Is homework just busy work?

Is it something that the teacher gives you to keep you out of

trouble after school? What is the reason behind having homework?

REASONS WHY HOMEWORK IS A WASTE OF TIME

Homework can be a beneficial tool to help a student apply certain concepts that they have
learned. However, since they may not have someone sitting next to them or working
through it to make sure that it is correct; they could just be practicing bad habits and
learning how to do problems the wrong way. Perfect practice is the only way to ensure that
students are learning the right concepts. If they are doing it wrong, then it isnt helping and
is actually making things worse. Parents today learned how to do many of these concepts so
long ago that they may not be able to assist their children in their homework. That leaves
the student to fend for himself.
Students sit in school all day and barely get any exercise. When they get home, they have to
sit some more and do their homework. By the time they are done, it is time to get ready for
bed. Where is the time for activity? Where is the time for exercise? The fact is that there is
no time. During the school week and sometimes on the weekends, the student is busy doing
work and school and homework at home. They dont have time to play sports and if they do
then they are rushing through their homework anyways.
It is another thing to grade and most of the time it doesnt even show how well a student
understands a concept. Homework can be an improper tool to test a students abilities. If
you have your classmate do your homework for you, then it looks like you really understand
topics that you dont really understand. You can give your teacher the improper
information. If you do the homework yourself and just rush through it, you can make
careless mistakes and that will lead to incorrect information being given to your teacher as
well.
All and all, the whole constitution of homework needs to be revised. There is seriously got to
be another way to help students understand the different topics. If the reasons behind
homework are to give the kids some solid hands-on experience, then maybe they should just
do this in class instead of sending it home for them to do all by themselves.
Homework, ban
Yes because...No because...

Homework has little educational worth and adds nothing to the time spent in
school. Some schools an...
Homework has little educational worth and adds nothing to the time spent in school. Some schools and
some countries dont bother with homework at all, and their results do not seem to suffer from it. Studies
show that homework adds nothing to standardised test scores for primary/ elementary pupils.
International comparisons of older students have found no positive relationship between the amount of
homework set and average test scores. If anything, countries with more homework got worse results!
Homework is a vital and valuable part of education. There are only a few hours in each school day not
enough time to cover properly all the subjects children need to study. Setting homework extends study
beyond school hours, allowing a wider and deeper education. It also makes the best use of teachers, who
can spend lesson time teaching rather than just supervising individual work that could be done at home.
Tasks such as reading, writing essays, researching, doing maths problems, etc. are best done at home,
away from the distractions of other students.

Homework, ban
Yes because...No because...

Homework is almost always done when a child is already tired from a long day
at school. As a result...
Homework is almost always done when a child is already tired from a long day at school. As a result few
students are at their best when they sit down in the evening to yet more work. Homework ends up being
done in a hurry, by students fighting fatigue, and poor quality work is produced. Worse still, students who
have been up late trying to finish off their homework, then come tired into school the next day, and so are
less ready to learn. Really, what is the point?
Having homework also allows students to really fix in their heads work they have done in school. Doing
tasks linked to recent lessons helps students strengthen their understanding and become more confident
in using new knowledge and skills. For younger children this could be practising reading or multiplication
tables. For older ones it might be writing up an experiment, revising for a test, reading in preparation for
the next topic, etc.

Homework, ban
Yes because...No because...

Setting homework does little to develop good study skills. It is hard to check
whether the homework...
Setting homework does little to develop good study skills. It is hard to check whether the homework
students produce is really their own. Some students have always copied off others or got their parents to
help them. But today there is so much material available on the internet that teachers can never be sure.
It would be better to have a mixture of activities in the classroom which help students to develop a whole
range of skills, including independent learning.

Homework prepares students to work more independently, as they will have to at college and in the
workplace. Everyone needs to develop skills in personal organisation, working to deadlines, being able to
research, etc. If students are always spoon-fed topics at school they will never develop study skills and
self-discipline for the future.

Homework, ban
Yes because...No because...

Homework produces large amount of pointless work of little educational value,

but marking it ties up...
Homework produces large amount of pointless work of little educational value, but marking it ties up much
of teachers time. This leaves teachers tired and with little time to prepare more effective, inspiring
lessons. The heavy workload also puts young graduates off becoming teachers, and so reduces the talent
pool from which schools can recruit.
Teachers accept that marking student work is an important part of their job. Well planned homework
should not take so long to mark that the rest of their job suffers, and it can inform their understanding of
their students, helping them design new activities to engage and stretch them. As for recruitment,
although teachers do often work in the evenings, they are not alone in this and they get long holidays to
compensate.

Homework, ban
Yes because...No because...

Homework puts students off learning. Studies have shown that many children
find doing homework very...
Homework puts students off learning. Studies have shown that many children find doing homework very
stressful, boring and tiring. Often teachers underestimate how long a task will take, or set an unrealistic
deadline. Sometimes because a teacher has not explained something new well in class, the homework
task is impossible. So children end up paying with their free time for the failings of their teachers. They
also suffer punishments if work is done badly or late. After years of bad homework experiences, it is no
wonder that many children come to dislike education and switch off, or drop out too early.
If homework puts students off learning, then it has been badly planned by the teacher. The best
homework tasks engage and stretch students, encouraging them to think for themselves and follow
through ideas which interest them. Over time, well planned homework can help students develop good
habits, such as reading for pleasure or creative writing.

Homework, ban
Yes because...No because...

Homework takes a lot of time up. Being young is not just about doing school
work. It should also a...
Homework takes a lot of time up. Being young is not just about doing school work. It should also about
being physically active, exploring the environment through play, doing creative things like music and art,
and playing a part in the community. It is also important for young people to build bonds with others,
especially family and friends, but homework often squeezes the time available for all these things.
Again, just because some teachers are bad at setting homework that is not a reason to scrap it altogether.
Homework needs to be well designed and should not take up all of students spare time. Recent American
surveys found that most students in the USA spent no more than an hour a night on homework. That
suggests there does not seem to be a terrible problem with the amount being set.

Homework, ban
Yes because...No because...

Homework is a class issue. In school everyone is equal, but at home some people
have advantages bec...
Homework is a class issue. In school everyone is equal, but at home some people have advantages
because of their family background. Middle-class families with books and computers will be able to help
their children much more than poorer ones can. This can mean working class children end up with worse
grades and more punishments for undone or badly done homework. On the other hand pushy parents
may even end up doing their kids homework for them cheating. And homework is one of the most
common causes of family arguments.
Education is a partnership between the child, the school and the home. Homework is one of the main
ways in which the students family can be involved with their learning. Many parents value the chance to
see what their child is studying and to support them in it. And schools need parents support in
encouraging students to read at home, to help with the practising of tables, and to give them opportunities
to research new topics.

H.W is a waste of time

Homework is a waste of time and paper. And your using up valuable family time.
Also Kids get home from 6 hours school at 3-4 o clock and they have after school activities
and chores and dinner and they need more exercise in there day.
And people wonder why children are obese.
In winter it gets dark at 5pm so basically no room for exercise.!!

Homework should not be banned

I think that homework should not be bannned because if you miss a day of school and your
classmates studied somehting new and you dont even know what it is then without
homework how are you supposed to practice that lesson that your class learned. If you have
no practice then you can get bad grades from that.
Report Post
LikeReply
3
3

Homework Should Be Banned From School

Homework should be banned from school. While some students may have the benefit of
available resources and time to effectively complete their homework, this simply isn't the
case for all students. This makes it an unfair system to those who may not have the
support , resources, or time for homework. If a student does not understand the work they
are doing and have no one to help them, this will frustrate them even more than they
probably already are. if the assignment needs some information from the internet or requires
typing, this discriminates against the poor students who have no computer, printer, or
transportation to the local library. Some students need a job to survive, they simply will not
get adequate sleep if they have homework added to their already long day. They might just
give up on school completely. Though it may be a burden on teachers to teach everything
required in a short span of time, the only effective way to reach all the students is to have all
work completed in class. They are assured the student is doing their own work, they have
the resources they need, and can help those who are struggling.
Report Post
LikeReply
4
3

Homework should be outlawed!

Homework has been given to students because teachers believe it helps them remember
what they learn at school, and helps them learn the material better. "Homework is super
helpful in learning and processing the material learned in class." Said no kid ever. Too much
homework is not helpful, and can be unhealthy. Excessive amounts of time spent on
homework can take away from kids social lives, family time, and sports or other activities.
Homework should be outlawed.
Critically acclaimed author Tami Ansary says, that since 1981, the amount of homework

given to sixth graders has increased by more than fifty percent. In 1957, the Russians
launched Sputnik into outer space. The new competition made schools try to increase the
difficulty of the curriculum. With harder classes came more homework.
Homework takes away from time that kids could be spending with their families. Rather than
spending time bonding and building strong family relationships, parents and children argue
over homework. Time is taken away from important elements of daily life. This time is
particularly precious in families with two working parents whose time with their children is
limited. This time could be better spent going out to dinner, or doing other activities that
most families are not able to do because the kids have too much homework.
My opposition might say that lots of homework prepares them for the "real world" and lots of
homework helps them learn the material better. When difficult work assignments are given
frequently, it causes students to lose interest in the subject. Negative results can also occur
when someone is not able to finish his homework. Usually they will resort to copying
homework, having others do their assignments, or cheating on tests. Bad habits like these
are likely to follow them through their lives. With no consequences to these actions students
will almost always take the easy way out when it comes to homework.
The use of homework is effective when used by the rule less is more. Overwhelming kids
with loads of homework can cause them stress and possible physical injury from a backpack
overflowing with homework. Homework takes away from the small amount of time kids get
to spend with their parents and siblings. A limit on their physical and social activities can
also take a large toll on their lives, and could hinder their health and future relationships.
Homework should not be assigned. In fact, it should be outlawed!
Report Post
LikeReply
3
2

Homework should be banned

Homework makes kids stressed out about school. It can also cause kids to become unfit and
less energized and less social. Does a kid really want to live that boring of a life, I mean
really? Yes it can be a good thing but it is making our youth weird and wacky, just saying.
Report Post
LikeReply
3
2

Yes, I think homework should be banned in schools.

I think homework should be banned in schools because students can be tasked with various
chores when they get home and will get in trouble if they don't get them done. Also the
students need time to relax and unwind from the day at school, but if they have homework
they have to do school work at home when they should be relaxing. Another reason if the
teachers give them a lot of homework they wont get enough sleep for the next day at school
and wont want to learn so it makes it harder for the teacher. That's why homework should be
banned in schools.
Report Post
LikeReply
3
1

Homework should be banned.

Homework should be banned from school because we want to spend time on friends and
family, but we can't because of all the homework. If homework was banned, we would be
okay and stay alive. Just doing homework and printing it uses a lot of paper and kills a lot of
trees.
Report Post
LikeReply
2
0

Homework is a pain.

I think homework should be banned, because it's just too painful to have school for seven
hours plus extra-curricular clubs and then come home to get another two to three hours of
homework. It's a waste of paper, light, energy, etc. This might not matter to rich countries
like the U.S. but it affects the poorer countries in Africa.
Report Post
LikeReply
2
0

Say no to homework

Because children become easily distracted and become very disruptive and don't want to
learn the next day as they feel tired and unhappy. Also it can give them bad headaches and
motion sickness. My children are always tired after school and just want to have a good time
so I as a parent say no to homework
Report Post
LikeReply
1
0

Way to tiring and stressful.

Homework should definitely be banned from school. Too much homework can cause kids to
give up on their education. They think "this is too hard" or "it's too long". They have friends
and family that they wish to spend time with. Homework takes away from their social time.
Normally homework takes anywhere from 30 minutes to and hour (and that's per subject).
Personally I know that homework takes up a lot of social time in my life. I can't ever seem to
find the time to hang with my friends at the movies or at the park except for vacation or
weekends. Sometimes it pushes you past your bedtime.
Report Post
LikeReply
2
0

The end of homework? Why some schools

are banning homework
A. Pawlowski
TODAY contributor

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

Homework really is a black hole, said Etta Kralovec, an associate

professor of teacher education at the University of Arizona South and
co-author of The End of Homework: How Homework Disrupts
Families, Overburdens Children, and Limits Learning.
share link

Should homework be banned?

PLAY VIDEO

MORE VIDEO

Natalie Morales tests the science behind super sports

Al Roker gets a preview of luxury space travel

Hologram of Matt created for 3-D time capsule

The future is here on TODAY: 'Fake' meat, 3-D printed dress

I think teachers are going to be increasingly interested in having total

control over student learning during the class day and not relying on
homework as any kind of activity thats going to support student
learning.
College de Saint-Ambroise, an elementary school in Quebec, is the
latest school to ban homework, announcing this week that it would try
the new policy for a year. The decision came after officials found that it
was becoming more and more difficult for children to devote time to

all the assignments they were bringing home, Marie-ve Desrosiers, a

spokeswoman with the Jonquire School Board, told the CBC.
Kralovec called the ban on homework a movement, though she
estimated just a small handful of schools in the U.S. have such
policies.
Gaithersburg Elementary School in Rockville, Maryland, is one of
them, eliminating the traditional concept of homework in 2012. The
policy is still in place and working fine, Principal Stephanie Brant told
TODAY Parents. The school simply asks that students read 30
minutes each night.
We felt like with the shift to the Common Core curriculum, and our
knowledge of how our students need to think differently we wanted
their time to be spent in meaningful ways, Brant said.
Were constantly asking parents for feedback and everyones really
happy with it so far. But its really a culture shift.
JGI/Jamie Grill / Getty Images/Blend Images

As parents and kids complain about the amount of homework, some schools are trying
a new approach.

It was a decision that was best for her community, Brant said, adding
that she often gets phone calls from other principals inquiring how its
working out.
The VanDamme Academy, a private K-8 school in Aliso Viejo,
California, has a similar policy, calling homework largely pointless.
The Buffalo Academy of Scholars, a private school in Buffalo, New
York, touts that it has called a truce in the homework battle and

promises that families can enjoy stress-free, homework-free evenings

and more quality time together at home.
Some schools have taken yet another approach. At Ridgewood High
School in Norridge, Illinois, teachers do assign homework but it
doesnt count towards a students final grade.
Many schools in the U.S. have toyed with the idea of opting out of
homework, but end up changing nothing because it is such a
contentious issue among parents, Kralovec noted.
Theres a huge philosophical divide between parents who want their
kids to be very scheduled, very driven, and very ambitiously focused
at school -- those parents want their kids to do homework, she said.
And then there are the parents who want a more child-centered life
with their kids, who want their kids to be able to explore different
aspects of themselves, who think their kids should have free time.
So whats the right amount of time to spend on homework?
National PTA spokeswoman Heidi May pointed to the organizations
10 minute rule, which recommends kids spend about 10 minutes on
homework per night for every year theyre in school. That would mean
10 minutes for a first-grader and an hour for a child in the sixth grade.
But many parents say their kids must spend much longer on their
assignments. Last year, a New York dad tried to do his eight-graders
homework for a week and it took him at least three hours on most
nights.
More than 80 percent of respondents in a TODAY.com poll complained
kids have too much homework. For homework critics like Kralovec,

who said research shows homework has little value at the elementary
and middle school level, the issue is simple.
Kids are at school 7 or 8 hours a day, thats a full working day and
why should they have to take work home? she asked.
Earlier this week, Washington Postwriter Valerie Strauss kicked the homework
beehive with a column that included homework among a list of items that
supposedly dont help students learn. Last fall, a Today show story revealed that
some schools have decided students are spending too much time on their studies
and have banned homework. Apparently, schools from Rockville, Maryland to
Aliso Viejo, California have either stopped assigning homework entirely or
adopted policies that restrict the amount of work schools assign students.
University of Arizona South professor Etta Kralovec, who wrote a book on the
topic, asks, Kids are at school 7 or 8 hours a day, thats a full working day and
why should they have to take work home?
Perhaps its not the homework load that we should be worried about, but what is
happening in those seven to eight hours kids spend at school. After decades of
funding increases and trendy reforms like smaller class sizes and new academic
standards, 17-year-olds average test scores havent changed in math or reading
for more than 30 years.
American students still woefully lag their peers in other countries including
Poland, Estonia, Ireland, and Singapore, whose students all report spending
more time on homework than do American students. The latest international
comparison finds that students in 18 countries had higher average scores than
American students in math, science, and reading.
Moreover, research shows American students are not, in fact, overworked. The
Brookings Institutions review of homework assignments finds claims that
students are overburdened with homework are unfounded. Brookings Senior
Fellow Tom Loveless does not discount parents storiessuch as those cited by
theToday show and elsewhereabout the stress that homework causes at home.
But data suggest these anecdotes are atypical.

The question is whether strong empirical evidence confirms the anecdotes about
overworked kids and outraged parents, says Loveless.
Considering the test results cited above for 17-year-olds, it should come as no
surprise that nearly 40 percent of those in a U.S. Department of Education survey
said they had no homework at all or did not do it. Students were asked how much
time they spent on homework the previous day, which, when tracked over
multiple years, is an indicator of how much schoolwork students are bringing
home.
For those who think senior year should just be a rest stop before college, think
again. In Kralovecs home state of Arizona, research from the state board of
regents found that in half of the states high schools, just 5 percent of graduates
went on to earn a bachelors degree in six years. Overall, only 19 percent of
Arizona high school graduates that entered a four-year college finished during
that time period.
What research exists on homework and student achievement suggests the extra
work, at a minimum, does students no harm. In their international research, the
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) found,
Schools whose students spend more hours on homework or other study set by
teachers tend, on average, to perform better, even after accounting for the socioeconomic status and demographic background of students and schools and
various other school characteristics.
The OECD also explains that when comparing national education systems, the
number of homework assignments from one nation to the next does not explain
the differences in student achievement. This means that homework, by itself, is
not the answer to Americas education woes. Too many students are assigned to
failing schools, especially in urban areas, and too few families have choices about
where or how to educate their children. More take-home worksheets arent going
to fix that.
However, evidence indicates our students are not overworked right now. Parents
and schools in the U.S. should be looking for ways to help students succeed, even
if it means more work.

Parents and educators should be less concerned with homework levels and more
concerned with using homework and other assignments to inspire students for
the future.