Homework
Is it good or bad?
What is homework?
Homework is assignments given to students by teachers to reinforce learning. Homework is mainly done to give students practice on using new skills and learning in real life. Homework started to come into student's lives during the mid-twentieth century to improve test scores and grades. It has been part of the curriculum since. While homework was first regarded as a practical and positive way to help students learn, many recent studies led by experts suggest it might not be so good after all.
Whats the problem?
While at first homework was thought as a good thing, many experts agree that there might not be any good things about it at all. While many school officials like principals, teachers, and the school board defend homework by saying it improves scores and grades, there has been only some evidence that suggests it's good.
The good
Here are some pros found in studies done by Duke University from 1987 to 2003:
- Homework does help students practice skills they learned in school
- Homework has improved test scores and grades a little
- Group projects does help students learn to interact with peers
The bad
The effects on learning:
- Many kids see homework as a chore, so even if it was good, they wouldn't learn anything because they rush through it instead of reflecting upon what they learned
The effects on student's mental and physical health:
- Homework has kids think they have to be as busy as adults, which messes with younger children's development
- Too much homework sometimes deprives kids of necessities like sleep and food
- A study conducted in 2007 by the American Academy of Pediatrics concluded that "...too much work and too little play time could backfire down the road."
- Fifty-four percent of 7th graders spend 1-2 hours on homework every night
- Ninety-six percent of parents are involved in homework to some degree
- One quarter of parents help students with homework they're supposed to do by themselves
The ugly
Conclusion
Homework is bad. Many experts and other official sources agree that homework is all cons, almost no pros. Hopefully later on schools will figure out how to make homework more positive and learning-friendly.