Commentary: Homework is detrimental to our education
Gazette/GBT.org staff photo Michael Deaner
The debate of homework is a vast, ever changing argument. It is a debate that struggles to determine whether homework genuinely does indeed benefit education or if it is just a pitiful attempt to enhance learning.
Some insist that homework is a fundamental part of life and that it can do no wrong, that because students dislike it, it must be good for them, similar to how vegetables are good for kids despite their opposition.
Contrary to the widespread belief that homework is inherently good, however, it is not as it has proven detrimental to students’ health, education and creativity.
As students we are accustomed to hearing about how we need eight hours of sleep per night. What we aren’t accustomed to hearing is how we are supposed to factor in gargantuan amounts of homework, extracurriculars and/or sports and still fulfill this vital sleep quota.
We live busy lives. We play sports. We have clubs. We have jobs. We have friends. We have families. We have our own unique interests that we invest time in. We have college to prepare for. Add in homework, and something has to budge.
Eight hours of sleep never stood a chance.
Unfortunately, according to the Canadian Pediatric Society, a lack of sleep can lead directly to lessened concentration, motivation and memory.
How can a decrease in any of these aforementioned areas be helpful to our education?
In short, homework–something designed to improve our education–is actually deteriorating our education.
Homework doesn’t only influence our health through sleep, as it also causes an abundance of stress. A “two-for-one special” of sorts.
I implore anyone who denies this claim to talk to any high school student. We can all testify that throughout our extensive educational backgrounds, homework has been no pleasure cruise.
A recent survey conducted by the Stanford Graduate School of Education agrees, concluding that 56% of students cited homework as their number one source of stress.
Any health teacher would enthusiastically share that stress is nothing but an unnecessary pollutant to the body,l negatively impacting your physical, mental and/or emotional health.
“Kids are developing more school related stomach aches, headaches, sleep problems and depression than ever before,” psychology professor William Crain at The City College of New York said.
Coincidence? I think not.
Homework is also, to put it bluntly, burning students out. Excess homework is wearing out students, extinguishing our desire to learn and increasing our hatred of school.
The irritability and frustration that homework has built up from a young age, until it boils over, prompting us to desire giving up.
Homework has killed our curiosity to learn.
Yet again, I ask, how can this be good for our education?
Even if homework didn’t come with all of these drawbacks, it’s fair to wonder how much it does actually help us learn and study.
Is it even necessary? According to Finland, no.
Finland consistently ranks above the United States in education and interestingly enough, does not support homework. They have a graduation rate of 93%, while the United States has the pitiful rate of 75%. Surely homework, despite all of its negatives, would at least lead to a graduation rate higher than three out of four students?
Apparently not.
After destroying our health and our will to learn, homework also consumes our time, preventing us from pursuing extracurriculars.
Although it may not be stated in our constitution, developing kids should have the inalienable right to have time to be themselves and do as they please, and not be constricted by the entangling arms of school at all times.
At the end of the day, time spent with family or friends is more important than understanding how an endoplasmic reticulum functions.
A life that predominantly features homework and a limited amount of fun feels regimented and monotonous, killing creativity and individualism.
And some people wonder why depression is a growing epidemic among teens.
Amanda • Jan 25, 2021 at 6:41 pm
Response to the person who responded earlier.
You are absolutely incorrect.
Homework does NOT give students confidence; it actually does the opposite. Students wouldn’t be so stressed out about homework if they were confident about it.
Another reason you’re mistaken is that you seem to have the impression that kids do short assignments. This is incorrect. Starting in 3rd grade, I would have hours of homework to do every day. The only thing created is resentment for school and learning, which is the exact opposite of what we want.
I got to the point where I would calculate the estimated number of each type of assignment for class to pass and graduate. That’s all most people care about once they get to high school because they are so burned out.
Most people have the viewpoint that school was a waste of time.
Noelle Teachout • Sep 29, 2019 at 10:37 pm
Please try to understand I am not preaching my opinion, but I feel the need to voice it. I just want to clarify this.
First of all, “should kids have homework?”Absolutley. “Why?” Well, for a number of reasons.
#1 Repetition aids in learning. Why do think reciting ABCs and Numbers is so important? Homework helps repeat concepts that were taught in the classroom, otherwise it goes in “one ear and out the other” for children. This repetition needs to take place for proper long term memory to form and for improving overall education of the entire population of new generations.
#2 Homework needs to be a short, constructive, and valuable review of concepts taught in the classroom to aid children in learning. It should not be new and confusing concepts that children need help explaining from parents who are busy providing for the family. Sadly, I have noticed some teachers have not been doing exactly that, but to say no homework is best is a harsh judgement on all teachers. Teachers should not be rebuked for doing something that parents are too busy to do- develop young minds for their futures.
#3 Homework challenges children to start thinking for themselves and not have their hands held and directed for them. This allows them to become more independent and grow into mature adults. Sometimes a question may be a bit hard for the sake of pushing kids to think outside the box and start seeing the bigger picture or to start making their own opinions and decisions on subjects they are being taught. Teachers are teaching children to better the future with new and innovative thought. Otherwise, these children will become literally like robots who just spit back the answer that was given them two minutes before. What does this do to our future? There will never be change and new technology to improve our living and the effects on earth, but rather a repeat in decision making and ultimately history which is detrimental to our planet and societies.
#4 Homework establishes discipline because we all know parents have to enforce children to do their homework to do well in school and this is reflected in their grades and progress in school. Without discipline, children will never know what is right and wrong in this world which leads to increase crime, theft, abuse, and death rates in this world. Discipline also helps children for the future because to do any job nowadays takes discipline to improve job positions, the economy, and the world.
#5 Homework is practice for the future and insight to improving teaching styles and materials. This is like a safe zone in a game like tag for instance. Children can freely express what they have learned in homework whether right or wrong and then if they make a mistake, the teacher can use their answer to see what they have learned and be able to focus on correctly teaching the areas they are not learning and struggling with. Without homework, children will not learn how to improve from making mistakes because it is okay to make mistakes if you learn from them, improve upon them, and move on. Also, teachers would not know how to teach the children because homework gives them an easy and safe way to discovering what topics to reteach or reinterate into another topic or subject for kids to better understand and learn from. It is their way of getting feedback or like a commentary section on a Facebook post. Teachers won’t know what to change in their materials and teaching style without having both the input of the child and parent.
#6 Homework prepares children for tests or exams which are ultimately needed to see how our education is doing and how intelligent the chidren are. If our children are playing videogames and socializing with people who will destroy their futures due to no homework, they will ultimately form those habits and refuse to change and better themselves, their futures, and the earth’s future. Without passing those crucial tests or exams, they will less likely be able to get a highschool diploma, a college degree, and jobs in the future because they are not being taught how to face their fears with confidence and push past the doubts to better themselves in whatever they wish do with their lives. Homework helps them gain confidence in their own minds and allows them to suceed pushing past mental blocks to complete a test and better their future. Tests or exams are in every decision we make in our lives, so we needs to prelare children on not just how to answer them but push off from them and soar.
Lastly, we should not be criticizing teachers for what they do every day as their jobs and who are being payed less than what they trully deserve often times. Teachers are ultimately the ones who shape our futures and the world’s because without them, nothing would change, new ideas would never happen, and life would be meaningless without challenges and work. Therefore, we should be thanking them and respecting them for what they sacrifice to do every day. They are the ones not only watching and taking care of the bratty disrespectful kids because there is one in every crowd of sweet cute kids, but also transforming those caterpillars (kids) into beautiful butterflies (hardworking adults) who shine bright and glorious colors and change to the world. So please, don’t disrespect the hard efforts of teachers who really know better than you do when it comes to education. They were taught too you know and are still learning from their students and their parents. And really, they get enough bad talk from kids so don’t add to it with your own, but instead subtract your negative thoughts to make a positive impact on someone who slaves to educate your children. See what I did there- just used math in my sentence.
In conclusion, if you think homework is stupid and harmful to kids and society, try becoming a teacher or take a day to shadow them and see what they do with your children. Teachers often know what they are doing and have a purpose in every homework assignment so don’t eliminate their efforts in teaching your children to better their futures. Instead of voicing bad ideas and trash talk on social media, take your concerns for your children’s education directly to that teacher. You might be surprised to see that they will listen to your constructive criticism and respond in a kind and respectful way to you. They will change their teaching styles and materials if you only took the time to tell them your ideas and asked questions about what they are doing with your children day in and day out.
Thank you, for listening to my argument for why homework is not only important but detrimental to education and the future of humanity.
Noelle Teachout