should be banned -:

Homework Restricts A Student’s Freedom

• No Time For Exercises
• No Time To Play Outdoor Games

Often Breaks Students’ Confidence

Homework doing not an achievement, most homework creates bad habits, less time to spend with family members, conflict with parents, downtime at home, negative impact on tests, writing has different effects, extra challenges, homework causes depression, homework provides no real benefit, too much homework means not enough time for yourself, school is a full-time job, no real impact on performance, irrelevant content.

In most cases, children do not want to get up early in the morning. When they sleep for long periods and wake up late in the morning, they feel more relaxed and energetic. The best time for students to spend more time in bed is during the holidays. If kids are assigned homework during the holidays, it becomes a painful task. Students must finish assignments on time, regardless of the consequences. In any case, they must study every day. This is the first reason why homework should be banned.

No Time For Exercises 

Exercises are suitable for people of all ages. Persons of any age group can do activities. Students go to school, spend hours there, and then return home. They don’t have a lot of time to become fresh and eat. Most students go to their rooms to rest before beginning to work on their homework. They are busy doing school homework at home during the week and on weekends. This is the second reason why homework should be banned.

No Time To Play Outdoor Games 

More students take part in home activities these days. Students do not have enough free time to participate in sports. They’re on their way out the door to finish their homework. Parents have been unable to discover a solution to this problem. They have all of these headaches and are exhausted. The clock runs its way, and by the time they’ve finished, it’s bedtime. This is the third reason why homework should be banned.

Homework cannot be achieved without the use of the tool. Nobody can judge a student’s ability just on their homework. Many students are unfamiliar with the topic and how to complete it correctly. If you provide incorrect information, you will be misusing the concepts you are familiar with. Facts are overpowering, which is why homework should be banned.

Suppose many students do it incorrectly and that several teachers make fun of them in class. Because of uncultured experts, it occurs in many schools. Such activities will break students’ confidence. Regardless, teachers should assist students in gaining a thorough comprehension of concepts and showing how to apply them to the subject. This is the fourth reason why homework should be banned.

Students who complete homework according to a teacher’s instructions will not succeed. If you spend all of your time studying and working hard on your lesson, you will not have enough time to do other tasks. It becomes boring for you. It has the potential to impact the causal relationship with others. Doing homework is not a learning process. Students treat homework as though it were a competition with their classmates. This is the fifth reason why homework should be banned.

If a student continues to work on homework, additional study time for another topic will be added to the stack. You will be unable to study and read due to a lack of time. Many students treat homework as though it were a daily task. Homework rarely motivates students. They have no idea what the topic is and finish it without any motivation. This is why homework should be banned because it is discouraging. This is the sixth reason why homework should be banned.

A student’s hours are consumed by their homework load. For a child to grasp the relationships between different persons, family time is crucial when they are young. It reduces the amount of time that children must spend with their families. It helps form social bonds and teaches them how to live in society. This is the seventh reason why homework should be banned.

Students frequently refuse to do homework or study. They are exhausted and wish to rest. This might lead to a disagreement between children and their parents. Parents never want to scold their children, but situations force them to do so. This is the eighth reason why homework should be banned.

Homework Can Encourage Cheating

When students have a large amount of work to complete in a short amount of time, they copy from other students. This attempt to duplicate leads to them learning how to cheat effectively such that teachers are unable to differentiate between the two works. If a teacher finds both works similar, they may punish both. With the availability of generative AI writing tools like ChatGPT that assist in making interactive brochures and other homework related tasks. This can get students into a lot of trouble with writing assignments being detected by an accurate AI content detector . This is why homework should be banned. This is the ninth reason why homework should be banned.

Also Read -: Best Homework Songs to Listen

After 8 hours in class, 2 hours of homework is a punishment. Professors should provide students with more unscheduled time. Going outside, hanging out with friends, joining hobby organizations, supporting parents, and, yes, watching TV and playing video games all make children feel like kids. This is the tenth reason why homework should be banned.

One of the main reasons homework should be banned is that many teachers cannot provide all the information needed to finish the lesson during class. Parents also can’t help their children with all tasks. The friends of students lack the experience to assist them. Online assignment companies are the options for them. They only can help students with their homework of any level. This is the eleventh reason why homework should be banned.

Even though students understand the subject, the lack of writing or research skills can cause them to fail the entire course, and many teachers do nothing to help them. This is the twelth reason why homework should be banned.

It is challenging for students who juggle their business schedules with activities after classes, internships, and part-time jobs to keep up. They are exhausted at the end of the day. This is the thirteen reason why homework should be banned.

Having too much homework can negatively affect students’ mental and physical health. Five-six per cent of students say their homework is the primary source of stress and exhaustion, according to a Stanford University study. Lack of sleep, headaches, and weight loss can result from too much homework. This is the fourteen reason why homework should be banned.

Many teachers believe that students will become better and remember more if they give them more homework. However, this is not always the case, as more homework results in students not learning. Students are being pushed into a corner of stress by homework instead of using it as a tool to encourage them to learn more.

A lot of homework negatively impacts academic performance. Although homework can contribute to higher grades, it mostly has diminishing returns. This is the fifteen reasons why homework should be banned.

Students who spend too much time on homework fail to develop their life skills and developmental needs. A student who has too much homework is more likely to avoid participating in activities outside of school, such as sports, music, etc.

Additionally, if students spend all their time doing homework, they may not develop essential life skills, such as independence, cooking skills, time management, or social skills.

Most students feel forced to prioritize their homework over discovering and developing other skills and talents. By not having homework, they could spend more time on their interests, such as dancing, video gaming, and painting, thus fitting into society as they grow older. This is the sixteen reason why homework should be banned.

For most kids in Taiwan, school begins at 8 a.m. and ends at 5 p.m. or later. Each day, kids put in about 9 hours of work into their education. Students do extracurricular activities to compete and survive in society, such as attending cram school, learning musical instruments, and participating in sports. They quickly spend more than 10 hours a day engaged in school-related activities. This is the seventeenth reason why homework should be banned.

In 4 hours of weekly home-taken assignments, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) discovered that spending more time on education has no effect on productivity. This is the eighteen reason why homework should be banned.

If homework has nothing to do with the topic or subject being studied, it should be banned. It’s unethical to assign homework that students haven’t completed in class and expect good grades. This is the nineteen reason why homework should be banned.

Also read : Is Homework Illegal AnyWhere?

20 Other Reasons about Why Homework Should be Banned

These are the 20 reasons because of why homework should be banned:

• Waste time of Students
• It affects the physical health of students
• It affects the mental health of students
• Homework does not provide practical knowledge
• Homework creates the habit of Procrastination in children
• Because of homework children starts hating study
• It forces children to work like a robot
• Homework is boring
• Does not help that much in study
• It creates the habit of memorizing concepts in the students
• Children start thinking of their parents and teachers as a villain
• Homework creates pressure on the students
• No time left for students to learn something new
• Homework repeats the already taught concepts of school
• The teacher gives a lot of homework to students
• It increases the daily tasks of the students
• Another burden on the students
• No family time left for the students
• It makes students feel like a puppet
• Students lose their confidence if they fail to do their homework.

List Of The Pros Of Banning Homework

Homework Does Not Improve Student Academic Performance.

The reality of homework for modern students is that we don’t know if assigning an extra task outside of class is helpful. Each study contains several flaws, resulting in unreliable data & Students also search for someone to do their homework online. Some research suggests that students in secondary schools or higher can benefit from little homework; banning it for younger students may make sense for their learning experience.

Banning Homework Can Reduce Burnout Among Students.

Today, teachers are paying more attention to homework stress in the classroom. Over 25% of grade school professors say that they have seen students stressed out by homework. When students are dealing with the impact of homework, it can have a tremendous negative impact.

It Can Help You Spend More Time With Your Family.

 Homework creates a noticeable disruption to family connections. It not only cuts down on time spent with family, but it also reduces the opportunities for parents to teach their values and talents to their children. Over half of North American parents say they’ve had a significant disagreement with their children about schoolwork in the last month. Homework is identified as the leading source of trouble in one-third of families.

It Can Reduce The Negative Impact Of Homework On The Student’s Health.

When students fail to complete a homework assignment on time, they suffer mental distress. When the outcome occurs, assumptions are frequently made about the student’s time management skills, but the reasons are usually more complex. It may be too challenging, tedious, or uninteresting, or there may be insufficient time in the day to finish the task. When students fail in this area, it can lead to serious mental health problems. It can discourage a desire to learn in students. Some people believe they are intellectual failures who will never live a good life.

Why Homework is good

Here are a few reasons why homework is good .

• Increase Memory Power.
• Enhances Concentration.
• Homework Strengthens Problem-Solving.
• Helps in Developing Analytical Skills.
• Discipline Skills.

Also read : Who Invented Homework And Why? Best Facts You Should Know

List Of The Cons Of Banning Homework

Homework can assist parents and educators in determining a child’s learning skills..

Many children develop a self-defense strategy that helps them fit in with the other students in their class. This procedure allows them to hide learning problems that may be hindering their academic achievement. Because children cannot hide their learning problems while working one-on-one with their parents on specific subjects, homework allows teachers and parents to uncover this problem. By banning homework, you’re removing half of the opportunity to spot possible issues right away.

It Teaches Students How To Manage Their Time Effectively.

As people get older, they recognize that time is a limited resource. To increase productivity, it is critical to managing time wisely. Homework is an excellent technique to encourage the development of abilities in children as early as school. The trick is to keep the time allocated for work to a minimum. Students should spend 10 minutes on schoolwork and plan their schedules accordingly. If a student is having trouble creating a program, the family should provide them with the opportunity to do so.

Homework Allows Parents To Participate In Their Children’s Education.

Parents must be aware of what their children are learning in school. Even when a parent inquires about their children’s learning, the response is more generic than precise. Parents will see and experience their children’s growth in what they are doing while they are at school throughout the day if work is sent home from the classroom. Parents can readily participate in the learning process to reinforce their children’s essential concepts every day.

Is Homework Good or Bad?

What are your thoughts on whether is homework good or bad ? It is essential to consult with students and their parents. Parents work hard to keep track of their children’s progress in every field. When it comes to family tours and celebrations, homework becomes a source of frustration. The majority of homework takes up a child’s spare time. To live, it’s not enough to breathe. More is required for a student to have a happy childhood and grow peacefully. It would help if you understood why homework should be banned.

Another point to consider is that homework is not an after-school activity. Parents provide tutors for their children who are having difficulty with their homework. This keeps a student occupied during their free time. Many parents choose to send their children to boarding schools. You should be aware of your child’s activities and achievements. It is a source of worry about whether homework is harmful or beneficial to students. It is something that parents and teachers should seriously consider.

Should We Get Rid of Homework?

Homework is a big topic, and some people wonder if we should get rid of it. Homework is when teachers give you work to do at home, like math problems, reading, or projects. Some people think it’s a good way to practice what you learned in school, but others say it’s not so great.

People who want to get rid of homework say it can be too much. It can take up a lot of your free time, leaving less time to play and relax. Some kids also feel stressed and worried about getting their homework done. They might even need help from their parents, and that can be tough if their parents are busy too.

But not everyone agrees. Some think homework helps you learn better. It can reinforce what you learn in class and make you more responsible. You can also get extra practice, which might make you better at things like math or reading.

In this blog, we have discussed why homework should be banned and the pros and cons of banning homework. I hope you have understood why homework should be banned easily. 

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

What are the negative effects of too much homework.

Overburdening students with homework can lead to stress, worry, despair, physical illnesses, and even lower exam scores.

How much homework is appropriate for high schoolers?

Students in high school are capable of handling additional schoolwork. According to the 10-minute rule per grade, freshmen should have no more than 90 minutes of homework, and seniors should have no more than 2 hours.

Why does homework exist?

Homework helps teachers determine how well the lessons are being understood by their students.

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The Grim Reality of Banning TikTok

T he U.S. government, once again, wants to ban TikTok. The app has become an incontrovertible force on American phones since it launched in 2016, defining the sounds and sights of pandemic-era culture. TikTok’s burst on the scene also represented a first for American consumers, and officials—a popular social media app that wasn’t started on Silicon Valley soil, but in China.

On March 13, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill to force TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to sell TikTok or else the app will be banned on American phones. The government will fine the two major mobile app stores and any cloud hosting companies to ensure that Americans cannot access the app.

While fashioned as a forced divestiture on national security grounds, let’s be real: This is a ban. The intent has always been to ban TikTok, to punish it and its users without solving any of the underlying data privacy issues lawmakers claim to care about. Texas Rep. Dan Crenshaw said it outright : “No one is trying to disguise anything… We want to ban TikTok.”

But, as such, a ban of TikTok would eliminate an important place for Americans to speak and be heard. It would be a travesty for the free speech rights of hundreds of millions of Americans who depend on the app to communicate, express themselves, and even make a living. And perhaps more importantly, it would further balkanize the global internet and disconnect us from the world.

Read more: What to Know About the Bill That Could Get TikTok Banned in the U.S.

This isn’t the first time the government has tried to ban TikTok: In 2021, former President Donald Trump issued an executive order that was halted in federal court when a Trump-appointed judge found it was “arbitrary and capricious” because it failed to consider other means of dealing with the problem. Another judge found that the national security threat posted by TikTok was “phrased in the hypothetical.” When the state of Montana tried to ban the app in 2023, a federal judge found it “oversteps state power and infringes on the constitutional rights of users,” with a “pervasive undertone of anti-Chinese sentiment.”

Trump also opened a national security review with the power to force a divestment, something Biden has continued to this day with no resolution; and last year, lawmakers looked poised to pass a bill banning TikTok, but lost steam after a high-profile grilling of its top executive. (Trump has done an about-face on the issue and recently warned that banning TikTok will only help its U.S. rivals like Meta.)

TikTok stands accused of being a conduit for the Chinese Communist Party, guzzling up sensitive user data and sending it to China. There’s not much evidence to suggest that’s true, except that their parent company ByteDance is a Chinese company, and China’s government has its so-called private sector in a chokehold. In order to stay compliant, you have to play nice.

In all of this, it’s important to remember that America is not China. America doesn't have a Great Firewall with our very own internet free from outside influences. America allows all sorts of websites that the government likes, dislikes, and fears onto our computers. So there’s an irony in allowing Chinese internet giants onto America’s internet when, of course, American companies like Google and Meta’s services aren’t allowed on Chinese computers.

And because of America’s robust speech protections under the First Amendment, the U.S. finds itself playing a different ballgame than the Chinese government in this moment. These rights protect Americans against the U.S. government, not from corporations like TikTok, Meta, YouTube, or Twitter, despite the fact that they do have outsized influence over modern communication. No, the First Amendment says that the government cannot stop you from speaking without a damned good reason. In other words, you’re protected against Congress—not TikTok.

The clearest problem with a TikTok ban is it would immediately wipe out a platform where 170 million Americans broadcast their views and receive information—sometimes about political happenings. In an era of mass polarization, shutting off the app would mean shutting down the ways in which millions of people—even those with unpopular views—speak out on issues they care about. The other problem is that Americans have the constitutional right to access all sorts of information—even if it’s deemed to be foreign propaganda. There’s been little evidence to suggest that ByteDance is influencing the flow of content at the behest of the Chinese government, though there’s some reports that are indeed worrying, including reports that TikTok censored videos related to the Tiananmen Square massacre, Tibetan independence, and the banned group Falun Gong.

Still, the Supreme Court ruled in 1964 that Americans have the right to receive what the government deems to be foreign propaganda. In Lamont v. Postmaster General , for instance, the Court ruled that the government couldn’t halt the flow of Soviet propaganda through the mail. The Court essentially said that the act of the government stepping in and banning propaganda would be akin to censorship, and the American people need to be free to evaluate these transgressive ideas for themselves.

Further, the government has repeatedly failed to pass any federal data privacy protections that would address the supposed underlying problem of TikTok gobbling up troves of U.S. user data and handing it to a Chinese parent company. Biden only made moves in February 2024 to prevent data brokers from selling U.S. user data to foreign adversaries like China, arguably a problem much bigger than one app. But the reality is that the government has long been more interested in banning a media company than dealing with a real public policy issue.

There is legitimate concern in Washington and elsewhere that it’s not the government that controls so much of America’s speech, but private companies like those bred in Silicon Valley. But the disappearance of TikTok would further empower media monopolists like Google and Meta, who already control about half of all U.S. digital ad dollars, and give them a tighter choke hold over our communication. There’s already a paucity of platforms where people speak; removing TikTok would eliminate one of the most important alternatives we have.

Since it launched in 2016, TikTok has been the most influential social media app in the world, not because it affects public policy or necessarily creates monoculture—neither are particularly true, in fact—but because it has given people a totally different way to spend time online. In doing so, it disrupted the monopolies of American tech companies like Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, and forced every rival to in some way mimic its signature style. There’s Facebook and Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, Snapchat Spotlight, and every other app seems to be an infinitely-scrolling video these days.

Still, Americans choose to use TikTok and their conversations will not easily port over to another platform in the event of it being banned. Instead, cutting through the connective tissue of the app will sever important ways that Americans—especially young Americans—are speaking at a time when those conversations are as rich as ever.

The reality is that if Congress wanted to solve our data privacy problems, they would solve our data privacy problems. But instead, they want to ban TikTok, so they’ve found a way to try and do so. The bill will proceed to the Senate floor, then to the president’s desk, and then it will land in the U.S. court system. At that point, our First Amendment will once again be put to the test—a free speech case that’s very much not in the abstract, but one whose results will affect 170 million Americans who just want to use an app and have their voices be heard.

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