why students should not have homework over the weekend

The Caravan

Students shouldn’t have homework on weekends.

Jonathan Kuptel '22 , Staff Writer | November 7, 2021

Jonathan Kuptel

MC senior Imari Price works on a assignment for 21st-Century Media class.

Teachers and students have different opinions about homework. Saying it is not fair is the usual argument, but being fair is not the issue. It is about students being prepared. Daily homework assignments can be difficult, and weekends homework assignments are worse. Students operate best when they are well-rested and ready to go. A weekend with no homework would help them to be fresh and ready on Monday morning. Weekend assignments tend to be longer and more difficult. 

The students have a difficult day with classes, practices, and going to school. By Friday, (test day) they are near exhaustion. Most tests are given on Fridays. Homework on Monday-Thursday is time-consuming. Some weekends will include assignments in more than 1 class. Those who go to Mount Carmel are near the end of their rope by 2:40 PM on Friday. I have had other discussions with the senior class and we all feel pretty tired at the end of the day at 2:40 PM. A free weekend helps to get prepared for the next grind to start. No homework weekends assures better sleep cycles and a body that has recovered and refreshed. Weekends include chores around the house and family commitments. This plus weekends assignments lead to a lack of sleep. This means Monday will have a positive attitude. No homework on weekends also means more family time. This is a bonus. 

Alfie Kohn in his book The Homework Myth: Why Are Kids Get Too Much Of A Bad Thing says, “There is no evidence to demonstrate that homework benefits students.” The homework on weekends starts in elementary school and continues throughout high school. 

Mr. Kohn states that homework on weekends starts in elementary school and continues throughout high school. This supports the argument that weekend homework starts in elementary school and now students at Mount Carmel High School have to deal with weekend assignments. The weekend assignments take too much time and are a waste of students’ time. 

Nancy Kalish , author of The Case Against Homework: How Homework Is Hurting Our Children And What We Can Do About It, says “simply busy work” makes learning “a chore rather than a positive, constructive experience.” 

Receiving weekend homework that is not discussed in class and counts only as “busy work” is counterproductive. Students finish the assignments because they are required to be done. When the homework is not reviewed on Monday, it leads to frustration. Busy homework that serves no purpose is never a good idea. 

Gerald LeTender of Penn State’s Education Policy Studies Department points out the “shotgun approach to homework when students receive the same photocopied assignment which is then checked as complete rather than discussed is not very effective.” Some teachers discuss the homework assignments and that validates the assignment. Some teachers however just check homework assignments for completion. LeTender goes on to say, “If there’s no feedback and no monitoring, the homework is probably not effective.” Researchers from the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia had similar findings in their study “ When Is Homework Worth The Time?” Researchers reported no substantive difference in the grades of students who had homework completion. Adam Maltese, a researcher , noted , “Our results hint that maybe homework is not being used as well as it could be. Even one teacher who assigns busy shotgun homework is enough to be a bad idea. 

Students come to know when homework is the “shotgun approach.” They find this kind of assignment dull. Students have no respect for assignments like this. Quality assignments are appreciated by students. 

Etta Kralovec and John Buell in their book How Homework Disrupts Families, Overburdens Children, And Limits Learning assert that homework contributes to a corporate style, competitive U.S. culture that overvalued work to the detriment of personal and familial well being. They go on to call for an end to homework, but to extend the school day. 

Cooper, Robinson, and Patalc, in 2006 warned that homework could become counter productive. Homework is counterproductive when it is a (shotgun) assignment. To reiterate, not all homework is bad. Bad homework which is not reviewed in class just plain “busy work” is not positive and could be counterproductive. 

Sara Croll, Literacy Coach and Author, believes too much homework causes stress for students. Diana Stelin, teacher, artist, and mother says, “I’m absolutely in favor of this ban. Homework is homework, it doesn’t matter what class it comes from. What it does is create negative associations in students of all ages, takes away their innate desire to learn, and makes the subject a dreaded chore.” 

When students come to dread their homework, they do not do a great job on these assignments. Making students do a lot of homework isn’t beneficial because they get drowsy when they work at it for hours and hours at a time. It is hard for the brain to function properly when it is tired and boring. 

Pat Wayman, Teacher and CEO of HowtoLearn.com says, “Many kids are working as many hours as their overscheduled parents and it is taking a toll.” “Their brains and their bodies need time to be curious, have fun, be creative and just be a kid.” 

No homework on weekends is not just a wish, but it is supported by all of these educators and authors. They all champion limiting homework are totally opposed to homework assignments. Educators and students agree that no homework on weekends is a good idea. Meaningful homework, a longer school day, and discussion of homework are what these educators and authors encourage. 

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20 Reasons You Shouldn’t Assign Homework Over The Holidays

by Miriam Clifford

Many students agree that homework over the holidays really is a form of cruel and unusual punishment.

Upon returning from winter break, you’ll probably have a handful of students saying the dog ate their homework or it got blown away in a winter storm. But you’ll probably be surprised to learn that some research suggests too much homework can be a bad thing.  A 2009 article in the Los Angeles Times , suggests that some districts have cut back on the amount of homework in the effort to consider children’s social development. In fact, the San Ramon Valley district modified its homework policy and no homework is allowed over weekends and holiday vacations, except for reading.

The US  National Education Association  recommends no more than ten minutes (of homework) per grade level, per night.

Homework has fallen in and out of favor over the decades.  California even established a law in 1901 limiting the amount of homework teachers could assign. Homework is highly in favor now a days.  With recent trends of information overload, packed activity schedules, and childhood obesity, it’s no wonder educators are reconsidering their stance on homework.

1. Students are learning all the time in the 21 st  century.  According to a recent article in MindShift traditional homework will become obsolete in the next decade.  Thanks to computers, learning is occurring 24/7.  With access to software programs, worldwide connections, and learning websites such as the Khan Academy, learning occurs all the time. According to Mindshift, “the next decade is going to see the traditional temporal boundaries between home and school disappear.”  Try to see if you can bridge the gap between school and home by getting students interested in doing their own research over holiday break.  Rather than assigning homework, create a true interest in learning.  They will often pursue learning about topics they like on their own.  After all, this is the way of the 21 st  century and information is everywhere.

2. More homework doesn’t necessarily equate to higher achievement . Yes, too much homework can actually be a bad thing.  A 1989 Duke University study that reviewed 120 studies found a weak link between achievement and homework at the elementary level and only a moderate benefit at the middle school level. In a similar recent review of 60 studies,  researchers at Duke U  found homework was beneficial, but assigning excessive amounts of homework was counterproductive. The research found homework was more beneficial for older students than younger ones. The study was completed by Harris Cooper, a leading homework research and author of “The Battle over Homework: Common Ground for Administrators, Teachers, and Parents”. Cooper suggests that teachers at the younger level may assign homework for improving study skills, rather than learning, explaining why many studies concluded less benefit for younger children.  Many teachers do not receive specific training on homework. Cooper suggests that homework should be uncomplicated and short, involve families, and engage student interests.

3. Countries that assign more homework don’t outperform those with less homework.   Around the world, countries that assign more homework don’t see to perform any better.  A  Stanford study  found that in counties like Japan, Denmark, and the Czech Republic little homework was assigned and students outperformed students in counties with large amounts of homework such as Greece, Thailand, and Iran.  American and British students seem to have more homework than most counties, and still only score in the international average.  In fact, Japan has instituted no homework policies at younger levels to allow family time and personal interests.  Finland, a national leader in international tests, limits high school homework to half hour per night.  Of course, there are other factors not taken into account in the study, such as length of the school day.  But in itself, it is interesting to see this issue from a world perspective.

4. Instead of assigning homework, suggest they read for fun.   There are great holiday stories and books you can recommend to parents and students.  If you approach the activity with a holiday spirit, many students will be engaged.  They may want to check out the stories on their own.  You can start by reading the first chapter in class and leaving them intrigued.  For instance, you can read the first chapter of  The   Gift of the Magi  and suggest students read it over winter break.   With younger students, you might promise roles in a play for students who read over break.

5. Don’t assign holiday busy work.   Most academics agree that busy work does little to increase learning.  It is best to not assign packets of worksheets if they do nothing to add to student learning. You also don’t want to waste valuable time grading meaningless paperwork.  Some studies show that much homework may actually decline achievement. Assigning excessive amounts of homework may be detrimental. In fact, a  2006 study by Yankelovick  found that reading achievement declined when students were assigned too much homework.  Actually, interesting reading such as  Harry Potter  produced higher reading achievement.

6. Have students attend a local cultural event.   You can let parents know that instead of assigning homework, you are suggesting students attend a particular event that relates to your classroom.  For instance, if you are reading Shakespeare, they might attend a related play or ballet.

7. Family time is more important during the holidays .  Assigning less homework makes it easier for families to have time together. Family studies at the University of Michigan, show that family time is extremely important to achievement and behavior.  Studies on family meals, suggest that students who have dinner with their family have better academic scores and behavioral outcomes.  Perhaps this is only a correlation, but family time is undeniably important to child development. Students spent most of their days at school while parents are at work. When all is said and done, remember what it was like being a kid.  The things you remember most about the holidays aren’t the assignments you took home, but the time you spend with family and friends.

8. For students who travel during the holidays, homework may impede learning on their trip . The Holiday time is the one time of year that many families reconnect with distant family members or travel.  I remember having to pack hoards of books over some holidays to Spain and it was not fun.  I wanted to enjoy the time with family and experience the country fully.  Traveling in itself is a learning activity.  Let students experience their travels fully.

9. Kids need time to be kids.   A recent article from Australia’s Happy Child website,  “What is the value of Homework: Research and Reality”  considers this issue and explains how children need unstructured play time.  Homework can have a negative influence on early learning experiences.  Suggest students use holiday time to do physical activity, such as ice-skating or sledding.    Many kids don’t get enough exercise.  Childhood obesity is a major problem in the United States.    Suggesting students play outside or participate in a sport is a good way to get them to value physical activity.  The holidays are a great time for kids to go sledding in the snow or play with friends outside.  If no one has homework, classmates might exchange phone numbers to play together.  You can suggest this to parents.      If the teacher thinks physical activity is important, students will too.

10. Some education experts recommend an end to all homework .  Etta Kralovec and John Buell, authors of   The End of Homework:  How Homework Disrupts Families, Overburdens Children, and Limits Learning ,  controversially suggests that homework may be a form of intrusion on family life, and may increase the drop-out rate in high schools.  The authors blame homework for increasing the achievement gap due to socio-economic differences in after-school obligations. Consider challenging your own views of the benefits of homework and try to create a level playing field when considering assignments.

11. Send a letter to parents explaining why you are not assigning work.   You might want to take the Christmas holiday as a chance to engage parents to play a learning game or do some art with their kids.  If families know there is an intentional purpose to not assigning work, they may take the chance to spend more one-on-one time with their child.

12. You can make the holidays a time for an “open project” for extra credit.   Students might take this time to do something related to the curriculum that they would like to explore on their own terms.  Before the holidays, you might talk about topics or provide books students for students to take home.  Learning for fun and interest, might produce more meaningful engagement than assigned homework.

13. Suggest they visit a museum instead.   With families at home, the holiday time is a great time for students to see an exhibit that interests them or do a fun activity at a nearby museum.  Sometimes encouraging these field trips may be more beneficial than assigning homework.  You might want to print coupons, a schedule, or a list of upcoming exhibits so that families have the information at their fingertips.

14. Encourage students to volunteer during the holiday time.   The holidays are a great time for students to give back.  Students might volunteer at a local soup kitchen or pantry.  Volunteer organizations are often at their busiest during the holiday time.  Plus, students learn a lot from the experience of doing community service.  I remember visiting a group home during the holiday time in high school and helping kids wrap Christmas gifts for their families.  This is a great alternative to assigning homework, especially for Generation Y who highly values civic involvement.

15. Develop a class game.   You might have the class play a learning game the week before vacation and have them take it home to show their family.  My fourth grade teacher had hop-scotch math.  We often drew with chalk outside to replicate her game at home.  Try to think of a holiday-themed game or one that the whole family can get involved in.

16. Students might learn more from observing the real world.  Learning isn’t just about paper and pencil activities.  Teachers should also inspire students to seek ways to learn from real-world experiences.  They might cook with their parents and practice measuring.  Or tag along with a parent who is putting up holiday lights or building a shed.  Ask students to observe a job around the house or ask their parents about their job over holiday break.  They might be enlightened to learn more about the real world and different jobs they might pursue in the future.  Perhaps some students might be able to go to work with their parents instead of a formal assignment.

17. Go on a hike.   Students learn a great deal from nature.  Tell students to go outside on a walk and be ready to share their experience when they get back.  Did they observe natural phenomena you talked about in science class or different types of rocks you discussed in geology?  Or can you tie their walk into a discussion of poetry?

18. Tell students to visit an amusement park.   If you are teaching physics or math, amusement parks give ample room to explain the laws of physics and mathematical probability.  This outing would allow students to think about the real world implications of science.  You may want to even plan a lesson beforehand that ties this idea in.  On another level, it allows students to create a lasting memory with their own families.

19. Kids need rest!   Everyone needs a mental breather and the holidays are the best time for students to play and take a break from school.    Kids need a full ten hours of sleep and adequate rest.  The vacation time is a great time for students to take a mental breather from school.  With many family outings and vacations during the holiday time, they will have less time to complete homework.  They will come back to school feeling re-energized.

20. Many parents and students dislike holiday homework.   You want parents to buy-in to your classroom community and support your endeavors with students.  Assigning holiday homework is usually unpopular with parents because it may the one time of year they have to give children their undivided attention.  Instead, you might want to take a survey to see if parents agree with the idea.  You can then send a letter with the survey results.  Taking parents’ perspectives into account shows you value their opinions and feedback.  Students prefer some free time too.  Not surprisingly one student created a Facebook page, titled, “Why do teachers give us homework over the holiday.”   If the students know you are giving them a break over the holidays they may work harder for you when they get back.

If you’re still not convinced, check out this  fact sheet  based on  The Case Against Homework: How Homework Is Hurting Our Children and What We Can Do About It  by Sara Bennett and Nancy Kalish.  If you are still going to assign some holiday homework, at least keep in mind some guidelines.

The US  National Education Association  recommends no more than ten minutes per grade level, per night.  If you must assign homework make sure it is meaningful and doesn’t take away from time with families.  And most of all, remember what it was like being a kid during the holiday time. Homework is generally not a part of those memories, nor should it be. Those days playing outside and spending time with family are lifelong memories just as important as school.

Childhood is over in the blink of an eye.

This is a cross-post from opencolleges.edu.au

TeachThought is an organization dedicated to innovation in education through the growth of outstanding teachers.

7 Research-Based Reasons Why Students Should Not Have Homework: Academic Insights, Opposing Perspectives & Alternatives

The push against homework is not just about the hours spent on completing assignments; it’s about rethinking the role of education in fostering the well-rounded development of young individuals. Critics argue that homework, particularly in excessive amounts, can lead to negative outcomes such as stress, burnout, and a diminished love for learning. Moreover, it often disproportionately affects students from disadvantaged backgrounds, exacerbating educational inequities. The debate also highlights the importance of allowing children to have enough free time for play, exploration, and family interaction, which are crucial for their social and emotional development.

Checking 13yo’s math homework & I have just one question. I can catch mistakes & help her correct. But what do kids do when their parent isn’t an Algebra teacher? Answer: They get frustrated. Quit. Get a bad grade. Think they aren’t good at math. How is homework fair??? — Jay Wamsted (@JayWamsted) March 24, 2022

Once you’ve finished this article, you’ll know:

Insights from Teachers and Education Industry Experts: Diverse Perspectives on Homework

Here are the insights and opinions from various experts in the educational field on this topic:

“I teach 1st grade. I had parents ask for homework. I explained that I don’t give homework. Home time is family time. Time to play, cook, explore and spend time together. I do send books home, but there is no requirement or checklist for reading them. Read them, enjoy them, and return them when your child is ready for more. I explained that as a parent myself, I know they are busy—and what a waste of energy it is to sit and force their kids to do work at home—when they could use that time to form relationships and build a loving home. Something kids need more than a few math problems a week.” — Colleen S. , 1st grade teacher

“The lasting educational value of homework at that age is not proven. A kid says the times tables [at school] because he studied the times tables last night. But over a long period of time, a kid who is drilled on the times tables at school, rather than as homework, will also memorize their times tables. We are worried about young children and their social emotional learning. And that has to do with physical activity, it has to do with playing with peers, it has to do with family time. All of those are very important and can be removed by too much homework.” — David Bloomfield , education professor at Brooklyn College and the City University of New York graduate center

“Homework in primary school has an effect of around zero. In high school it’s larger. (…) Which is why we need to get it right. Not why we need to get rid of it. It’s one of those lower hanging fruit that we should be looking in our primary schools to say, ‘Is it really making a difference?’” — John Hattie , professor

”Many kids are working as many hours as their overscheduled parents and it is taking a toll – psychologically and in many other ways too. We see kids getting up hours before school starts just to get their homework done from the night before… While homework may give kids one more responsibility, it ignores the fact that kids do not need to grow up and become adults at ages 10 or 12. With schools cutting recess time or eliminating playgrounds, kids absorb every single stress there is, only on an even higher level. Their brains and bodies need time to be curious, have fun, be creative and just be a kid.” — Pat Wayman, teacher and CEO of HowtoLearn.com

7 Reasons Why Students Should Not Have Homework

1. elevated stress and health consequences.

This data paints a concerning picture. Students, already navigating a world filled with various stressors, find themselves further burdened by homework demands. The direct correlation between excessive homework and health issues indicates a need for reevaluation. The goal should be to ensure that homework if assigned, adds value to students’ learning experiences without compromising their health and well-being.

2. Inequitable Impact and Socioeconomic Disparities

3. negative impact on family dynamics.

The issue is not confined to specific demographics but is a widespread concern. Samantha Hulsman, a teacher featured in Education Week Teacher , shared her personal experience with the toll that homework can take on family time. She observed that a seemingly simple 30-minute assignment could escalate into a three-hour ordeal, causing stress and strife between parents and children. Hulsman’s insights challenge the traditional mindset about homework, highlighting a shift towards the need for skills such as collaboration and problem-solving over rote memorization of facts.

4. Consumption of Free Time

Authors Sara Bennett and Nancy Kalish , in their book “The Case Against Homework,” offer an insightful window into the lives of families grappling with the demands of excessive homework. They share stories from numerous interviews conducted in the mid-2000s, highlighting the universal struggle faced by families across different demographics. A poignant account from a parent in Menlo Park, California, describes nightly sessions extending until 11 p.m., filled with stress and frustration, leading to a soured attitude towards school in both the child and the parent. This narrative is not isolated, as about one-third of the families interviewed expressed feeling crushed by the overwhelming workload.

5. Challenges for Students with Learning Disabilities

6. critique of underlying assumptions about learning, 7. issues with homework enforcement, reliability, and temptation to cheat, addressing opposing views on homework practices, 1. improvement of academic performance, 2. reinforcement of learning, 3. development of time management skills, 4. preparation for future academic challenges, 5. parental involvement in education, exploring alternatives to homework and finding a middle ground, alternatives to traditional homework, ideas for minimizing homework, useful resources, leave a comment cancel reply.

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The Pros and Cons of Homework

Updated: June 19, 2024

Published: January 23, 2020

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

Photo by  energepic.com  from  Pexels

Why should students have homework.

Homework has been a long-standing part of the education system. It helps reinforce what students learn in the classroom, encourages good study habits, and promotes a deeper understanding of subjects. Studies have shown that homework can improve students’ grades and skills. Here are some reasons why homework is important:

1. Homework Encourages Practice

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

2. Homework Gets Parents Involved

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

3. Homework Teaches Time Management

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

4. Homework Opens A Bridge Of Communication

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

5. Homework Allows For More Learning Time

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

6. Homework Reduces Screen Time

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

The Other Side: Why Homework Is Bad

While homework has its benefits, there are also many arguments against it. Some believe that homework can cause increased stress, limit time for extracurricular activities, and reduce family time. Studies and expert opinions highlight the drawbacks of too much homework, showing how it can negatively affect students’ well-being and academic experience. Here are some reasons why homework might be bad:

1. Homework Encourages A Sedentary Lifestyle

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

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

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

2. Homework Isn’t Healthy In Every Home

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

3. Homework Adds To An Already Full-Time Job

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

4. Homework Has Not Been Proven To Provide Results

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

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

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

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

5. Homework Assignments Are Overdone

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

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

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

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

FAQ Section

What are the benefits of assigning homework to students.

Homework reinforces what students learn in the classroom, helps develop good study habits, and promotes a deeper understanding of subjects. It also encourages practice, improves time management skills, and encourages parents to participate in their children’s education.

How much homework is too much for students?

Generally, it is recommended that students receive no more than 10 minutes of homework per grade level per day. For example, a first grader should have no more than 10 minutes of homework, while a fifth grader should have no more than 50 minutes.

What are the potential drawbacks of excessive homework assignments?

Excessive homework can lead to increased stress, a sedentary lifestyle, lack of free time for extracurricular activities, and diminished family time. It can also create a negative attitude towards school and learning.

How does homework impact students’ stress levels and well-being?

Too much homework can significantly increase stress levels and negatively affect students’ well-being. It can lead to anxiety, burnout, and reduced time for physical activity and relaxation.

Does homework promote independent thinking and problem-solving skills?

Yes, homework can promote independent thinking and problem-solving skills by encouraging students to tackle assignments on their own, manage their time effectively, and find solutions to problems without immediate assistance from teachers.

Are there any long-term effects of excessive homework on students?

Excessive homework over long periods can lead to chronic stress, burnout, and a negative attitude towards education. It can also hinder the development of social skills and reduce opportunities for self-discovery and creative pursuits.

How can technology enhance or supplement traditional homework practices?

Technology can provide interactive and engaging ways to complete homework, such as educational apps, online resources, and virtual collaboration tools. It can also offer personalized learning experiences and immediate feedback.

Are there any innovative approaches to homework that schools are adopting?

Some schools are adopting innovative approaches like flipped classrooms, where students watch lectures at home and do hands-on classroom activities. Project-based learning and personalized assignments tailored to individual student needs are also becoming more popular.

How do educators balance the workload with diverse student needs?

Educators can balance the workload by differentiating assignments, considering the individual needs and abilities of students, and providing flexible deadlines. Communication with students and parents helps to ensure that homework is manageable and effective for everyone.

At UoPeople, our blog writers are thinkers, researchers, and experts dedicated to curating articles relevant to our mission: making higher education accessible to everyone.

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Teachers vs. Students: Weekend homework

Naisha Roy , Copy Editor

April 8, 2019

After climbing up the precipitous mountain that is the school week, Friday awaits students like a rewarding jewel. For many students, weekends are a refresh button on school, tests, assignments, and life. However, this idyllic weekend is a rarity for most high school students. Homework assigned over the weekend is one of the more controversial topics in education today, with opinions ranging all across the spectrum.

Pros and Cons

There is a schism between people who think weekend homework should be banned and those who think it should be mandatory; both sides have strong reasoning and arguments. The following chart shows the pros and cons of weekend homework:

The Teachers’ Take

Teachers at South Forsyth seem to have an opinion about weekend homework. Some think it is necessary, others optional, and others think it shouldn’t be assigned at all. In a weekend homework survey of teachers, about 20% of Sofo teachers give no homework over the weekend. Out of the 80% that do, almost 50% try to avoid it when necessary, and 29% only assign a couple of times per month. Most teachers try to avoid giving weekend homework unless necessary. They mostly assign it as extra practice or make-up work. According to Learning Lift Off, one huge reason for teachers giving weekend homework is to complete their lesson plans. Many teachers simply don’t have enough class time in order to complete their assigned plans and have no choice but to assign weekend homework.

I try to avoid it [weekend homework] because I think students need a mental break. Unless it is a project or preparation for a summative, there is small value academically.

— Kelsey Parent, Science Teacher

This view is shared by many teachers. Oftentimes, weekend homework won’t be assigned unless a test is on Monday. Even then the homework is often optional, like study guides. Bobby Scott, Headmaster of Perimeter School in Johns Creek, explains how the minimal homework policy at his school helped kids gain more quality time with their parents, improving mental health. Academically, while weekend homework does provide a review for the lessons of the previous week, many students procrastinate, doing it on Sunday night. This provides no academic value because students aren’t doing it to learn or review; they are doing it simply to get it done.

I think if the amount of homework given is minimal, it should impact both mental health and academics positively.

— Lisa Millsaps, Math teacher

This is a very valid perspective on the situation. According to goodschools.org , homework (as long as it’s minimal) can help improve time management, studying, and engagement skills. A little homework on the weekends means that students will have to figure out how to fit it in with their lives, just as adults have to do with their jobs (which often extend beyond the office). Education.com explains that “homework can involve parents in the school process, [..] allowing them to express positive attitudes toward the value of school success,” which means that students can, using homework, foster more connections with their parents, and improving their mental health.

Homework in general stresses out the students. I understand sometimes it is a necessary evil, but it should be the exception instead of the norm.

— Caye Enzweiler, Math Teacher

Describing homework as a “necessary evil” is probably one of the most common takes on the situation. Oftentimes, teachers need to assign homework in order to make sure students are prepared. However, this leads to additional stress for high school students who are already juggling work, college applications, relationships, and a lot more. The Washington Post wrote an article highlighting a school which started implementing homework-free weekends. Both students and teachers described it as a “breather” and “reprieve”. The exception and not the norm is a good rule of thumb for weekend homework. A few stressful weekends may help improve time management, but too many may open the door to depression and anxiety.

The responsible high school student will manage his activities so that he does a little homework each night and pays attention in class, so that he may have mostly free time on weekends.

— Caroline Cranfill, Math Teacher

The responsible high school student may be able to do all these activities. However, it takes lots of time to develop the responsibility and mindset required for this. A common solution would be to gradually increase the amount of weekend homework as students get more responsible and learn how to manage it. For example, teachers may start by assigning 5-10 minutes of homework per weekend and gradually increase their time as students grow, instead of assigning a huge amount all at once. Doing a little homework each night (or completing a subject each night) is also a good strategy, and responsible students will ask teachers for studying strategies, homework advice, and extensions.

The Students Side

Unlike the teachers at South Forsyth, the students seemed to have unanimous answers to the survey. The majority of them reported having weekend homework consecutively over the weeks. However, it was different for each subject. The following graphs show what weekend homework looks like at South:

After looking at this survey, it is easy to see that for the average high school student, a homework-free weekend is a rarity. Math is the subject where students get the most weekend homework assigned. This is understandable because math is a class that requires intensive practice and skill building. However, students often have tests on Mondays, which means that they get overloaded with both studying, doing homework, and spending time with their family. In addition, many students feel that all their assignments can be overbearing when they have no choice but to extend the work onto their two-day reprieve. The biggest annoyance for students at South Forsyth is busy work. Homework can be useful at times, however if the assignment is lengthy or tedious, it gets lost in all the other pending work.

“[One suggestion for teachers would be] to not give as many or lengthy assignments, because we need a break from school; if we are bombarded with work from all classes it gets difficult,” says junior Arusha Khan.

School districts across the US have started implementing homework-free weekends as a method to aid their students’ stress and give them a breather. By having a balance of having homework on weekends occasionally , teachers can still fulfill their curriculum. These periodic breaks can give students relief from homework or extra time to catch up on assignments. Schools that have started incorporating this practice into their schedule include Watkins Mill High and Poolsville High in Maryland , Ramapo Indian Hills High School in New Jersey, Hinsdale High School in Chicago, and many more. South Forsyth can also utilize this strategy by offering students one or two completely homework-free weekends twice a year or so. We can make students’ lives easier by increasing motivation for all the other all-nighters. One strategy that the video to the right highlights is for students is to plan their homework. Students can also break down their homework and do a little each night to avoid the situation of weekend homework altogether, or at least prevent all the work from piling up to 11:59 on a Sunday night.

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The University News

Why Three Day Weekends are Beneficial To Student’s Mental Health

Sophie Gloriod | November 18, 2021

Everyone knows the stress that school brings. Whether you are currently a student, or graduated last year or 50 years ago, we all remember feeling overwhelmed and lost in piles upon piles of homework. More often than not, students feel that professors do not remember being a student and feeling these negative emotions. When students, especially younger students, find themselves feeling overwhelmed and lost academically, it can lead to them feeling those same emotions in other aspects of their life. This can negatively affect their mental health, causing them to feel even more stress. 

College students are expected to juggle academics, navigating a new town, making new friends, living on their own for the first time and figuring out exactly who they want to be. On top of all of this, they usually have 15 hours of class time, not including the homework they must complete outside of class. The homework is usually much more complicated than the work done in class, and due to the large class sizes, professors are often not able to work closely with their students, leaving them feeling lost and alienated in the classroom.

All week, students look forward to the weekend as an escape from the busyness of the week. The weekend brings sleeping in and having free time to pursue activities they actually enjoy. However, more often than not, students spend most of the day Saturday and Sunday doing homework and chores. After sleeping in in an attempt to regain some of the lost sleep from the earlier week, students must focus on getting their homework, projects and exam prep completed. Not only are these days taken up from catching up from the previous week’s homework, but also attempting to get ahead for the upcoming week to prevent them from becoming overwhelmed. However, doing this takes up most of the weekend, leaving no time to relax and socialize with friends. 

Back in September, SLU decided to cancel classes on a Friday, giving students a long weekend to try and help them improve their mental health. The administration had the right idea; giving students more time off does give them more time to complete their work and have time to themselves. However, one three-day weekend every month or so does not do much for their overall mental health. While every Friday does not need to be a day off, cancelling Friday or Monday classes more frequently will help students improve their time management skills, as well as better their mental health. 

Having a three-day weekend lets students break up their work over three days instead of two. Hypothetically, if students use Friday to socialize and take some time to themselves, they can use Saturday to run errands and clean their living spaces, leaving Sunday to do homework and prep for the upcoming week. It also allows students to be able to sleep in on three days instead of just two. It is a proven fact that more sleep increases focus and overall health. Feeling well-rested also helps students stay motivated and helps them actually comprehend and understand what they are learning, instead of just memorizing for the exam. 

Giving students a three-day weekend more often encourages them to prioritize their mental health. Especially nowadays, students feel that they are only worth love and respect if they excel in all of their classes. They do not feel encouraged to live in the moment and enjoy such an influential period of their life: college. Students are worth more than their grades; they are not at university to work themselves to death. They should feel encouraged to do their best and work hard, but not feel that they must sacrifice everything in order to succeed or earn an A in a class. 

In the end, grades will change and in five years, no one is going to care if you aced or failed one paper. The health of students should be prioritized,  mental health. If universities like SLU feel their students’ mental health is declining, they should take action. SLU felt a three-day weekend would be beneficial to improving mental health. Therefore, three-day weekends should become normalized. They should not be seen as a “break,” nor should professors be allowed to assign work over these days off. Giving students a three-day weekend will increase their free time, allowing them to practice better time management skills and improve their mental health.

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Comments (13)

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BS • Mar 21, 2024 at 1:03 pm

Add more for younger students not JUST collage students.

brayan hernadez • Jan 26, 2024 at 11:09 am

CAN YOU ADD MORE THINGS THAT HELP STUDENTS

Lucy • Jun 7, 2023 at 7:25 pm

I found this helpful.

vito • May 10, 2023 at 2:21 pm

i love how they wrote this, this is so true

jonny • May 3, 2023 at 8:37 pm

hi this really help to inspire me

Catherine • Feb 19, 2023 at 7:13 pm

This was inspiring

LilyB • Jan 26, 2023 at 12:15 pm

this is great it should be sent to the board of education let us be off on Wednesday like a mid-week break

AndyA • Feb 19, 2023 at 1:34 pm

Totally agree with that.

EvieW • Mar 13, 2023 at 3:50 pm

I agree that this is great but then again the whole point of this argument is that it gives us a 3 day weekend. If it’s in the middle it’ll be hard to have to keep transitioning so quickly.

Derek Melvin • Sep 28, 2022 at 7:59 am

I think this is good because kids wont be glued to the comuters

Rayyan Hussain • Aug 27, 2022 at 6:21 pm

I think they should be 3 days of the weekends for students first of all it is very good for mental health for the students and not only for health also for religious reasons Muslims have a really special prayer on Fridays which they have to normally miss every Friday because of school so the Muslim students will be able to read the their important prayers on Friday which is very good so I think this is beneficial for students which it should be a thing.

Kittyluv2022 • Apr 21, 2022 at 10:00 pm

I love this article

MarioDaPimp‍♂️ • Mar 14, 2022 at 2:10 am

Should Students Have Homework On the Weekends?

by Michael Johnson | Aug 28, 2023

The Homework Crisis

Student’s schedules are more jam packed then ever before. With more pressure on students to take upper level courses such as AP and dual credit classes , homework is consuming more free time of a student’s than ever before. This “crisis” is affecting student mental health across the nation and now more than ever students need a break. That’s why I wanted to discuss why students should not have homework on the weekends.

Time for Relaxation Among Other Things

Students are pressured at a higher level now than in the past. The Washington Post stated in their research:

Having too much homework is certainly part of the problem when it comes to student stress levels. In fact, of the more than 50,000 high school students that Challenge Success surveyed form October 2018 to January 2020, 56 percent of students said that they had too much homework. In that sample, students reporting doing an average of 2.7 hours of homework per weeknight and 3.0 hours on weekends.

If we take this info into account and assume an average day of school is 6 hours long, a student will be spending more than 8.7 hours on school work. This doesn’t even account for extracurricular activities which the majority of students participate in! A high school student simply does not have enough time to disconnect and take a break during the week.

This is why the weekend is so important. Students need to be able to remove themselves from school and school work completely in order to rest. Without doing so, students become burnt out which can lead to a decline academically that eventually snowballs. This can bring about feelings of stress, depression, and anxiety which can only hurt academic progress more. On top of this, many students work as well! Having the weekends available for students to be able to work and relax is a great opportunity to help build up the academic resume!

Another point to note is that it frees up more time for students with religious obligations. Many students feel pressured on the weekend with having to balance time between school and religion which increases levels of stress and depression. Eliminating homework on the weekends frees this time up and allows more students to connect with their religion free from worry about homework and school.

Improvement to College Acceptance Rates

With more available free time, students are encouraged to pursue more extracurriculars, volunteer opportunities, and jobs on the weekends! Many high schoolers will opt out of a job search simply because they feel that they don’t have enough time. With eliminating homework on the weekends, that frees up an extra 3.0 hours on average for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday! Colleges will look at what you do outside of school while reviewing your application. That’s why it is so important to have a diverse academic resume that shows a student is able to balance school work and a professional life!

That being said, it’s still important to set aside time to study during the weekends if you have a test coming up. Certain events like this are unavoidable, but with lesson planning taking into account that the weekends shouldn’t have homework, students should have an easier time motivating themselves to study!

Breakdown of the Pros and Cons

So lets look at why students should not have homework on the weekends:

• More relaxation
• More time for a job
• Time for religious obligations
• Increased motivation for studying
• Increased chances of a competitive academic resume
• Students may forget things over the weekend
• Students may get lazy

Overall there’s a number of factors that contribute to an improved student life when eliminating homework on the weekends. Allowing time for relaxation, volunteering, work, and more improves a students life outside of school. While school should always be a student’s priority it’s still important to remember that they need to have fun as well!

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Yeah I had to use it for an essay it really helped!

same as I doing for mine.

I had use this for evidence from my school project. This was so useful if somebody sees my comment, I would recommend this because it is really useful for evident.

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Homework-Free Weekends: The Ongoing Debate over How Much Homework is Too Much

A new debate in New Jersey is bringing the homework controversy to light once again. The Galloway Township school district is discussing whether students should be given homework-free weekends so that children can have more time with their families and for extracurricular activities and sports . The plan is still in the discussion phase in this district, and it will need to go before the school board for a vote before it becomes official. In the meantime, the issue has resurfaced around the country as educators discuss once again how much homework is too much and whether it is actually counterproductive to the learning process.

This video explains how schools in California, New York, and Maryland are taking a progressive shift to completely eliminate homework for all students.

Why Galloway is Talking

The Galloway Township is considering recommendations from district officials and school board members to limit the amount of homework students receive. The recommendations have come through research, as well as parent-teacher surveys. According to the Huffington Post, officials making the recommendations have determined that less homework will allow additional time for students to focus on extracurricular activities and spend more quality time with their families. Many of the parents and school officials in the district have also voiced their frustration overstressed students who can’t seem to find enough hours in the day to complete assignments – especially when some of the homework looks like simple “busy work” on the surface.

“We really believe that when kids get to be kids, that benefits their academic performance in school,” Galloway Superintendent Dr. Annette Giaquinto told NBC Philadelphia . Many parents agree with Giaquinto.

“I would be all for not having homework on the weekends,” Galloway parent Jennifer Arrom told NBC. Monday through Friday is a good time and weekends should be spent with your family.” Some students were also in favor of the plan.

“People have sports,” Galloway sixth-grader Nicole Gruber told NBC. Gruber added, “I think that'd be a good idea and if there were tests on Monday, we could study for it and have a lot more time for it.”

This video explains how Galloway Township eliminated weekend homework.

The proposal drawn up by the Galloway Township would prohibit teachers from assigning homework on Friday that is due the following Monday. It would also ban homework from being assigned over school holidays. A similar ban is already in effect in Upper Pittsgrove Township, Salem County. If the ban is approved by the school board in Galloway, it could go into effect when students return to classes next month.

Too Much Homework a Real Phenomenon?

Despite the widespread support for such a ban, there is still a question over whether limiting homework is the most effective path to higher student performance. A study done by Harris Cooper, Department of Psychology at the University of Missouri-Columbia and reported in the Huffington Post , found the link between time spent on homework and academic achievement was mostly dependent on grade level. Cooper found, “The effects of homework on elementary students appear to be small, almost trivial; expectations for homework’s effects, especially short-term and in the early grades, should be modest…For high school students, however, homework can have significant effects on achievement.”

The Harris Cooper study also found that even in high school, “too much homework may diminish its effectiveness or even become counterproductive.” This finding was cited on StopHomework.com, a website created by Sara Bennett, co-author of the book, The Case Against Homework: How Homework is Hurting our Children and What We can do about It . Bennett’s research also found that the countries that performed the best on achievement tests, such as Japan and Denmark, children were assigned very little homework. By the same token, countries where children had abundant homework, such as Thailand and Greece, performed worse on the same achievement tests.

Alfie Kohn, author of “The Homework Myth” and advocate for getting rid of all kinds of homework, told the Huffington Post, “It’s one thing to say we are wasting kids’ time and straining parent-kid relationships, but what’s unforgivable is if homework is damaging our kids’ interest in learning, undermining their curiosity.” Kohn added that one of the core culprits of the excessive homework dilemma may well be the country’s obsession with standardized test scores . Kohn said, “The standards and accountability craze that has our students in its grip argues for getting tougher with children, making them do more mindless worksheets at earlier ages so that we can score higher in international assessments…it’s not about learning, it’s about winning.”

This video discusses the question "Are we doing too much homework?"

However, there are some solid benefits to homework as well, including the ability to build study habits , self-discipline, and more effective time-management strategies. A report at NPR asks, “How many people would have learned their multiplication tables without at least some rote memorization or done those math sheets they hated so much if they weren’t required?” Yes, there are definitive, measurable benefits to nightly assignments. So how do educators, parents, and students find a happy medium?

Recommendations from the Pros

Harris Cooper recommends that children get 10 minutes of homework each night as they progress from grade to grade. For example, first-graders could receive about 10 minutes of homework each night, while fifth-graders could do up to 50 minutes a night. NPR also recommends in their op-ed that teachers focus on the quality of the homework assignments rather than simply the quantity. If homework can be effectively used to help students practice valuable skills that address their individual learning needs, it would be time well spent indeed.

As far as homework over the weekends, that is a debate for another day – one that Galloway Township in New Jersey will continue to take up in earnest as they determine the best way to educate the students heading to their school buildings this fall.

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The Tyranny of Homework: 20 Reasons to Stop Assigning Homework Over the Holidays

M any students agree that assigning homework over the holidays really is a form of cruel and unusual punishment.

Upon returning from winter break, you’ll probably have a handful of students saying the dog ate their homework or it got blown away in a winter storm. But you’ll probably be surprised to learn that some research suggests assigning too much homework can be a bad thing.   A 2009 article in the Los Angeles Times , suggests that some districts have cut back on the amount of homework in the effort to consider children’s social development. In fact, the San Ramon Valley district modified its homework policy and no homework is allowed over weekends and holiday vacations, except for reading.

The US   National Education Association   recommends no more than ten minutes (of homework) per grade level, per night.

Homework has fallen in and out of favor over the decades. California even established a law in 1901 limiting the amount of homework teachers could assign. Assigning homework is highly in favor now a days. With recent trends of information overload, packed activity schedules, and childhood obesity, it’s no wonder educators are reconsidering their stance on homework.

Learn more about how to progress in your teaching career with an online Certificate in Education Support today.

Here are 20 reasons why you shouldn’t assign homework over the holidays. Perhaps one of your students will print this list and encourage you to reconsider your ideas about homework.

• Students are learning all the time in the 21 st   century.   According to a   recent article   in MindShift traditional homework will become obsolete in the next decade. Thanks to computers, learning is occurring 24/7. With access to software programs, worldwide connections, and learning websites such as the Khan Academy, learning occurs all the time. According to Mindshift, “the next decade is going to see the traditional temporal boundaries between home and school disappear.” Try to see if you can bridge the gap between school and home by getting students interested in doing their own research over holiday break. Rather than assigning homework, create a true interest in learning. They will often pursue learning about topics they like on their own. After all, this is the way of the 21 st   century and information is everywhere.
• More homework doesn’t necessarily equate to higher achievement . Yes, too much homework can actually be a bad thing. A 1989 Duke University study that reviewed 120 studies found a weak link between achievement and homework at the elementary level and only a moderate benefit at the middle school level. In a similar recent review of 60 studies,   researchers at Duke U   found assigning homework was beneficial, but excessive amounts of homework was counterproductive. The research found homework was more beneficial for older students than younger ones. The study was completed by Harris Cooper, a leading homework research and author of “The Battle over Homework: Common Ground for Administrators, Teachers, and Parents”. Cooper suggests that teachers at the younger level may assign homework for improving study skills, rather than learning, explaining why many studies concluded less benefit for younger children. Many teachers do not receive specific training on homework. Cooper suggests that homework should be uncomplicated and short, involve families, and engage student interests.
• Countries that assign more homework don’t outperform those with less homework.   Around the world, countries that assign more homework don’t see to perform any better. A   Stanford study   found that in countries like Japan, Denmark, and the Czech Republic little homework was assigned and students outperformed students in counties with large amounts of homework such as Greece, Thailand, and Iran. American and British students seem to have more homework than most counties, and still only score in the international average. In fact, Japan has instituted no homework policies at younger levels to allow family time and personal interests. Finland, a national leader in international tests, limits high school homework to half hour per night. Of course, there are other factors not taken into account in the study, such as length of the school day. But in itself, it is interesting to see this issue from a world perspective.
• Instead of assigning homework, suggest they read for fun.   There are great holiday stories and books you can recommend to parents and students. If you approach the activity with a holiday spirit, many students   will be engaged . They may want to check out the stories on their own. You can start by reading the first chapter in class and leaving them intrigued. For instance, you can read the first chapter of   The   Gift of the Magi   and suggest students read it over winter break. With younger students, you might promise roles in a play for students who read over break.
• Don’t assign holiday busy work.   Most academics agree that busy work does little to increase learning. It is best to not assign packets of worksheets if they do nothing to add to student learning. You also don’t want to waste valuable time grading meaningless paperwork. Some studies show that much homework may actually decline achievement. Assigning excessive amounts of homework may be detrimental. In fact, a 2006 study by Yankelovick found that reading achievement declined when students were assigned too much homework. Actually, interesting reading such as   Harry Potter   produced higher reading achievement.
• Have students attend a local cultural event.   You can let parents know that instead of assigning homework, you are suggesting students attend a particular event that relates to your classroom. For instance, if you are reading Shakespeare, they might attend a related play or ballet.
• Family time is more important during the holidays . Assigning less homework makes it easier for families to have time together. Family studies at the University of Michigan, show that family time is extremely important to achievement and behavior. Studies on family meals, suggest that students who have dinner with their family have better academic scores and behavioral outcomes. Perhaps this is only a correlation, but family time is undeniably important to child development. Students spent most of their days at school while parents are at work. When all is said and done, remember what it was like being a kid. The things you remember most about the holidays aren’t the assignments you took home, but the time you spend with family and friends.
• For students who travel during the holidays, assigning homework may impede learning on their trip . The Holiday time is the one time of year that many families reconnect with distant family members or travel. I remember having to pack hoards of books over some holidays to Spain and it was not fun. I wanted to enjoy the time with family and experience the country fully. Traveling in itself is a learning activity. Let students experience their travels fully.
• Kids need time to be kids.   A recent article from Australia’s Happy Child website,   “What is the value of Homework: Research and Reality”   considers this issue and explains how children need unstructured play time. Homework can have a negative influence on early learning experiences. Suggest students use holiday time to do physical activity, such as ice-skating or sledding. Many kids don’t get enough exercise. Childhood obesity is a major problem in the United States. Suggesting students play outside or participate in a sport is a good way to get them to value physical activity. The holidays are a great time for kids to go sledding in the snow or play with friends outside. If no one has homework, classmates might exchange phone numbers to play together. You can suggest this to parents. If the teacher thinks physical activity is important, students will too.
• Some education experts recommend an end to all homework . Etta Kralovec and John Buell, authors of   The End of Homework: How Homework Disrupts Families, Overburdens Children, and Limits Learning ,   controversially suggests that homework may be a form of intrusion on family life, and may increase the drop-out rate in high schools. The authors blame homework for increasing the achievement gap due to socio-economic differences in after-school obligations. Consider challenging your own views of the benefits of homework and try to create a level playing field when considering assignments.
• Send a letter to parents explaining why you are not assigning work.   You might want to take the Christmas holiday as a chance to engage parents to play a learning game or do some art with their kids. If families know there is an intentional purpose to not assigning work, they may take the chance to spend more one-on-one time with their child.
• You can make the holidays a time for an “open project” for extra credit.   Students might take this time to do something related to the curriculum that they would like to explore on their own terms. Before the holidays, you might talk about topics or provide books students for students to take home. Learning for fun and interest, might produce more meaningful engagement than assigning homework.
• Suggest they visit a museum instead.   With families at home, the holiday time is a great time for students to see an exhibit that interests them or do a fun activity at a nearby museum. Sometimes encouraging these field trips may be more beneficial than assigning homework. You might want to print coupons, a schedule, or a list of upcoming exhibits so that families have the information at their fingertips.
• Encourage students to volunteer during the holiday time.   The holidays are a great time for students to give back. Students might volunteer at a local soup kitchen or pantry. Volunteer organizations are often at their busiest during the holiday time. Plus, students learn a lot from the experience of doing community service. I remember visiting a group home during the holiday time in high school and helping kids wrap Christmas gifts for their families. This is a great alternative to assigning homework, especially for Generation Y who highly values civic involvement.
• Develop a class game.   You might have the class play a   learning game   the week before vacation and have them take it home to show their family. My fourth grade teacher had hop-scotch math. We often drew with chalk outside to replicate her game at home. Try to think of a holiday-themed game or one that the whole family can get involved in.
• Students might learn more from observing the real world.   Learning isn’t just about paper and pencil activities. Teachers should also inspire students to seek ways to learn from real-world experiences. They might cook with their parents and practice measuring. Or tag along with a parent who is putting up holiday lights or building a shed. Ask students to observe a job around the house or ask their parents about their job over holiday break. They might be enlightened to learn more about the real world and different jobs they might pursue in the future. Perhaps some students might be able to go to work with their parents instead of a formal assignment.
• Go on a hike.   Students learn a great deal from nature. Tell students to go outside on a walk and be ready to share their experience when they get back. Did they observe natural phenomena you talked about in science class or different types of rocks you discussed in geology? Or can you tie their walk into a discussion of poetry?
• Tell students to visit an amusement park.   If you are teaching physics or math, amusement parks give ample room to explain the laws of physics and mathematical probability. This outing would allow students to think about the real world implications of science. You may want to even plan a lesson beforehand that ties this idea in. On another level, it allows students to create a lasting memory with their own families.
• Kids need rest!   Everyone needs a mental breather and the holidays are the best time for students to play and take a break from school. Kids need a full ten hours of sleep and adequate rest. The vacation time is a great time for students to take a mental breather from school. With many family outings and vacations during the holiday time, they will have less time to complete homework. They will come back to school feeling re-energized.
• Many parents and students dislike holiday homework.   You want parents to buy-in to your classroom community and support your endeavors with students. Assigning homework over the holidays is usually unpopular with parents because it may the one time of year they have to give children their undivided attention. Instead, you might want to take a survey to see if parents agree with the idea. You can then send a letter with the survey results. Taking parents’ perspectives into account shows you value their opinions and feedback. Students prefer some free time too. Not surprisingly one student created a Facebook page, titled, “Why do teachers give us homework over the holiday.” If the students know you are giving them a break over the holidays they may work harder for you when they get back.

If you’re still not convinced, check out this   fact sheet   based on   The Case Against Homework: How Homework Is Hurting Our Children and What We Can Do About It   by Sara Bennett and Nancy Kalish. If you still plan on assigning homework over the holidays, at least keep in mind some guidelines.

The US   National Education Association   recommends no more than ten minutes per grade level, per night. If you must assign homework make sure it is meaningful and doesn’t take away from time with families. And most of all, remember what it was like being a kid during the holiday time. Homework is generally not a part of those memories, nor should it be. Those days playing outside and spending time with family are lifelong memories just as important as school.

Childhood is over in the blink of an eye.

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Should students have homework over breaks, a year of remote learning has put many students behind in school. is homework over the holidays the answer to getting teens back on track  .

The holidays are nearly here! It’s time to enjoy your favorite treats, visit with family and friends, and maybe even unwrap a big pile of . . . homework?

Assignments over winter break probably aren’t on your wish list. But some educators believe giving homework during school vacations is necessary to help students stay sharp—especially now. 

More than 70 percent of U.S. students in grades K-12 attended classes remotely for at least part of this past school year because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Months of school shutdowns and virtual classes have caused many teens to fall behind. Doing homework over winter break, some experts say, could help kids catch up.

But others argue that hitting the books over the holidays isn’t the answer. They say students need downtime—and that homework serves little purpose anyway. 

Should students have homework over school breaks? Keep reading, then decide what you think.

Homework Is Helpful

Many people across the U.S. are concerned that teens’ grades are suffering because of the pandemic. They support homework during winter break to help kids get back on track. But plenty of others are in favor of assignments during vacations even during normal school years. They say homework helps prevent students from forgetting what they’ve learned. Plus, they add, teachers shouldn’t have to spend time reviewing old lessons when classes start again. 

Homework over the holidays also helps students practice their skills, explains Janine Bempechat. She studies human development at Boston University in Massachusetts. 

“Consistent practice is essential for learning and growth,” she says.

Average time U.S. teens spend on homework per day 

SOURCE: Pew Research Center

Brian Platzer, a teacher and co-author of Taking the Stress Out of Homework , agrees. Putting in some time on tricky concepts over vacation lets students “hit the ground running when they return.”

Supporters of homework over winter break say assignments don’t need to involve detailed worksheets or reports. For example, students could read a book of their choosing and keep a response journal. Reading, experts say, may help students recharge after a tough year. 

“Getting lost in reading,” says Bempechat, “is a wonderful way to reduce stress.”

Lessons From Around the World

CHINA: Under new rules to ease pressure on kids, middle school students are limited to 1.5 hours of homework a night.

FINLAND: High school students attend school for five hours per day and have about three hours of homework per week.

AUSTRALIA: Some government officials have asked schools to reconsider heavy homework loads so kids can relax.

Kids Need Rest

Others, however, are quick to point out that today’s students are already facing high stress levels, and the last thing they need over the holidays is more assignments. 

Homework over winter break is unnecessary, says Alfie Kohn, author of The Homework Myth . In fact, kids probably don’t need to do homework ever .

“Everyone knows homework can be frustrating and exhausting,” he explains. 

Some school districts across the U.S. have reduced or even banned homework. One reason is that not all kids have access to the same resources outside the classroom. For example, 15 percent of households with school-age children do not have high-speed internet, according to the Pew Research Center.

Share of teens who cite homework as a source of stress 

SOURCE: Challenge Success 

After her school district discouraged assigning homework over the holidays, eighth-grade teacher Christina Torres of Honolulu, Hawaii, altered her lessons. Now her students complete important projects before enjoying time off. 

“Taking the stress of homework out of my students’ holiday breaks is important,” she wrote in Education Week . “They deserve an opportunity to relax and rejuvenate as much as I do.”

Think It Over

Consider the pros and cons of having homework during school breaks. Then ask yourself: Should teachers give assignments over the holidays? Or are there other, less formal ways to continue learning when school is not in session? 

Write About It! Should students have homework over breaks? Write an essay that includes evidence from the article.

The Journal Rewired

Homework should not be assigned on weekends or breaks

Alice Ottolino , Reporter December 6, 2017

Imagine you are back in elementary school, playing outside in the snow with your old neighborhood friends. Making a snowman, having a snowball fight, drinking hot chocolate and all of a sudden you hear your mom or dad yell for you because you have homework to do. That is one of the worst feelings ever when you are young and playing outside with your friends.

There are so many different studies debating if teachers should give out homework over the weekends, or if it should just be given on weekdays. According to Eastside Online, on a weeknight students will spend up to two hours a night working on homework. Teachers should only give homework out Monday through Thursday. There are so many different reasons as to why teachers shouldn’t be permitted to hand out homework over the weekends and especially over breaks.

Having a heavy workload on weekends or on breaks will take time away from friends and family. Having time with your friends and family is a crucial aspect in a childhood. According to My Homework Help, students need to be able to relax after a busy scheduled week. While some kids get to have fun, there are others who have to stay home and do homework, this will make them feel left out and not wanted. It’s not their fault that their teacher gave them homework on the weekends. We could avoid this entire problem if teachers just left the homework for the weekdays.

Kids need to be kids. In order for that to happen, teachers need to stop giving out so much homework on weekends. According to My Homework Help, too much homework can have a negative effect on kids and their learning experiences, which will often lead them to hate school work in general. Knowing that there will most likely be homework on the weekdays, the weekends need to be left open for kids to enjoy their free time and the activities they like to do.

Students just need time to relax. They have enough stress  during the week with homework, and if that carries into the weekend it could cause an issue.  

Hi, my name is Alice Ottolino I’m a senior and this is my first year being on The Journal. I have the great opportunity of writing entertainment.   Along...

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Maria • May 7, 2024 at 4:53 am

I think that you are absolutely right, this topic is very important although people usually think that giving a lot of homework is ok.

Landon • Mar 8, 2024 at 3:14 pm

This helped me with school work!

Tiiu Tak • Aug 17, 2021 at 2:41 am

Great writing! This helped me a lot. Thanks!

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Should Homework Be Banned On Weekends?

Marleh Lehmann , Reporter | October 22, 2017

AHS Student, Megan Peterson stressed about the amount of homework she has on the weekend.

Homework, homework and more homework.  For it or against it on the weekends, it is here to stay.  Especially if we want to stay one of the top schools in the state.

According to U.S. News, Arrowhead High School is ranked number eight for education in the state of Wisconsin.

AHS senior Alec Meister said, “The amount of homework that I get assigned on the weekend is insane. I do not know why each weekend I feel like all I am doing is homework.”

Meister says he spends an average of five hours a weekend doing some sort of homework and studying. He said he feels as if it is another school day.  

Cathy Sirianni, an AHS study hall supervisor says, “I am against having homework over the weekend because most kids will wait until Sunday night to start. They will usually rush and not do their best work because they are mad that it was assigned to them.”

“Going to school five days a week for seven hour a day is so much to handle. On top of that is a commitment to sports and then coming home to do homework. That is why I always look forward to the weekend. But at the same time I feel like the weekend is useless when you think about all of the work you have to do and the preparation you have to do for Monday,” said Meister.

Meister says overall he isn’t happy with the amount of homework we get over the weekend.

Senior AHS student Alex Yost, on the other hand, says he has a different perspective.

“I do not have a problem with the amount of homework that we get on the weekends. Most kids over exaggerate the amount that we get. If you sit down and concentrate you can get it done in no time. Most kids are very distracted with their phone so that is why it takes so much time to get their work done,” Yost said.

Yost says that Arrowhead is such a great school because of the amount of work that we get every night and weekend for homework.

Yost  says, “Arrowhead is not only known for sports, but also for their success in academics. We are definitely one of the higher ranked schools in the state and that is why it is so challenging. It pushes us to be better students and be more prepared for college and the future.”

Yost says he is proud to attend Arrowhead High School.

“They are pushing us to be as successful as we can be and I love that about Arrowhead,” Yost said.

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

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

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

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Why Should Students Not Have Homework On The Weekends?

Last Updated on June 11, 2024

Students have the right to free time and when given an abundance of homework in their free time, they neither do homework nor enjoy free time.

Weekend homework eats away at a student’s free time, limits how long they can spend with their family and friends, and devastates their mental health .

We all know when we were children, teachers gave us a lot of homework on the weekends, and many students who were toppers easily completed their homework but average students tried to complete it and they completely failed!

As a researcher and an expert, Why do we know the education system always forces on their teacher to give Homework?

Well, Also one more question arises why should students not have homework on the weekends?

Why should students not have homework on the weekends?

In fact, all students who are in high school, or in elementary school do not like homework.

However, Homework on weekends has many benefits on student academic achievement because the teacher giving homework is a good sign but giving a heavy homework load is definitely negatively impacts on students mind health.

The Importance of Free Time

I always remember my free time in school what the  beautiful days when the teacher went from the classroom or the school gave a holiday for events or anything else. In free time, our minds feel happy but the childish mind is not on the right path because free time gives you both negative effects and positive effects. When you have free time, do something new and difficult like activities that provide physical and mental health. 

So, keep doing anything like homework is also a very important activity will give you a lot of benefits.

Academic Performance

In my school time, my one teachers did not listen to any lesson but they always focused on reading and homeworking. As a result, when we give school tests or exams, we easily remember everything because of home work and just reading. This will improve academic performance but giving bulk homework is not good for students academic performance.

Family Time

Again we say that serving time with family is very important when the students work hard for struggling in improve their grades or have any good intent in mind. Student life is not always school want to work. In this article why free time is important? You should know how to tackle it!

Sleep and Health

Homework is just like copying and pasting, most of the student just do their homework to complete their formality and when teachers give homework on the weekend, believe it or not, student sleep pattern not only effect academic performance but also have long-term fitness consequences. This section sheds light on the relationship between weekend homework and sleep deprivation.

Individual Learning Styles

Every student learns differently and has a different mind like the hand of five fingers, some students learn fast and some students do not grap the teacher words easily and they do not pick their mentor concept easily.

I mean the teacher should give homework with wisdom because no one is the same in the classroom.

Preparing for the Future

Teachers and student both struggle for their future, with the help of homework it is good to maintain (improve) writing skills but the best method for get a good score with homework is just a words. We should observe: is daily homework beneficial after school year final exam completed , we easily able to find what student is best and did they did daily homework in school or  not and did they do homework in the weekend?

Alternatives to Weekend Homework

Homework is necessary for academic success say by advocates but giving homework in effective way is also necessary for academic success as well.

So, our point is every weekend if teacher give homework again and again, this is not much good!

Teacher-Student Communication

Our recommendation is that teacher and student should communicate: is homework good in weekend or not. This is the most helpful way for both relationship and also can lead to better understanding and adjustment of homework policies.

Benefits of a Homework-Free Weekend

Many benefits of a homework-free like: Improved mental health, enhanced academic performance, stress levels is very low because other activities during the weekend are also very crucial for student growth to face the real-world challenges.

Addressing Concerns

Common objections to a homework-free weekend are addressed with evidence-based counterarguments. This section equips readers with responses to potential challenges and encourages critical thinking about the current education system.

Implementing Change

To bring about meaningful change, strategies for advocating policy change are essential. This section outlines steps for building consensus among educators and fostering a positive shift in homework policies.

In conclusion, the evidence presented strongly suggests that students should not have homework on the weekends. A reevaluation of current practices is necessary to prioritize students’ well-being and create a more balanced and effective education system.

Mohammed Ahmed is a writer, problem solver, and speaker. He has written a lot of books on self-improvement for the betterment of the world. His books have become trusted resources for learners of all ages, like students, teachers, and everyone who wants to get better knowledge. Through his amazing writing, he aims to empower individuals to embrace critical thinking and personal growth, contributing to a brighter future through education.

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Why We Should Give Students a Homework Break Over the Holidays

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I have so many fond memories from holiday seasons growing up: the smell of delicious food being made by my Mexican and Filipino families, warm light on the faces of my relatives, and lots of laughter. As I got older, though, things changed—mostly because I had so much homework to do.

Instead of joking with our relatives at the holidays, my brother and I would often sequester ourselves at the edge of the room, thick textbooks open and pens in our hands. Sometimes, we’d miss events altogether. When we did attend, the ramifications could be intense. During one spring break, I chose to go to an Easter party with my family. But by midnight, I was stress-weeping because I had so much work to do by the next day.

As a teacher, I now understand the temptation to give work over school breaks. There never seems to be enough time to do the projects or read the texts I’d like to with my kids, and asking students to work or read during breaks eases that crunch. I also worry that my students will lose some of their learning in the weeks they are gone.

Recently, though, my school created a new homework policy that, among other things, encourages us to avoid giving students work over extended school breaks. Our administration cited studies that raise questions about the benefits of hefty doses of homework.

I worried about how this new plan would affect my curriculum pacing, and about what my students might “lose.” But I realized that my concerns were really about my desires, not what was best for my students.

The new policy led me to re-evaluate my assignments and timing, and I ended up being able to make adjustments so my kids could complete necessary projects without working when they should be recharging. I’d worried about my students’ learning, but recent research challenges our long-held belief that students’ learning “slides” significantly over long breaks.

Taking the stress of homework out of my students’ holiday breaks is important. They deserve an opportunity to relax and rejuvenate as much as I do—particularly if they are overscheduled to begin with. Young or old, we all need rejuvenation time. In addition, more studies are demonstrating the benefits of down time for students. Having unstructured time recharges them, but also allows their brains to build connections that strengthen and improve their executive functioning.

We need to be mindful of other factors that complicate homework assignments over holiday breaks. We don’t always know what our students’ lives are like outside our classrooms. Do they struggle with access to the resources necessary to complete assignments? Do they have stressful home situations?

Here are a few ways we can send our students off on a positive note when they leave us for holiday breaks. I’m trying them myself this winter!

Provide activities that support students reconnecting with themselves, their loved ones, or their community.

While we want to avoid giving mandatory work to students, we can offer opportunities and ideas for learning-friendly activities they can do during their break. Maybe that’s an optional/extra credit project that asks students to interview a family or community member (though we should also provide time after break for those who couldn’t work over break). Or maybe we can offer students some ideas about how they could use their time to take care of themselves or their communities. We could provide reflection questions once they’re back from break, to help them find meaning in the experience. Encouraging students to use their time to volunteer or take care of themselves allows us to help our kids grow not just as students, but as people.

Offer opportunities to find a new passion, set goals, or reflect.

While some students may travel or connect with family, some of our kids may have a lot of free time over their break. We can encourage them to use the time to set goals for the year, dream big and draw or write their five-year plan (remind them this is for fun and plans will change!), or reflect on their year or life so far. We can also encourage students to discover something they’re passionate about, or use the time to pursue something they love.

Deepen your relationships with students and allow them to open up to you.

Sometimes, our kids are simply not given the space to dive deeply into something that lets them tell us who they are. Give students a project that allows them to explore their identity or have them write a story about their lives. This will not only provide some critical thinking, reading, or writing enrichment, but more importantly will provide valuable insight into our students’ lives and help us build deeper connections with our students. We can return the favor by completing the project ourselves or writing a story and sharing it with them.

After the break, see what stuck with students.

Instead of returning from break with the mindset of what was “lost,” give students a chance to share everything they remember from the last unit. Instead of assuming they all had a great time they want to share, welcome kids back with an opportunity to celebrate the experiences that stuck with them from their breaks. Help students generate a class-created study guide so they can review what they learned before the break. This gives them space to support one another and remind each other what they learned, as well as gives us an opportunity to praise students for what they’ve retained. It also provides important feedback for us on what stuck over the break and what we need to reteach.

Ultimately, our students look to us not just for academic growth, but to support their growth as human beings as well. Taking away homework stress over break may cause us to change our short-term plans, but providing them with opportunities and resources instead can have some long-term benefits that can change their self-perception and their lives more than a packet of homework ever could.

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Homework – Top 3 Pros and Cons

Pro/Con Arguments | Discussion Questions | Take Action | Sources | More Debates

From dioramas to book reports, from algebraic word problems to research projects, whether students should be given homework, as well as the type and amount of homework, has been debated for over a century. [ 1 ]

While we are unsure who invented homework, we do know that the word “homework” dates back to ancient Rome. Pliny the Younger asked his followers to practice their speeches at home. Memorization exercises as homework continued through the Middle Ages and Enlightenment by monks and other scholars. [ 45 ]

In the 19th century, German students of the Volksschulen or “People’s Schools” were given assignments to complete outside of the school day. This concept of homework quickly spread across Europe and was brought to the United States by Horace Mann , who encountered the idea in Prussia. [ 45 ]

In the early 1900s, progressive education theorists, championed by the magazine Ladies’ Home Journal , decried homework’s negative impact on children’s physical and mental health, leading California to ban homework for students under 15 from 1901 until 1917. In the 1930s, homework was portrayed as child labor, which was newly illegal, but the prevailing argument was that kids needed time to do household chores. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 45 ] [ 46 ]

Public opinion swayed again in favor of homework in the 1950s due to concerns about keeping up with the Soviet Union’s technological advances during the Cold War . And, in 1986, the US government included homework as an educational quality boosting tool. [ 3 ] [ 45 ]

A 2014 study found kindergarteners to fifth graders averaged 2.9 hours of homework per week, sixth to eighth graders 3.2 hours per teacher, and ninth to twelfth graders 3.5 hours per teacher. A 2014-2019 study found that teens spent about an hour a day on homework. [ 4 ] [ 44 ]

Beginning in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic complicated the very idea of homework as students were schooling remotely and many were doing all school work from home. Washington Post journalist Valerie Strauss asked, “Does homework work when kids are learning all day at home?” While students were mostly back in school buildings in fall 2021, the question remains of how effective homework is as an educational tool. [ 47 ]

Is Homework Beneficial?

Pro 1 Homework improves student achievement. Studies have shown that homework improved student achievement in terms of improved grades, test results, and the likelihood to attend college. Research published in the High School Journal indicated 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.” [ 6 ] Students in classes that were assigned homework outperformed 69% of students who didn’t have homework on both standardized tests and grades. 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. [ 7 ] [ 8 ] 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. [ 10 ] Read More

Pro 2 Homework helps to reinforce classroom learning, while developing good study habits and life skills. Students typically retain only 50% of the information teachers provide in class, and they need to apply that information in order to truly learn it. Abby Freireich and Brian Platzer, co-founders of Teachers Who Tutor NYC, explained, “at-home assignments help students learn the material taught in class. Students require independent practice to internalize new concepts… [And] these assignments can provide valuable data for teachers about how well students understand the curriculum.” [ 11 ] [ 49 ] Elementary school students who were taught “strategies to organize and complete homework,” such as prioritizing homework activities, collecting study materials, note-taking, and following directions, showed increased grades and more positive comments on report cards. [ 17 ] Research by the City University of New York noted that “students who engage in self-regulatory processes while completing homework,” such as goal-setting, time management, and remaining focused, “are generally more motivated and are higher achievers than those who do not use these processes.” [ 18 ] Homework also helps students develop key skills that they’ll use throughout their lives: accountability, autonomy, discipline, time management, self-direction, critical thinking, and independent problem-solving. Freireich and Platzer noted that “homework helps students acquire the skills needed to plan, organize, and complete their work.” [ 12 ] [ 13 ] [ 14 ] [ 15 ] [ 49 ] Read More

Pro 3 Homework allows parents to be involved with children’s learning. Thanks to take-home assignments, parents are able to track what their children are learning at school as well as their academic strengths and weaknesses. [ 12 ] Data from a nationwide sample of elementary school students show that parental involvement in homework can improve class performance, especially among economically disadvantaged African-American and Hispanic students. [ 20 ] Research from Johns Hopkins University found that an interactive homework process known as TIPS (Teachers Involve Parents in Schoolwork) improves student achievement: “Students in the TIPS group earned significantly higher report card grades after 18 weeks (1 TIPS assignment per week) than did non-TIPS students.” [ 21 ] Homework can also help clue parents in to the existence of any learning disabilities their children may have, allowing them to get help and adjust learning strategies as needed. Duke University Professor Harris Cooper noted, “Two parents once told me they refused to believe their child had a learning disability until homework revealed it to them.” [ 12 ] Read More

Con 1 Too much homework can be harmful. A poll of California high school students found that 59% thought they had too much homework. 82% of respondents said that they were “often or always stressed by schoolwork.” High-achieving high school students said too much homework leads to sleep deprivation and other health problems such as headaches, exhaustion, weight loss, and stomach problems. [ 24 ] [ 28 ] [ 29 ] Alfie Kohn, an education and parenting expert, said, “Kids should have a chance to just be kids… it’s absurd to insist that children must be engaged in constructive activities right up until their heads hit the pillow.” [ 27 ] Emmy Kang, a mental health counselor, explained, “More than half of students say that homework is their primary source of stress, and we know what stress can do on our bodies.” [ 48 ] Excessive homework can also lead to cheating: 90% of middle school students and 67% of high school students admit to copying someone else’s homework, and 43% of college students engaged in “unauthorized collaboration” on out-of-class assignments. Even parents take shortcuts on homework: 43% of those surveyed admitted to having completed a child’s assignment for them. [ 30 ] [ 31 ] [ 32 ] Read More

Con 2 Homework exacerbates the digital divide or homework gap. Kiara Taylor, financial expert, defined the digital divide as “the gap between demographics and regions that have access to modern information and communications technology and those that don’t. Though the term now encompasses the technical and financial ability to utilize available technology—along with access (or a lack of access) to the Internet—the gap it refers to is constantly shifting with the development of technology.” For students, this is often called the homework gap. [ 50 ] [ 51 ] 30% (about 15 to 16 million) public school students either did not have an adequate internet connection or an appropriate device, or both, for distance learning. Completing homework for these students is more complicated (having to find a safe place with an internet connection, or borrowing a laptop, for example) or impossible. [ 51 ] A Hispanic Heritage Foundation study found that 96.5% of students across the country needed to use the internet for homework, and nearly half reported they were sometimes unable to complete their homework due to lack of access to the internet or a computer, which often resulted in lower grades. [ 37 ] [ 38 ] One study concluded that homework increases social inequality because it “potentially serves as a mechanism to further advantage those students who already experience some privilege in the school system while further disadvantaging those who may already be in a marginalized position.” [ 39 ] Read More

Con 3 Homework does not help younger students, and may not help high school students. We’ve known for a while that homework does not help elementary students. A 2006 study found that “homework had no association with achievement gains” when measured by standardized tests results or grades. [ 7 ] Fourth grade students who did no homework got roughly the same score on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) math exam as those who did 30 minutes of homework a night. Students who did 45 minutes or more of homework a night actually did worse. [ 41 ] Temple University professor Kathryn Hirsh-Pasek said that homework is not the most effective tool for young learners to apply new information: “They’re learning way more important skills when they’re not doing their homework.” [ 42 ] In fact, homework may not be helpful at the high school level either. Alfie Kohn, author of The Homework Myth, stated, “I interviewed high school teachers who completely stopped giving homework and there was no downside, it was all upside.” He explains, “just because the same kids who get more homework do a little better on tests, doesn’t mean the homework made that happen.” [ 52 ] Read More

Discussion Questions

1. Is homework beneficial? Consider the study data, your personal experience, and other types of information. Explain your answer(s).

2. If homework were banned, what other educational strategies would help students learn classroom material? Explain your answer(s).

3. How has homework been helpful to you personally? How has homework been unhelpful to you personally? Make carefully considered lists for both sides.

Take Action

1. Examine an argument in favor of quality homework assignments from Janine Bempechat.

2. Explore Oxford Learning’s infographic on the effects of homework on students.

3. Consider Joseph Lathan’s argument that homework promotes inequality .

4. Consider how you felt about the issue before reading this article. After reading the pros and cons on this topic, has your thinking changed? If so, how? List two to three ways. If your thoughts have not changed, list two to three ways your better understanding of the “other side of the issue” now helps you better argue your position.

5. Push for the position and policies you support by writing US national senators and representatives .

More School Debate Topics

Should K-12 Students Dissect Animals in Science Classrooms? – Proponents say dissecting real animals is a better learning experience. Opponents say the practice is bad for the environment.

Should Students Have to Wear School Uniforms? – Proponents say uniforms may increase student safety. Opponents say uniforms restrict expression.

Should Corporal Punishment Be Used in K-12 Schools? – Proponents say corporal punishment is an appropriate discipline. Opponents say it inflicts long-lasting physical and mental harm on students.

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Are You Down With or Done With Homework?

• Posted January 17, 2012
• By Lory Hough

The debate over how much schoolwork students should be doing at home has flared again, with one side saying it's too much, the other side saying in our competitive world, it's just not enough.

It was a move that doesn't happen very often in American public schools: The principal got rid of homework.

This past September, Stephanie Brant, principal of Gaithersburg Elementary School in Gaithersburg, Md., decided that instead of teachers sending kids home with math worksheets and spelling flash cards, students would instead go home and read. Every day for 30 minutes, more if they had time or the inclination, with parents or on their own.

"I knew this would be a big shift for my community," she says. But she also strongly believed it was a necessary one. Twenty-first-century learners, especially those in elementary school, need to think critically and understand their own learning — not spend night after night doing rote homework drills.

Brant's move may not be common, but she isn't alone in her questioning. The value of doing schoolwork at home has gone in and out of fashion in the United States among educators, policymakers, the media, and, more recently, parents. As far back as the late 1800s, with the rise of the Progressive Era, doctors such as Joseph Mayer Rice began pushing for a limit on what he called "mechanical homework," saying it caused childhood nervous conditions and eyestrain. Around that time, the then-influential Ladies Home Journal began publishing a series of anti-homework articles, stating that five hours of brain work a day was "the most we should ask of our children," and that homework was an intrusion on family life. In response, states like California passed laws abolishing homework for students under a certain age.

But, as is often the case with education, the tide eventually turned. After the Russians launched the Sputnik satellite in 1957, a space race emerged, and, writes Brian Gill in the journal Theory Into Practice, "The homework problem was reconceived as part of a national crisis; the U.S. was losing the Cold War because Russian children were smarter." Many earlier laws limiting homework were abolished, and the longterm trend toward less homework came to an end.

The debate re-emerged a decade later when parents of the late '60s and '70s argued that children should be free to play and explore — similar anti-homework wellness arguments echoed nearly a century earlier. By the early-1980s, however, the pendulum swung again with the publication of A Nation at Risk , which blamed poor education for a "rising tide of mediocrity." Students needed to work harder, the report said, and one way to do this was more homework.

For the most part, this pro-homework sentiment is still going strong today, in part because of mandatory testing and continued economic concerns about the nation's competitiveness. Many believe that today's students are falling behind their peers in places like Korea and Finland and are paying more attention to Angry Birds than to ancient Babylonia.

But there are also a growing number of Stephanie Brants out there, educators and parents who believe that students are stressed and missing out on valuable family time. Students, they say, particularly younger students who have seen a rise in the amount of take-home work and already put in a six- to nine-hour "work" day, need less, not more homework.

Who is right? Are students not working hard enough or is homework not working for them? Here's where the story gets a little tricky: It depends on whom you ask and what research you're looking at. As Cathy Vatterott, the author of Rethinking Homework , points out, "Homework has generated enough research so that a study can be found to support almost any position, as long as conflicting studies are ignored." Alfie Kohn, author of The Homework Myth and a strong believer in eliminating all homework, writes that, "The fact that there isn't anything close to unanimity among experts belies the widespread assumption that homework helps." At best, he says, homework shows only an association, not a causal relationship, with academic achievement. In other words, it's hard to tease out how homework is really affecting test scores and grades. Did one teacher give better homework than another? Was one teacher more effective in the classroom? Do certain students test better or just try harder?

"It is difficult to separate where the effect of classroom teaching ends," Vatterott writes, "and the effect of homework begins."

Putting research aside, however, much of the current debate over homework is focused less on how homework affects academic achievement and more on time. Parents in particular have been saying that the amount of time children spend in school, especially with afterschool programs, combined with the amount of homework given — as early as kindergarten — is leaving students with little time to run around, eat dinner with their families, or even get enough sleep.

Certainly, for some parents, homework is a way to stay connected to their children's learning. But for others, homework creates a tug-of-war between parents and children, says Liz Goodenough, M.A.T.'71, creator of a documentary called Where Do the Children Play?

"Ideally homework should be about taking something home, spending a few curious and interesting moments in which children might engage with parents, and then getting that project back to school — an organizational triumph," she says. "A nag-free activity could engage family time: Ask a parent about his or her own childhood. Interview siblings."

Instead, as the authors of The Case Against Homework write, "Homework overload is turning many of us into the types of parents we never wanted to be: nags, bribers, and taskmasters."

Leslie Butchko saw it happen a few years ago when her son started sixth grade in the Santa Monica-Malibu (Calif.) United School District. She remembers him getting two to four hours of homework a night, plus weekend and vacation projects. He was overwhelmed and struggled to finish assignments, especially on nights when he also had an extracurricular activity.

"Ultimately, we felt compelled to have Bobby quit karate — he's a black belt — to allow more time for homework," she says. And then, with all of their attention focused on Bobby's homework, she and her husband started sending their youngest to his room so that Bobby could focus. "One day, my younger son gave us 15-minute coupons as a present for us to use to send him to play in the back room. … It was then that we realized there had to be something wrong with the amount of homework we were facing."

Butchko joined forces with another mother who was having similar struggles and ultimately helped get the homework policy in her district changed, limiting homework on weekends and holidays, setting time guidelines for daily homework, and broadening the definition of homework to include projects and studying for tests. As she told the school board at one meeting when the policy was first being discussed, "In closing, I just want to say that I had more free time at Harvard Law School than my son has in middle school, and that is not in the best interests of our children."

One barrier that Butchko had to overcome initially was convincing many teachers and parents that more homework doesn't necessarily equal rigor.

"Most of the parents that were against the homework policy felt that students need a large quantity of homework to prepare them for the rigorous AP classes in high school and to get them into Harvard," she says.

Stephanie Conklin, Ed.M.'06, sees this at Another Course to College, the Boston pilot school where she teaches math. "When a student is not completing [his or her] homework, parents usually are frustrated by this and agree with me that homework is an important part of their child's learning," she says.

As Timothy Jarman, Ed.M.'10, a ninth-grade English teacher at Eugene Ashley High School in Wilmington, N.C., says, "Parents think it is strange when their children are not assigned a substantial amount of homework."

That's because, writes Vatterott, in her chapter, "The Cult(ure) of Homework," the concept of homework "has become so engrained in U.S. culture that the word homework is part of the common vernacular."

These days, nightly homework is a given in American schools, writes Kohn.

"Homework isn't limited to those occasions when it seems appropriate and important. Most teachers and administrators aren't saying, 'It may be useful to do this particular project at home,'" he writes. "Rather, the point of departure seems to be, 'We've decided ahead of time that children will have to do something every night (or several times a week). … This commitment to the idea of homework in the abstract is accepted by the overwhelming majority of schools — public and private, elementary and secondary."

Brant had to confront this when she cut homework at Gaithersburg Elementary.

"A lot of my parents have this idea that homework is part of life. This is what I had to do when I was young," she says, and so, too, will our kids. "So I had to shift their thinking." She did this slowly, first by asking her teachers last year to really think about what they were sending home. And this year, in addition to forming a parent advisory group around the issue, she also holds events to answer questions.

Still, not everyone is convinced that homework as a given is a bad thing. "Any pursuit of excellence, be it in sports, the arts, or academics, requires hard work. That our culture finds it okay for kids to spend hours a day in a sport but not equal time on academics is part of the problem," wrote one pro-homework parent on the blog for the documentary Race to Nowhere , which looks at the stress American students are under. "Homework has always been an issue for parents and children. It is now and it was 20 years ago. I think when people decide to have children that it is their responsibility to educate them," wrote another.

And part of educating them, some believe, is helping them develop skills they will eventually need in adulthood. "Homework can help students develop study skills that will be of value even after they leave school," reads a publication on the U.S. Department of Education website called Homework Tips for Parents. "It can teach them that learning takes place anywhere, not just in the classroom. … It can foster positive character traits such as independence and responsibility. Homework can teach children how to manage time."

Annie Brown, Ed.M.'01, feels this is particularly critical at less affluent schools like the ones she has worked at in Boston, Cambridge, Mass., and Los Angeles as a literacy coach.

"It feels important that my students do homework because they will ultimately be competing for college placement and jobs with students who have done homework and have developed a work ethic," she says. "Also it will get them ready for independently taking responsibility for their learning, which will need to happen for them to go to college."

The problem with this thinking, writes Vatterott, is that homework becomes a way to practice being a worker.

"Which begs the question," she writes. "Is our job as educators to produce learners or workers?"

Slate magazine editor Emily Bazelon, in a piece about homework, says this makes no sense for younger kids.

"Why should we think that practicing homework in first grade will make you better at doing it in middle school?" she writes. "Doesn't the opposite seem equally plausible: that it's counterproductive to ask children to sit down and work at night before they're developmentally ready because you'll just make them tired and cross?"

Kohn writes in the American School Board Journal that this "premature exposure" to practices like homework (and sit-and-listen lessons and tests) "are clearly a bad match for younger children and of questionable value at any age." He calls it BGUTI: Better Get Used to It. "The logic here is that we have to prepare you for the bad things that are going to be done to you later … by doing them to you now."

According to a recent University of Michigan study, daily homework for six- to eight-year-olds increased on average from about 8 minutes in 1981 to 22 minutes in 2003. A review of research by Duke University Professor Harris Cooper found that for elementary school students, "the average correlation between time spent on homework and achievement … hovered around zero."

So should homework be eliminated? Of course not, say many Ed School graduates who are teaching. Not only would students not have time for essays and long projects, but also teachers would not be able to get all students to grade level or to cover critical material, says Brett Pangburn, Ed.M.'06, a sixth-grade English teacher at Excel Academy Charter School in Boston. Still, he says, homework has to be relevant.

"Kids need to practice the skills being taught in class, especially where, like the kids I teach at Excel, they are behind and need to catch up," he says. "Our results at Excel have demonstrated that kids can catch up and view themselves as in control of their academic futures, but this requires hard work, and homework is a part of it."

Ed School Professor Howard Gardner basically agrees.

"America and Americans lurch between too little homework in many of our schools to an excess of homework in our most competitive environments — Li'l Abner vs. Tiger Mother," he says. "Neither approach makes sense. Homework should build on what happens in class, consolidating skills and helping students to answer new questions."

So how can schools come to a happy medium, a way that allows teachers to cover everything they need while not overwhelming students? Conklin says she often gives online math assignments that act as labs and students have two or three days to complete them, including some in-class time. Students at Pangburn's school have a 50-minute silent period during regular school hours where homework can be started, and where teachers pull individual or small groups of students aside for tutoring, often on that night's homework. Afterschool homework clubs can help.

Some schools and districts have adapted time limits rather than nix homework completely, with the 10-minute per grade rule being the standard — 10 minutes a night for first-graders, 30 minutes for third-graders, and so on. (This remedy, however, is often met with mixed results since not all students work at the same pace.) Other schools offer an extended day that allows teachers to cover more material in school, in turn requiring fewer take-home assignments. And for others, like Stephanie Brant's elementary school in Maryland, more reading with a few targeted project assignments has been the answer.

"The routine of reading is so much more important than the routine of homework," she says. "Let's have kids reflect. You can still have the routine and you can still have your workspace, but now it's for reading. I often say to parents, if we can put a man on the moon, we can put a man or woman on Mars and that person is now a second-grader. We don't know what skills that person will need. At the end of the day, we have to feel confident that we're giving them something they can use on Mars."

Read a January 2014 update.

Homework Policy Still Going Strong

Ed. Magazine

The magazine of the Harvard Graduate School of Education

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Weekend Dilemma: To Study or Not To Study?

It’s the end of Friday, and the weekend is fast approaching. If you have homework or an exam, you may need to use the following days to study and brush up on those notes you took and forgot.

“But Don, I can’t focus on studying when the sun is shining and my friends are out having fun riding on a banana boat at the beach.”

I know spending your precious free time on the weekend studying because you’re behind is not easy. But just like finding more fries at the bottom of your to-go bag, you’re in luck. I’m here to give you tips on staying focused this weekend and every other weekend when you need to study.

Should you study on the weekend?

But before we get into the ins and outs of studying on the weekend, is it even a good idea to take time to do school work on your days off?

As a student, many are required to spend 2-3 hours of study time for each hour in class. On average, each college student takes about 15 credits, which comes to about 15 hours of class time each week. With some simple math, students spend roughly 45hours (3hrs studying x 15 hours in class) studying; on top of that, having to spend 15 hours in the actual class, bringing the total to 60 hours a week. That’s more than a full-time job.

So, should you rest your mind and recharge on the weekend or study? The answer is simple; you need to rest and not study on the weekends if possible.

Taking time off is not just a reward to hang out with friends. It’s a requirement for your mind and body. After putting in more than 40 hours a week with school or work, your body needs a break. According to Healthline , working too much can cause stress, loss of sleep, and other health problems. The last thing you would want is study burnout right before an exam.

How to avoid studying on the weekend

There are a ton of tips and tricks for how to study all over the internet. With a quick search, you can find answers from blog posts, Youtube videos, and even threads on Reddit. But to save you the hassle of doing all the work. Here are some of the best ways to stay on track with studying so that you can spend that sweet time on the weekend doing whatever you like.

• Plan ahead: You must be organized if you’re working and attending school full time. To make your life easier, plan out a study calendar that will work with your busy schedule. This will help you understand what you need to do and your available time to finish each task.
• Be consistent: Studying every single day can help you retain information more easily . Even if you can’t study for an hour or two a day, doing small chunks of studying can help you take the load off by the end of the week. The more you study, the more likely you can avoid last-minute cramming sessions.
• Keep track of your progress: To keep track, start by recording the topics you have studied to date. This way, you’ll have an easier time knowing what you can study or should study for during the week. Write down assignments and required readings to check things off as you go. The more checkmarks you see, the better you’ll feel about how far you’ve gotten, thus motivating yourself to complete what’s left on the schedule.
• Get a study buddy: Studying with a partner can be as great as going to the gym with a spotter. By sharing your knowledge and study notes, you can cut your study time down while keeping each other accountable for staying on track. Studying with a friend can be a great source of motivation, increase your level of commitment, and hopefully reduce procrastination so you don’t have to study on the weekend.

How to study on the weekend if you need to

Sometimes, work and life can get in the way of schooling and you must study on the weekend. It’s hard but doable. Here are tips and tricks to help you focus while everyone’s out having fun.

• Turn off your phone : Studying with a distraction like having the TV on or your phone constantly buzzing is hard.  According to research by Drs. Adam Gazzaley and Larry Rosen , we tend to check our phones six to seven times a minute. So don’t make it harder by having your phone near you, especially when your friends are out and are constantly posting on social media. You’re going to want to look.
• Pick the best time with minimum distractions: If you plan to go out with your friends during the evening on Saturday, studying before that won’t be very useful since you’ll probably be interrupted by notifications and messages regarding plans for the night. The best course of action is to pick a time when friends, family, or neighbors are less likely to interrupt or need you. This way, you can fully focus without having to stop.
• Be considerate of your time: When you pick out your weekend study time , make sure it’s a time you’re happy with and willing to stick to the schedule. Don’t just try it to see how the time feels. Testing out to see how a time feels will lead to low commitment and the possibility of procrastination . Pick which day you would like to study on the weekend and nail down that time
• Remember your breaks: Studying is hard on the weekend. To keep yourself sane, take breaks regularly. Whatever the break activity may be (walks, yoga, dog snuggles), you have to take small breaks to not go crazy from being stuck inside. So reward yourself with a ten or 15-minute break every hour,.This will help you refocus when the time comes.

Prep for the weekend

The weekend is the perfect time to relax and unwind, so do what you can to study and stay on track during the week. Whether it’s for just 10 minutes a day or an hour, studying for a little bit of time without cramming is still better than nothing.

Getting small chunks of your work done will take a massive load off your shoulders for more of that precious free time on your days off. But even if you can’t, studying on the weekend is not absolutely a bad thing. It’s always better to be prepared for your exams than not prepared at all. You must finish strong!

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Why Students Shouldn’t Have Homework?

• August 15, 2023
• Learning Techniques

Picture this: it’s the end of a long school day, and all you want to do is relax, play with friends, or pursue your own interests. But wait, there it is, looming over you like a dark cloud – homework. The centuries-old practice of assigning homework has become the norm in education, but have you ever stopped to wonder why students shouldn’t have homework? Well, get ready to join the conversation because we’re about to dive into the reasons why homework may not be as beneficial as it seems.

Now, let’s face it, after spending hours at school, the last thing students need is more work waiting for them at home. Homework can feel like an overwhelming burden, preventing students from enjoying their free time and pursuing other enriching activities. But why should students be deprived of the chance to recharge and explore their passions outside the classroom walls? In this article, we’ll uncover some compelling arguments against homework and explore how it may impact students’ overall well-being.

So, grab a seat, kick back, and get ready to explore the fascinating world of homework-free evenings, where students have the freedom to explore, relax, and nurture their creative and social development. Welcome to the discussion on why students shouldn’t have homework!

Homework has long been debated among educators, parents, and students. While there are arguments in favor of homework, there are also valid reasons why students shouldn’t have homework. Research shows that excessive homework can lead to stress, burnout, and decreased academic performance. It can also limit opportunities for socializing, pursuing hobbies, and getting enough sleep. Additionally, some educators argue that homework may not always be an effective way to reinforce learning. Ultimately, finding a balance between school work and personal well-being is crucial for students.

In today’s fast-paced and demanding educational landscape, the issue of homework has become a contentious topic. While homework has traditionally been seen as a crucial part of the learning process, there is growing evidence that suggests that students should not have homework. This article delves into the arguments against homework, exploring its potential negative impacts on students’ well-being, mental health, and overall academic performance. By examining the drawbacks of homework, we can gain a deeper understanding of the importance of finding alternative approaches to promote effective learning and a healthy work-life balance for students.

The Detrimental Effects of Homework on Students

• Homework can cause stress and burnout in students.
• Without homework, students can pursue other interests and hobbies.
• Homework limits family time and can strain relationships.
• Students need time to relax and recharge after a long day at school.
• Homework can hinder creativity and independent thinking.

Frequently Asked Questions

As students, it’s no surprise that many of us have wondered about the necessity of homework. Here are some commonly asked questions that shed light on why students shouldn’t have homework.

Question 1: Do students really need homework to learn?

Answer: While practice is important for learning, excessive homework can lead to burnout. Studies have shown that alternative methods such as hands-on activities and group projects can be just as effective in helping students grasp concepts. By promoting active learning in the classroom, students are more likely to retain information and develop a genuine interest in the subject matter.

Furthermore, excessive homework can leave students with little time for extracurricular activities, hobbies, or simply relaxing. A well-rounded education includes not just academic learning, but also the development of social, emotional, and physical skills. By reducing homework, students can have a more balanced lifestyle, leading to better overall well-being.

Question 2: Does homework hinder creativity?

Answer: Unfortunately, yes. Homework often involves repetitive tasks and rigid guidelines, leaving little room for creative thinking. Students who are constantly burdened by homework may become conditioned to simply regurgitate information instead of engaging in critical thinking and problem-solving. This limits their ability to think outside the box and stifles their creativity.

Without the pressure of homework, students can explore their creative interests, pursue hobbies, and engage in activities that nourish their imagination. This freedom allows for personal growth and the development of critical skills that are essential for success in the modern world.

Question 3: Can excess homework negatively affect mental health?

Answer: Absolutely. The heavy workload and constant pressure from homework can significantly impact a student’s mental health. Excessive stress can lead to anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders. It is crucial for students to have time for relaxation and self-care, which is often compromised by demanding homework assignments.

Reducing or eliminating homework can alleviate some of these mental health issues and allow students to focus on their overall well-being. School should be a place where students can flourish academically and emotionally, and excessive homework can hinder that growth.

Question 4: Does homework hinder family time?

Answer: Often, yes. Homework assignments, especially those that are time-consuming, can eat into valuable family time. This can create a sense of detachment and strain on family relationships. Families play a vital role in a student’s growth, and quality time spent together is instrumental in building strong bonds.

By minimizing homework, students can have more opportunities to engage in meaningful conversations, participate in family activities, and enjoy the support and guidance of their parents or guardians. This not only strengthens family relationships but also contributes to the overall well-being and happiness of the student.

Question 5: Is there evidence that shows homework isn’t effective?

Answer: Yes, there is growing evidence suggesting that excessive homework is not necessarily beneficial. Many studies have found a weak correlation between the amount of homework assigned and academic performance. Factors such as teacher quality, classroom environment, and student motivation play a more significant role in determining academic success.

Moreover, well-designed classroom instruction provides the opportunity for students to practice and reinforce what they have learned, rendering excessive homework redundant. With properly structured lessons and engaging teaching methods, students can thrive academically without the need for excessive homework.

Is Homework Necessary?

So, why shouldn’t students have homework? Here’s a summary of what we’ve learned:

First, homework can be overwhelming and cause stress. It takes up valuable free time and leaves us feeling drained.

Second, it doesn’t always help us learn better. Sometimes we just rush through it to get it done, and it doesn’t stick in our minds.

Third, without homework, we could have more time for fun activities and hobbies. We could explore our interests and learn in different ways.

Also, teachers could use class time more effectively by focusing on interactive lessons and discussions.

Lastly, with less homework, we might feel less pressure and anxiety, leading to better overall mental health.

In conclusion, while homework has its benefits, there are valid reasons why students shouldn’t have too much of it. It’s important for teachers and schools to find a balance and ensure that students can enjoy their childhood while still learning and growing.

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Should More Schools Adopt a “No Homework on Weekends” Policy?

“No homework tonight!” From time to time, some teachers surprise their students with that announcement at the closing bell of class. In some schools, though, that’s becoming the norm rather than the exception—at least on specially designated weekends.

A Seasonal Gift for Some

Fall is the season to give thanks and be merry. It’s also the countdown to college admissions due dates. And it’s a great time to land a seasonal job and make some extra money at the end of the year. In states such as Maryland , several schools have designated homework-free weekend periods this fall. It allows over-stressed kids to catch up with other responsibilities—or simply take a breather. The main reason for the break, though, is that college priority and early admissions deadlines for many top colleges in the region occur in the fall.

Schools in Princeton, New Jersey, began implementing one homework-free weekend each semester in 2015, in part to give students more time to pursue interests and passions outside of school. Other New Jersey schools limit the number of minutes students should spend on homework each night. In Hinsdale, Illinois , one high school began offering seniors one homework-free weekend in October “to give harried seniors a little break to prepare for their futures . . . and make sure they have enough time to work on their college applications.” Similarly, schools across the country offer a no-homework weekend at year’s end.

Not Without Downsides

Unfortunately, homework-free weekends sometimes create an unwelcome side effect: extra-homework weekdays. Teachers are still tasked with finishing their lesson plans, and homework is often an important part of that. For students who are working on projects with pending due dates, not working on those projects for an entire weekend may not be feasible. And there’s always the risk that students who are afforded extra time to catch up on college admissions and pursue positive endeavors may simply waste the free time bestowed upon them.

Is homework helpful or harmful?

Some teachers and school districts have taken a blanket approach and banned homework entirely. The value of homework as a whole has been a topic of much debate. In one study , researchers at University of Virginia’s Curry School of Education concluded that math and science homework didn’t lead students to achieve better grades , but it did lead to better standardized test results.

A Stanford researcher concluded that excess homework increases kids’ stress and sleep deprivation. She emphasized that homework shouldn’t be assigned simply as a routine practice; it should have a concrete purpose and benefit. Homework, especially thoughtful homework, is valuable, and eliminating it entirely may be counterproductive to the goal of attending school in the first place: mastering the subject matter.

What do you think?

It’s a safe assumption that most students would strongly favor a homework-free-weekends policy. We’re curious how parents feel about the idea. How would you feel if your child’s school implemented a “no homework on the weekends” policy? Would you worry that your children might fall behind peers in other schools without a similar policy? Or do you think it would encourage your children to engage in more valuable extracurricular activities, get jobs, spend more time completing their college admissions packets, or simply catch up on much-needed sleep? We’d love to know what you think.

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Homework should be reserved for weekdays only

During the school year, weekends are the only time students can have free time to spend with their family and friends, unlike weekdays when students are piled on with loads of homework given by teachers. Students should not have homework on the weekends because it interferes with other obligations such as the time you can spend relaxing with family, resting, and studying the knowledge previously learned that week.

On a typical school night, a high school student spends around two hours, at a minimum each night on homework, according to a survey from directhit.com.  During weekdays students miss out on sleep, socializing, and crucial family time. If a person spends all their time doing homework Monday through Thursday, there should be a break on the weekend for time to catch up on things missed during the week.

During the week, children and family do not spend quality time together because of six hour school day, which is followed up by extracurricular activities and homework.  Parents too long forward to weekend, since they have jobs during the week that demands much of their own time.

Although some believe that homework creates bonding time between parents and students, since parents can aid in their child’s school work, many other parents believe that homework is stressful on kids, and when it comes to the weekend, that time should go towards strengthening the family connection, not doing homework.

Many students are involved in extracurricular activities, sports or even work hours on school nights. This causes students to get home from school late. Kids don’t usually start homework right away; they take care of other priorities first, pushing their homework further into the night.

“After I get home from volleyball, I go right into the shower and eat dinner with my family. By the time everything’s settled, I can’t usually start my hours of homework till 8:30 p.m,” said Danielle Montgomery.

Many other students are put into this situation also cutting down on crucial needed sleep during the week to do well in school the next day. By having this same routine every weekday, when the weekend finally arrives, a student is run down on energy and missing out on a lot of sleep. Knowing that they are free of homework on

those days brings a huge relief and allows them to finally rest and regain energy.

Being assigned loads of homework during a time that you could rest, does not allow you to do so.

Some people may say that with better time management, the student can get his or her homework done in the time needed to still allow a decent night’s sleep. If extra time is needed on an assignment, they can squeeze it in at lunch or even in another class that allows some free time.  When kids try to figure out how to get everything done, but fail, they get discouraged and their work ethic is affected. They have no choice but to stay up late into the evening making sure everything is done for the next day.

Another important argument is that students have other obligations such as church, Sunday school, or sporting events that if they have homework on the weekends, it would prevent them from attending any of them.

Some say this is a lesson that has to be learned, and gives good practice for

Future events, since an adult may be called into work, or have to finish something for a job on the weekends even though he or she has off. Having homework on the weekends as a teen helps you learn responsibility of when to choose work over other plans in the real world. Although it would be good practice for a kid, now isn’t the time to learn because they should enjoy their childhood while they still have it.

The School Newspaper of Cherry Hill High School East

Comments (37)

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sophia • Feb 15, 2024 at 1:22 pm

this article is aesthetic lol

byrw • Jan 11, 2024 at 2:52 pm

i hope all of yall have a good easter

Random • Jan 3, 2024 at 6:14 pm

I needed this for a school project. Thank you so much for this information!

Hayden • May 31, 2023 at 12:17 pm

jo troto • May 10, 2023 at 3:49 pm

I think homework should not be on weekends because it is boring.

Emilee • Apr 17, 2023 at 4:35 pm

Thankyou for this and the funny thing is that i am ussing this for an argumentative essay that i sm working on on the weekend

Anonymous • Oct 4, 2022 at 12:01 pm

Thank you so much! This information helped me with a project we are doing at school. – Anonymous

Anonymous • Apr 5, 2022 at 1:01 pm

Thank you so much! This information helped me with a project we are doing at school. – Anonymous

STIFFY SPIDER-MAN • Mar 22, 2022 at 2:14 pm

Homework on the weekends is just not right bros

Bryant Holmes • Feb 7, 2022 at 12:45 pm

This is an amazing place to get information for the presentation I’m organizing, and all of your claims seem to be supported by a fair amount of good evidence and surveys. One of the main troubles I have with weekend homework is that by the time I’ve gotten home and taken a shower, I can barely even stand up, causing me to have to push back my homework back. I then take the Saturday to relax and rest for the next week of school, which the weekend is meant for, pushing the work back even further to Sunday. Thank you for helping me organize my presentation!

Alan • Jan 9, 2022 at 9:15 am

Great story! I could inspire from this book. I remember the first time when I wrote my essay, writers from https://pro-papers.com/do-my-homework-for-me told me that I could become a writer. To continue the work I had begun, such a book was not enough for me.

zaeem • Jan 6, 2022 at 3:04 pm

this is all good . I think your facts are true and trusted

foop • Dec 9, 2021 at 9:49 am

Bro thanks i needed this for a class

ewwdk • Oct 23, 2021 at 9:19 pm

lol I do 4 hours of homework every single day including weekends. I also have club meetings every week so by the time I am done with everything its already 2:00AM. My teachers are just slacking off and they teach us nothing in class. All they do is assign loads of homework expecting us to have our ten assignments turned in by Monday.

Adam Ball • Jul 26, 2021 at 11:24 am

Students should do homework Monday through Thursday not Monday through Friday. Homework didn’t belong in My Friday Routine. So my parents pulled me Out of Griffin in November 2004. Monday Through Friday Homework is too Stressful. It’s more Homework than anyone can Handle.

Vincezo Licavoli • May 26, 2021 at 4:38 pm

Parents cannot make their children do the homework. To my mind, children do not have to do homework not only while virtual school but always. Because they have to be tought at school, but not in home by their parents. Parents do not have to help their children with homework, it must be done by teachers at school. Homework brings only stress and tears. I also suffered from doing my child’s homework. But now i hve already solved this problem, and want to share the solution to other parents. Do not waste your freetime, just chooe some writing service and order your homework. They will do everything in the highest quality. You can try this out https://www.topwritersreview.com/reviews/pro-essay-writer/ . If you visit this website you will find a list of such services and reviews to them. Choose what you like.

Eliott • May 22, 2021 at 4:15 pm

my spanish teacher didn’t warn us that we had any work for the weekend, on Monday she asked if we submitted our ten assignments, thenn proceeded to give us 7 for the week, it all took me 32 hours to catch up, i also got behind on my other classes

paul ryan • May 20, 2021 at 6:26 pm

yeah I’m a middle school student with quite a bad track record of missing assignments, and I’ll admit that is due to laziness and procrastination. and when I have to work on them during the weekend and there’s also regular homework too, it’s just exponential stress.

(not showing my name) • May 2, 2021 at 11:30 am

Weekends are meant for relaxation. If teachers will give us homework on the weekends, why not just send us into school on Saturdays and Sundays? Those two options are on the same level in my opinion, since weekend homework typically takes MUCH longer than traditional weekday homework.

Yusuf • Apr 23, 2021 at 9:59 am

I agree with all of you. Having school on the weekends is annoying and stressful. I can’t watch a movie on Sundays without stressing on the fact that I have homework to do. I’m always staying up till 12 am to finish up. I want to relax on the weekends rather than stress and have anxiety. Yes, I get anxiety because of homework. I wish we could only be assigned homework on the weekdays but not Friday, since that’s basically the start of the weekend. Sometimes i’m so tired and there is so much work to do I just don’t even do it. I let it be a missing assignment for a couple of days while i’m finishing it up on the weekdays. But normally that wouldn’t even be an option to finish and get an extra day because the teachers have it marked missing. The only class where I didn’t get any homework was Spanish class, which didn’t give me stress because of my nice teacher.

mm • Apr 5, 2021 at 8:24 pm

Homework should not be on the weekend because that can lead you to be behind in class as a middle schooler it can affect metal qulitys and it does not help that there is homework on the weekend it does NOT make you smarter it just stresses people out and makes you get behind in class.

Lol no • Mar 21, 2021 at 8:28 pm

Wasn’t the whole point of weekends to not have a bunch of stuff to do? Why they gotta give so much homework I’m ok with school but I CAN’T DEAL WITH HOMEWORK ON THE WEEKENDS.

(who cares abt my name) • Feb 21, 2021 at 8:03 pm

Im doing homework non-stop all day every day even on weekends and I feel like it’s gonna go on forever they give me way too much homework at least 3-4 assignments every day and I have past due assignments also to do and its so insanely stressful and I can’t even do anything and I could barely play with my puppy and I never get a day off or free time like youtube or video games or something. And it takes me so long to do the assignments bc its really long and its super hard. Im in 7th grade.

( not gonna say my name ) • Feb 11, 2021 at 11:11 am

I dont think that after 5 days of working I should have more work on the day I’m suppose to be relaxing.

Beren • Jan 8, 2021 at 1:08 pm

I always do my homeworks

Amber Keller • Apr 16, 2020 at 9:20 pm

I think homework should be reserved on weekdays only because after a full 5 day school week you would like to have some free time and go to a friend’s house.

Can’tSayMyName • Apr 4, 2020 at 2:54 pm

I agree, it’s especially stressful when you not only have homework to make up from being sick, and you have to study for old and new tests.

Hazel • Mar 3, 2020 at 9:46 pm

I agree that homework should not be given on weekends. I often want to relax on the weekend and don’t want to do school work on my time off. Teachers need to realize that high schoolers have a social life and need a break from school on the weekends. Or we can have just a four day week at school 🙂

sandy • Feb 12, 2020 at 11:41 am

i wake up at six in the morning and drag my self out of bed just to go to school, then i come back and at least do one hour of homework, then i do housework, and then sleep and do all of that for the rest of the week. And especially on the weekends doing that will just take all the fun out of it.

Maddox • Feb 5, 2020 at 12:37 pm

Homework is so stressful i play sports and when i come home I have to do algebra homework for 2 hours. If i went on a family trip i could actually be able to catch up if there wasn’t extra homework from school.

matt • Jan 31, 2020 at 9:33 am

I agree with all of you. Hw on the weekends kills me bc I can’t go on any family trips.

devan • Jan 21, 2020 at 4:06 pm

i am a student and i think the idea of home work on the weekend is dumb its like never ending school and it gives to much worry about ” how will i finish all this”

Yung Anthony • Oct 22, 2019 at 5:47 am

I’m stressed bro.

Alexa Danley • Oct 14, 2019 at 11:34 pm

This particular weekend was a four day weekend, and I just finished everything up. It’s 1am. I have been working on it for the past 3 days for about 5 hours each day. I had soccer on Saturday and Monday, and church on Sunday.

Hamzah Shaif • Sep 1, 2019 at 10:05 pm

My son has been given of 24 pages of homework this 3 day weekend. He has put 24 hours so far into his homework, but he estimates tha tomorrow he will have 6 hours more at least of homwork. He has not been able to go on family trips, much less leave his room. The Ironic part is that it is Labor Day,

Matthias Scunter • Sep 25, 2018 at 10:44 am

Me: I have homework. Dad: idc come here boi Me: no!

bob davis • Nov 2, 2011 at 10:08 am

i think that there should be no hw on weekends because i am a student and it is very stressful to come home and have to do more school work. it is never ending school.

College Reality Check

Should Students Have Homework? 8 Reasons Pro and 8 Against

According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), students in the US spend an average of 6.64 hours in school per day.

It doesn’t necessarily mean, however, that they can spend the rest of the day — excluding sleep hours — as they please. Doing homework, for one, should be squeezed into a student’s schedule to get good grades.

Homework instills many skills students can benefit from throughout their academic and professional careers, too. They include self-discipline, time management, organizing and communication skills. However, it can also leave students stressed, not to mention that some studies suggest homework does not make them smarter.

Got some homework and torn between doing it ASAP or saving it for later? Read on.

While there are many good reasons why students should have homework, all of which can be helpful in the pursuit of a grade school or high school diploma or an undergraduate degree, there are also some downsides that are hard to overlook.

8 Reasons Why Students Should Have Homework

Let’s kick things off by enumerating some of the perks that homework brings to a student’s life. Many of them can be beneficial for them not only during the time being but also in their future academic and professional endeavors.

Students Forget 95% of Things They Learn in School

Students tend to forget up to 95% of the things they learn in the classroom after 3 days.

Of course, some may forget less and some may forget more in a shorter or longer period of time. But the main takeaway is that the way information is retained can look different from one student to the other.

This is when homework can help students keep the lessons intact, reviewing allows students to remember and retain particulars in the long term.

So, in other words, doing homework facilitates the transfer of lessons learned from their short-term to their long-term memory.

By giving students homework to take care of, say, over the weekend, all the information obtained in the classroom in the past week can be reinforced, thus allowing them to benefit from them going forward.

Homework instills self-discipline

Since homework is done without any teacher in sight, it encourages students to take responsibility for their own learning.

To put it another way, it gives students the opportunity to learn how to be disciplined .

Discipline is essential to helping students obtain their academic goals. It adds that being disciplined does so effectively as a result of the following:

• Fostering of positive academic performance
• Encouraging to stay focused on goals
• Minimizing problems brought about by peer pressure

Other than bad grades, lack of discipline that homework helps fight off can cause many other problems, too.

For one, the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) says that indiscipline can result in disobeying school rules and being late to class .

The organization adds that it can also promote all kinds of anti-social behaviors and vices, all of which, if allowed to continue, may manifest later in life.

Homework hones time management

A tell-tale sign of poor time management is procrastination, and many students are no strangers to it.

As a matter of fact, the counseling office at the University at Buffalo (SUNY Buffalo) says that around 25% of students end up being chronic procrastinators .

Having excellent time-management skills can prove to be extremely beneficial to students whose everyday schedules are hectic. It lets them stay organized, well-prepared and on schedule by enabling them to use their time wisely.

In the process, students also develop self-confidence and self-reliability, both of which can help them excel in and out of academia.

But, like many other vital skills, managing time well is something that requires students to learn and practice, too, and doing their homework dutifully each and every time helps ensure that they are on the right path.

Studying for 3 to 4 hours Gets the Work Done

Scientists say that, as reported by Think Impact, students should study 3 to 4 hours daily to get the best results.

But it’s possible to cut down on the number of hours students spend studying outside of the classroom by developing good study habits. So, in other words, if they want to study less, they should study more for the time being!

Doing homework is an effective way for students to develop much-needed study skills. This makes it possible for the brain to be able to process and retain information so much better.

The brain may be made of soft tissue called the gray matter and white matter alright. However, it’s like a muscle that needs to be exercised on a regular basis for strength and efficiency.

Good study habits can help students in more ways than one.

Besides their grades, it can also increase their self-confidence and self-esteem. Additionally, it can lower stress and anxiety related to examinations and deadlines.

And since it can promote more effective studying, students need not spend a lot of time trying to remember everything that needs to be remembered, thus giving them plenty of time to do other things.

More Homework Limits Screen Time

According to a report by Medline Plus, most American children spend around 3 hours a day in front of the TV.

But because there are things such as smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles and computers, added together, the online health information resource, which is a service of the National Library of Medicine (NLM), says that all screen time types daily can total 5 to 7 hours.

But here’s the deal: young ones aged 2 and above should have screen time of only between 1 to 2 hours a day of high-quality programming, says the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Too much screen time in kids may lead to the following problems:

• Difficulty sleeping at night
• Increased risk of anxiety, depression and attention issues
• Increased risk of obesity (due to lack of physical activity and unhealthy food choices resulting from ads)

It’s a good thing that there are many ways to reduce screen time in school-age kids, such as encouraging unplugged and unstructured playtime as well as urging them to do their homework instead.

Homework fosters communication

In some instances, homework has to be done in groups.

This helps students hone good communication skills as they discuss and share their views with their co-members on the various elements of the task at hand.

In the process, they also get to know some of their classmates better and even establish friendships with them in case they haven’t already in school.

On the other hand, homework that needs to be done separately by students gives the child and the parent the opportunity to communicate with one another and strengthen their bond.

Experts say that parents helping with homework brings the following benefits:

• Cultivates positive learning behavior
• Reinforces knowledge learned in the classroom
• Gives kids the sense of just how important education is

Homework helps parents see what their kids are learning

Sending a child to a public school may be cheaper than sending him or her to a private school. But it doesn’t mean that parents have no more various education-related expenses to shoulder.

Due to the fact that money is involved, it’s important that kids are getting the best education possible.

Thanks to homework, parents can have an idea of what sort of things their youngsters are learning in school.

It also allows them to have a sense of their children’s learning style or progress and inform the teachers or school administration of any problem encountered that could have an impact on their academic achievement or development.

Homework helps teachers improve their craft

Believe it or not, it’s not just the students who can benefit from having homework and doing them diligently, too. In many instances, teachers who assign homework themselves can also gain something positive from it.

For one, homework allows them to determine whether or not their students understand the lessons well.

Depending on their observations, it also enables them to come up with alternative teaching approaches to help students become better learners, which requires them to become better teachers — much of teaching is learning on the job.

Besides, teaching methods are constantly changing, and teachers need to keep up every single time.

8 Reasons Why Students Should Have No Homework

And now, let’s enumerate some of the things that make students better off without any homework to complete after school hours or over the weekend, many of which can prove to be beneficial for their academic performance and overall well-being.

Homework causes additional stress

Based on a stress statistics report by Finances Online, 75% of high school students and 50% of middle school students report that schoolwork makes them often or always feeling stressed .

It goes without saying, then, that bringing some schoolwork to their homes for them to complete can make matters worse for them.

Especially if the goal is for the student to earn a diploma, too much stress is a no-no because it can cause:

• Demotivation to study
• Reduced overall academic achievement
• Increased dropout rate

It’s no secret, too, that a lot of stress can affect the mental health of a person, student or otherwise.

Homework promotes a sedentary lifestyle

While we were talking about the reasons why students should have homework, it was mentioned that doing schoolwork at home lessens screen time, which can lower the risk of obesity.

But on the flip side, homework can be a reason for students to pack on excess pounds.

Instead of spending time in the playground with their friends, students sit at their desks at home for hours until such time that they have completed their homework.

Clearly, homework promotes a sedentary lifestyle , which, according to a warning issued by WHO, can double the risk of obesity as well as many other serious health concerns such as diabetes and heart disease.

Homework takes away quality time

Most of the waking hours of students are spent with their classmates and teachers. But they also have a relationship with family members and friends outside of the campus they need to build and foster.

Rather than spend their time away from the books with people they care about and who care about them, students have no choice but to devote their remaining energy to school-related matters because of homework.

It can also keep them from partaking in extracurricular and/or everyday activities they are interested in or are passionate about.

Homework has no favorable impact on grades

It can be easy to assume that the more homework assigned, the brighter students get.

However, data obtained by Trends in Math and Science Study (TIMSS) says not so fast — there’s no proof that homework can be associated with increased academic achievement .

Going by the said information, needless to say, some of the perks that come with doing homework, including better study habits and knowledge consolidation, are complete baloney.

Doing homework also does not guarantee improvement in a student’s knowledge and academic performance.

Access to the internet, for instance, allows them to find answers without much effort with the help of Google or send their smart classmates (who probably have already completed their homework) emails or DMs, which fosters cheating.

Homework takes no account of various types of learners

The name itself pretty much explains what homework is: schoolwork students need to do at home. Needless to say, without any teacher in sight, students have to complete their homework on their own accord and at their own pace.

According to a report by Digital Promise, whose mission is to shape the future of learning as well as to advance equitable education systems by collating solutions across research, practice and technology, not every student is capable of working at his or her own pace.

It adds that, for some children, self-paced learning means no-pace learning.

So, in other words, not all students are very good with homework , depending on their learning style or preference.

Homework does not go well with all types of homes

Earlier, it was mentioned that one of the reasons why students should have homework is that it helps in building good study habits, which is a critical component of attaining academic success.

And the #1 tip for developing good study habits?

Find a good place to study.

Unfortunately, not all students have homes that are conducive to homework completion. Someone who is from a big family that lives in a small home where space is constrained, undeniably, will have a hard time finding a nice quiet spot in which to do his homework.

The same conundrum will surely be faced by a student who lives in a very busy and noisy neighborhood.

Also mentioned above is the fact that homework gives the child and parent the opportunity to bond over the assignment. Clearly, this perk excludes students whose parents are juggling multiple jobs or are from broken homes.

Homework may cause conflict with parents

Speaking of which, not all parents are good at guiding their little ones in doing their homework.

As a matter of fact, according to many child psychologists, the relationship between a parent and child can create a learning environment at home that can pose a lot of challenges.

Parents, for instance, may contrast their kids’ accomplishments and failures against their own. Children, on the other hand, may see criticisms from their parents as personal attacks.

Because the parent-child dynamic can vary from one home to the other, it’s not all the time that homework can have a positive impact on the student’s grades and relationship with the parentals.

Homework makes teachers even busier

Last but not least, it’s not just students who end up with even more hectic everyday schedules by being given homework to work on but also those who assign the homework themselves — teachers!

Based on a global report that was featured by Australia-based The Educator Magazine , teachers are overworked and underworked professionals.

And that is why allowing their students to leave the school grounds without any homework to worry about later, which they will have to check during the following class meeting, can be immensely favorable for teachers.

Recap: Should Students Have Homework or Not

Assigning students with homework comes from a good place — teachers allocate them daily or weekly to reinforce knowledge learned in the classroom and instill good study skills, not to torture them.

For many students who have to go to school 160 to 180 times each year, however, homework that they need to take care of at the end of the day or over the weekend can be easily mistaken for punishment because, more often than not, it feels like one.

As a result, it’s not unlikely for many to overlook the positives of having homework and see only the negatives.

Indeed, as discussed above, homework comes with both pros and cons.

Here’s a great suggestion to allow students to continue to enjoy the benefits homework brings while minimizing the associated negatives: the Center for American Progress (CAP) recommends the 10-minute rule, which, simply put, means that students should be able to finish their homework in no more than 10 minutes multiplied by their grade level.

I graduated with BA in Nursing and $36,000 in student loan debt from the UCF. After a decade in the workforce, I went back to school to obtain my MBA from UMGC.

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Chronic absenteeism is schools' 'biggest problem.' Five reasons kids are missing school.

Cur’ra McCoy is one of millions of students who missed weeks of school over the past few years. Instead, the Baltimore teen often slept in or played on her phone. She did a whole lot of nothing, for the most part. McCoy blames her absences on boredom, which led to her not doing well in some classes. That made her dislike school even more . 

“When I don’t do nothing, I don’t feel like doing nothing at all,” the 18-year-old said. “So I stopped trying.”

Chronic absenteeism – when students miss at least 10% of the school year – has become an epidemic in America’s schools. Though educators and advocates hoped attendance would improve after the instability of the pandemic, in many cases it has become more pervasive and intractable. From 2018 to 2023, the rate of chronic absenteeism nearly doubled, from 15% to 26% . 

The problem, which has contributed to lower performance even among students who aren’t chronically absent, became one of the most pressing challenges this past school year. The American Enterprise Institute, a right-leaning think tank, has described it as “the biggest problem facing schools right now.” And it’s not just low-income kids who are missing class time: Students across the socioeconomic spectrum are skipping school at record-high rates. 

Why has the problem become so grave? The causes are usually complex and multidimensional. Here are five key explanations: 

COVID made school attendance hard. Why aren’t kids (or teachers) returning to class?

Kids are bored and disconnected.

McCoy, the Baltimore teen, loved math when she was little. She appreciated its simplicity, the fact that it’s a universal language. 

But as she got older, she says, she started “slacking.” The instruction became boring, zapping her energy and will to put in effort. In eighth grade, she decided math was no longer for her. By the time she got to high school, she began failing some of her classes. 

“We barely had any activities,” said McCoy, who added she learns best when she gets one-on-one support. “When I started getting worse at math, I just stopped coming.”

A nationally representative poll published in April found that nearly 2 in 3 teens say school is boring . Just 2 in 5 of the roughly 1,000 respondents said they liked going to school, and almost a third said going is a waste of time. Such disengagement leads to absences. And sometimes, schools’ strategies for handling absenteeism – like fines for truancy – exacerbate rather than solve the problem.

In her junior year, McCoy started getting tutored and mentored through a company called Concentric Educational Solutions, whose staff also occasionally visited her home to check in with her. Her attendance began to improve, as did her grades. She appreciated the personalized attention she got from her tutors, especially a mentor named Raiana Davis. Davis would check in on days she had slept in, McCoy explained. “It just made my energy change.”

McCoy graduated early this month, and she wants to become an engineer. She plans to enroll in college or pursue her career through the Navy. 

They’re struggling with mental health.

Many children decide not to attend school because of poor mental health. These challenges, especially among adolescents, have worsened in recent years: More than 4 in 10 teens reported in 2021 that they felt persistently sad or hopeless . One analysis in Los Angeles found anxiety and depression were the top health-related reasons kids missed class.

School avoidance – when children refuse to attend or struggle being in school for the entire day – is a growing problem . USA TODAY has reported on this type of refusal becoming pronounced since the COVID-19 pandemic. 

One student, Anna, described the heart palpitations and body shakes she felt in the mornings as she approached her high school campus. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to go to school, she told USA TODAY, but that she couldn’t.

“It’s scary because it’s not voluntary at all,” said Anna, who asked to be identified only by her first name because of stigmas faced by people with mental illness. “It’s just kind of happening to you.”

Refusing to attend: School avoidance is becoming a mental health crisis.

They’re being bullied.

Bullying, which is pervasive in many schools, prompts kids to avoid school, too. Just a third of teens in the April EdChoice poll said they felt their school was adequately addressing bullying. Separate research reveals students who are bullied are more likely to miss class. 

In a recent segment , NPR’s "Morning Edition" featured a sophomore in Colorado named Neomi who has been chronically absent. Asked what was behind the absences, Neomi cried as her mother explained she had been bullied and taunted after a breakup. Her peers laughed and talked behind her back. "I don't have friends,” the sophomore said. “I don't have any people."

When students have limited connections with adults, their odds of missing school are greater. Surveys have found that fewer than a quarter of teens and preteens say many or all of their teachers try to understand what their lives are like outside school.

They’re confused about the rules.

During the pandemic, families were instructed to keep kids out of school at any sign of illness. The rules evolved as society gained a better understanding of COVID-19. The ever-shifting protocols fueled confusion over what to do when a child has the sniffles or complains about a headache. 

Hedy Chang, founder and executive director of Attendance Works, says such puzzlement has persisted among parents. “We were pretty dramatic about quarantining and staying home, and I still think there’s a lot of confusion,” she said. “At the same time, we said to people: ‘If you’re worried about being ill, shift to online learning. … That’s just as good as learning in person.’”

Those messages have had “lasting effects,” according to Chang, and many schools no longer have a virtual option for sick days. 

USA TODAY regularly visited a pair of elementary schools in Virginia last year to understand, among other questions, why chronic absenteeism has persisted. One school distributed thermometers so parents could check if children who said they weren’t feeling well were truly too sick to attend class. It also hosted educational coffee hours and published a checklist on its homepage to help families determine what to do when a child appears symptomatic.

The other school discovered higher absenteeism rates on Mondays – a day many students’ parents had off work. Perhaps parents were keeping their children home that day because it was the only time they could spend together, school officials concluded. That finding hinted at another ripple effect of the pandemic: the perception among some families that school is optional. 

During quarantines and closures, kids learned through their computers at home. Daily in-person attendance has felt less crucial to certain parents ever since. That attitude plays out in different ways for different families. A single mom who needs her high schooler to care for her 2-year-old while she is at work might request the teen skip school. An affluent family that wants to go on a two-week vacation might choose to do so during school days to avoid the crowds. 

“Whatever your chronic absenteeism level was pre-pandemic, it tended to double,” said Chang, alluding to the problem’s impact across income levels.

As absences have worsened across the board, they’ve also exacerbated disparities, according to Chang. High-income families are more likely than lower-income ones to be able to afford resources – such as summer test prep and tutoring – to make up for lost time. 

They’re navigating family, safety or transportation challenges.

Some kids aren’t showing up for school because of family hardships or fears about campus safety. Housing insecurity and poverty continue to disrupt low-income students’ routines .

Many schools have made it more difficult to enter buildings over fears of active shooters and other dangers, Chang said. These well-intended policies have, in some cases, created divisions between families and educators. 

Logistical problems are another obstacle. USA TODAY shadowed during some home visits with Concentric in Baltimore this spring. The company’s staff stops by the residences of families whose children have been flagged by their schools as chronically absent. At one home, a mom named Lynetric Brightful was parking just as the Concentric van pulled up. Her son hadn’t been showing up for school, and Aaris Johnson, the Concentric engagement specialist and driver, asked her, “What resources can we help you get?”

Brightful explained that she works two jobs and has to leave the house early – before her son wakes up. It’s difficult to ensure he attends class by the 7:45 a.m. start time, especially since he has to take a couple of city buses to get there, trekking through dangerous neighborhoods often before sunrise. Her husband recently died, and she has no one else to rely on for help. She had lost another job because she was staying home in the morning to drive her child to school. 

School transportation options are limited in Baltimore, a problem that has hit more and more districts across the country. Nationally, school bus ridership is in decline , in part because of staff shortages, service changes and delays.

Brightful began to cry when Johnson told her his organization would try to provide support. She had been desperate for a solution, and it seemed as if no one was willing to help. Without better transportation, she feared her son would continue to miss school.

"I have to do what I have to do to live,” she said. “I'm trying my best.”

The Tiger's Tale

Homework should not be given on the weekend.

Homework’s effectiveness is in question, and stress is a real problem. Therefore, homework should not be given on the weekend.

Jessie Cao , Photo Editor | December 1, 2016

Imagine coming out of school and expecting to make plans for the weekend once you get home. When you walk through your front door, you are distraught and remember about your homework that is due on Monday.  Due to the amount of homework, you are homebound and the days where you were supposed to be relaxed are ruined.

Weekends are supposed to be the days that students, and everyone else, get to recharge.  Homework defeats the purposes of weekends.  When students are assigned homework over the weekends, this makes them feel like they have no break.  Students become stressed out on the days they are supposed to relax when they have to worry about homework.

To prevent this from happening, students should not receive assignments on the weekends.  This can happen by teachers planning their lessons out each week, so the content does not spill into the weekend.  While that may mean more time for homework on each weekday, students will enter the weekend with less to worry about.

According to Open College’s Website, The U.S. National Education Association recommends no more than ten minutes per grade level, per night.  Sometimes, homework has even been legislated.  In, fact California banned homework for students under the age of 15 in 1901!  Even older students were limited to 20 recitations a week.  

Homework does not improve student knowledge, according to Open Colleges.  Duke University found 60 studies that assigning homework was good, but too much homework was not.  Harris Cooper is a leading homework research that suggests homework needs to be “uncomplicated and short, involve families, and engage student interests.”

Stanford News even reported that homework creates stress.  In fact 56% of student stress is caused by homework.  33% is caused by the worry of receiving good grades on homework.  Less than one percent of students say that homework doesn’t stress them.  Studies show that this affects families as well. This puts stress on families because of the ability to not help the child with the homework.  

“The data shows that homework over this level is not only not beneficial to children’s grades or GPA, but there’s really a plethora of evidence that it’s detrimental to their attitude about school, their grades, their self-confidence, their social skills, and their quality of life,” said Stephanie Donaldson-Pressman to CNN.  She is an expert in family health dynamics.

Although homework does not necessarily benefit students, teachers may think otherwise.  For their perspective, homework can enhance the lesson taught to make sure the students remember the content.  Homework on the weekends, in a teacher’s perspective, is seen as improving students knowledge.  Even if that were true, the stress homework inflicts still has a negative impact.  Therefore, let the weekends be homework-free.

Moving forward, it would be best for students to not have homework on the weekends.  The weekends should be the weekends, not a continuation of the week.  

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Education scholar Denise Pope has found that too much homework has negative effects on student well-being and behavioral engagement. (Image credit: L.A. Cicero)

A Stanford researcher found that too much homework can negatively affect kids, especially their lives away from school, where family, friends and activities matter.

“Our findings on the effects of homework challenge the traditional assumption that homework is inherently good,” wrote Denise Pope , a senior lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Education and a co-author of a study published in the Journal of Experimental Education .

The researchers used survey data to examine perceptions about homework, student well-being and behavioral engagement in a sample of 4,317 students from 10 high-performing high schools in upper-middle-class California communities. Along with the survey data, Pope and her colleagues used open-ended answers to explore the students’ views on homework.

Median household income exceeded $90,000 in these communities, and 93 percent of the students went on to college, either two-year or four-year.

Students in these schools average about 3.1 hours of homework each night.

“The findings address how current homework practices in privileged, high-performing schools sustain students’ advantage in competitive climates yet hinder learning, full engagement and well-being,” Pope wrote.

Pope and her colleagues found that too much homework can diminish its effectiveness and even be counterproductive. They cite prior research indicating that homework benefits plateau at about two hours per night, and that 90 minutes to two and a half hours is optimal for high school.

Their study found that too much homework is associated with:

* Greater stress: 56 percent of the students considered homework a primary source of stress, according to the survey data. Forty-three percent viewed tests as a primary stressor, while 33 percent put the pressure to get good grades in that category. Less than 1 percent of the students said homework was not a stressor.

* Reductions in health: In their open-ended answers, many students said their homework load led to sleep deprivation and other health problems. The researchers asked students whether they experienced health issues such as headaches, exhaustion, sleep deprivation, weight loss and stomach problems.

* Less time for friends, family and extracurricular pursuits: Both the survey data and student responses indicate that spending too much time on homework meant that students were “not meeting their developmental needs or cultivating other critical life skills,” according to the researchers. Students were more likely to drop activities, not see friends or family, and not pursue hobbies they enjoy.

A balancing act

The results offer empirical evidence that many students struggle to find balance between homework, extracurricular activities and social time, the researchers said. Many students felt forced or obligated to choose homework over developing other talents or skills.

Also, there was no relationship between the time spent on homework and how much the student enjoyed it. The research quoted students as saying they often do homework they see as “pointless” or “mindless” in order to keep their grades up.

“This kind of busy work, by its very nature, discourages learning and instead promotes doing homework simply to get points,” Pope said.

She said the research calls into question the value of assigning large amounts of homework in high-performing schools. Homework should not be simply assigned as a routine practice, she said.

“Rather, any homework assigned should have a purpose and benefit, and it should be designed to cultivate learning and development,” wrote Pope.

High-performing paradox

In places where students attend high-performing schools, too much homework can reduce their time to foster skills in the area of personal responsibility, the researchers concluded. “Young people are spending more time alone,” they wrote, “which means less time for family and fewer opportunities to engage in their communities.”

Student perspectives

The researchers say that while their open-ended or “self-reporting” methodology to gauge student concerns about homework may have limitations – some might regard it as an opportunity for “typical adolescent complaining” – it was important to learn firsthand what the students believe.

The paper was co-authored by Mollie Galloway from Lewis and Clark College and Jerusha Conner from Villanova University.

Media Contacts

Denise Pope, Stanford Graduate School of Education: (650) 725-7412, [email protected] Clifton B. Parker, Stanford News Service: (650) 725-0224, [email protected]

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With 'chronic absenteeism' soaring in schools, most parents aren’t sure what it is

Sequoia Carrillo

Some states are seeing chronic absenteeism soar to more than 40% of students

Students continue to miss large amounts of school, but parents aren't concerned. Yunyi Dai for NPR hide caption

As the school year comes to a close, one problem is plaguing educators across the country: chronic absenteeism. In 2023, roughly 1 student out of 4 was chronically absent across the school year. The problem is aligned with historic drops in reading and math scores nationwide.

School districts have launched campaigns with text messages and home visits in efforts to get students back in class. Educators have long been aware that missing 15, 20 days a year or more creates serious learning setbacks and puts students at a greater risk of dropping out.

But parents – according to a new NPR/Ipsos poll – don’t yet see the urgency.

Only about a third of parents, our poll found, are able to properly define chronic absenteeism. Can you?

Experts aren’t surprised: “In general, the public doesn't understand what it is and why it matters,” says Cecelia Leong, a vice president at Attendance Works, an advocacy group that seeks to reduce chronic absenteeism. “Parents aren't used to hearing about it.”

The issue really rose to the forefront during the pandemic, and since 2020 the number of chronically absent students has ballooned: “We went from 8 million students to over 14.6 million chronically absent,” Leong says.

She notes that absenteeism can creep up on parents: A student only has to miss two days of school a month to end up chronically absent, so parents often don’t see it happening.

Parents are slow to grasp the urgency

Even when parents see absenteeism as a problem, they don’t always see it as their problem: According to the NPR/Ipsos poll, only 6% of parents surveyed identified their child as chronically absent – but the numbers nationwide show a disconnect.

“Prior to the pandemic … about 15% of students would meet the definition of chronic absenteeism. And that rate grew to nearly 30% in the 21/22 school year,” says Thomas Dee, an education professor at Stanford University.

“One very prominent explanation here that meets the evidence,” Dee says, “is that during the pandemic many children and parents simply began to see less value in regular school attendance.”

Scholars call it “norm erosion": It essentially means students and parents fell out of the habit of school.

How sick is too sick for school?

Maritza Hernandez lives in Phoenix with her three children. Two are still in school – one is 7 and the other is 18. Her youngest struggles with bad allergies during parts of the year and, before the pandemic, that didn’t necessarily mean a sick day from school: “He could still go to school again with some Tylenol,” she recalls. “He's good.”

But, after the pandemic, Hernandez adds, “I can't send him to school because you might get somebody else sick. I don't know if this is just allergies, or it might be worse.”

She's a single mom, and says that, with all the challenges of getting her children fed and off to school, and herself to work, there are many days when her kids are late. "I'm guilty, she says. "I'm one of those parents."

Sometimes, she adds, when they're too late, her kids are marked "absent."

Hernandez calls the school or takes the time to go check them in at the office. But she says she’s normally waiting in a long line of parents to get a late pass – often making the kids even more tardy.

Nicole Wyglendowski says she gets it. She’s an elementary school teacher in Philadelphia.

“What I'm not going to do here today is parent-blame,” she says. “They have a lot of other issues that they're facing.”

She thinks keeping kids home when they’re sick is the right thing, and it’s not anyone’s fault. Her students “are missing school because we live in an area with bad air quality, right? So their asthma acts up and they're not sure if it's their asthma or if it's their allergies or if it's Covid.”

She says that many factors: housing insecurity, transportation issues, having little siblings who need to stay home and receive care, can result in more students staying home.

The poll asked parents about all kinds of issues facing K-12 education. Only 5% of parents and the general population saw it as a top worry. Their highest priority? Preparing students for the future.

Mallory Newall, a vice president at Ipsos, sees potential there: “To prepare students adequately for the future, they need to be in the classroom. I think that could be a really effective and important linkage for parents that maybe parents in the public just aren't making quite yet.”

Experts say outreach and identifying the reasons keeping students out of the classroom is the best chance districts have of getting their students back.

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David Wallace-Wells

Why children are missing more school now.

By David Wallace-Wells

Opinion Writer

The raw data looks inarguably bad: The share of American children missing at least 10 percent of school days nearly doubled over the course of the pandemic, leaving perhaps more than six million more students “chronically absent” than had been in the 2018-19 school year.

And this spring, as we trudged into our fifth year with Covid, the absenteeism crisis succeeded pandemic learning loss and the mental health of teenagers as a new touchstone in what are now yearslong arguments about the wisdom of school closings in 2020 and 2021. Almost everything about school performance and the well-being of children and adolescents now seems to orbit the duration of remote learning in one school year, which lives on years later as the gravitational center of our retrospective universe. But before the link between those closings and absenteeism hardens into a new conventional wisdom, I want to offer a few notes of additional context, which together suggest, I think, that we are doing ourselves a disservice by fashioning every aftereffect of those years into a weapon to be used in an ideological crusade.

First, as it was with learning loss , chronic absenteeism does not appear to be a uniquely American problem arising from the specific way we handled school closings during the pandemic but something of a global phenomenon. It can be seen almost everywhere you look, in the aftermath of Covid, including a lot of places that took quite different approaches to school during the pandemic.

How can I say that? The most recent available national numbers show that 26 percent of American students missed at least 10 percent of school in 2022-23. In Sweden, reports from the National Agency for Education showed considerable increases in student absences across the first two years of the pandemic. In Britain, chronic absenteeism jumped from 11.7 percent of children before the pandemic to 23.5 percent in 2022-23. In Belgium, the problem has grown by 90 percent , and in New Zealand, more than 45 percent of children missed at least 10 percent of school days . In Japan, where schools reopened for good in June 2020, there had never been a year in the prior decade when more than 300,000 children registered “prolonged absence,” and most years in the 2010s the number hovered around 200,000. In 2021, it crossed 400,000, and in 2022, 450,000.

Second, in the United States, the relationship between how long schools remained remote and how much absenteeism they later experienced looks pretty modest — perhaps one slice of the story, but only one slice of it. In a high-profile study published in January, Stanford’s Thomas Dee found that the length of remote schooling at the state level explained only about 20 percent of the variation in increased absenteeism. In another paper published the same month by the American Enterprise Institute, Nat Malkus crunched the numbers at the district level and found a slightly smaller relationship: Chronic absenteeism in those districts with the most in-person schooling grew by 12 percentage points, while in those with the most remote schooling, rates had grown by 14 percentage points; in the districts in between, the rates had grown by 13 percentage points. The differences, in other words, were negligible, especially given the large increases observed everywhere. When The Times updated some of his analysis, Malkus summarized it like this: “The problem got worse for everybody in the same proportional way.”

Malkus believes that absenteeism is the biggest problem facing American schools today, but he’s quite firm that we shouldn’t see in those numbers a morality play about remote learning. “If I could have drawn a neat line between the two data sets — school closures and chronic absenteeism — I would have. But I can’t,” he told me. “The districts that were closed longer do have a marginally higher problem. But how much of the difference does it explain? Not very much.”

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