Why I think students shouldn’t have homework

Svadilfari

What we’ve all been through

A line we’ve all heard repeatedly as students throughout the years. What if I told you homework wasn’t needed, would you agree or disagree? After you hear these points you’ll have your answer. 

As a student-athlete, I disagree with having homework. If we didn’t have homework, we could have more free time at home — whether that be family time, solo time, or even studying. Many people might think studying as homework, the difference between the two is simple studying is optional and not a grade. It helps get you prepared for a test or quiz. On the other hand homework is mandatory since it is worth a grade and often doesn’t lead to being prepared due to the amount of time and stress it may add. 

As an athlete I spend around four hours practicing and seven hours in school a day with an average time of 15-30 minutes of travel time between everything I do while still having to get prepared for the day. This leaves me with whatever I can cram into the last two hour of my day is my free time and that’s taken up by homework. Quite the dilemma, without homework I could have freedom to choose what I want my day to end with instead of having it chosen for me. 

Homework is wasted family time and development, as shown by a 2013 Stanford University study which found that students in high achieving communities who spend too much time on homework experience more stress, physical health problems, a lack of balance in their lives, and alienation from society.

Outside assignments have no proven benefits as shown by the book “The Homework Myth” by Alfie Kohn

Alfie Kohn states, The association between homework and achievement is weak and data doesn’t show that homework is responsible for higher achievement. 

Homework wastes time. It takes the enjoyment out of school and it takes up teacher time. Students need more free time for other activities such as studying, sports, and spending time with family and friends.

Countries like Finland have proven at this point that homework is obsolete. They banned homework in the 2000’s and have focused on the student and not the grade, principal Helsinki from Finland with 24 years of teaching experience. Said “If you only measure the statistics, you miss the human aspect.” The differences between weakest and strongest students are the smallest in the world, according to the most recent survey by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Ninety-three percent of Finns graduate from academic or vocational high schools, 17.5 percentage points higher than the United States, and 66 percent go on to higher education, the highest rate in the European Union. Yet Finland spends about 30 percent less per student than the United States.

Teachers might view homework as helping them determine how well the lessons are being understood by their students. Teaches students how to problem solve. Gives students another opportunity to review class material. Gives parents a chance to see what is being learned in school.

My question is why can’t this all be done in class? We already have worksheets in class and that’s what’s mostly being taken home so why not finish them in class where we are meant to learn since we have to be there? 

Which leads to my conclusion: Homework is not needed, which is why we should get rid of it. I want you to ask your teachers the question “Why can’t we do this in class?” which they will probably respond with “We already do.” or “We don’t have enough time.” Which could have always been planned for since if we didn’t have homework teachers wouldn’t have to worry about grading it and instead focus on the tasks at hand which we would be doing in person the right way, because if we make a mistake we can go right to the teacher rather than waiting for the next day to question it or completely forgetting about it and turning it in anyway without learning anything.