# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Study: Your kids are doing too much homework

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
TFK asked two experts to weigh in on homework.

Janine Bempechat teaches human development and psychology at Wheelock College, in Massachusetts. Below, she explains why homework serves an important purpose for students of all ages.

Etta Kralovec teaches education at the University of Arizona. She is also a coauthor of the book The End of Homework. Here, she argues that homework is a waste of time.

RICHARD NESTEAD-GETTY IMAGES

Yes!
By Janine Bempechat
Particularly for elementary school, homework has become a debated issue. That is because studies show that doing homework does not necessarily improve younger students' grades.

Still, many teachers and parents are in favor of homework in elementary school. They view it as a way for kids to review what they are learning in school. They also see it as a way for students to develop the learning habits and study skills they will need later on. Homework helps you practice how to plan your time and manage distractions. It teaches you to keep trying when learning becomes difficult.

Research shows that homework pays off. Students who put effort into their homework are better at managing their time. When they begin middle school and high school, they are more positive about learning than other students. They also do much better in school.

This payoff may not appear during the elementary school years. But that doesn't mean homework should be abandoned. Instead, educators should focus on designing high-quality, enjoyable homework. It should be challenging in the best sense of the word.

No!
By Etta kralovec
I hated homework when I was in elementary school. And I hated it even more as a parent. I think my kids and I argued more about homework than about anything else.

Now that I'm an educator, I spend a lot of time in schools. When it comes to homework, there is still a lot of disagreement. And it's not just students who are unhappy. Many teachers and parents tell me they think homework is a waste of time. I couldn't agree more.

Homework has been around about as long as there have been schools. You may be surprised to know that it was not always popular. In 1905, California banned homework for students under 15. In the 1920s, doctors formed a group called Physicians Against Homework. They said homework kept kids inside. This prevented them from getting exercise and fresh air. More recently, researchers at Stanford University found that it causes considerable stress in students' lives.

My colleagues and I have put together healthy homework guidelines. We hope these will spark conversation between teachers, parents, and students. We hope they will eventually lead to common-sense solutions.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
TFK asked two experts to weigh in on homework. Janine Bempechat teaches human development and psychology at Wheelock College, in Massachusetts. Below, she explains why homework serves an important purpose for students of all ages. Etta Kralovec teaches education at the University of Arizona. She is also a coauthor of the book The End of Homework.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In July 2017, families in Marion County, Florida, got some surprising news. "Traditional homework as we know it will disappear, at least for elementary students," Heidi Maier said in a voice message to parents. Maier is the school superintendent. "Instead, we want students reading," she said.

More than 20,000 students attend the county's 31 elementary schools. Dara Mehr is one of them. She is in the fifth grade. Last year, Dara had two or three hours of homework a night. "I would have 12 math questions and six or seven pages of work to do for reading," she told TIME for Kids.

Now Dara's only homework is to read for 30 minutes. She and her younger sister, Neveah, enjoy having more time for other activities. But their mom, Kayla Mehr, misses last year's homework. "Sometimes, getting the kids to sit down and read for 30 minutes is a challenge," she says.

A number of schools around the country are trying out a no-homework policy × policy boost × boost JOHN MOORE/GETTY IMAGES an established rule or procedure (noun) Students needed a pass to use the bathroom, according to the new school policy. . School leaders say the new policy is based on research. Studies have shown that homework does not TAY REES-GETTY IMAGES to increase or raise (verb) The store hoped to boost sales during the holidays. grades or test scores in elementary school.

Paula Fass is a professor at the University of California, Berkeley. She says there has been disagreement over homework "ever since schooling became a requirement."

Support for homework has gone up and down through the years (see "Homework History"). "In the 1900s, a lot of parents thought that homework just occupied children's time [when] they could be doing chores," says Fass. Today, many still question the role that homework should have in kids' lives. (For more on the pros and cons of homework, see "Do Kids Need Homework?")

GETTY IMAGES

Finding a Balance

Harris Cooper is a professor at Duke University. He has reviewed more than 50 studies on homework. In his view, homework has a positive effect on learning. "The effect gets larger as kids move through the grades. But even in the early grades, homework has a positive effect on simple skills," he says.

The National Education Association and the National PTA suggest that students get 10 minutes of homework per grade. Cooper supports this policy. It is known as the "10-minutes rule."

But he warns that not all homework is helpful. "If there's too much of it or if it's too difficult, it can lead to frustration," he says. "And that's not a good thing."

Last year, Kelly Elementary School in Holyoke, Massachusetts, did away with homework. Jackie Glasheen was the principal. She told ABC News she wanted kids to have more family time. "We want them to engage × engage GETTY IMAGES to establish a connection with someone or something (verb) The politician worked hard to engage with local voters. with their families, talk about their school days, and go to bed," she said.

This year, the school has a new principal, Isamar Vargas. The students have homework once again. But they receive only one assignment per day. "We want to build responsibility and structure," says Vargas. "But we don't want to take away the important time that children have with their families or practicing sports."

Kelly Elementary won't be the only school to experiment with its policies. "This is part of a long history of conflict over homework," says Fass, the Berkeley professor. "And that can be expected to continue."

Homework History

Attitudes toward homework have changed throughout U.S. history. In the future, do you think support for homework will rise or fall?

MANSELL/LIFE PICTURE COLLECTION/GETTY IMAGES

Early 1900s: A number of school districts pass anti-homework rules. The goal? To cut down on students' having to memorize information, known as rote learning.

MCT/GETTY IMAGES

1957: The Soviet Union launches Sputnik, a satellite. The space race is on. Homework in science and math increases.

1966: The National Education Association suggests "limited amounts" of homework in upper elementary school.

DIRCK HALLSTEAD-LIFE PICTURE COLLECTION/GETTY IMAGES

1983: President Ronald Reagan's Education Department says schools need to improve. There is pressure to get tough.

1990s: Global competition is on the rise. Support for homework in the U.S. is strong. Students get more homework than they had in the past.
Assessment: Click for a printable quiz. Teacher subscribers can find the answer key in this week's Teacher's Guide.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In July 2017, families in Marion County, Florida, got some surprising news. "Traditional homework as we know it will disappear, at least for elementary students," Heidi Maier said in a voice message to parents. Maier is the school superintendent. "Instead,...