The constant debate over the idea of homework continues to create tension between students and educators worldwide. Some argue that homework helps reinforce concepts learned in the classroom, while others say that it adds more stress and little educational benefit for students.
Danielle Gallacher, a mother from Glasgow, Scotland, brought the issue into the spotlight when she made homework an “option” in her household. She posted to TikTok and went viral immediately with over 1.7 million views. Her post resonated with many parents who think that children should have time to decompress and have family time at the end of a long, stressful school day. Assembly member Pilar Shiavo took this concern another step further, introducing the Healthy Homework Act, as she calls it. This act limits excessive amounts of homework, citing it as “the top stressor for kids.” Heavy research supports this claim, with experts like Alfie Kohn who says that elementary school homework causes burnout in children and has no significant impact on academic success. In response to this, some schools in Texas and Florida have changed their approach to homework, focusing on learning during the school day rather than having children learn after the school day ends.
Despite the growing hate against the idea of homework, some educators argue for the benefits it has to offer. English teacher Julie Mason supports the idea of homework, saying that students watch lessons at home and use their class time to go over what was learned the previous night for homework. She thinks that homework teaches students important skills such as time management and personal responsibility when used in moderation. On the other hand, fourth-grade teacher Lauren Anderson has had a different experience, stating, “In my eight years of teaching, homework has never been successful for families or me. It’s overwhelming, and just additional work for teachers to manage.” Researcher John Hattie supports Anderson’s point of view, showing that elementary school homework has no benefit in terms of academic development.
Students themselves have mixed feelings about homework. Pennridge High School student Dhanyaal Omer said that earlier in his educational years, he would spend about two to three hours on homework daily, but now he only spends about one to two hours due to the lighter workload in his last year of high school. He said, “Most of the time it’s just there as practice for me.” On the other hand, Pennridge High School teacher Michael Kuhns assigns homework only once or twice weekly in his academic classes. He said, “I think I give the right amount of homework, just a little, but less than some other teachers.” Kuhns went on to say that giving out fewer homework assignments leads to higher completion rates from students. “I realize in some academic classes, people will not do it. But I hand out such little homework, people tend to do it at high rates,” said Kuhns.
Studies show that homework can increase academic performance among students when it’s given out in feasible amounts. Research that was published in the High School Journal showed that students spending thirty-one to ninety minutes on homework scored forty points higher on the SAT Mathematics subtest compared to students who didn’t do any homework. This shows that homework may not be beneficial, but in-class assignments can improve overall student learning.
Rather than the idea of banning homework completely, a more balanced workload between home and school might be more beneficial; reducing the workload for younger students while still keeping beneficial assignments for older students is likely the best solution. As teachers and policymakers continue to study the idea of homework, schools must find ways to balance their education strategies and the overall well-being of their students.
Sources:
https://www.mother.ly/news/why-homework-should-be-banned/
https://www.weareteachers.com/should-we-ban-homework/ https://www.britannica.com/procon/homework-debate
