| A 2002 survey reported that 64% of children between the ages of 6 and 8 years of age have homework in any given day. This is double what it was in 1981. Now, even pre-schoolers are bringing schoolwork home.
Why is this happening, and is this much homework too much to handle?
Why Proponents of Homework Think it is Important
Those who favor plenty of homework for kids have compelling sounding reasons why they think homework is important, and some can tell you why they think there should be even more of it.
The idea that homework improves academic ability is grounded in the "more is better" belief. If children do more work than they would within normal school hours, it stands to reason that they will learn more. However, numerous studies have failed to find a correlation between amounts of homework and increased learning. Some studies have even shown that if too much work is assigned in the high school years, it can actually reduce academic achievement.
Another commonly held belief about homework is that it teaches kids responsibility and organizational skills. Most parents will tell you, however, that they are actually the ones whose proficiency at organization gets tested. Unless a child is already skilled at organization, homework is not likely to increase ability in these areas. Most kids choices, when it comes to homework responsibility, are limited to when to do what they are required to do.
Homework keeps kids out of trouble, say some parents. It gives them something to do after school. Some experts, however, think this is faulty logic and believe that the best learning and greatest creativity happens when children have unstructured time to spark new ideas.
What is Not Getting Done Due to Homework?
What are children missing by be given so much work to do after school hours?
Some parents really feel their children would learn more about responsibility if they had more time to help out with chores and participate in making the household run properly. Unfortunately, if parents have to choose between doing chores after homework is done and having their child get a good night's sleep, they are likely to choose sleep, and rightly so.
According to the National Sleep Foundation, school age children between 5 and 12 years of age need between 10 and 11 hours of sleep per night. Teenagers need between 8 1/2 and 9 1/4 hours. Studies show that only 20% of adolescents are getting the recommended amounts.
There has also been a recent surge of interest in studying the phenomenon of "play," and what its purpose is. Some studies have shown a correspondence to major surges in cerebellum growth and peak levels of playtime during childhood. One thing is for sure, overworked kids don't get a lot of it.
And then there is the topic of exercise and obesity. Kids who don't have time for play and recreational activities, such as softball teams or dance, just don't move around a lot. Ironically, there is some evidence that getting exercise actually helps with academics.
There are many other potentially important activities that go by the wayside when kids have too much schoolwork to do. They include socializing, which is an important life skill, family time and the family dinner, and extra-curricular activities such as music and art.
What Parents Can Do If They Believe There is Too Much Homework
It is hard for parents to be the voice for change when it comes to their children's schools. Many fear that their activism against school practices will negatively affect their children's experiences at school. Maybe teachers will be tougher on their kids and their grades will be affected.
Most homework experts suggest that it is better to approach a school in a group, rather than individually. Talk to other parents and try to suss out who has similar concerns about the amount of work. Gathering information about homework studies, or about schools that have successfully cut down on homework without sacrificing academic achievement can help when approaching school officials.
Throughout the history of education in the United States, the amounts of homework given have fluctuated, and the practice of homework has gone in and out of fashion. Many parents and teachers currently feel that there is way too much of it being given, and that kids are losing out on other important life experiences. It pays for parents to learn as much as they can about different schools of thought regarding homework and decide what they think is really best for their children.
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