If you've been keeping up with the latest educational trends, you might have noticed that schools across the United States and Canada have increasingly begun banning homework. Why are educators engaging in this seemingly ''unorthodox'' practice? We've listed the pros and cons of homework bans below for your consideration.
cons of homework statistics
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Unfortunately, as highly debated as homework is, there has been little conclusive or scientific research indicating its effectiveness. One of the few studies to address this question was conducted in 2006 and was, in fact, a meta-analysis of previous experiments. The analysis identified some correlation between homework and achievement, which was stronger for 7th graders and up than for students below the 6th grade. However, it also acknowledged design flaws in all of the experiments it analyzed and recommended further research on the topic. Note that the correlation it did find was not equivalent to causation.
Surveys about homework tend to point to one specific issue: stress. One Canadian survey (2009) found that 23% of elementary school teachers and 45% of high school teachers saw signs of homework-related stress in their students. Another survey, conducted by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), of at-risk high school students found that the inability to complete homework was often cited as a factor in the decision to drop out of school. But you don't need studies to tell you what you can see for yourself, whether you're a student, educator, or parent: hours of homework every day on top of a full school schedule and extracurricular activities is a lot to manage, causing some students to experience stress.
A common argument made by schools that enact homework bans is that they want to give their students the opportunity to spend more of their free time with their families. And research does suggest that homework disrupts family life. According to a 1998 survey (as you can see, this debate has been going on for a long time), nearly 50% of parents reported having serious arguments with their children over homework, and 34% reported homework as a source of struggle in the home. Researchers Etta Kralovec and John Buell were particularly concerned that homework time takes away opportunities for parents to impart their own cultural beliefs and skills to their children.
Proponents of keeping homework in schools say that the practice is about more than just reviewing academic content; it also teaches certain important life skills. It takes discipline and responsibility to complete one's homework on time rather than giving into the many distractions available to today's children. And students working on homework by themselves are practicing independent learning, working out problems on their own. The argument proposes that these skills will be invaluable in a student's future educational and occupational endeavors.
One of the top three self-reported reasons teachers have given for assigning homework is ''to show parents what's being learned in school.'' Parents who want to be involved in their children's education have the opportunity to inquire about their homework and review their assignments in order to get a sense not only of what topics are being taught but also of their children's grasp of the topics. Harris Cooper, a Duke University professor and proponent of homework, gives anecdotal evidence of parents realizing their children had learning disabilities only when ''homework revealed it to them.''
One of the primary purposes of homework for a teacher is to help assess a student's grasp of the material he or she is learning. While one might argue that in-class assignments and exams can also achieve the same purpose, tests require at-home preparation and create perhaps even more anxiety and stress than homework might. To that end, homework can be a less-pressured way for teachers to assess student progress in a less-demanding context.
Ultimately, the decision about whether or not to attempt a homework ban, or simply to minimize homework quantity, lies with each individual district and educator. The most important thing is to consider all of the factors at hand, such as the ones outlined above. No matter your stance on homework, most likely we can all agree that some more conclusive research on the topic would be helpful. As of now, in the absence of compelling scientific evidence, the issue seems to be mostly a matter of opinion.
The ongoing contentions about the importance of homework have been in discussion for years among educators, parents and students. There are parents and educators who support this practice but there are also those who are not in favor of making students do extra school work at home. There are even some countries that implement a no homework policy. Is homework really an integral part of learning?
1. It makes up for the insufficient time children spend in school to learn. Proponents say that giving school children activities to do at home can offer them more time to master a subject. Teachers give school assignments to students on the lessons they have tackled in the classroom to assess if students have understood what was learned from academic subjects like Math, Physics and English. Advocates of homework believe the time spent in school to learn is not always sufficient and letting students spend extra time to solve problems and learn new vocabulary words is crucial to their learning . It also serves as a foundation for further learning that students will benefit from in the long run.
2. It is an effective way for students to learn discipline. People who support the giving of homework to students is a way to teach young individuals and growing children discipline since they will have to learn how to focus and set aside unimportant activities to prioritize finishing the tasks they have to submit the following day. For homework supporters, not giving students school work at home might make them derelict with their studies and be lazy.
4. Parents can see what their children are doing in school and help with the homework as well. Another benefit of homework is to both the parents and students. If students have school work to do at home, parents will be able to see the kind of education their kids are getting. They are assured their children are into their studies and are really learning from school. Moreover, this can be a bonding time between parents and children especially if they will be able to help their kids with their homework and school projects.
6. It prepares them for the real world once they finish education. By giving homework, children will learn to be responsible, solve problems, analyze, manage their time and take on responsibilities. The skills they learn from school are the same skills they will need when they start their independence and be young adults. Proponents are firm in saying that when these kids become adults and be members of the workforce or even be entrepreneurs themselves, they will be using what they have or not have learned while studying. Extra time spent at home for doing school work can help them overcome the challenges they will face when they get out of the real world.
1. It can be stressful for the student especially for young kids. Critics argue that homework given to students especially the younger school children are too much to handle. If this is the case, homework can be a stressor instead of a motivator. If bombarded with lessons at school and even at home, children might lose interest and worse, dread school days. This is a concern that bothers some parents and even educators.
3. Homework does not necessarily result to improving school performance. For opponents, homework gives less or no benefit when it comes to motivating students to improve performance in school. They oppose what proponents are saying that there is a positive correlation between homework and how students perform in school for the reason that not all students have equal levels of intelligence. What might be helpful and easy for students who are good in a certain subject might be useless and difficult to students who have different levels of intelligence.
Homework is an assignment given to students during a school day to be finished at home or after class. Teachers assign homework to students to further extend learning outside the classroom. Homework can be used as an extension of the lesson, a review of content introduced in the lesson, a preview of material coming up in class, or make-up work from previous lessons.
The purpose of homework is to allow students to practice beyond the classroom. Teachers assign homework to students so that they can individually work out problems on their own and can grow individually. Homework also exposes students to content that cannot be covered in class due to lack of time. Homework can also be used to give students who are ahead extension activities to further their learning. Homework can also be used to give students who are struggling in class more time to review the content so they can master it.
The pros and cons of homework have been heavily debated for about a century. There is a mixed population of stakeholders who are on either side of the argument. Some teachers, administrators, and parents argue that homework benefits student learning beyond what can be taught in the classroom. While some teachers, administrators, and parents argue that homework is actually harmful to student learning and their emotional or mental wellbeing. According to a Pew Research Study, teenagers spend double the amount of time on homework compared to teenagers in the 1990s.
Some schools try to make homework fun by bringing in guests to mix it up a little. This school brought in Navy personnel to assist kids with their homework and show them where the content that they are working on applies to real life. 2ff7e9595c
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