why homework is so boring

Why Is Homework So Boring? (11 Reasons Why)

Jean Richardson is a lover of knowledge, in all forms. He has spent over 15 years as a high school teacher, instructing students in history, geography, mathematics, and more.

If you ask a group of people how they feel about homework, they will likely come to one concession: It’s boring, and they don’t want to do it for one reason or another.

It’s true that most people don’t find homework “enjoyable.” But what exactly makes homework such a snoozefest? Keep reading to find 11 key reasons why. 

Why Is Homework So Boring?

1. less free time.

One of the main reasons why homework is so dull is because it cuts into your free time.

When you get home from a long day of school (and schoolwork), the last thing you want to do is dive back into the books again.

Whether your free time looks like watching TV, hanging out with friends, enjoying a game, or simply lying down, homework cuts into your after-school free time, rendering it “boring.”

That’s simply because homework isn’t something you want to do, and you’d like to be doing something else – and that something else is undeniably more exciting than more “work.”

2. Not An Interesting Subject

If you’re not doing homework on a subject you’re interested in; only one thing can happen – you will end up bored.

For instance, someone who enjoys science may enjoy the science homework they have for the night but might find reading through pages of grammar a bore.

Other people might enjoy writing three-page long essays, but you’d rather be sifting through the books of history to expand your mind.

If the subject isn’t interesting to you, you will not be attentive to the work. This comes down to basic principles – if you like something, you want to learn more about it. 

3. Not Challenging Enough

Most people want to be challenged when it comes to homework (and life in general). Not so much so that they can’t finish the assignment, but enough to be intrigued.

If you find that the homework is too easy, you will find it boring. Sure, you can fly through it in a matter of minutes, but it will be boring the entire time.

Those who are bored from not being challenged might consider taking on more work or switching to another class that can intrigue their mind.

4. Too Challenging

On the other hand, homework can be too challenging, leaving you stressed out at the thought of getting it done.

Pair that with the inability to ask your teacher for help, and you can begin to feel like the homework is “impossible.”

If you feel like you can’t accomplish something because it’s too complicated or you don’t understand it, you can find it boring – especially because you’ll end up spending hours on it.

This problem becomes more cumbersome when you cannot ask a parent for help. 

Plus, since the education world continues to change abruptly, this problem is becoming all the more common.

5. Not Stimulating Enough

This is the era of technology. Most people spend their days scrolling through social media, texting their friends, and watching videos – whether it’s on Netflix, YouTube, or another streaming app.

Needless to say, these technological activities are fun, pique your interest, and produce endorphins – the “feel-good” chemical of the brain.

Homework? Well, it’s less exciting. There are no flashy lights, music, or interactions that create endorphins. Since there is a lack of these “stimulating” qualities, most people render it dull.

6. Repetitive And Predictable

Homework is almost always linked to something you learned during school. And while repetition is essential for learning , it can also become boring if it’s overly repetitive.

The brain becomes accustomed to things that are repetitive and predictable. So, if you’ve been learning about the same subject for days with accompanying homework, you will end up bored.

The best thing to do is switch up how you learn. If that’s not possible, consider recommending a change in the routine to your instructor.

7. Cuts Into Sleep Time

Sleep is incredibly important. Unfortunately, homework can cut into your sleeping habits. 

This is especially true if your assignment has piled up or you’re working on something especially difficult.

A lack of sleep can cause disengagement . Without being able to be engaged in your homework, the only obvious outcome is boredom.

That’s why it is imperative to get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night. While you shouldn’t let your homework fall by the wayside, getting the recommended amount of slumber will help to improve your overall productivity. 

With a good night’s sleep, you will wake up feeling refreshed and ready to conquer anything – which may help you tackle that stack of “boring” homework you’ve been avoiding.

8. Halts Creativity

Plenty of people are creative individuals. They enjoy trying new, innovative approaches to activities or simply being artistic in general.

Unfortunately, homework tends to be cut and dry. There is likely one way and one way only to finish the assignment and up with a good grade.

Since homework can stunt the creative mind, it leads to boredom. 

The good news is that not all homework is plain and basic. Try to step out of the box as much as you can, and you will find conquering the less creative assignment a breeze to finish.

9. You’re Not Driven

Sometimes, it’s not solely the homework’s fault. Sometimes, it comes down to the person doing the homework.

A lack of drive can cause someone to be bored with their homework. They might wonder, “Why does this matter?” or “This is a waste of my time!”

That said, a clear vision and determination are imperative while doing homework.

Sure, it might not make the homework “fun.” But if you think about the reward that comes from doing homework, it can become fulfilling and less tedious.

10. You’re A Thrill Seeker

Most people have become accustomed to technology and all of the excitement it brings, but they can still get through their homework without becoming “bored.”

Those who are quintessential thrill-seekers have a bigger problem. They crave thrills rather than just the day-to-day humdrum of scrolling and watching movies .

Thrill-seekers – like the variety who want to jump out of airplanes or swim the sharks – will quickly become bored with homework because it lacks excitement.

11. Overwhelming

At some point during your school life, you may find yourself with a pile of homework in your lap – which can be daunting and overwhelming. You might even feel like you can’t finish it all.

When things become “too much” for a person, they tend to shut down entirely. And who will be excited and engaged in an activity that makes them feel so glum?

A feeling of overwhelmingness – or feeling trapped – can cause you to feel bored while doing your homework. 

The best thing to do is to break it down into small quantities and ask for help if and when you need it.

To learn more, you can also read our posts on why school is so boring , why studying is so boring , and why college is so boring .

Homework is almost always referred to as “boring” by most individuals. Some people may not be challenged enough or too challenged, while others don’t like limiting their free time.

At the end of the day, homework is unanimously dull, but it doesn’t have to remain that way. Finding ways to be creative or switch up the routine can help tremendously. 

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How to Get Homework Done when You Don't Want To

Last Updated: March 15, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Ashley Pritchard, MA and by wikiHow staff writer, Hannah Madden . Ashley Pritchard is an Academic and School Counselor at Delaware Valley Regional High School in Frenchtown, New Jersey. Ashley has over 3 years of high school, college, and career counseling experience. She has an MA in School Counseling with a specialization in Mental Health from Caldwell University and is certified as an Independent Education Consultant through the University of California, Irvine. There are 9 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 247,894 times.

Homework can be a drag, but it's got to be done to keep your grades up and stay on track during school. Going somewhere quiet, making a plan, and giving yourself breaks can all help you stay focused and on task to get your work done quickly. Try to keep your assignments organized and give yourself credit for completing hard or boring work, even if you didn’t want to.

Getting Motivated

• Keep a list of your assignments and check them off as you finish them. This can give you a sense of accomplishment that can motivate you to keep going.

• Make it the rule that you work for a certain amount of time, or until a certain amount of work has been accomplished. Afterward, you can hang out. Stick to this schedule.
• Try this out and see if it works. If you're too distracted by having friends around, make a date to hang out after homework instead.

• Make sure you keep the competition to yourself. Competing with your friends isn’t fun, especially over homework assignments and grades.

• Learning something that will probably help with future assignments, even if you don't know what they are yet.
• Proving to your teacher that you understand the homework so that they don’t keep assigning it over and over.
• Improving your GPA.
• Getting a good grade.

• Try not to reward yourself with food, as that can lead to snacking when you aren’t really hungry.

Staying Focused

• For instance, tell yourself that if you finish your first assignment in 20 minutes, you can go on your phone for 5 minutes.

• Make sure you stand up and do something when it's your break, or you won't get your wiggles out.
• Set a timer on your phone or use a kitchen timer to let yourself know when it's time to switch tasks.

• If you don't have control over the subject, try to find connections between the topic and something you care about. Find aspects of the subject that interest you.
• For instance, if you have to study History but you care the most about fashion, investigate the styles of the times and places you are studying. Learn how political and economical developments changed the way people dressed.

• You can find playlists on Spotify and YouTube that are made for studying and doing homework.

• When you're struggling to focus, sign out of your email and all social media so you don't check them as a reflex.

Creating Good Study Habits

• If you have many textbooks and worksheets, stack them and put them to the side.
• Get things like pencils, erasers, calculators, rulers, and paper.

• Having a planner will make it less tempting to procrastinate, as long as you have broken up your studying into manageable chunks.
• Your planner can be paper, or you can get one on your phone. Just make sure it has space for task lists as well as events.
• Once you have completed a task, cross it off or put a check next to it. Seeing that you're getting your work done will make you feel better, which in turn will motivate you to keep up the good work.
• Don't put more than you can do in one day on a list! Split up your week's work so that every day has a manageable amount.

• If you have a job or extracurricular activities that change your daily schedule, determine a weekly schedule that you stick to as much as possible.

• Sometimes just explaining what you have to do will help you understand it better.
• Talking to another person is a great way to brainstorm ideas. They may ask you questions or provide comments that can help you organize your ideas.
• Other times, the person you are talking to will notice something about the prompt that you overlooked.

Supercharge Your Studying with this Expert Series

Expert Q&A

Reader Videos

Share a quick video tip and help bring articles to life with your friendly advice. Your insights could make a real difference and help millions of people!

• Try asking a family member to help you remember when to start your assignments so you don’t forget. Thanks Helpful 4 Not Helpful 2
• If you’re really struggling with a topic, consider going to a tutor for extra help. Thanks Helpful 4 Not Helpful 2
• Getting motivated can be tough. Just try your best, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Thanks Helpful 4 Not Helpful 2

Tips from our Readers

• Set up a dedicated study area at home with your needed supplies, to establish a consistent homework routine. Having everything in one prepared place helps minimize distractions.
• Use a planner to schedule out all your assignments. Break them into small, manageable pieces so it's less overwhelming. Checking tasks off as you finish motivates you along.
• If completely stuck on an assignment, reach out and talk it through with someone. Verbalizing it can provide new insights to move forward.
• Take short activity breaks every 45 minutes. Get up, stretch, grab some water. It refreshes your mental focus so you stay engaged.
• Incorporate a fun personal interest into an assignment when possible. Writing about something you care about keeps you absorbed.
• When you really need to concentrate, eliminate enticing distractions like your phone. Logging out keeps you on track.

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://hwpi.harvard.edu/files/comm/files/smarttalk_staff_guide.pdf
• ↑ http://www.wcsu.edu/housing/wp-content/uploads/sites/55/2018/05/Handout-V6N6.pdf
• ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/worry-wise/201410/how-prevent-homework-procrastination
• ↑ Ashley Pritchard, MA. Academic & School Counselor. Expert Interview. 4 November 2019.
• ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/homework.html
• ↑ http://kidshealth.org/en/kids/organize-focus.html?WT.ac=p-ra#
• ↑ https://www.stonybrookmedicine.edu/sites/default/files/homework_tips.pdf
• ↑ https://childmind.org/article/strategies-to-make-homework-go-more-smoothly/
• ↑ http://kidshealth.org/en/teens/homework.html#

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Credit: August de Richelieu

Does homework still have value? A Johns Hopkins education expert weighs in

Joyce epstein, co-director of the center on school, family, and community partnerships, discusses why homework is essential, how to maximize its benefit to learners, and what the 'no-homework' approach gets wrong.

By Vicky Hallett

The necessity of homework has been a subject of debate since at least as far back as the 1890s, according to Joyce L. Epstein , co-director of the Center on School, Family, and Community Partnerships at Johns Hopkins University. "It's always been the case that parents, kids—and sometimes teachers, too—wonder if this is just busy work," Epstein says.

But after decades of researching how to improve schools, the professor in the Johns Hopkins School of Education remains certain that homework is essential—as long as the teachers have done their homework, too. The National Network of Partnership Schools , which she founded in 1995 to advise schools and districts on ways to improve comprehensive programs of family engagement, has developed hundreds of improved homework ideas through its Teachers Involve Parents in Schoolwork program. For an English class, a student might interview a parent on popular hairstyles from their youth and write about the differences between then and now. Or for science class, a family could identify forms of matter over the dinner table, labeling foods as liquids or solids. These innovative and interactive assignments not only reinforce concepts from the classroom but also foster creativity, spark discussions, and boost student motivation.

"We're not trying to eliminate homework procedures, but expand and enrich them," says Epstein, who is packing this research into a forthcoming book on the purposes and designs of homework. In the meantime, the Hub couldn't wait to ask her some questions:

What kind of homework training do teachers typically get?

Future teachers and administrators really have little formal training on how to design homework before they assign it. This means that most just repeat what their teachers did, or they follow textbook suggestions at the end of units. For example, future teachers are well prepared to teach reading and literacy skills at each grade level, and they continue to learn to improve their teaching of reading in ongoing in-service education. By contrast, most receive little or no training on the purposes and designs of homework in reading or other subjects. It is really important for future teachers to receive systematic training to understand that they have the power, opportunity, and obligation to design homework with a purpose.

Why do students need more interactive homework?

If homework assignments are always the same—10 math problems, six sentences with spelling words—homework can get boring and some kids just stop doing their assignments, especially in the middle and high school years. When we've asked teachers what's the best homework you've ever had or designed, invariably we hear examples of talking with a parent or grandparent or peer to share ideas. To be clear, parents should never be asked to "teach" seventh grade science or any other subject. Rather, teachers set up the homework assignments so that the student is in charge. It's always the student's homework. But a good activity can engage parents in a fun, collaborative way. Our data show that with "good" assignments, more kids finish their work, more kids interact with a family partner, and more parents say, "I learned what's happening in the curriculum." It all works around what the youngsters are learning.

Is family engagement really that important?

At Hopkins, I am part of the Center for Social Organization of Schools , a research center that studies how to improve many aspects of education to help all students do their best in school. One thing my colleagues and I realized was that we needed to look deeply into family and community engagement. There were so few references to this topic when we started that we had to build the field of study. When children go to school, their families "attend" with them whether a teacher can "see" the parents or not. So, family engagement is ever-present in the life of a school.

My daughter's elementary school doesn't assign homework until third grade. What's your take on "no homework" policies?

There are some parents, writers, and commentators who have argued against homework, especially for very young children. They suggest that children should have time to play after school. This, of course is true, but many kindergarten kids are excited to have homework like their older siblings. If they give homework, most teachers of young children make assignments very short—often following an informal rule of 10 minutes per grade level. "No homework" does not guarantee that all students will spend their free time in productive and imaginative play.

Some researchers and critics have consistently misinterpreted research findings. They have argued that homework should be assigned only at the high school level where data point to a strong connection of doing assignments with higher student achievement . However, as we discussed, some students stop doing homework. This leads, statistically, to results showing that doing homework or spending more minutes on homework is linked to higher student achievement. If slow or struggling students are not doing their assignments, they contribute to—or cause—this "result."

Teachers need to design homework that even struggling students want to do because it is interesting. Just about all students at any age level react positively to good assignments and will tell you so.

Did COVID change how schools and parents view homework?

Within 24 hours of the day school doors closed in March 2020, just about every school and district in the country figured out that teachers had to talk to and work with students' parents. This was not the same as homeschooling—teachers were still working hard to provide daily lessons. But if a child was learning at home in the living room, parents were more aware of what they were doing in school. One of the silver linings of COVID was that teachers reported that they gained a better understanding of their students' families. We collected wonderfully creative examples of activities from members of the National Network of Partnership Schools. I'm thinking of one art activity where every child talked with a parent about something that made their family unique. Then they drew their finding on a snowflake and returned it to share in class. In math, students talked with a parent about something the family liked so much that they could represent it 100 times. Conversations about schoolwork at home was the point.

How did you create so many homework activities via the Teachers Involve Parents in Schoolwork program?

We had several projects with educators to help them design interactive assignments, not just "do the next three examples on page 38." Teachers worked in teams to create TIPS activities, and then we turned their work into a standard TIPS format in math, reading/language arts, and science for grades K-8. Any teacher can use or adapt our prototypes to match their curricula.

Overall, we know that if future teachers and practicing educators were prepared to design homework assignments to meet specific purposes—including but not limited to interactive activities—more students would benefit from the important experience of doing their homework. And more parents would, indeed, be partners in education.

Posted in Voices+Opinion

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August 16, 2021

Is it time to get rid of homework? Mental health experts weigh in

by Sara M Moniuszko

It's no secret that kids hate homework. And as students grapple with an ongoing pandemic that has had a wide-range of mental health impacts, is it time schools start listening to their pleas over workloads?

Some teachers are turning to social media to take a stand against homework .

Tiktok user @misguided.teacher says he doesn't assign it because the "whole premise of homework is flawed."

For starters, he says he can't grade work on "even playing fields" when students' home environments can be vastly different.

"Even students who go home to a peaceful house, do they really want to spend their time on busy work? Because typically that's what a lot of homework is, it's busy work," he says in the video that has garnered 1.6 million likes. "You only get one year to be 7, you only got one year to be 10, you only get one year to be 16, 18."

Mental health experts agree heavy work loads have the potential do more harm than good for students, especially when taking into account the impacts of the pandemic. But they also say the answer may not be to eliminate homework altogether.

Emmy Kang, mental health counselor at Humantold, says studies have shown heavy workloads can be "detrimental" for students and cause a "big impact on their mental, physical and emotional health."

"More than half of students say that homework is their primary source of stress, and we know what stress can do on our bodies," she says, adding that staying up late to finish assignments also leads to disrupted sleep and exhaustion.

Cynthia Catchings, a licensed clinical social worker and therapist at Talkspace, says heavy workloads can also cause serious mental health problems in the long run, like anxiety and depression.

And for all the distress homework causes, it's not as useful as many may think, says Dr. Nicholas Kardaras, a psychologist and CEO of Omega Recovery treatment center.

"The research shows that there's really limited benefit of homework for elementary age students, that really the school work should be contained in the classroom," he says.

For older students, Kang says homework benefits plateau at about two hours per night.

"Most students, especially at these high-achieving schools, they're doing a minimum of three hours, and it's taking away time from their friends from their families, their extracurricular activities. And these are all very important things for a person's mental and emotional health."

Catchings, who also taught third to 12th graders for 12 years, says she's seen the positive effects of a no homework policy while working with students abroad.

"Not having homework was something that I always admired from the French students (and) the French schools, because that was helping the students to really have the time off and really disconnect from school ," she says.

The answer may not be to eliminate homework completely, but to be more mindful of the type of work students go home with, suggests Kang, who was a high-school teacher for 10 years.

"I don't think (we) should scrap homework, I think we should scrap meaningless, purposeless busy work-type homework. That's something that needs to be scrapped entirely," she says, encouraging teachers to be thoughtful and consider the amount of time it would take for students to complete assignments.

The pandemic made the conversation around homework more crucial

Mindfulness surrounding homework is especially important in the context of the last two years. Many students will be struggling with mental health issues that were brought on or worsened by the pandemic, making heavy workloads even harder to balance.

"COVID was just a disaster in terms of the lack of structure. Everything just deteriorated," Kardaras says, pointing to an increase in cognitive issues and decrease in attention spans among students. "School acts as an anchor for a lot of children, as a stabilizing force, and that disappeared."

But even if students transition back to the structure of in-person classes, Kardaras suspects students may still struggle after two school years of shifted schedules and disrupted sleeping habits.

"We've seen adults struggling to go back to in-person work environments from remote work environments. That effect is amplified with children because children have less resources to be able to cope with those transitions than adults do," he explains.

'Get organized' ahead of back-to-school

In order to make the transition back to in-person school easier, Kang encourages students to "get good sleep, exercise regularly (and) eat a healthy diet."

To help manage workloads, she suggests students "get organized."

"There's so much mental clutter up there when you're disorganized... sitting down and planning out their study schedules can really help manage their time," she says.

Breaking assignments up can also make things easier to tackle.

"I know that heavy workloads can be stressful, but if you sit down and you break down that studying into smaller chunks, they're much more manageable."

If workloads are still too much, Kang encourages students to advocate for themselves.

"They should tell their teachers when a homework assignment just took too much time or if it was too difficult for them to do on their own," she says. "It's good to speak up and ask those questions. Respectfully, of course, because these are your teachers. But still, I think sometimes teachers themselves need this feedback from their students."

©2021 USA Today Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Homework Is Stupid and I Hate Everything

How to get your child unstuck, re-glued, and doing their work.

Posted September 4, 2014

“I can’t do this! I can’t do anything! This is stupid! I’m stupid. Everything is stupid, I quit!”

We’ve all witnessed these moments of utter frustration when kids feel daunted by an assignment, or even just the idea of homework, often even before the work comes out of the backpack. Their unhelpful, pessimistic sixth sense tells them that this really is impossible, then comes the melt down, the shut down, the collapsing into a heap at the kitchen table, the tears, the anger . The mess.

What’s a parent to do?

If you’re like most parents, what you do starts out nicely enough: calmly reassuring, then coaxing, then pleading, then as your child’s resistance mounts, you quickly devolve into exasperation. The tough-love comes out and it’s not too pretty (or effective).

We could launch into an escalating match of dueling catastrophizers (Why can’t he do this? If he can’t even handle 15 minutes of homework, how is he ever going to get through school, get a job—deal with life?! I can’t take it!), but thankfully, there are other choices!

While it seems like your child is being cranky, spoiled or just needs to toughen up—that’s missing the point (and you certainly won’t advance the cause by mentioning it).

Kids in these moments would love things to be different; they don’t want to act or feel this way—but their internal yikes button has been pushed, they are in amygdala overdrive, their brain has detected a threat and they are going to fight or flee, but in no way sit down and work. So caught up in their emotions and quick-assessment of the impossibility of their work, they’re stumped, they feel trapped, and they don’t know how to get out.

Kids have probably never loved homework, so that’s not new, but thanks to our fast-paced, immediate gratification culture, kids today think that learning and everything else that’s mildly challenging and not fun, shouldn’t be. The resilience and perseverance they show when playing videogames or looking for the perfect outfit is unavailable to them when it comes to schoolwork. They think that learning should be like voila! Instant success. No fuss, no muss. And when it’s not, they are convinced that their struggle is undeniable proof of their inadequacy and lack of intelligence — they can’t do it, they’ll never be able to do it, and… they’re stupid.

What’s our job? How do we reset the yikes button?

To begin with, we need reverse our children’s learning about learning. We need to teach kids that a little bit of struggle is a normal and expected part of anyone’s climb on the learning curve. Everyone. Yes, every single person. Very smart people go through the same thing—a lot. In fact. that’s how they get smarter. They just aren’t talking about it so kids don’t witness it, but it happens to "smart kids" too.

Struggle is not a sign of a problem, it’s a sign that new growth is ahead! A sign that mastery is on the other side of this struggle and that means that in a little bit they are going to know even more than they do right now. And when it comes to knowledge—more is more.

If kids knew to expect the struggle, and viewed it as temporary and manageable, and that on the other side of it is the aha moment of success and pride—well, they wouldn’t be so set on avoiding their work fearing that it will gobble them (and their self-esteem ) up; they’d head in knowing that they will emerge triumphant soon (like they always do).

Great. But how do you teach this to a child who is falling apart on the floor?

Empathy, and a plan to do it differently next time. Job number one is to help your child get into the right mindset about work and learning and mistakes, but also creating a plan with your child to get into good work habits and patterns for success. Here are ideas to get you started.

Reflect and Empathize Rather than Convince, Using the Red Pen Edit : Resist the urge to just “fix” or “downplay” your child’s distress. Instead, empathize with your child’s frustration—this doesn’t mean you agree with the reasons they are feeling the way they do. Your empathy will free them up to hear other points of view. Take the “I can’t! ” and edit in some qualifiers: “You’re feeling really frustrated right now .” “This looks really hard right now .” “You’re not feeling like you want to do this right now .” “This feels really overwhelming to you, right now .” “Your mind is telling you right now that this isn’t going to work.” Notice how these edits take away the authority of the negative thinking . “I can’t” sounds like a fact, irrevocable. Putting in the qualifiers shows how these ideas are just temporary—they are one interpretation among many possible alternatives.

Words like this get your child nodding in agreement, and that base of connection will provide the springboard for collaborating on your next move together. Without it, there’s no springboard; there’s just the gravity of your child’s resistance pulling you both down.

Relabel the Bad Guy: Rather than saying things like: “Why are you being so negative (or difficult)? Help your child get distance from their own feelings and don’t confuse your child with their negative exaggerating brain. Instead, help your child step back and say: “Your worry is really trying to take over,” or, “Your worry mind is really trying to make this hard for you; that’s not fair to you.” This also helps your child know that you are working with them, not against them.

Get Specific and Think in Parts: Anxious thinking supersizes small problems and makes them seem monumental, permanent and unchangeable. Help your child narrow down the problem from the “everything” that is wrong, and identify the one thing that’s really feeling daunting. Negative thinking speaks in absolutes. The antidote is using the word some : “Tell me some parts that are hard, some parts that are perhaps easier.” “This feels really big, right now what feels like the hardest part? What’s the part that you think will be the toughest?What part do you think you could tackle first?

Once you break through the tyranny of all or none thinking, some things feel more approachable. The door is open.

Ask Your Child to Time the Process: Children hate homework, but adding an hour of resistance to the 15 minutes it often takes to complete the work is just extending the misery. Challenge your child to see how much more efficiently they can get their work done when there’s minimal grumbling. Be a neutral, agenda-free encourager of your child’s data collection. Have your child time their actual work time vs. start up time each day for a week. When they see how much time they’re wasting on start-up, the result will sell itself. (Don’t ruin the project by saying things like—“see, I told you it would be faster if you didn’t complain.” Best if your child discovers that for himself).

Use Grandma’s Rule As An Incentive: First comes dinner, then you get to eat dessert. Heading into homework time, ask your child what they want to do after their work is done. This will help get the momentum going.

Create a Routine: Rather than fight the homework battle anew each day, discuss a plan with your child for when and where homework will be done every day, so after a few weeks (it takes about three weeks to establish a new routine), your child will know the drill and get with the program, and won’t argue about it (especially if they were involved in the creation of the plan). Have your child write down the schedule and hang it on the fridge, so if there are questions, you don’t have to be the bad guy, just point to the schedule.

Destigmatize Mistakes Some of the homework drama comes from kids being afraid they won’t know how to do something and they don’t want to be caught in that moment. Take the pressure off. Yes, there is often a right or wrong answer in school, but in life, kids need to learn how to try things when they are not exactly sure how they will go. Link mistakes with courage and learning rather than embarrassment and failure. Focus on the process—what they can learn from it—rather than the fact of the mistake. Have your child identify a “fallible hero” or “famous failure” such as Michael Jordan being cut from his high school basketball team, or Thomas Edison requiring 10,000 trials before he made a successful light-bulb. Success is about perseverance; mistakes are the stepping stones.

Don’t Talk about the Future in Negative Ways Keep the—“you need to be able to do this for college!, or, “Every grade counts!”—orientation out of your nightly homework routine. What matters is the “trend” of your child’s work ethic and performance, not every single moment. The best predictor of future success and confidence is current success and confidence. Don’t pull the rug out from under your child by holding the future over her head, instead build confidence by encouraging your child’s efforts now.

Normalize! Show the Seams of How Learning Works Many children believe that intelligence is fixed—you either have it or you don’t. Parents and educators need to actively promote the idea that intelligence is acquired through experience and experience isn’t always neat and tidy. Introduce the idea of a learning curve , let children know that concepts are hard at first , that they have not mastered them yet (not that it is a now or never endeavor). Use examples of your own learning process with new challenges to show the trial and error process of gaining competency. It is not about Presto! It’s about effort.

Stay tuned for more blog posts about homework success. Next topic: Strategies for Preventing Homework Procrastination .

Want to learn more about how to help your child overcome worry and negative thinking? Check out my new book, Freeing Your Child from Anxiety: The Revised and Updated Version: Practical Strategies to Overcome Fears, Worries and Phobias from Toddlers to Teens and Be Prepared for Life! Harmony Books, 2014.

©Tamar Chansky, Ph.D., 2014. No part may be copied without permission from author.

Tamar Chansky, Ph.D., is a psychologist dedicated to helping children, teens, and adults overcome anxiety.

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Despite debates, homework is still ‘essential’ for kids

(Credit: Getty Images )

You are free to share this article under the Attribution 4.0 International license.

The necessity of homework has been a subject of debate since at least as far back as the 1890s, according to Joyce L. Epstein.

“It’s always been the case that parents, kids—and sometimes teachers, too—wonder if this is just busy work,” says Epstein , co-director of the Center on School, Family, and Community Partnerships at Johns Hopkins University.

But after decades of researching how to improve schools, the professor in the Johns Hopkins School of Education remains certain that homework is essential—as long as the teachers have done their homework, too.

The National Network of Partnership Schools, which she founded in 1995 to advise schools and districts on ways to improve comprehensive programs of family engagement, has developed hundreds of improved homework ideas through its Teachers Involve Parents in Schoolwork program.

For an English class, a student might interview a parent on popular hairstyles from their youth and write about the differences between then and now. Or for science class , a family could identify forms of matter over the dinner table, labeling foods as liquids or solids. These innovative and interactive assignments not only reinforce concepts from the classroom but also foster creativity, spark discussions, and boost student motivation.

“We’re not trying to eliminate homework procedures, but expand and enrich them ,” says Epstein, who is packing this research into a forthcoming book on the purposes and designs of homework.

Here, Epstein discusses why homework is essential, how to maximize its benefit to learners, and what the “no-homework” approach gets wrong:

What kind of homework training do teachers typically get?

Future teachers and administrators really have little formal training on how to design homework before they assign it. This means that most just repeat what their teachers did, or they follow textbook suggestions at the end of units.

For example, future teachers are well prepared to teach reading and literacy skills at each grade level, and they continue to learn to improve their teaching of reading in ongoing in-service education. By contrast, most receive little or no training on the purposes and designs of homework in reading or other subjects. It is really important for future teachers to receive systematic training to understand that they have the power, opportunity, and obligation to design homework with a purpose.

Why do students need more interactive homework?

If homework assignments are always the same—10 math problems, six sentences with spelling words—homework can get boring and some kids just stop doing their assignments, especially in the middle and high school years. When we’ve asked teachers what’s the best homework you’ve ever had or designed, invariably we hear examples of talking with a parent or grandparent or peer to share ideas.

To be clear, parents should never be asked to “teach” seventh grade science or any other subject. Rather, teachers set up the homework assignments so that the student is in charge. It’s always the student’s homework. But a good activity can engage parents in a fun, collaborative way.

Our data show that with “good” assignments, more kids finish their work, more kids interact with a family partner, and more parents say, “I learned what’s happening in the curriculum.” It all works around what the youngsters are learning.

Is family engagement really that important?

At Hopkins, I am part of the Center for Social Organization of Schools, a research center that studies how to improve many aspects of education to help all students do their best in school. One thing my colleagues and I realized was that we needed to look deeply into family and community engagement. There were so few references to this topic when we started that we had to build the field of study. When children go to school, their families “attend” with them whether a teacher can “see” the parents or not. So, family engagement is ever-present in the life of a school.

My daughter’s elementary school doesn’t assign homework until third grade. What’s your take on “no homework” policies?

There are some parents, writers, and commentators who have argued against homework, especially for very young children. They suggest that children should have time to play after school. This, of course is true, but many kindergarten kids are excited to have homework like their older siblings. If they give homework, most teachers of young children make assignments very short—often following an informal rule of 10 minutes per grade level. “No homework” does not guarantee that all students will spend their free time in productive and imaginative play.

Some researchers and critics have consistently misinterpreted research findings. They have argued that homework should be assigned only at the high school level where data point to a strong connection of doing assignments with higher student achievement. However, as we discussed, some students stop doing homework. This leads, statistically, to results showing that doing homework or spending more minutes on homework is linked to higher student achievement. If slow or struggling students are not doing their assignments, they contribute to—or cause—this “result.”

Teachers need to design homework that even struggling students want to do because it is interesting. Just about all students at any age level react positively to good assignments and will tell you so.

Did COVID change how schools and parents view homework?

Within 24 hours of the day school doors closed in March 2020, just about every school and district in the country figured out that teachers had to talk to and work with students’ parents. This was not the same as homeschooling—teachers were still working hard to provide daily lessons. But if a child was learning at home in the living room, parents were more aware of what they were doing in school. One of the silver linings of COVID was that teachers reported that they gained a better understanding of their students’ families.

We collected wonderfully creative examples of activities from members of the National Network of Partnership Schools. I’m thinking of one art activity where every child talked with a parent about something that made their family unique. Then they drew their finding on a snowflake and returned it to share in class. In math, students talked with a parent about something the family liked so much that they could represent it 100 times. Conversations about schoolwork at home was the point.

How did you create so many homework activities via the Teachers Involve Parents in Schoolwork program?

We had several projects with educators to help them design interactive assignments, not just “do the next three examples on page 38.” Teachers worked in teams to create TIPS activities, and then we turned their work into a standard TIPS format in math, reading/language arts, and science for grades K-8. Any teacher can use or adapt our prototypes to match their curricula.

Overall, we know that if future teachers and practicing educators were prepared to design homework assignments to meet specific purposes—including but not limited to interactive activities—more students would benefit from the important experience of doing their homework. And more parents would, indeed, be partners in education .

Source: Vicky Hallett for Johns Hopkins University

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Does Homework Really Help Students Learn?

A conversation with a Wheelock researcher, a BU student, and a fourth-grade teacher

“Quality homework is engaging and relevant to kids’ lives,” says Wheelock’s Janine Bempechat. “It gives them autonomy and engages them in the community and with their families. In some subjects, like math, worksheets can be very helpful. It has to do with the value of practicing over and over.” Photo by iStock/Glenn Cook Photography

Do your homework.

If only it were that simple.

Educators have debated the merits of homework since the late 19th century. In recent years, amid concerns of some parents and teachers that children are being stressed out by too much homework, things have only gotten more fraught.

“Homework is complicated,” says developmental psychologist Janine Bempechat, a Wheelock College of Education & Human Development clinical professor. The author of the essay “ The Case for (Quality) Homework—Why It Improves Learning and How Parents Can Help ” in the winter 2019 issue of Education Next , Bempechat has studied how the debate about homework is influencing teacher preparation, parent and student beliefs about learning, and school policies.

She worries especially about socioeconomically disadvantaged students from low-performing schools who, according to research by Bempechat and others, get little or no homework.

BU Today  sat down with Bempechat and Erin Bruce (Wheelock’17,’18), a new fourth-grade teacher at a suburban Boston school, and future teacher freshman Emma Ardizzone (Wheelock) to talk about what quality homework looks like, how it can help children learn, and how schools can equip teachers to design it, evaluate it, and facilitate parents’ role in it.

BU Today: Parents and educators who are against homework in elementary school say there is no research definitively linking it to academic performance for kids in the early grades. You’ve said that they’re missing the point.

Bempechat : I think teachers assign homework in elementary school as a way to help kids develop skills they’ll need when they’re older—to begin to instill a sense of responsibility and to learn planning and organizational skills. That’s what I think is the greatest value of homework—in cultivating beliefs about learning and skills associated with academic success. If we greatly reduce or eliminate homework in elementary school, we deprive kids and parents of opportunities to instill these important learning habits and skills.

We do know that beginning in late middle school, and continuing through high school, there is a strong and positive correlation between homework completion and academic success.

That’s what I think is the greatest value of homework—in cultivating beliefs about learning and skills associated with academic success.

You talk about the importance of quality homework. What is that?

Quality homework is engaging and relevant to kids’ lives. It gives them autonomy and engages them in the community and with their families. In some subjects, like math, worksheets can be very helpful. It has to do with the value of practicing over and over.

What are your concerns about homework and low-income children?

The argument that some people make—that homework “punishes the poor” because lower-income parents may not be as well-equipped as affluent parents to help their children with homework—is very troubling to me. There are no parents who don’t care about their children’s learning. Parents don’t actually have to help with homework completion in order for kids to do well. They can help in other ways—by helping children organize a study space, providing snacks, being there as a support, helping children work in groups with siblings or friends.

Isn’t the discussion about getting rid of homework happening mostly in affluent communities?

Yes, and the stories we hear of kids being stressed out from too much homework—four or five hours of homework a night—are real. That’s problematic for physical and mental health and overall well-being. But the research shows that higher-income students get a lot more homework than lower-income kids.

Teachers may not have as high expectations for lower-income children. Schools should bear responsibility for providing supports for kids to be able to get their homework done—after-school clubs, community support, peer group support. It does kids a disservice when our expectations are lower for them.

The conversation around homework is to some extent a social class and social justice issue. If we eliminate homework for all children because affluent children have too much, we’re really doing a disservice to low-income children. They need the challenge, and every student can rise to the challenge with enough supports in place.

What did you learn by studying how education schools are preparing future teachers to handle homework?

My colleague, Margarita Jimenez-Silva, at the University of California, Davis, School of Education, and I interviewed faculty members at education schools, as well as supervising teachers, to find out how students are being prepared. And it seemed that they weren’t. There didn’t seem to be any readings on the research, or conversations on what high-quality homework is and how to design it.

Erin, what kind of training did you get in handling homework?

Bruce : I had phenomenal professors at Wheelock, but homework just didn’t come up. I did lots of student teaching. I’ve been in classrooms where the teachers didn’t assign any homework, and I’ve been in rooms where they assigned hours of homework a night. But I never even considered homework as something that was my decision. I just thought it was something I’d pull out of a book and it’d be done.

I started giving homework on the first night of school this year. My first assignment was to go home and draw a picture of the room where you do your homework. I want to know if it’s at a table and if there are chairs around it and if mom’s cooking dinner while you’re doing homework.

The second night I asked them to talk to a grown-up about how are you going to be able to get your homework done during the week. The kids really enjoyed it. There’s a running joke that I’m teaching life skills.

Friday nights, I read all my kids’ responses to me on their homework from the week and it’s wonderful. They pour their hearts out. It’s like we’re having a conversation on my couch Friday night.

It matters to know that the teacher cares about you and that what you think matters to the teacher. Homework is a vehicle to connect home and school…for parents to know teachers are welcoming to them and their families.

Bempechat : I can’t imagine that most new teachers would have the intuition Erin had in designing homework the way she did.

Ardizzone : Conversations with kids about homework, feeling you’re being listened to—that’s such a big part of wanting to do homework….I grew up in Westchester County. It was a pretty demanding school district. My junior year English teacher—I loved her—she would give us feedback, have meetings with all of us. She’d say, “If you have any questions, if you have anything you want to talk about, you can talk to me, here are my office hours.” It felt like she actually cared.

Bempechat : It matters to know that the teacher cares about you and that what you think matters to the teacher. Homework is a vehicle to connect home and school…for parents to know teachers are welcoming to them and their families.

Ardizzone : But can’t it lead to parents being overbearing and too involved in their children’s lives as students?

Bempechat : There’s good help and there’s bad help. The bad help is what you’re describing—when parents hover inappropriately, when they micromanage, when they see their children confused and struggling and tell them what to do.

Good help is when parents recognize there’s a struggle going on and instead ask informative questions: “Where do you think you went wrong?” They give hints, or pointers, rather than saying, “You missed this,” or “You didn’t read that.”

Bruce : I hope something comes of this. I hope BU or Wheelock can think of some way to make this a more pressing issue. As a first-year teacher, it was not something I even thought about on the first day of school—until a kid raised his hand and said, “Do we have homework?” It would have been wonderful if I’d had a plan from day one.

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Senior Contributing Editor

Sara Rimer A journalist for more than three decades, Sara Rimer worked at the Miami Herald , Washington Post and, for 26 years, the New York Times , where she was the New England bureau chief, and a national reporter covering education, aging, immigration, and other social justice issues. Her stories on the death penalty’s inequities were nominated for a Pulitzer Prize and cited in the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision outlawing the execution of people with intellectual disabilities. Her journalism honors include Columbia University’s Meyer Berger award for in-depth human interest reporting. She holds a BA degree in American Studies from the University of Michigan. Profile

She can be reached at [email protected] .

Comments & Discussion

Boston University moderates comments to facilitate an informed, substantive, civil conversation. Abusive, profane, self-promotional, misleading, incoherent or off-topic comments will be rejected. Moderators are staffed during regular business hours (EST) and can only accept comments written in English. Statistics or facts must include a citation or a link to the citation.

There are 81 comments on Does Homework Really Help Students Learn?

Insightful! The values about homework in elementary schools are well aligned with my intuition as a parent.

when i finish my work i do my homework and i sometimes forget what to do because i did not get enough sleep

same omg it does not help me it is stressful and if I have it in more than one class I hate it.

Same I think my parent wants to help me but, she doesn’t care if I get bad grades so I just try my best and my grades are great.

I think that last question about Good help from parents is not know to all parents, we do as our parents did or how we best think it can be done, so maybe coaching parents or giving them resources on how to help with homework would be very beneficial for the parent on how to help and for the teacher to have consistency and improve homework results, and of course for the child. I do see how homework helps reaffirm the knowledge obtained in the classroom, I also have the ability to see progress and it is a time I share with my kids

The answer to the headline question is a no-brainer – a more pressing problem is why there is a difference in how students from different cultures succeed. Perfect example is the student population at BU – why is there a majority population of Asian students and only about 3% black students at BU? In fact at some universities there are law suits by Asians to stop discrimination and quotas against admitting Asian students because the real truth is that as a group they are demonstrating better qualifications for admittance, while at the same time there are quotas and reduced requirements for black students to boost their portion of the student population because as a group they do more poorly in meeting admissions standards – and it is not about the Benjamins. The real problem is that in our PC society no one has the gazuntas to explore this issue as it may reveal that all people are not created equal after all. Or is it just environmental cultural differences??????

I get you have a concern about the issue but that is not even what the point of this article is about. If you have an issue please take this to the site we have and only post your opinion about the actual topic

This is not at all what the article is talking about.

This literally has nothing to do with the article brought up. You should really take your opinions somewhere else before you speak about something that doesn’t make sense.

we have the same name

so they have the same name what of it?

lol you tell her

totally agree

What does that have to do with homework, that is not what the article talks about AT ALL.

Yes, I think homework plays an important role in the development of student life. Through homework, students have to face challenges on a daily basis and they try to solve them quickly.I am an intense online tutor at 24x7homeworkhelp and I give homework to my students at that level in which they handle it easily.

More than two-thirds of students said they used alcohol and drugs, primarily marijuana, to cope with stress.

You know what’s funny? I got this assignment to write an argument for homework about homework and this article was really helpful and understandable, and I also agree with this article’s point of view.

I also got the same task as you! I was looking for some good resources and I found this! I really found this article useful and easy to understand, just like you! ^^

i think that homework is the best thing that a child can have on the school because it help them with their thinking and memory.

I am a child myself and i think homework is a terrific pass time because i can’t play video games during the week. It also helps me set goals.

Homework is not harmful ,but it will if there is too much

I feel like, from a minors point of view that we shouldn’t get homework. Not only is the homework stressful, but it takes us away from relaxing and being social. For example, me and my friends was supposed to hang at the mall last week but we had to postpone it since we all had some sort of work to do. Our minds shouldn’t be focused on finishing an assignment that in realty, doesn’t matter. I completely understand that we should have homework. I have to write a paper on the unimportance of homework so thanks.

homework isn’t that bad

Are you a student? if not then i don’t really think you know how much and how severe todays homework really is

i am a student and i do not enjoy homework because i practice my sport 4 out of the five days we have school for 4 hours and that’s not even counting the commute time or the fact i still have to shower and eat dinner when i get home. its draining!

i totally agree with you. these people are such boomers

why just why

they do make a really good point, i think that there should be a limit though. hours and hours of homework can be really stressful, and the extra work isn’t making a difference to our learning, but i do believe homework should be optional and extra credit. that would make it for students to not have the leaning stress of a assignment and if you have a low grade you you can catch up.

Studies show that homework improves student achievement in terms of improved grades, test results, and the likelihood to attend college. Research published in the High School Journal indicates that students who spent between 31 and 90 minutes each day on homework “scored about 40 points higher on the SAT-Mathematics subtest than their peers, who reported spending no time on homework each day, on average.” On both standardized tests and grades, students in classes that were assigned homework outperformed 69% of students who didn’t have homework. A majority of studies on homework’s impact – 64% in one meta-study and 72% in another – showed that take home assignments were effective at improving academic achievement. Research by the Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) concluded that increased homework led to better GPAs and higher probability of college attendance for high school boys. In fact, boys who attended college did more than three hours of additional homework per week in high school.

So how are your measuring student achievement? That’s the real question. The argument that doing homework is simply a tool for teaching responsibility isn’t enough for me. We can teach responsibility in a number of ways. Also the poor argument that parents don’t need to help with homework, and that students can do it on their own, is wishful thinking at best. It completely ignores neurodiverse students. Students in poverty aren’t magically going to find a space to do homework, a friend’s or siblings to help them do it, and snacks to eat. I feel like the author of this piece has never set foot in a classroom of students.

THIS. This article is pathetic coming from a university. So intellectually dishonest, refusing to address the havoc of capitalism and poverty plays on academic success in life. How can they in one sentence use poor kids in an argument and never once address that poor children have access to damn near 0 of the resources affluent kids have? Draw me a picture and let’s talk about feelings lmao what a joke is that gonna put food in their belly so they can have the calories to burn in order to use their brain to study? What about quiet their 7 other siblings that they share a single bedroom with for hours? Is it gonna force the single mom to magically be at home and at work at the same time to cook food while you study and be there to throw an encouraging word?

Also the “parents don’t need to be a parent and be able to guide their kid at all academically they just need to exist in the next room” is wild. Its one thing if a parent straight up is not equipped but to say kids can just figured it out is…. wow coming from an educator What’s next the teacher doesn’t need to teach cause the kid can just follow the packet and figure it out?

Well then get a tutor right? Oh wait you are poor only affluent kids can afford a tutor for their hours of homework a day were they on average have none of the worries a poor child does. Does this address that poor children are more likely to also suffer abuse and mental illness? Like mentioned what about kids that can’t learn or comprehend the forced standardized way? Just let em fail? These children regularly are not in “special education”(some of those are a joke in their own and full of neglect and abuse) programs cause most aren’t even acknowledged as having disabilities or disorders.

But yes all and all those pesky poor kids just aren’t being worked hard enough lol pretty sure poor children’s existence just in childhood is more work, stress, and responsibility alone than an affluent child’s entire life cycle. Love they never once talked about the quality of education in the classroom being so bad between the poor and affluent it can qualify as segregation, just basically blamed poor people for being lazy, good job capitalism for failing us once again!

why the hell?

you should feel bad for saying this, this article can be helpful for people who has to write a essay about it

This is more of a political rant than it is about homework

I know a teacher who has told his students their homework is to find something they are interested in, pursue it and then come share what they learn. The student responses are quite compelling. One girl taught herself German so she could talk to her grandfather. One boy did a research project on Nelson Mandela because the teacher had mentioned him in class. Another boy, a both on the autism spectrum, fixed his family’s computer. The list goes on. This is fourth grade. I think students are highly motivated to learn, when we step aside and encourage them.

The whole point of homework is to give the students a chance to use the material that they have been presented with in class. If they never have the opportunity to use that information, and discover that it is actually useful, it will be in one ear and out the other. As a science teacher, it is critical that the students are challenged to use the material they have been presented with, which gives them the opportunity to actually think about it rather than regurgitate “facts”. Well designed homework forces the student to think conceptually, as opposed to regurgitation, which is never a pretty sight

Wonderful discussion. and yes, homework helps in learning and building skills in students.

not true it just causes kids to stress

Homework can be both beneficial and unuseful, if you will. There are students who are gifted in all subjects in school and ones with disabilities. Why should the students who are gifted get the lucky break, whereas the people who have disabilities suffer? The people who were born with this “gift” go through school with ease whereas people with disabilities struggle with the work given to them. I speak from experience because I am one of those students: the ones with disabilities. Homework doesn’t benefit “us”, it only tears us down and put us in an abyss of confusion and stress and hopelessness because we can’t learn as fast as others. Or we can’t handle the amount of work given whereas the gifted students go through it with ease. It just brings us down and makes us feel lost; because no mater what, it feels like we are destined to fail. It feels like we weren’t “cut out” for success.

homework does help

here is the thing though, if a child is shoved in the face with a whole ton of homework that isn’t really even considered homework it is assignments, it’s not helpful. the teacher should make homework more of a fun learning experience rather than something that is dreaded

This article was wonderful, I am going to ask my teachers about extra, or at all giving homework.

I agree. Especially when you have homework before an exam. Which is distasteful as you’ll need that time to study. It doesn’t make any sense, nor does us doing homework really matters as It’s just facts thrown at us.

Homework is too severe and is just too much for students, schools need to decrease the amount of homework. When teachers assign homework they forget that the students have other classes that give them the same amount of homework each day. Students need to work on social skills and life skills.

I disagree.

Beyond achievement, proponents of homework argue that it can have many other beneficial effects. They claim it can help students develop good study habits so they are ready to grow as their cognitive capacities mature. It can help students recognize that learning can occur at home as well as at school. Homework can foster independent learning and responsible character traits. And it can give parents an opportunity to see what’s going on at school and let them express positive attitudes toward achievement.

Homework is helpful because homework helps us by teaching us how to learn a specific topic.

As a student myself, I can say that I have almost never gotten the full 9 hours of recommended sleep time, because of homework. (Now I’m writing an essay on it in the middle of the night D=)

I am a 10 year old kid doing a report about “Is homework good or bad” for homework before i was going to do homework is bad but the sources from this site changed my mind!

Homeowkr is god for stusenrs

I agree with hunter because homework can be so stressful especially with this whole covid thing no one has time for homework and every one just wants to get back to there normal lives it is especially stressful when you go on a 2 week vaca 3 weeks into the new school year and and then less then a week after you come back from the vaca you are out for over a month because of covid and you have no way to get the assignment done and turned in

As great as homework is said to be in the is article, I feel like the viewpoint of the students was left out. Every where I go on the internet researching about this topic it almost always has interviews from teachers, professors, and the like. However isn’t that a little biased? Of course teachers are going to be for homework, they’re not the ones that have to stay up past midnight completing the homework from not just one class, but all of them. I just feel like this site is one-sided and you should include what the students of today think of spending four hours every night completing 6-8 classes worth of work.

Are we talking about homework or practice? Those are two very different things and can result in different outcomes.

Homework is a graded assignment. I do not know of research showing the benefits of graded assignments going home.

Practice; however, can be extremely beneficial, especially if there is some sort of feedback (not a grade but feedback). That feedback can come from the teacher, another student or even an automated grading program.

As a former band director, I assigned daily practice. I never once thought it would be appropriate for me to require the students to turn in a recording of their practice for me to grade. Instead, I had in-class assignments/assessments that were graded and directly related to the practice assigned.

I would really like to read articles on “homework” that truly distinguish between the two.

oof i feel bad good luck!

thank you guys for the artical because I have to finish an assingment. yes i did cite it but just thanks

thx for the article guys.

Homework is good

I think homework is helpful AND harmful. Sometimes u can’t get sleep bc of homework but it helps u practice for school too so idk.

I agree with this Article. And does anyone know when this was published. I would like to know.

It was published FEb 19, 2019.

Studies have shown that homework improved student achievement in terms of improved grades, test results, and the likelihood to attend college.

i think homework can help kids but at the same time not help kids

This article is so out of touch with majority of homes it would be laughable if it wasn’t so incredibly sad.

There is no value to homework all it does is add stress to already stressed homes. Parents or adults magically having the time or energy to shepherd kids through homework is dome sort of 1950’s fantasy.

What lala land do these teachers live in?

Homework gives noting to the kid

Homework is Bad

homework is bad.

why do kids even have homework?

Comments are closed.

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What’s the point of homework?

Deputy Dean, School of Education, Western Sydney University

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Homework hasn’t changed much in the past few decades. Most children are still sent home with about an hour’s worth of homework each day, mostly practising what they were taught in class.

If we look internationally, homework is assigned in every country that participated in the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) in 2012.

Across the participating countries, 15-year-old students reported spending almost five hours per week doing homework in 2012. Australian students spent six hours per week on average on homework. Students in Singapore spent seven hours on homework, and in Shanghai, China they did homework for about 14 hours per week on average.

Read more: Aussie students are a year behind students 10 years ago in science, maths and reading

Shanghai and Singapore routinely score higher than Australia in the PISA maths, science and reading tests. But homework could just be one of the factors leading to higher results. In Finland, which also scores higher than Australia, students spent less than three hours on homework per week.

So, what’s the purpose of homework and what does the evidence say about whether it fulfils its purpose?

Why do teachers set homework?

Each school in Australia has its own homework policy developed in consultation with teachers and parents or caregivers, under the guiding principles of state or regional education departments.

For instance, according to the New South Wales homework policy “… tasks should be assigned by teachers with a specific, explicit learning purpose”.

Homework in NSW should also be “purposeful and designed to meet specific learning goals”, and “built on knowledge, skills and understanding developed in class”. But there is limited, if any, guidance on how often homework should be set.

Research based on teacher interviews shows they set homework for a range of reasons. These include to:

establish and improve communication between parents and children about learning

help children be more responsible, confident and disciplined

practise or review material from class

determine children’s understanding of the lesson and/or skills

introduce new material to be presented in class

provide students with opportunities to apply and integrate skills to new situations or interest areas

get students to use their own skills to create work.

So, does homework achieve what teachers intend it to?

Do we know if it ‘works’?

Studies on homework are frequently quite general, and don’t consider specific types of homework tasks. So it isn’t easy to measure how effective homework could be, or to compare studies.

But there are several things we can say.

First, it’s better if every student gets the kind of homework task that benefits them personally, such as one that helps them answer questions they had, or understand a problem they couldn’t quite grasp in class. This promotes students’ confidence and control of their own learning.

Read more: Learning from home is testing students' online search skills. Here are 3 ways to improve them

Giving students repetitive tasks may not have much value . For instance, calculating the answer to 120 similar algorithms, such as adding two different numbers 120 times may make the student think maths is irrelevant and boring. In this case, children are not being encouraged to find solutions but simply applying a formula they learnt in school.

In primary schools, homework that aims to improve children’s confidence and learning discipline can be beneficial. For example, children can be asked to practise giving a presentation on a topic of their interest. This could help build their competence in speaking in front of a class.

Homework can also highlight equity issues. It can be particularly burdensome for socioeconomically disadvantaged students who may not have a space, the resources or as much time due to family and work commitments. Their parents may also not feel capable of supporting them or have their own work commitments.

According to the PISA studies mentioned earlier, socioeconomically disadvantaged 15 year olds spend nearly three hours less on homework each week than their advantaged peers.

Read more: 'I was astonished at how quickly they made gains': online tutoring helps struggling students catch up

What kind of homework is best?

Homework can be engaging and contribute to learning if it is more than just a sheet of maths or list of spelling words not linked to class learning. From summarising various studies’ findings, “good” homework should be:

personalised to each child rather than the same for all students in the class. This is more likely to make a difference to a child’s learning and performance

achievable, so the child can complete it independently, building skills in managing their time and behaviour

aligned to the learning in the classroom.

If you aren’t happy with the homework your child is given then approach the school. If your child is having difficulty with doing the homework, the teacher needs to know. It shouldn’t be burdensome for you or your children.

• Disadvantaged students

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Why Students Get Bored in Class and What to Do About It

America has a problem: More and more people are finding themselves bored.  It happens in the workplace, and it happens even more in the classroom. Students feel under-stimulated, disengaged, and simply aren’t interested in what’s going on in the classroom.

Several studies have tried to uncover both the reasons why students are bored in the classroom, with some studies suggesting that students feel bored 1/3 of the time they’re in the classroom and others suggesting that only 25% of 11th graders feel engaged by school. Either way, this is not good news for faculty, who work hard to create a stimulating experience for students. The results of boredom can be quite detrimental; bored students will likely skip class, pay less attention to important material, skip assignments, get lower grades, and have a likelihood to drop out of the class, a program, or College altogether because of lack classroom engagement.

Major Causes of Boredom in the Classroom

• The subject matter isn’t interesting Often, students have to take a variety of courses to fulfill university requirements for a degree, but many of those courses don’t interest or seem relevant to the student. A marketing major might not be interested in Accounting, for example, or an Engineering student might find English to be out of their field of interest. If there’s no connection between the course and the student’s career aspirations, they may not be compelled to engage. 
• The class is too easy When students feel they already know the subject matter, they get bored if they aren’t stimulated. Maybe they had a similar AP-level class in high school, or perhaps they read the book ahead of time and already know the material. Regardless, they don’t feel there’s anything new to learn and their attention wanders.
• The class is too difficult If there’s something that’s too challenging, students might simply “give up” if they feel they can’t grab onto the key concepts and important material.
• It might be the professor’s fault Professors try really hard to make a class meaningful but sometimes they’re doing more harm than good. Professors might use PowerPoint presentations that break all the rules – they’re too wordy, cluttered with too many images, are poorly laid out, or simply can’t convey the material in a meaningful way. Or, a  professor’s delivery and explanations simply aren’t engaging – they speak in a monotone voice, don’t enunciate, or rush through the presentation because they have too much material to cover. And most commonly, a lecture-only format for class, where a  professor talks without inviting questions or discussions within the class period is often a key reason students tune out.

But knowing the problem is only half the solution.  What can professors do to alleviate boredom? Several things, actually. Professors can utilize technology, consider individualized experiential learning, and build small group and team-based exercises to increase engagement. Consider these approaches:

• Interactive Classrooms Use a personal response system that allows students to respond to questions and polls by using a clicker device, their smartphone, a tablet, or a laptop. Students are already trying to use these devices in class, especially if they’re bored and need stimulation, so giving them an appropriate reason to engage might actually make them more interested in the class.
• Hold Discussions Rather than 55 minutes of lecturing, get the students involved in discussing relevant events that relate to the subject matter being taught. If the class is smaller, these discussions are easy to implement but consider breaking larger classes into groups where they discuss among themselves and then share with the entire class.
• Provide Experiential Learning Activities These activities can include mini business simulations or other types of technology-based activities that allow students to make decisions based on a variety of scenarios. They can also include case studies that require students, both individually and in groups, to come up with solutions to real-world scenarios.

Boredom in the classroom is probably inevitable, regardless of the amount of group work, discussion, or any other active learning elements built into the syllabus. But instructors can help mitigate the problems of boredom by reaching their students in a way that makes the class as a whole more interesting, engaging, and relevant to their careers.

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20 Pros and Cons of Homework

Homework. It’s a word that sends a shudder down the spine of students and parents alike.

It is also a question that has become divisive. Some people feel that homework is an effective way to reinforce the concepts that were learned at school. Others feel like the time that homework demands would be better spent with a meaningful activity that brings the family together.

Is homework important? Is it necessary? Or is the added stress that homework places on students and parents doing more harm than good? Here are some of the key pros and cons to discuss.

List of the Pros of Homework

1. It encourages the discipline of practice. Repeating the same problems over and over can be boring and difficult, but it also reinforces the practice of discipline. To get better at a skill, repetition is often necessary. You get better with each repetition. By having homework completed every night, especially with a difficult subject, the concepts become easier to understand. That gives the student an advantage later on in life when seeking a vocational career.

2. It gets parents involved with a child’s life. Looking at Common Core math can be somewhat bewildering to parents. If you see the math problem 5×3 expressed as an addition problem, 5+5+5 seems like the right answer. The correct answer, however, would be 3+3+3+3+3. By bringing homework to do, students can engage their learning process with their parents so everyone can be involved. Many parents actually want homework sent so they can see what their children are being taught in the classroom.

3. It teaches time management skills. Homework goes beyond completing a task. It forces children (and parents, to some extent) to develop time management skills. Schedules must be organized to ensure that all tasks can be completed during the day. This creates independent thinking and develops problem-solving skills. It encourages research skills. It also puts parents and children into a position where positive decision-making skills must be developed.

4. Homework creates a communication network. Teachers rarely see into the family lives of their students. Parents rarely see the classroom lives of their children. Homework is a bridge that opens lines of communication between the school, the teacher, and the parent. This allows everyone to get to know one another better. It helps teachers understand the needs of their students better.

It allows parents to find out their child’s strengths and weaknesses. Together, an educational plan can be developed that encourages the best possible learning environment.

5. It allows for a comfortable place to study. Classrooms have evolved over the years to be a warmer and welcoming environment, but there is nothing like the comfort that is felt at home or in a safe space. By encouraging studies where a child feels the most comfortable, it is possible to retain additional information that may get lost within the standard classroom environment.

6. It provides more time to complete the learning process. The time allotted for each area of study in school, especially in K-12, is often limited to 1 hour or less per day. That is not always enough time for students to be able to grasp core concepts of that material. By creating specific homework assignments which address these deficiencies, it becomes possible to counter the effects of the time shortages. That can benefit students greatly over time.

7. It reduces screen time. On the average school night, a student in the US might get 3-4 hours of screen time in per day. When that student isn’t in school, that figure doubles to 7-8 hours of screen time. Homework might be unwanted and disliked, but it does encourage better study habits. It discourages time being spent in front of the television or playing games on a mobile device. That, in turn, may discourage distracting habits from forming that can take away from the learning process in the future.

8. It can be treated like any other extracurricular activity. Some families over-extend themselves on extracurricular activities. Students can easily have more than 40 hours per week, from clubs to sports, that fall outside of regular school hours. Homework can be treated as one of these activities, fitting into the schedule where there is extra time. As an added benefit, some homework can even be completed on the way to or from some activities.

List of the Cons of Homework

1. Children benefit from playing. Being in a classroom can be a good thing, but so can being on a playground. With too much homework, a child doesn’t have enough time to play and that can impact their learning and social development. Low levels of play are associated with lower academic achievement levels, lower safety awareness, less character development, and lower overall health.

2. It encourages a sedentary lifestyle. Long homework assignments require long periods of sitting. A sedentary lifestyle has numerous direct associations with premature death as children age into adults. Obesity levels are already at or near record highs in many communities. Homework may reinforce certain skills and encourage knowledge retention, but it may come at a high price.

3. Not every home is a beneficial environment. There are some homes that are highly invested into their children. Parents may be involved in every stage of homework or there may be access to tutors that can explain difficult concepts. In other homes, there may be little or no education investment into the child. Some parents push the responsibility of teaching off on the teacher and provide no homework support at all.

Sometimes parents may wish to be involved and support their child, but there are barriers in place that prevent this from happening. The bottom line is this: no every home life is equal.

4. School is already a full-time job for kids. An elementary school day might start at 9:00am and end at 3:20pm. That’s more than 6 hours of work that kids as young as 5 are putting into their education every day. Add in the extra-curricular activities that schools encourage, such as sports, musicals, and after-school programming and a student can easily reach 8 hours of education in the average day. Then add homework on top of that? It is asking a lot for any child, but especially young children, to complete extra homework.

5. There is no evidence that homework creates improvements. Survey after survey has found that the only thing that homework does is create a negative attitude toward schooling and education in general. Homework is not associated with a higher level of academic achievement on a national scale. It may help some students who struggle with certain subjects, if they have access to a knowledgeable tutor or parent, but on a community level, there is no evidence that shows improvements are gained.

6. It discourages creative endeavors. If a student is spending 1 hour each day on homework, that’s an hour they are not spending pursuing something that is important to them. Students might like to play video games or watch TV, but homework takes time away from learning an instrument, painting, or developing photography skills as well. Although some homework can involve creative skills, that usually isn’t the case.

7. Homework is difficult to enforce. Some students just don’t care about homework. They can achieve adequate grades without doing it, so they choose not to do it. There is no level of motivation that a parent or teacher can create that inspires some students to get involved with homework. There is no denying the fact that homework requires a certain amount of effort. Sometimes a child just doesn’t want to put in that effort.

8. Extra time in school does not equate to better grades. Students in the US spend more than 100 hours of extra time in school already compared to high-performing countries around the world, but that has not closed the educational gap between those countries and the United States. In some educational areas, the US is even falling in global rankings despite the extra time that students are spending in school. When it comes to homework or any other form of learning, quality is much more important than quantity.

9. Accurate practice may not be possible. If homework is assigned, there is a reliance on the student, their parents, or their guardians to locate resources that can help them understand the content. Homework is often about practice, but if the core concepts of that information are not understood or inaccurately understood, then the results are the opposite of what is intended. If inaccurate practice is performed, it becomes necessary for the teacher to first correct the issue and then reteach it, which prolongs the learning process.

10. It may encourage cheating on multiple levels. Some students may decide that cheating in the classroom to avoid taking homework home is a compromise they’re willing to make. With internet resources, finding the answers to homework instead of figuring out the answers on one’s own is a constant temptation as well. For families with multiple children, they may decide to copy off one another to minimize the time investment.

11. Too much homework is often assigned to students. There is a general agreement that students should be assigned no more than 10 minutes of homework per day, per grade level. That means a first grader should not be assigned more than 10 minutes of homework per night. Yet for the average first grader in US public schools, they come home with 20 minutes of homework and then are asked to complete 20 minutes of reading on top of that. That means some students are completing 4x more homework than recommended every night.

At the same time, the amount of time children spent playing outdoors has decreased by 40% over the past 30 years.

For high school students, it is even worse at high performing schools in the US where 90% of graduates go onto college, the average amount of homework assigned per night was 3 hours per student.

12. Homework is often geared toward benchmarks. Homework is often assigned to improve test scores. Although this can provide positive outcomes, including better study skills or habits, the fact is that when children are tired, they do not absorb much information. When children have more homework than recommended, test scores actually go down. Stress levels go up. Burnout on the curriculum occurs.

The results for many students, according to research from Ruben Fernandez-Alonso in the Journal of Educational Psychology, is a decrease in grades instead of an increase.

The pros and cons of homework are admittedly all over the map. Many parents and teachers follow their personal perspectives and create learning environments around them. When parents and teachers clash on homework, the student is often left in the middle of that tug of war. By discussing these key points, each side can work to find some common ground so our children can benefit for a clear, precise message.

Quantity may be important, but quality must be the priority for homework if a student is going to be successful.

10 Reasons Why Students Hate Homework

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It’s no secret that students often hate homework. This hatred makes students benefit less from homework. But why do students hate homework?

There are a variety of reasons why students hate homework. First, completing assignments can often be a tedious and time-consuming process. Second, many students feel that they do not have enough time to complete their homework during the school day. Third, many students believe that their teachers assign too much homework. Fourth, some students find it difficult to focus on their homework when they are also trying to relax after a long day of school. Finally, some students simply do not enjoy doing homework.

These are just a few reasons. In this post, I have explored in detail some reasons why students hate homework to help you make it better for them.

Why is homework important?

The following are some reasons why homework assignments are important in your classroom.

1. Homework is an important tool for students to improve their grades.

Homework is an important tool for students to improve their grades. It can help them stay on track, learn new material, and build discipline. Getting a good grade on homework can help students build confidence, raise their self-esteem, and reduce frustration. They may also develop better study habits and set themselves up for success in college.

2. Homework can help students learn new material and improve their skills.

Homework can help students learn new material and improve their skills. Homework can also be used to motivate students and keep them on track. It is important for parents to set good examples for their children and help them with their homework.

However, parents should also remember that homework doesn’t have to be a burden. Homework can be fun and can help improve students’ time management skills and increase their ability to learn.

3. Homework can help students stay focused and motivated.

There are a few reasons why homework helps students stay focused and motivated in class. First, completing homework assignments can help students review and reinforce the concepts they learn in class. Also, completing homework assignments can help students stay motivated throughout the week. Completing homework assignments can help students take ownership of their own learning and improve their self-esteem. Therefore, homework assignments can give students a sense of accomplishment and boost their confidence. This further keeps students motivated.

4. Homework is an important aspect of education that helps students prepare for life in the real world.

Students have to stay on top of their studies in order to be ready for college, work, and other life experiences. Homework also gives students the opportunity to practice what they learn in class and allows them to prepare for tests. This prepares students for the real world.

5. Homework can help students learn how to study and stay organized.

Homework also helps students learn how to manage their time. Students who do homework can also get used to the amount of work they will have to do as a result of their studies. In other words, they get used to working hard. This can help them prepare for future life experiences.

Check out how to handle students who don’t do their homework here.

10 Reasons Students Hate Homework

Below are some reasons why your students may hate homework. Make sure to avoid them in order to help your students succeed.

1. It Assigns Too Much Work

It assigns too much work. Homework can be a huge burden for students and can often take up too much time. It can be difficult for students to get their work done, especially if they are struggling with it. This can lead to students feeling stressed out and overwhelmed, which can have negative consequences for their academic performance. Find out why you should give less homework here.

2. It Breaks Up the Family Dinner Schedule

One of the most common complaints from students is that their parents don’t have enough time for them. This can be caused by a variety of factors, but one of the most common culprits is homework.

Homework often takes up a lot of time in a day and interrupts the family dinner schedule. For many students, this means they are only able to see their parents during mealtime. This can be disruptive to the family dynamic and cause resentment.

There are also practical considerations to take into account when it comes to homework. Many students find that their schoolwork is easier if they have some uninterrupted time after school, which means that homework often gets in the way of getting some exercise or spending time with friends.

3. It Gets in the Way of Their Other Activities

One reason students may hate homework is that it gets in the way of their other activities. This can be frustrating, as many students want to spend their free time doing things they enjoy. Homework can also take up a lot of time, which could be better spent doing other things.

4. It Can Be Hard to Finish

One of the reasons many students hate doing their homework is that it can be hard to finish. This can be especially true when they have an assignment that requires a lot of research. In this case, students may not know where to begin or what they have to do. For example, if a student has to do research for an assignment, they may have no idea what to look for or where to begin.

5. They Don’t Understand the Instructions

Many students hate homework because it may be difficult to understand the instructions for the homework assignment. For example, unclear instructions on homework assignments can leave students struggling with how to tackle them. This can be frustrating and lead to negative feelings towards homework.

6. They’re afraid of failing if they don’t do their homework.

Students dread homework because they’re afraid of failing. For some, this is a legitimate fear. If you don’t do your homework, you could end up getting a low grade that will reflect poorly on your academic record and future prospects. For others, however, doing their homework is simply not something that comes naturally to them.

In these cases, it’s easy to give in to temptation and skip or ignore their homework altogether. This can have serious consequences, both academically and socially. Not only will students suffer from poor grades if they don’t do their homework, but they’ll also be less likely to get good jobs or admission into prestigious colleges if they’ve failed.

7. They Get Distracted by Social Media or Texting Friends.

One of the major reasons students hate homework is because they get distracted by social media or texting friends. Sites like Facebook and Instagram can be addicting, and it is hard for them to focus on anything else when they are constantly being pulled in different directions.

Some students even find themselves doing their homework in between classes or during class because they don’t have time to do it at home. This diversion from what should be a productive activity can really add up over the course of a semester.

8. They find it boring or dull.

They find homework boring or dull. Students often find homework to be a drag and a burden, rather than something that helps them learn. Homework can be difficult and time-consuming, making it difficult for students to get the most out of their education. Due to that, most students see homework as a boring activity. For example, some students may find it boring to write essays and other types of written assignments.

9. They Can’t Concentrate or Pay Attention to Details.

One of the main reasons students hate homework is because they can’t concentrate or pay attention to details. When they have to focus on a single task, it becomes incredibly difficult for them. Additionally, when details are important, students find it harder to pay attention. This can lead to mistakes and frustration.

10. The Penalties are too severe if they miss a deadline.

This is one of the main reasons students hate homework. If a student misses a deadline, they may have to suffer the consequences, such as having to do more work or having their grade reduced. This can be extremely frustrating for students who are trying to stay on top of their schoolwork, and it can lead them to dislike homework altogether.

In conclusion, homework is a source of frustration for many students. There are several reasons why students hate homework, including its negative impact on their mental and physical health, its negative impact on their grades, and its negative impact on their social lives. To make homework less frustrating for students, you should give students more time to complete it, allow them to work in groups, and provide feedback on their progress. In all, give less homework to your students if you want to help them benefit from it. Beware of the pros and cons of homework when using it.

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Homework is Boring

by Elizabeth Peterson | General Education Topics | 6 comments

This is not going to be a post about how I am against homework.  (Although, I do have mixed feelings about it.)

This is not a post about how we need to make homework more meaningful for our students.  (Although it may get there eventually.)

You see, just the other night, for his 6th birthday, he was given a Big Nate Boredom Buster book, an activity book of sorts by Lincoln Peirce.  It is far above his level, but he loves it.  Right away he took the book and started writing in it with his pencil.

“Mommy, is this homework?”

“No sweetie, you don’t have homework yet.”

“Good.  Homework is boring.”

And there you have it.  My six-year-old already has it in his head that homework is boring.

Where does this come from – this bad attitude toward homework?

Is this a work ethic problem or an issue that schools need to deal with?  or both?

It saddens me to know the uphill battle I undoubtedly will face once my kids do start getting homework.  I am a believer in meaningful homework: homework that provides purposeful practice, that challenges students and inspires them to work hard.  (I told you we’d get here…but I’ll save that for another post.)  But let’s face it, not all students get that type of homework, nor do they expect it.

How do we change this bad attitude towards homework?  I would love your thoughts here!

I was just speaking with a colleague about the great debate of homework. His discovery was interesting. Once he stopped counting homework as a grade, more students completed it. Then, homework was viewed as a true tool for assessing what was learned in class, which then guided instruction more accurately.

That is interesting. Homework can be a very complicated topic. I’d be interested in hearing more about what you’ve found to be true about homework in your classroom/school. Thanks for the comment!

I found that homework is better received when students (and parents) know what is coming. For the most part, I keep homework on a regular schedule. On Fridays, they know what the upcoming homework will be for the following week. There are daily add-ons, of course, but it teaches students time management.

I’ve tested http://fablelane.com for a while now in my classroom, and I must say that the results are quite interesting. Motivation gets a new boost, and now my kids actually WANT to make homework.

Homework Homework Give us a brake! I will give you all my computers till you give us no homework I will give you my TV I will give you my games But all you schools do to me is give homework You take everything I have But here I stay in an empty home nothing to do no lights no bills (yay) No nothing to eat no nothing to drink Nothing in my house but me and Homework and a pencil The end

Ya I feel that homework can shut kids thougts out! and like when I do homework I feel streesed and like I am not good enough! So if teachers were to make homework a more enjoyible thing that would be awesome!!!!!

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Why is Homework So Boring?

by Michael Johnson | Aug 31, 2023

The State of Homework Today

Homework is a powerful tool at a teacher’s disposal. Many teachers use homework as a means to benchmark students on their knowledge of a lesson or concepts. This is important as it can let students and teachers know which parts of the lesson need to be reproached before an exam. Also repetition through homework is another way to reinforce concepts and lessons that will be built upon later in the class. There is a downside with many students wondering why homework is so boring? I want to discuss some ways teachers can make homework more approachable and interesting for students.

As classes get more rigorous homework becomes more and more intense. The time commitment outside of the classroom for AP classes has skyrocketed and many students are left anxious or despondent outside of school. Our article here goes over the reasons why homework should not be assigned for students on the weekends. This is important as students will become less motivated to do homework making it boring for them. Students should be excited to learn, not resenting it.

That being said, homework shouldn’t be eliminated entirely, just the presentation of it should be more interesting. Many teachers get around this by assigning projects or group work. This can be an effective approach to making homework more fun, but it needs to be done the right way.

Project Based Homework

Project work is a great way to make homework more engaging and interesting for students. When one thinks of project work they assume that it’s a large, multi-week project. While this is true for a lot, it undermines the benefit of having small project-based homework assignments. Homework where you’re encouraged to work with each other is a great and fresh way to get students engaged outside of the classroom. It also eliminates cheating, as students are actively encouraged to work together to solve problems. This can sprout new relationships among peers in the classroom, while the students help each other with learning complex concepts.

Repetitive Work

Homework can be incredibly predictable. How many times have you been assigned homework in math class that is just a times table to complete? Homework that looks and feels similar to what you did a night before can become mentally taxing. It’s necessary to have the repetition for ingraining the lesson into your brain but there are more creative and fun ways to present these repetitive lessons. Maybe instead of a times table, it’s a math related board game. Gamifying homework is a great way to connect with this younger generation of students. With the constant stimuli in our environments these days, students have more difficulty than ever before focusing on worksheets.

Embracement of Technology

Technology is becoming more apart of our lives as developments are made. The next generation of students are growing up with tablets in their hands while many teachers are fighting technology use in the classroom. Embracing the advent of technology and incorporating it into homework is another great way to make homework more interesting and engaging. Students won’t be asking themselves: “Why is homework so boring?” if their homework is gamified and on their tablet at home. Now there are downsides to adopting technology such as distractions and lack of focus. It can become tempting as a student to even cheat when you can just google the answer as well. That being said it is still a very powerful tool for teachers to adopt inside and outside their classroom, while driving up engagement among students.

Creative Solutions

Creativity is a muscle all students want to stretch. Not every student wants to be an artist or a musician, but every student wants the opportunity to work on something creative. Implementing creative ways to approach and solve homework is a great way to keep students engaged and not bored. An example would be assigning a coloring-based worksheet. Homework like this can be a breath of fresh air for older students. Especially high school students taking AP classes where most of the homework they do is straight from a textbook.

So Why is Homework So Boring?

Homework is a necessary evil in a student’s life. Many students accept that homework is something that will always cut into ones free time and socialization at home. With the creative ways we covered today, we hope some of these ideas will make homework more appealing to students and teachers alike. Homework, even at the upper level, does not need to be boring. There are many creative ways that teachers can approach lesson planning and homework assignments to make it more approachable and sociable through group work, creative based assignments, and implementing technology!

Are you having difficulty with staying focused while doing homework? Check out our executive functioning coach that will help you get back on track and stay motivated for school!

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20 Reasons Why Homework is Good: Unlocking the Benefits

• Post author By admin
• October 26, 2023

Explore the compelling 20 reasons why homework is good, fostering skills and knowledge that extend beyond the classroom

Ah, homework – a topic that has fueled countless debates in the world of education. Is it a valuable learning tool or a relentless academic burden?

In this article, we’re going to shift the spotlight onto the often-overlooked positive side of homework. We’ll unveil not one or two, but a whopping 20 compelling reasons why homework is genuinely good for students.

From solidifying classroom knowledge to honing critical thinking skills, homework is far more than just an academic chore. It’s an essential building block of learning. 

So, whether you’ve questioned the purpose of homework or are simply curious about its merits, join us on this journey as we explore the myriad ways homework benefits students of all ages.

Get ready to discover why homework is a treasure trove of learning opportunities!

Table of Contents

20 Reasons Why Homework is Good

Check out 20 reasons why homework is good:-

1. Reinforcement of Classroom Learning

Homework isn’t just a mundane task; it’s your secret weapon for becoming a true subject matter aficionado. It’s the place where classroom theories transform into real-world skills. 

Homework, in all its wisdom, lets you roll up your sleeves and practice what you’ve learned in class, turning those lightbulb moments into permanent knowledge fixtures.

Just like a musician perfecting a melody or an artist refining their masterpiece, homework is your training ground for excellence. So, embrace it, for every assignment is a stepping stone on your path to mastery.

2. Development of Responsibility 

Homework isn’t just about books and assignments; it’s a grooming ground for something equally important – responsibility.

It’s like a trusty mentor, teaching students to take charge, manage their time, and complete tasks independently.

It’s that early taste of adulthood, where you learn that success often depends on your own commitment and effort.

So, think of homework as your guide on the journey to becoming a responsible, self-reliant individual, armed with skills that will serve you well in all walks of life.

3. Improved Time Management Skills 

Homework is more than just assignments; it’s a boot camp for one of life’s essential skills – time management. Think of it as a mini dress rehearsal for adulthood.

Homework teaches students to allocate their time wisely, ensuring they meet deadlines and complete tasks efficiently. It’s like learning to juggle multiple balls, a skill that will serve them well in their adult lives. So, embrace homework as your friendly time-management coach, preparing you for the real world’s challenges.

4. Enhanced Critical Thinking

Homework is not just about finding answers; it’s your secret laboratory for unleashing the power of critical thinking.

It’s the arena where you get to be the detective, dissect problems, and engineer ingenious solutions. Think of it as mental gymnastics, where your cognitive muscles get a thorough workout.

The more you dive into those homework challenges, the sharper your critical thinking skills become. So, consider homework your daily brain boot camp, molding you into a savvy problem-solver with talents that extend way beyond the classroom.

5. Preparation for the Future

Homework isn’t just about cracking textbooks; it’s your sneak peek into the future. Think of it as your personal time machine, where you’re not just solving equations but honing skills that will propel you to success in higher education and the professional arena.

It’s like laying the stepping stones to your dream career. From mastering time management to sharpening critical thinking, homework is your trusted mentor, preparing you for the exciting journey ahead.

So, when you’re poring over those assignments, remember – you’re not just studying, you’re shaping a future filled with possibilities.

6. Encouragement of Self-Discipline 

Homework isn’t just about filling out worksheets; it’s the canvas on which students paint their self-discipline and self-motivation masterpieces.

It’s like training for life’s grand adventure. With homework, you’re the captain, setting sail on a sea of assignments.

Completing homework isn’t merely about meeting deadlines; it’s about cultivating skills that become your secret weapons in the real world.

So, think of homework as your personal training ground for self-discipline, sculpting you into a resilient and motivated individual who’s ready to conquer life’s challenges.

7. Review of Material

Homework isn’t just an additional task; it’s your golden opportunity to revisit and cement what you’ve learned in class.

Think of it as your personal review session, where you go through the key points and solidify your understanding. Just as an artist refines their masterpiece or a musician practices their chords, homework is your tool for perfection.

The more you review and consolidate, the stronger your grasp on the subject matter becomes. So, embrace homework as your trusted ally in mastering the art of revision, making you a confident and knowledgeable learner.

8. Practice Makes Perfect

Homework isn’t a chore; it’s your backstage pass to perfection. It’s like the endless rehearsals of a musician or the tireless drills of an athlete.

Homework is your playground for practice, where you can fine-tune your skills, ensuring you become a true master in various subjects. Just as a chef perfects a recipe through repetition, your homework is the recipe for excellence.

So, when you’re diving into those assignments, think of them as your chance to practice, practice, and practice some more, turning you into a subject maestro.

9. Teacher-Student Interaction

Homework isn’t just about cracking the books; it’s your backstage pass to building strong connections with your teachers.

It’s like sending an open invitation to ask questions and seek guidance. Homework transforms the student-teacher relationship from a formal handshake into a hearty conversation.

When you embrace homework, you’re not just solving problems; you’re forging connections that can last a lifetime.

So, think of homework as your golden opportunity for dialogue, where you can foster positive relationships with your teachers and make your educational journey all the more engaging and rewarding.

10. Parental Involvement

Homework isn’t just a student’s duty; it’s a chance for families to bond over learning. It’s like the thread that weaves the classroom and home together, allowing parents to actively participate in their child’s education.

Homework transforms the learning experience into a shared adventure where everyone can join in the fun. When parents dive into homework with their kids, it’s not just about helping with math problems.

It’s about creating moments of connection, offering support, and sharing in the educational journey. So, think of homework as the gateway to family engagement in education, making learning a joyful family affair.

11. Real-Life Application

Homework isn’t just about hitting the books; it’s your backstage pass to making knowledge practical. It’s like a secret bridge that connects the world of theory with the realm of real-life application.

Homework transforms you from a passive learner into an active doer. It’s where you take those classroom ideas and put them into action, just like a scientist testing a hypothesis or an engineer building a bridge.

So, consider homework your personal laboratory for bringing theories to life, where you turn bookish knowledge into real-world magic, making your education a thrilling adventure.

12. Different Learning Styles 

Homework isn’t a one-size-fits-all deal; it’s more like a treasure map that caters to diverse learning styles. Imagine it as a chameleon, changing its colors to suit both visual and kinesthetic learners.

Homework knows that we’re all unique, with our own special ways of learning. For those who thrive on visuals, it serves up graphs and illustrations, while the hands-on learners get to dive into practical tasks.

It’s a bit like having a tailor-made suit for education. So, consider homework your personal guide, offering a learning experience that’s as unique as you are, making education a captivating and natural journey.

13. Time for Creativity 

Homework isn’t a creativity crusher; it’s your chance to let your imagination soar. Think of it as a blank canvas waiting for your ideas to paint it with vibrant colors.

Homework isn’t about rules and conformity; it’s about independent thinking and the freedom to express yourself. Whether you’re crafting an essay, brainstorming a unique solution, or designing a project, homework is your invitation to let your creativity shine.

So, consider homework your personal creative playground, where you can set your ideas free, turning learning into an exciting and imaginative adventure.

14. Enhancement of Research Skills

Homework isn’t just about checking off tasks; it’s your secret lair for honing research skills, those superpowers that will supercharge your success in both academics and the real world.

Think of it as your personal training ground where you become a detective of knowledge, learning to explore, dig deep, and unearth answers.

Whether you’re delving into the depths of the library, surfing the web, or conducting surveys, research-based homework transforms you into a skilled investigator.

So, consider homework your gateway to the world of research, where you unlock skills that will not only power your academic journey but also your lifelong adventures.

15. Test Preparation

Homework isn’t just a mundane task; it’s your secret weapon for conquering exams. Think of it as your personal exam prep coach, crafting a roadmap for success.

Homework lets you revisit, revise, and sharpen your skills, so when test day arrives, you’re ready to shine. It’s not just about finishing assignments; it’s about building your confidence for those crucial exams.

So, consider homework your trusty sidekick on the path to acing tests, making your educational journey an exciting adventure.

16. Increased Engagement

Homework isn’t a homework. It’s more like an after-class adventure that keeps the excitement of learning alive. Think of it as your personal quest, where you get to explore the subjects that genuinely pique your interest.

Homework isn’t about killing time; it’s your ticket to stay engaged with your learning journey, even when the school day ends.

So, when you’re tackling your assignments, remember you’re not just checking off tasks; you’re stoking the flames of curiosity, making education an exhilarating and never-ending journey.

17. Achievement of Learning Objectives 

Homework isn’t just a jumble of tasks; it’s your trusted guide leading you to specific educational victories. Picture it as your personal GPS, keeping you on track to reach those learning milestones.

Homework is where you make the connections, reinforce classroom knowledge, and make your education rock-solid. It’s not just about answering questions; it’s about ensuring you hit those educational bullseyes.

So, when you’re diving into your assignments, remember you’re not just ticking off tasks; you’re on a journey to academic success, turning each homework into a stepping stone toward your goals.

18. Inclusivity 

Homework isn’t a one-size-fits-all deal; it’s your versatile tool to celebrate the uniqueness of every student. Imagine it as a buffet, serving up options for both fast learners and those who want some extra practice.

Homework understands that every student is as unique as a fingerprint, each with their own pace and learning style.

For the quick learners, it offers challenges and exciting extensions, while those who prefer more practice can dive into additional exercises.

It’s like a school that dances to your rhythm, ensuring every student has a path to success. So, think of homework as your personal learning adventure, offering choices that fit your taste, making education an exciting and inclusive journey.

19. Fosters Independence

Homework isn’t about spoon-feeding answers; it’s your nurturing ground for independent thinking and decision-making.

Think of it as a playground where you get to flex your decision muscles and spread your intellectual wings. Homework is your training camp for self-reliance, where you take charge of your learning adventure.

20. Overall Academic Improvement

Homework isn’t just a stack of assignments; it’s the secret ingredient for overall academic improvement. Think of it as the magic wand that, when waved effectively, leads to better grades and educational triumphs.

Homework isn’t a mere task list; it’s your strategic ally in the journey of learning. When used wisely, it’s your key to success, a bridge to better understanding and superior educational outcomes.

So, when you’re tackling your homework, remember you’re not just ticking off tasks; you’re paving the way for academic excellence, turning each assignment into a step towards achieving your educational goals.

What are 5 benefits of homework?

Homework is more than just a list of tasks; it’s a powerhouse of benefits that can transform a student’s learning journey. Here are the top five advantages:

1. Supercharging Learning

Homework isn’t about mindless repetition; it’s your secret weapon to reinforce what you’ve learned in class. It’s like a memory boost that makes sure you remember the important stuff for the long haul.

2. Mastering Time and Study Skills

Homework teaches you real-world skills that go way beyond the textbook. It’s your personal coach for time management and setting priorities.

Plus, it’s your go-to guide for developing top-notch study habits like staying organized, taking killer notes, and acing those tests.

3. Fueling Grit and Responsibility

Homework is your training ground for building self-discipline and a sense of responsibility. It’s where you learn to motivate yourself and tackle challenges head-on, no matter how tough they seem.

4. Sparking Creativity and Critical Thinking

Homework isn’t a one-way street. It’s your canvas for thinking outside the box and analyzing what you’re learning from all angles. It’s your chance to bring your unique ideas to the table.

5. Strengthening Home-School Bonds

Homework isn’t just about you; it’s a connection point for your parents and teachers. It’s where they get a front-row seat to your education and can lend a hand when you need it.

But, remember, like any tool, homework works best when used wisely. Too much of a good thing can lead to stress, so strike that balance, and make homework your learning ally.

Who invented homework 😡?

The roots of homework can be traced back to a frustrated Italian educator, Roberto Nevilis, who lived in the 17th century.

He was perplexed by his students’ struggles to retain their classroom lessons, and so, he devised a novel solution – homework.

By assigning tasks that required students to practice and reinforce what they’d learned in class, Nevilis hoped to bridge the knowledge gap. His ingenious idea didn’t stop at the classroom door; it spread like wildfire, first across Europe and eventually finding its way to the United States.

While Nevilis is often credited with inventing homework, history leaves some room for debate. Some scholars argue that homework may have had earlier incarnations in ancient Greece and Rome, although concrete evidence is scarce.

What’s more likely is that Nevilis was among the first to formalize the concept of homework as we understand it today.

No matter its true origin, homework has become an integral part of education worldwide. It spans across the spectrum, from the youngest elementary students to those pursuing higher education.

The purpose of homework has also evolved over time. While Nevilis initially introduced homework to help students retain information, today, its role is multifaceted. It serves as a training ground for critical thinking, problem-solving, and nurturing creativity.

Whether you view homework as a boon or a bane, one thing is certain – it has a rich and varied history, and it’s likely to continue shaping the educational landscape for the foreseeable future.

Why is homework good for your brain?

Homework isn’t just about completing assignments; it’s a brain-boosting wizard. Let’s delve into the captivating reasons why homework is a mind-enhancing elixir:

Fortifying Neural Pathways

Imagine your brain as a labyrinth of pathways. When you learn something new, it’s like carving a fresh trail. Homework? It’s your trusty path-paver, helping you practice and reinforce what you’ve learned. This makes recalling information a breeze down the road.

Mastering Executive Function Skills

Executive function skills are like your brain’s personal assistants. They help you plan, organize, and manage your time effectively.

Homework transforms you into the CEO of your tasks, requiring you to set goals, juggle priorities, and work independently.

Cultivating Cognitive Flexibility

Ever wished you could tackle problems from various angles? That’s cognitive flexibility, a superpower for your brain. Homework serves as the playground where you can flex your mental muscles, applying your knowledge to novel challenges.

Boosting Self-Efficacy

Self-efficacy is your belief in your own success. Homework is your arena for personal victories. Achieving your homework goals and witnessing your growth over time? That’s a confidence booster like no other.

Stress Alleviation

While homework might occasionally seem like a stress-inducing monster, it’s also your coach for the stress-relief Olympics. How?

It equips you with the skills to tackle challenges and manage your time wisely, ultimately reducing stress in the long run.

But, here’s the catch: balance is key. Too much homework can tip the scales. To maximize the magical benefits, you need to find harmony between homework and other essential activities like sleep, exercise, and hanging out with friends.

In a nutshell, homework isn’t just about completing assignments; it’s your secret weapon for unlocking your brain’s potential. It boosts learning and memory, nurtures executive function skills, hones cognitive flexibility, elevates self-efficacy, and even helps you conquer stress.

As we draw the curtain on our exploration of the twenty compelling reasons that make homework a valuable asset, it’s evident that homework is more than just a to-do list. It’s a treasure trove of advantages that students can unearth on their academic journey.

From fortifying those neural pathways to nurturing independence, and from honing research skills to prepping for the challenges that await in the future, homework is a versatile tool. It’s the canvas where creativity flourishes, bridging the gap between theory and practice, and inviting parents into their child’s scholastic odyssey.

Homework doesn’t just aid in academic mastery; it’s a comprehensive roadmap for personal growth and development. It nudges you towards self-discipline, sprinkles in a dash of responsibility, and offers a slice of the sweet taste of accomplishment.

However, as in any art, balance is key. The right amount of homework, harmonized with other life activities, is the secret recipe for success.

So, as you tackle your next homework assignment, remember this: you’re not just completing tasks; you’re shaping a brighter future, one thought at a time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is homework always beneficial for students.

Homework can be beneficial when thoughtfully assigned, but excessive or irrelevant homework may have negative effects.

How can parents support their child’s homework routine?

Parents can provide a quiet, organized workspace, offer assistance when needed, and encourage good study habits.

How much homework is too much?

The right amount of homework varies by grade level and individual needs. It should challenge without overwhelming students.

What can teachers do to make homework more effective?

Teachers should assign purposeful, relevant homework, provide clear instructions, and offer support when necessary.

How does homework help prepare students for the future?

Homework instills responsibility, time management, and critical thinking skills, all of which are valuable in higher education and the workforce.

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Recent Posts

Why Is Homework So Boring for the Kids?

by Phillip Apr 17, 2016 Homework Help

Students go to school for achieving their academic goals and homework is a great part of this. But, do you know that almost all students take it as boring for them. Why is homework so boring? How to make this perfect is another important thing for you. If you know the reason that why the students get bored with their homework, then it can easily be rectified. Know the important reasons for that-

• No enjoyment –

The Students do not get time for enjoying their lives as their homework doesn’t allow enjoying their free time. If a lot of homework is there, then you will not be able to play games or watch TV, all the time you have to complete your work. It means no freedom or time for other activities for a child who loves music, dance, play games and other interesting activities. The whole day they don’t spend their time according to their wish. Thus, you can say that Why is homework so boring .

• Why is homework so boring because it is boring from the beginning –

The load of homework is enough for the students according to their level. Not only their parents, but a small child also knows that he has to finish his homework. So, these students are not able to get their time according to their need.  Each one gets a lot of homework, and to some extent it is good as it captures some time, but if it is overloaded, then each one think it as boring.

• It steals sleep of each child –

A lot of homework means you are not able to sleep properly. A child also thinks that how to overcome the overloaded homework condition, and thus the homework really steals a student’s sleep and relaxation. They do not feel relaxation for a while. Even the children desire to sleep after the whole days work, but they don’t have enough time to take a nap. Now, you can easily understand that Why is homework so boring .

• Stress of homework is ridiculous –

The load of homework creates a lot of stress that is completely ridiculous. It seems harsh and unpleasant.  The time for take a nap or other things matter for a student in his life and this is completely avoided by school teachers. This is completely impossible that you do lengthy of homework along with mountain of work. But, if you get the best way about how to make homework fun and easy then overloaded homework would be easier to solve.

• School is the only place to spend time –

When you feel that homework bores you and you don’t have time to play with your friends, then school is the only place where you can easily get the companion of your friends. This is the way to enjoy your life where study as well as friends is there. They spend time only because they have reasons of why is homework so boring .

• People copy hard work –

The perfect and accurate homework is the need of all students. Some students are lazy and don’t able to complete their homework properly. The worst thing is unbearable as some students copy the homework of good students and acquire better score than others. This is some how irritable and you will not feel good at the exact moment. You track the brain and your friend just rips the things.

• Learning capability gets diminished –

Why is homework so boring? This is the direct reason that most of the parents do no like to have overloaded homework. The learning capability gets diminished, because you do a lot of homework at a time and you don’t have time to learn them. How will you do? Just think about it because when you write your answers, then it is not possible for you to concentrate or learn. So, learning is not possible for you. Now, the reason is completely clear that pile of homework will not give you the chance to learn everything in a proper way.

• No time to eat delicious food and to do exercise –

You may think that if the homework mountain is not there, you can enjoy delicious food. Moreover, it is also important for you to know about the perfect solution as it is not in your control. Though, all schools do not give such pressure, but in these days overloaded homework is provided by most of the schools and these schools also make the things more critical for the students.

• Fixing time does not work –

Time management is the best way of completing homework, but when there is a load of homework, then it is very difficult to adjust the time and more than that it will not give you space to go through the matter. Thus, it is always said that fixing time does not work with a loaded work. However, you must obey your fixed time and before you think of your load, you need to start the work very carefully. This will make a positive side of furnishing each subject.

• No break time –

If you think to have the perfect solution and you take break for 15 – 20 minutes, then your homework load will get increased and this will take more time. So, be careful in that case when you desire to take break, just go for 5-7 minutes and this will refresh your mind. This is the reason why is homework so boring and it does not give space to anyone. Thus, no snacks time is there for a child to enjoy his favorite one. Undoubtedly, homework is very important for every student, but its pressure may destroy the capability of student to understand he matter. If you think that homework makes your kids busy, then its true, but nothing is good if it crosses the limit. This is somehow same and no matter who creates this pressure on students, but the students have to bear it. Now, you can also understand that Why is homework so boring . Try to enhance your interesting and you will get that this will be perfect in all ways.

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If the 2024 Election Is So Important, Why Does It Feel So Boring?

Josh Barro and Derek Thompson talk about the roots of voter ambivalence, what Trump’s second administration could look like, and the biggest differences between a Biden and Trump White House

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”This presidential election is not very interesting, but it is important,” the political commentator Josh Barro wrote in his newsletter, Very Serious . Americans certainly seem to agree with the first part. Engagement with political news has been in the dumps, and many Americans seem to be tuning out the Biden-Trump II rematch. But the conundrum of this election is that it is both numbingly overfamiliar for many voters and also profoundly important for America and the world. The differences between a Biden and a Trump presidency for America’s domestic and foreign policy are huge. Too often, these differences are ignored in horse-race coverage—and, sometimes, they even go underemphasized by the campaigns and their own advocates. If you turn on a news segment or read a long article, you’ll probably hear about the dangers that Trump poses to democracy, or the rule of law, or the administrative state. All worthy concerns. But what is at stake for our most basic bread-and-butter issues: abortion, inflation, economic growth, government spending, entitlements, immigration, and foreign policy? Josh and Derek talk about the roots of voter ambivalence, what Trump’s second administration could look like, and the biggest differences between a Biden and Trump White House.

If you have questions, observations, or ideas for future episodes, email us at [email protected] .

In the following excerpt, Derek and Josh Barro discuss why so many voters are apathetic about this year’s presidential election.

Derek Thompson: So in January, the author Kat Rosenfield tweeted that “Voting in the upcoming 2024 election would be like dining at a restaurant whose menu offered two meals. One was a large bowl of lukewarm, watery gruel, and the other was a Flamin’ Hot Cheeto someone dropped under the couch in 2014 that had been slightly nibbled on by mice.” That’s completely disgusting, but it’s not clear to me that it’s entirely wrong as far as it represents the average American’s attitude toward this election. You and I are going to talk about policy for most of this show, but I want to start with a more general non-policy observation that a feeling of desperate, heavy voter exhaustion seems to hang over everything in 2024. Why? How did it come to this?

Josh Barro: Yeah, it’s funny you start with that Kat Rosenfield tweet because people got real mad at her for that, and I think a lot of them didn’t really understand or think through the tweet very well. If you went to that literal restaurant and those were the two options on the menu, the obvious play is to order the gruel.

The options are both very unappealing, but they are not equivalent, and it is not even a difficult choice. It’s just an unpleasant choice. And so I think that is the point that she was making about this election. I fully expect that Kat Rosenfield is going to vote for Joe Biden, but it’s not very fun for her and it’s not fun to think about. It’s not an interesting, enjoyable election to engage with, and that I think is a theme that really runs through for a lot of voters—that this election is sort of deadening in a way that I can’t remember any election feeling like in my lifetime. It’s important, but it’s really not fun to follow or engage with.

Thompson: I think you put your finger right on it. My other general observation before we get into policy specifics was going to be that I think a paradoxical tension at play in this election is that 2024 does not seem like it’s about anything in the policy space, but at the same time, it still has very important policy implications. I might be misremembering, but most of the elections in my time, I remember being about a clear policy theme. To just quickly run through the last 20 years, the 2004 election, Kerry-Bush, was about the war on terror. The 2008 Democratic primary was absolutely about health-care policy, and the election ended up being about the impending recession and health care. 2012, Obama’s reelection campaign against Mitt Romney, was a referendum on Obamacare. It was a debate about economic growth. It was a debate about economic redistribution more broadly.

That’s why Romney’s makers versus takers comment played so directly into that theme. 2016 was of course about Trump’s character and Hillary’s emails, but it was also about trade and the economy and immigration. 2020 was the COVID election, in addition to being a referendum on the Trump years. And I think one of the stranger things about 2024 and this election is that it is nominally about the economy and inflation, but I don’t think any normal voter has any idea what Trump’s economic plan to reduce, say, grocery prices is. The policy focus of this election is incredibly muddy. So muddy, in fact, that your sentence about the policy stakes, excuse me, your essay about the policy stakes that we’re going to be drawing from and talking about for the next 30 minutes begins with the sentence “This presidential election is not very interesting, but it is important.” Why? Why do you think that the policy arena feels so abandoned in this moment?

Barro: I think, first of all, one of the biggest reasons this election is not very interesting is that it’s a rematch. It’s the first rematch we’ve had since 1956, and it’s between two candidates about whom people have spent years forming opinions. And it’s like, you can talk about Donald Trump, but people have spent so much time thinking about him for the last nine years, in some ways, there’s not very much that’s new to say. We’ll talk in this show about the way that some of the things he’s actually said he’s going to do on policy will influence inflation and that sort of thing. But I think for most voters, it’s like they don’t need more information about these candidates. They already know them.

And in some ways we’re answering questions that we already answered four years ago. So I think that’s the biggest reason that it just doesn’t feel very engaging. And then the other thing is I think people all around the world are dissatisfied with economic results over the last few years. You look around at other rich countries, and the incumbent leaders in those places aren’t down one point or tied or down two points. They’re down 15, 20 points.

Justin Trudeau and Rishi Sunak are going to get absolutely creamed when they come up for reelection. And there are differences in the U.S. Our economy is doing better than the economy in Canada and in the U.K., so that’s, I think, one of the reasons that Biden is running better. He’s also running better because he’s running against a deeply flawed candidate about whom people already have a lot of negative opinions. And you can see in the polling, there’s some conflicting data on the extent to which people have rosier views looking back on Donald Trump in terms of his performance. I think certainly people look favorably back on the economy during much of the Trump administration, but his favorable, unfavorable numbers haven’t really moved. It’s that Biden’s are worse than they were four years ago, but people are facing a choice between two candidates about whom they’ve already thought a lot, and neither of them is a very exciting choice for a lot of the voters, especially for the swing voters who are going to decide this election.

This excerpt was edited for clarity. Listen to the rest of the episode here and follow the Plain English feed on Spotify.

Host: Derek Thompson Guest: Josh Barro Producer: Devon Baroldi

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Next Up In Plain English

• A Psychologist Explains Four Reasons the Internet Feels So Broken
• Why School Absences Have “Exploded” Across America
• What Evolutionary Biology Can Teach Us About Diet, Exercise, and Staying Alive
• The Dangerous Dilemma Facing America’s Biggest Auto Companies
• Should the U.S. Ban TikTok?
• How Hollywood’s Hit Formula Flopped—and What Could Come Next

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NBA Playoff Preview and Favorite Friday Night Bets

Raheem is joined by player prop analyst Bob Stanley to discuss how to bet the end of the NBA regular season and share which teams they like in the playoffs

The Stanley Cup, Dribble Drive, UFC 300 Preview, and NHL Playoff Picks 

Tate Frazier hosts Lord Stanley’s Cup in the studio before the premiere of Dribble Drive, in which KOC and Wos discuss the March Madness ramifications for the NBA and Bronny James’s potential impact in 2025 while driving around L.A.

UFC 300 Best Bets, Brother Bri Faces the Cap of Consequences, and Mark Jackson Joins

The former NBA star joins the pod to preview the NBA playoffs and tell a funny gambling story involving Charles Barkley

Unsung Hero of UFC 300? Jim “F------” Miller.

He’s the only fighter to appear at UFC 100, 200, and 300, and he just might be the greatest fighter you’ve never celebrated

Will the Spurs Be Able to Build a Contender Around Victor Wembanyama?

San Antonio has a resplendent rookie and a storied history of success, but assembling a winner from the ground up is a new type of challenge

Ranking Every Pep Guardiola Manchester City Signing

James and Lawrence also discuss whether Pep gets his signings right more than he gets them wrong

How children's hospital Juiced TV program is making a difference to kids' mental and physical health

In a room with only curtains for walls, Ebonee's already tiny frame is dwarfed by the size of her hospital bed.

Clutching a little toy dog in one hand and wearing a Taylor Swift friendship bracelet on her wrist, the 10-year-old is spending her days in hospital watching TV.

But she's not watching movie stars or pop stars.

The stars of this show are kids just like her.

"I like to watch Juiced TV because it's entertaining and I get to see other kids in hospital," Ebonee says.

"I really loved being a host on a Juiced TV episode."

Juiced TV is a world first — a show made for kids in hospital by kids in hospital just like Ebonee.

It's the brainchild of Pip Forbes, who is now Juiced TV's CEO.

Forbes had volunteered doing bedside play at what was then the Royal Children's Hospital in Brisbane before landing a job as a children's TV presenter.

But during her time at the hospital, she'd met some pretty special kids.

One of them was 12-year-old Keely who had two wishes — to go to Africa, and to be a presenter on TV show Totally Wild.

Forbes just happened to be presenting Totally Wild at the time.

"Keely got moved into palliative care and we made this beautiful experience come true where we flew up to Cairns and Keely had her chance at being a Totally Wild presenter," Forbes says.

"She'd done all the research, she knew how much a sugar glider weighed, and that was just her being exactly who she wanted to be."

When Keely passed away, her family asked Forbes to speak at her funeral.

"That was when I realised we'd gifted the family with this tangible memory of everything that Keely wanted to be and it had nothing to do with diagnosis or energy levels or having no hair," Forbes says.

"And I thought, 'We should be able to do this a million times over'."

Juiced TV gives kids in hospital a creative outlet, numerous educational opportunities and also helps them to feel connected to other children who are going through the same experiences as they are.

Creating community, erasing fears 

Clinical psychologist Joshua King, who works at the hospital, says forging connections with other children is more important for young patients than people realise.

"A lot of the kids in hospital, particularly the ones who are in for a long time, can get really bogged down and stuck in focusing on their illness or their ailment," he says.

"So what we often see as psychologists, is that kids start to lose a little bit of hope and mood gets lowered."

King says programs like Juiced TV help create a community for sick children.

"Isolation is a big thing for kids and they miss out on a lot … like school and connection with peers, and so they can get into the mindset of falling behind and missing out," he says.

"It's also something that's really big, particularly amongst the teens, where being 'othered' or in some way different in a negative way can have a really profound impact on their mood."

Procedures in hospital can be frightening for kids and now that Juiced has tackled entertainment, the program is focused on education.

Kids are presenting videos alongside their specialists, explaining what different procedures are and what to expect if you need them.

That's an exciting element for King.

"Kids can be quite overwhelmed by the information they're getting and it's usually from authority figures, right?" he says.

"So, having that peer-to-peer communication is wonderful for making it comfortable, relatable, it normalises the experience.

"They're seeing kids who have gone on this hospital journey with them, or before them, and they can see it as an example of someone who has come out the other side."

But as well as helping to improve kids' mental wellbeing, King says programs like Juiced TV can have a positive impact on children's physical health too.

"If a person is really struggling with their mood, high levels of stress or anxiety are going to really reduce their motivation to do what they need to do to care for themselves," King says.

But kids who feel happier and more positive about their hospital journey are "more receptive to the things they need to do to take themselves on the road to recovery".

Hopes for funding to help more kids

Despite the profound benefits, the program isn't government funded yet and relies on the generosity of donations.

But that won't stop Pip Forbes from making sure every sick kid has access to the program.

And she doesn't mean just in Australia. Forbes says taking Juiced TV worldwide has "always been the big vision".

"It's definitely not that straightforward journey that I thought it might have been in the early days, it's definitely really hard to be able to raise the funds to do what we do," she says.

"But we've proven what impact we can have from an entertainment side of things, and now we've got this huge educational opportunity to really reduce the procedural anxiety for kids."

That's why the team is working on a strategy to give every hospital and health service in Queensland access to the Juiced TV health hub platform.

And there are conversations with authorities interstate too.

"For us it's really that sense of connectedness," Forbes says.

"There's no reason why a 13-year-old oncology patient in Queensland can't be connected with a 15-year-old oncology patient in Perth, so it's about how we can strengthen that community and support network for the kids."

New dreams and a 'whole new world'   

And community isn't the only thing being built.

For Keanu Andes Olsson, Juiced TV has helped him build a whole new career path after a childhood cancer diagnosis.

"For years I was really small, like the smallest in my class, and they did an MRI to check everything was OK," he recalls.

"The next day at school I was pulled out and found out I had a brain tumour.

"Turns out it was a very rare type of brain tumour called a craniopharyngioma."

The dreams he had before that diagnosis are very different from the path he's creating now.

"I had big aspirations of being this theoretical physicist but sadly, with the brain tumour, it slowed down my cognitive ability, so I'm focusing more on a creative aspect of life," he says.

"I've been looking now to perhaps be a TV star and go into the movie business … and that's all because Juiced TV showed me that whole world, and it was so cool."

Is there someone in your community who's making a world of difference?

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Fallout Fans Confused by Amazon Show's Potential Conflicts With One of its Most Beloved Games

Fans argue the show retcons an event set before new vegas..

Warning: This article contains major spoilers for the Fallout TV series.

The Fallout TV show has been out for several hours now, and fans are already taking to social media platforms like Reddit and X/Twitter to discuss the show, particularly the sixth episode and the season finale.

Chatter about the show's eighth episode has already caused one Fallout game to trend online because of what fans consider a potential retcon.

Seen it come up a couple of times, so here's a helpful little Fallout timeline! * Bombs drop - 2077 * Fallout 76 - 2102 * Fallout 1 – 2161 * Fallout Tactics - 2197 * Fallout 2 – 2241 * Fallout 3 – 2277 * Fallout: New Vegas – 2281 * Fallout 4 – 2287 * Fallout TV show – 2296 — Emil Pagliarulo (@Dezinuh) April 11, 2024

Over on X/Twitter, many are claiming that the show is trying to alter the events of Fallout: New Vegas , the 2010 action RPG developed by Obsidian Entertainment. Fans are reaching that conclusion in part because it causes contention with the Fallout timeline. Fallout: New Vegas is set in the year 2281 — 204 years after the bombs dropped. Meanwhile, the first season of the TV show is set in 2296 — 15 years after the events of Fallout: New Vegas.

The biggest conflict between the two can be found in the sixth episode of the TV series, which mentions that Shady Sands, the capital of the New California Republic (NCR), was destroyed in the year 2277 — four years before the events of Fallout: New Vegas and the same year that the NCR fought in the First Battle of Hoover Dam .

In the show, the NCR has been scattered by the destruction of Shady Sands and exist as a ragtag group trying to rebuild society. The show also doesn't make it clear whether this is the full remnants of the NCR or just a small contingent of it. These discrepancies have fans claiming that Fallout: New Vegas has been retconned by Bethesda, which did not work on the original release in 2010.

Bethesda design director Emil Pagliarulo took to X/Twitter to try and correct the record by noting the official timeline, but that did little to satisfy confused fans who pointed out the discrepancy between the two.

"Okay cool. It’s just that according to the show, an, ahem…major event occurs in 2277 that would definitely have had an impact in Fallout: New Vegas," one user wrote. "The only way I can rectify this would be to move the date of the event until *after* New Vegas, and call it a typo."

Fallout: New Vegas was created by many of the developers who worked on Fallout 2, grounding it more heavily in the lore developed by the franchise's original creator, Black Isle Studios. Bethesda has long sought to put its own stamp on the series going back to Fallout 3, fueling unconfirmed rumors of friction between the two, though they both now share a parent company in Microsoft.

One way or another, the timelines seem to be at odds with one another, and Bethesda executive Todd Howard reportedly considers the show canon. In an interview with TheWrap earlier this week, co-showrunner Geneva Robertson-Dworet told the outlet that the team "wanted to be faithful to all of them and not contradict them as much as possible."

“Oh boy I sure hope the Fallout Amazon TV show pays homage to the older Fallout games and New Vegas” *Monkey Paw Curls* pic.twitter.com/1GA3pif0OT — SuperMadz (@madis259) April 11, 2024

Is Fallout Season 2 teasing a move to New Vegas?

Before the credits cut to some snippets of New Vegas, however, we see Hank, the father of the main protagonist Lucy, staring off into he distance New Vegas before it cuts to the credits. This moment has some arguing that the glimpse of New Vegas is actually a tease for the second season.

Though Prime Video has yet to announce a second season, it feels all but confirmed given the overwhelmingly postivie feedback from fans and critics combined with the fact the show was awarded a $25 million tax credit from the state of California if the series opts to relocate filming from New York State to the Golden State. It seems like we'll know soon enough how Fallout plans to handle New Vegas going forward.

In our review of the first season of the Fallout TV series, which we awarded a 9 out of 10 , my colleague Matt Purslow wrote: "A bright and funny apocalypse filled with dark punchlines and bursts of ultra-violence, Fallout is among the best video game adaptations ever made."

For more on Fallout, check out our season one ending explainer .

Taylor Lyles is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.

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Watch CBS News

Experts warn not to look at solar eclipse with your phone camera — but share tricks for safely taking pictures

Updated on: April 8, 2024 / 12:12 PM EDT / CBS News

Millions of Americans will be able to see the solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, and chances are many will want to grab their phone and take pictures to document the rare event. 

Experts warn that it's essential not only to protect your eyes from the sun, but also to be cautious when using your phone to view or take photos of the solar eclipse. 

A partial solar eclipse, when the moon blocks some of the sun, will occur from coast to coast, while a total solar eclipse —when the moon lines up with the sun, blocking all of its light — will be visible in  the "path of totality," stretching across more than a dozen states , from Texas to Maine.

"There is no safe time to look at the sun without protection, period," Dr. Christopher Starr, director of the fellowship program in cornea, cataract and laser vision correction surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medicine,  said in an interview with Health Matters, NewYork-Presbyterian's online journal. "Not a split second, not a half a second, not a quarter of a second. At no time should a kid, or an adult, be looking at the sun even as the sun is partially eclipsed. It's still unsafe."

The safest way to look at a partially eclipsed sun is with eclipse glasses that meet an international standard, ISO 12312-2, according to the American Optometric Association. 

Can I take pictures of the solar eclipse with my cellphone?

Cellphone cameras should not be pointed directly at the sun, as it may damage the phone's sensor, experts say.

Smartphones were never designed for taking photos of the sun or the moon, according to NASA. Because standard lenses are very small, they aren't equipped with the resolution needed for the largest objects in the sky like the sun and moon. 

"Cellphone cameras do not have the kind of protective filters needed for safe or successful solar photography," Dr. Geoff Bradford, professor of ophthalmology at West Virginia University, told CBS News. 

Photographing the partial eclipse with a smartphone will likely not only damage the camera sensor but also result in an overexposed photo, Bradford said.

Douglas Goodwin, professor of media studies at Scripps College and an expert in computational photography, agreed. 

"Smartphone cameras in 2024 have small sensors and lenses, making it challenging to capture detailed images of the eclipse itself," Goodwin said in an interview. "Taking photos of an eclipse is even harder than taking photos of the moon — it's small and dazzling!"

Can I look at the sun on my cellphone screen?

Pointing your cellphone at the sun is bad for the phone, but it also could be dangerous for your eyes if you look at the sun on your cellphone screen, experts say. 

Except for the few moments of total eclipse , when the sun is completely obstructed, "viewing the sun with your unprotected eyes or through a cellphone screen is extremely dangerous," Bradford said, advising that all visual contact with the sun take place only through special solar eclipse glasses that meet international standards.

That international safety standard, which is set by the  International Organization for Standardization , means the glasses reduce visible sunlight to a safe level and block ultraviolet and infrared radiation, according to the  American Astronomical Society  website. 

Ultraviolet radiation can damage the eyes's cells, while heat from infrared radiation can cause thermal damage,  according to the National Eye Institute . 

What's the safest way of taking pictures of the eclipse?

The solar eclipse has various stages and effects, and some are safer to photograph than others. 

"Smartphones will be great for capturing the experience of the eclipse," Goodwin said. This includes the effects of the altered lighting around us. 

"Keep your head down and look under leafy trees for crescent-shaped projections of the eclipsed sun on the ground," Goodwin said. "Plus, you will observe how the strange light affects people and animals."

Goodwin also recommended that people in the eclipse's path look for shadow bands, which are mysterious gray ripples that snake over the ground just before and after the total eclipse.

If you really want to photograph the sun as it becomes partially covered, take an extra pair of solar eclipse glasses, cut them and tape one of the filters over your phone's camera lens, Bradford said. If your smartphone has several lenses, make sure all are covered. 

If you're using an iPhone, you should turn off the camera's macro mode when putting a filter in front of the camera. 

"Do not look at the sun, even briefly, while pointing your camera skyward," Bradford said. "To enlarge the eclipse further than your camera zoom will allow, you can purchase a clip-on zoom lens for your smartphone for more dramatic photos."

Can I take photos of the sun when it's fully obstructed?

If you're in the path of totality , during the few minutes of total eclipse, you can look up without eye protection and take unfiltered photographs with a smartphone, Bradford said. 

But it's important to be mindful that the total eclipse is a fleeting occurrence. As soon as the moon begins to move away from the sun and sunlight reappears, make sure your eclipse glasses and camera filter are back on, Bradford advised.

Some experts warn against looking up at the sun even when it's fully obstructed because of how suddenly sunlight can reappear. 

"Totality of the eclipse lasts only about 1 to 3 minutes based on geographic location, and bright sunlight suddenly can appear as the moon continues to move," an eclipse viewing guide published in  JAMA  noted, adding that "even a few seconds of viewing the sun during an eclipse" can temporarily or permanently damage your vision. 

Looking at a partial eclipse without the protection of filters can cause permanent and irreversible eye damage, including blind spots, distorted vision and decreased color vision, Bradford said.

During the darkened few moments of the total eclipse, Goodwin recommends using your smartphone's HDR (High Dynamic Range) and Night modes to enhance photographs. HDR mixes exposures to capture a range of brightness levels, while Night mode uses image stacking to create well-lit photos in low-light conditions, Goodwin said. 

You can use the iPhone's Wide and Ultra Wide cameras during near-total darkness.

S. Dev is a news editor for CBSNews.com.

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Why is Horizon Forbidden West so boring? - Reader’s Feature

A reader explains why they think Horizon Forbidden West doesn’t live up to its potential and why they’re not getting the Burning Shores DLC .

Like many a new PlayStation 5 owner I bought Horizon Forbidden West as soon as it came out. There weren’t many exclusives around at the time and it did promise the best graphics on the console, so it seemed a pretty low risk purchase. Especially as I’d played and enjoyed the original. I didn’t love it or anything, but it was a cool action role-player with a neat premise and, of course, robot dinosaurs. (Although I was a little disappointed to find that most are not actually dinosaurs, but ordinary animals.)

The first thing you realise is that Forbidden West is not a very ambitious sequel. Most of the systems and gameplay mechanics are the same, with just a few new bells and whistles. The skill trees are bigger but there’s still not much of interest on them. There are more ammo types and options for the weapons, but it’s got the same problem as the first God Of War , where you’re replacing weapons and trinkets so quickly that the whole role-playing element starts to seem silly and shallow.

None of that spoils the game but while new things like the swimming are cool it doesn’t really change anything and there’s a lot of déjà vu to what’s happening. There are new robots but a lot of them are still the same as last time, which is also kind of disappointing. It’s all fairly entertaining though and at first I was perfectly satisfied, until the game gets more into its story and things started to get boring.

The Horizon games are odd because the background lore of its post-apocalyptic world is interesting and original, but the story and characters are anything but. I don’t know if this means two different people wrote them but while I know exactly why there are giant robot animals in the games (I’m not going to spoil anything) I have no idea what the actual plot of either game is. A rogue AI or something in the first one and evil tech bros in the second, is about all I could tell you.

Then there’s Aloy and her friends and enemies. I use the phrase friends and enemies because I can’t remember any of their names. But there’s comically inept loyal male friend, obviously going to be a friend by the end of the game tribal leader, and the late great Lance Reddick as man with an agenda so well hidden you never have any idea what he’s doing and quickly lose interest.

As for Aloy herself… what is there to say? No, seriously, what is there to say? She is so completely and utterly dull, she’s just a complete blank slate, to the point where maybe that’s supposed to be on purpose? But if that is what they wanted they should have just made her mute instead of this boring, unnecessarily serious non-character with her monotone voice acting.

I think that may be on purpose too because Ashly Burch is great as Chloe in Life Is Strange, but here she has the personality of a toaster, and has presumably been told to play the character that way to… make her seem more realistic, maybe?

The combination of the boring characters and story are so much that they start to make the game as a whole seem worse. The combat is pretty shallow anyway but because there’s so little else going on it’s made to seem worse and then everything begins to feel boring. It’s a game with robot dinosaurs in it and it’s somehow still boring.

I think the problem is that a) Guerrilla Games don’t have any experience writing good stories and probably should have got someone else in for this and b) they’re worried their premise is silly and rather than lean into it they try to take it as seriously as possible, so that no one laughs it. But, actually, I’d appreciate a laugh or too. The game doesn’t have to be a farce, but it should be a lot more fun than this. Worse, it’s actively made less fun by choosing to be so self-serious.

It’s still enjoyable and I don’t hate it but there’s a much better game in there that just needs a writer with a lighter touch. I very much expect that won’t change with the DLC though, so you can count me out for the Burning Shores.

By reader Cabal

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Can’t Find Eclipse Glasses? Here’s What to Do.

You can watch a projection of the eclipse using some common household items.

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By Katrina Miller

Follow our live updates on the total solar eclipse .

Reliable paper-framed glasses are by far the most popular option for safely watching the total solar eclipse on Monday. But they’ve gotten more difficult to find in some places ahead of the event.

If you’ve checked everywhere — your local planetarium, public library and even online — fear not: There is still a way to watch the eclipse safely, using items around the house. Here are a few options.

Use your hands

Palms up, position one hand over the other at a 90-degree angle. Open your fingers slightly in a waffle pattern, and allow sunlight to stream through the spaces onto the ground, or another surface. During the eclipse, you will see a projection of the moon obscuring the surface of the sun.

This method works with anything with holes, such as a straw hat, a strainer, a cheese grater or even a perforated spoon. You will also notice this effect when light from the partially eclipsed sun streams through leaves on a tree.

Set up a cardstock screen

For this option, you need a couple of white index cards or two sheets of cardstock paper. First, punch a small hole in the middle of one of the cards using a thumbtack or a pin.

Then, facing away from the sun, allow light to stream through this pinhole. Position the second card underneath to function as a screen. Adjust the spacing between the two cards to make the projection of the sun larger or smaller.

Make a box projector

If you’re up for a bit of crafting, you can make a more sophisticated pinhole projector . Start with a cardboard box — empty cereal boxes are often used, but you can use a larger box, too. You’ll also need scissors, white paper, tape, aluminum foil and a pin or thumbtack.

Cut the piece of paper to fit the inside bottom of the cardboard box to act as a screen. Use tape to hold it in place.

On the top of the box, cut two rectangular holes on either side. (The middle should be left intact — you can use tape to secure this if needed.)

Tape a piece of aluminum foil over one of the rectangular cutouts. Punch a tiny hole in the middle of the foil with the tack or pin. The other cutout will serve as a view hole.

With your back to the sun, position the foil side of the box over your shoulder, letting light stream through the pinhole. An image of the sun will project onto the screen at the bottom of the box, which you can see through the view hole. A bigger box will create a bigger image.

Enjoy the show through any of these makeshift pinholes. And remember, during totality, you can view the sun directly with your naked eye. But you should stop looking at the sun as soon as it reappears.

Katrina Miller is a science reporting fellow for The Times. She recently earned her Ph.D. in particle physics from the University of Chicago. More about Katrina Miller