Most likely, you have something in common with many kids around the world: Every day you go to school. You work hard all day completing assignments and come home, only to face a huge pile of homework. So here’s a question, is homework really worth it?
So, who invented homework in the first place? A man from Venice, Italy by the name of Roberto Nevelis is often credited with inventing homework, but most likely, that’s just a myth. Newer research says that during the nineteenth century, Horace Mann, a politician, played a large role in the creation of homework.
In 1930, the American Child Health Association classified homework as child labor, therefore illegal, but after the Cold War, children began to receive more homework. The government believed that giving kids more homework would ensure educated futures so America wouldn’t fall behind in the Space Race against Russia.
Since the creation of homework people have debated whether or not it’s beneficial. Here’s what Marion Center students think.
A senior, Brittany McIntire believes that is beneficial, but only to an extent. She says, “It helps apply it (education) outside of class.” However, she does believe homework can be stressful, especially to kids who participate in extracurricular activities.
Another student, Victoria Bruner speaks out against homework. She says homework leads to stress, anxiety, and even depression. She even suggests an idea: if students think they need some extra practice they can ask their teacher for homework instead of all students being assigned mandatory homework.
Alfie Kohn, the author of The Homework Myth, says, “I interviewed high school teachers who completely stopped giving homework and there was no downside, it was all upside. Just because the same kids who get more homework do a little better on tests, doesn’t mean the homework made that happen.”
According to The Center for Public Education, too much homework can take away its effectiveness. Studies show that older students benefit from homework much more than younger students. Britannica Pros and Cons says that 82% of kids found homework stressful.
Lots of people seem to think that the ten-minute (ten minutes of homework per grade) rule is the answer, however, by the time you reach seventh grade, that means over an hour of homework, which seems like too much. Teachers should be encouraging students to spend time outside, but instead, they’re weighing them down with so much homework, that they have little to no free time during the school week.
Racheal Basinger says, “By assigning less homework, you’ll likely find that students will love learning, get more sleep, enjoy themselves more with outside activities, be less overworked, and have more time to spend with family.”
In conclusion, homework appears to be beneficial, but only to an extent. Perhaps if teachers gave students less homework, students would be less stressed, less tired, and find a greater love for learning.
