Do students receive too much homework in school?

By Julia Shoppach

Researchers continue to examine the pros and cons of the dilemma that has led
to several mishaps about books, after-school programs and parent frustration.
Have you ever pondered the idea of not having any homework at all? Homework has
been a perennial topic when it comes to debating. A number of synthesis studies
have been conducted on homework, spanning a broad range of methodologies and
levels of specificity. (Membership) But, studies have also shown that too much
homework harms students' health and family time, and they asserted that
teachers are not well trained in how to assign homework. (Membership) On that
note, do you think schools provide too much homework?

Those in favor that believe students get too much homework state that
homework takes too much time out of middle and high schoolers lives. New
research shows that some students are doing more than three hours of homework
a night -- and that all that school work may be literally making them sick. ("Is
homework making your child sick?") This suggests that students are doing more
than three hours of homework a night which is way too much for children and teens
to stress about. People also suggest, "Research showed that excessive homework is
associated with high stress levels, physical health problems and lack of balance in
children's lives; 56% of the students in the study cited homework as a primary
stressor in their lives." ("Is homework making your child sick?") This shows the
percentage of students on the study cited homework as stressing in their lives.
("Is homework making your child sick?") On the other hand, challengers of too
much homework state that students don't receive enough homework and their not
being challenged. "Other parents said their kids aren't getting enough or any
homework at all. As a result, they have to create their own homework to keep their
kids challenged." (The Great Homework Debate, Too Much, Too Little or Busy
Work) This shows that parents think that their kids aren't getting enough
homework and need to be challenged. "Gunty's kids, who attend a school that runs
from grade 5 through 12, get between one to two hours of homework, including 30
math problems every night, which she feels is appropriate, beneficial (her kids'
school enjoys high test scores and strong college placement) and not intrusive on
their ability to still be kids or enjoy family time." (The Great Homework Debate,
Too Much, Too Little or Busy Work) This purposes that 30 math problems every
night is beneficial and appropriate to establish effective work ethic. But, does this
mean taking homework away will assist our education? What will happen if we do
elimiante homework for good? Will students stress just increase by the overload
of homework? It's very difficult to determine whether teachers should decrease
or increase the amont of homework because the evidence is very contradictory;
the studies from the side that believes that homework is too much has no date; in
essence, we are unsure whether the studies are recent or not. On the other hand,
the side which believes that homework is essential for students have the evidence
of studies from particular teachers; leading to the cause of different learning
styles of different school districts.


Those in favor that believe students are receiving too much homework state
that homework is to help guide the parents and offer ways to let the parents teach
this content at home. "I don't require homework. In my class, I see homework as
my opportunity to provide guidance to parents and offer ways for them to help
their children at home," said the mom of two, who gives her students a "suggestion
calendar" with optional interactive activities such as read-aloud time and topics to
discuss." (The Great Homework Debate, Too Much, Too Little or Busy Work) This
suggests that homework is not required and it offers opportunities for parents to
step into their child's learning. "If a child has mastered a skill, there is no reason
to waste time drilling it over and over, especially when they are struggling in other
areas." (The Great Homework Debate, Too Much, Too Little or Busy Work) This
also shows that homework does not need to be used all the time for a child who
already understands the concept. On the other hand, challengers of too much
homework state that students don't receive enough homework and their not being
challenged. "Other parents said their kids aren't getting enough or any homework
at all and they've had to create their own to keep their kids challenged." (The
Great Homework Debate, Too Much, Too Little or Busy Work) This shows that
parents think that their kids are not getting enough homework and need to be
challenged. "Grunty's kids, who attend a school that runs from grade 5 through 12,
get between one to two hours of homework, including 30 math problems every
night, which she feels is appropriate, beneficial (her kids' school enjoys high test
scores and strong college placement) and not intrusive on their ability to still be
kids or enjoy family time." (The Great Homework Debate, Too Much, Too Little or
Busy Work) This purposes that 30 math problems every night is beneficial and
appropriate to establish effective work ethic. "Copper and LaConte counter that
there is a body of research that shows homework to be quite beneficial if
approached as part of a focused strategy for increasing understanding, not as an
afterthought to the school day." (Homework: Why do it?) But, does this mean
taking homework away will decrease the amount of stress or decrease their
educational learning? Will giving more homework help their education but increased
stress levels? This idea is difficult to decipher whether changing the amount of
homework will help students with their education, but increase stress. This idea is
very contradictory; because parents could assist their child in the education, but a
student can get help from their teacher which obtains a higher level of credibility.
The studies shown have clearly proven both sides; in essence shows the value of
both sides.



Those in favor that believe students are receiving way too much homework state
that homework does not allow for outside curricular tasks that students need to be
able to attend to. "In poor areas where students may be working part-time jobs,
teachers need to consider limiting the homework load, he said." ("How Much
Homework Is Too Much?") This clearly recognizes the fact that too much
homework does not allow students to enter outside curricular subjects. In addition,
"Whenever homework crowds out social experience, outdoor recreation, and
creative activities, and whenever it usurps time that should be devoted to sleep, it
is not meeting the basic needs of children and adolescents." (How Much Is Too
Much Homework?) This suggests the fact that poor areas, students have other
curricular activities like jobs and don't have time to do homework. In addition, to
outdoor recreation. "Whenever homework crowds out social experience, outdoor
recreation, and creative activities, and whenever it usurps time that should be
devoted to sleep, it is not meeting the basic needs of children and adolescents."
(How Much Is Too Much Homework?) This clearly acknowledges the fact that
there are several activities out there that students could be doing, but they a
limited to homework because of the overload. On the other hand, people that think
homework is not too much of a student's daily life, state that breaks can be used
to relief stress off of a student. "Homework is teaching us time management.
We're finding creative ways to budget time, stay on task and work within
deadlines" (How Much Is Too Much Homework?) This clearly implies that homework
assists you will time management and you can be proactive. In addition, "Anna
Bowie, the principal at Indiana School in Park Forest, likes to give her 9-year-old
son breaks during homework time." (How Much Homework Is Too Much?) This is a
real world situation of a principal in Indiana who is giving her son breaks. Now,
breaks would be a great way of diving homework time and finding time to relax.
This will relief stress and let you take breaks to do extra curricular activites. But,
does this mean taking away homework will resolve stress and time with our familes?
How will it impact students education? It's very difficult to determine whether
it's a good idea to change the amount of homework. The evidence given on both
sides are both very contradictory; because both sides have a conflict and a solution
to the idea. In essence, both sides have shown ideas from the topic of too much
homework.

The debate over whether or not homework is too much or too little is one
that creates several contradictions. The side which believes homework is way too
much claim that homework takes 2-3 hours a night to complete on a daily basis,
because 56% of students say that homework is a real stressor in school. Parents
can assist their children with homework, because they can challenge their kids.
Most importantly, homework does not allow for outdoor curricular activities
because homework takes a few hours on a day to day basis. On the other hand, the
side which believes students don't get enough homework state that a few math
problems will not take that much time, teachers are willing to assist you on
homework because they were trained to help and effectively assist students that
need educational attention, and most importantly students don't have time to do
outdoor curricular activities. In essence, Katherine Applegate once said,
Homework, I have discovered, involves a sharp pencil and thick books and long
sighs.

Works Cited

"Down With Homework! | Scholastic.com." Scholastic Teachers. Web. 20 May 2014.

Enayati, Amanda. "Is Homework Making Your Child Sick?" CNN. Cable News
Network,
01 Jan. 970. Web. 18 May 2014.

"Homework: Why Do It?" Education.com. Web. 20 May 2014.

"How Much Homework Is Too Much?" Chicago Tribune. 28 Oct. 2001. Web. 20 May
2014.

"Is Too Much Homework Bad for Kids' Health?" Healthlines RSS News. Web. 20
May
2014.

"Membership." Educational Leadership:Responding to Changing Demographics: The
Case For and Against Homework. Web. 17 May 2014.

Wallace, Kelly. "The Great Homework Debate: Too Much, Too Little or Busy
Work?" CNN. Cable News Network, 01
Jan. 1970. Web. 18 May 2014.