There are hardly any students in all of the schools around the world, who could honestly say they love doing homework. Quite the opposite.
Of course, there have always been arguments for and against the after-class assignments and ongoing negotiations about the appropriate volume of those assignments. Yet the consensus traditionally was that homework is, even if unpleasant, still indispensable – much like bitter medicine. This is going to change – and soon.
Why should homework be banned now? The right question to ask is what took us so long! In this post, we are looking into the advantages and disadvantages of homework and counting all the pros and cons of banning it.
Why Homework Should Be Banned
- Student burn-out is real
This is one of the main reasons why homework should be banned. It crushes the spirit of children. It’s time to face the facts. Schoolchildren are experiencing burnout earlier and earlier in life – as early as in elementary school. Even those who were excited about going to school and learning, experience anxiety and stress connected with homework almost immediately. The students stop enjoying their learning experience and see it as one long exhausting treadmill run: essay after essay, test after test, school, college, and then work – with no time in between for living.
- There is too much of it
This is one of the arguments, on which even the proponents of homework, people for whom its pros outweigh the cons, agree. If not outright banned, homework should at least be limited down to the volume that is defined by the policies and the law. That means students must have a 40-hour workweek – no more than their full-time employed parents have. On practice, that would mean about six hours at school a day and no more than two hours of homework for an evening – a twenty-minute home task per subject.
- It doesn’t improve grades
Why homework exists in the first place? To give more time for students to practice, of course! How else would they learn? At least, that is a traditional view. However, there are no facts that would back up this argument. Research after research shows that test scores and grades do not suffer at all when homework is abolished in individual classes or schools. Not a shred of evidence has been produced to suggest that more homework equals more skill and higher grades. It is just busywork, that is why we shouldn't have homework at all.
- Home environment is not always suitable
For children with younger siblings or extended family living together, conditions for studying at home aren’t always favorable. There is of course a host of other individual reasons, why they might not have a properly lit quiet place, height-appropriate desk and chair, and distraction-free environment to do their homework. Even if they do have all the conditions, there might also be household chores, family issues, and other things that students will prioritize over their homework.
- Limited social life
In the existing scheme of things, the only peers students are in contact with are their classmates. As important as it is to maintain good relationships with one’s class, we cannot expect children to limit their social interactions this way. It leads to a risk of isolation and loneliness, especially if a child experiences bullying at school. If children will be free of homework, they will be able to build more meaningful connections providing them with an emotional safety net.
- Fewer opportunities for an active lifestyle
Since homework is hogging so much time, students are left with fewer chances to be active – either through structured extracurriculars, such as sports sections or dancing classes, or through just being left to their own devices and going outside to play. They are chained to their desks all day long. This can lead to worsening eyesight, bad posture, overweight, and other adverse effects on their health.
Why Homework Should Not Be Banned
Of course, there are some solid arguments for the homework to stay, as well. However, they can hardly outweigh the cons. Let’s take a look at some of the most often mentioned.
- Because it helps you practice
That might contradict the argument we had before about homework having no noticeable effect on academic achievements. However, since it’s one of the most popular reasons why homework should not be banned, we should give it a fair chance. Indeed, for introverted students, homework gives time to reflect and practice on their own, away from school with its noise and crowds, which is beneficial. Moreover, each skill requires practice to develop. However, not all practice is as good as another. Mindless repetition without expert guidance that a teacher or a tutor can provide, or without an intrinsic motivation is pointless. Therefore, if a student wants to revise class notes or is preparing for a test, it’s great. If he or she is struggling and needs a bit more practice, it’s legit too. However, the default hours of assigned exercises are redundant.
- It promotes parental involvement
Homework provides parents with an insight into their child’s progress and struggles. Instead of seeing only the dry facts presented in progress reports, they are aware of their child’s learning journey and take an active part in it. Helping children with their homework creates an opportunity for quality time together and bonding. However, there comes a point where parents can no longer help, or homework is so voluminous it actually gets in the way of family time. Often enough children have no choice but to skip family dinner in favor of homework, or a parent’s schedule prevents them from assisting the child with their assignments. Therefore, this argument defends homework only to a point.
- It doesn’t improve grades
Why homework exists in the first place? To give more time for students to practice, of course! How else would they learn? At least, that is a traditional view. However, there are no facts that would back up this argument. Research after research shows that test scores and grades do not suffer at all when homework is abolished in individual classes or schools. Not a shred of evidence has been produced to suggest that more homework equals more skill and higher grades. It is just busywork, that is why we shouldn't have homework at all.
- It helps teachers to gauge the progress
Homework allows teachers to keep track of student’s academic progress between the tests and identify timely any signs of grappling with a particular topic or activity. It also helps to detect any learning disabilities and offers a correction course, when students might get a personalized homework. However, many teachers and parents argue that all this should be done in class, and homework only exists because classes are too large. The number of students per teacher is inadequate to practice personalized approach to teaching without the help of homework – at least in some schools.
- It teaches you responsibility and time-management
Time-management skills and ability to organize your work are very in-demand in any workplace. It’s only fair that schools should prepare students for the future by teaching them early on the accountability, planning, discipline, and independent research that homework calls for. Prioritizing homework and creating a schedule around it is a great practice. This is one of the arguments in support of homework that really holds water. However, grueling hours of daily homework could be easily swapped with revisions and individual projects without defeating this laudable purpose.
Should School Ban Homework: Our Conclusion
In the view of all the arguments, should schools ban homework or at least stop giving students this much of homework each day? Our answer is a confident yes. Even if school officials decide to keep it, they should at least be limiting homework to a maximum of 2 hours a day, all subjects combined, to avoid adverse effects such as burnout, isolation, and health-related issues.
However, it’s not up to us. What if schools all over the country were forced to revise their homework policies and teachers together with parents were given a vote on the matter? What would happen then? The answer is not that definite.
While some parents compare homework to unpaid forced child labor and demand children should be free from it, others worry that without homework children will achieve less and will have fewer opportunities for college and employment. Some lament that their middle-school kids are sneaking out of their beds at night to finish their homework, while others say that without homework children will have no structure to their schedule and more time for mischief.
One thing is certain – some flexibility is called for. Parents and children should be given a choice of opting out if they feel that homework is too much for them.
What’s Your Side in Should-Homework-Be-Banned Debate?
Which of the above reasons seem most convincing to you? Are you all for or against banning the homework altogether? As a student, you must have wished at least at some point for your homework to disappear! Whatever school officials may decide in the future, at least you can always count on homework help online when things are particularly tough. In case you need an essay writer free, dessertation proofreader or an article editor, just address our services and see what we can offer.
