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Is Homework Necessary?
“Dr. Harris Cooper, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Duke University, has spent decades researching the effects of homework and falls squarely in the camp that homework should still be assigned to our students. ‘Homework helps achievement,’ Dr. Cooper said. ‘All kids should be doing homework, but the amount and type of homework that they do should depend upon their age or developmental level. ’Dr. Cooper subscribes to what’s called the ‘10 Minute Rule,’ which advises that a student should receive their grade in school, multiplied by 10, in minutes of homework per day. ‘So for second graders, 20 minutes is a good anchor,’ Dr. Cooper explained. ‘Fourth graders are 40 minutes. When you get up to high school, two hours of homework per night is not uncalled for.’ Going above that amount is where potential downsides of homework can begin to appear, as benefits to learning level off and no longer justify the added stress and potential impacts to social activities and sleep.”
“Dr. Aaron Richmond, a professor of educational psychology and human development at MSU Denver, argues that many of our high school students are spending too much time on homework assignments. ‘What we see when we get up into the 4, 5, 6, sometimes 9 hours per week—those are the students that are impacted the most in terms of stress, health, mental health, eating, sleeping, all of those factors that are not good for the body,’ Dr. Richmond said. ‘I think you see that in advanced placement courses, where they kind of get burned out.’ Dr. Richmond also said equity issues are important for teachers to keep in mind, with some students having access to fewer important resources—such as high-speed internet, and outside assistance on difficult assignments. These can compound the stresses of homework and further undermine its potential benefits, he said.”
Based on all of the data from both doctors, Denver 7 News created an info board and concluded, “The general conclusion our subjects collectively reached is that homework doesn’t have to be a bad word—and the research shows it can help students to better understand their courses and to develop life skills like organization and time management. Like anything in life, though, a balance is needed. If your student’s workload begins to affect their health and happiness, it may be time to reevaluate the classes they’re taking and decide if they’re truly needed for their long-term goals.”
You can watch the whole segment here.
Students Feedback:
I have been interviewing students that go to Poudre High School and I have asked them about their opinion about homework, and if they think it is necessary or not, these are their answers.
A student's opinion on homework in the IB program
Students working, studying, or working on homework in the Poudre High School Library
Bio:
Hello, I'm Kallee Parks and I am a junior at Poudre High School. I am just starting at the Poudre Press and I am looking forward to learning more things. I enjoy painting, cooking, animals, spending time with my family, and being outdoors. Someday I hope to be a culinary chef with my own restaurant.
Sights:
Denver 7 News:
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