In a world where mental health issues and stress levels are on the rise, homework only contributes to this increasing pressure placed upon young people. A recent survey found that 70% of students are ‘often or always stressed about schoolwork’, and 56% said that homework was the ‘primary stressor’. The survey also found that on average, the pupils were spending three hours a night on homework. Homework places unnecessary stress upon students who are forced to spend their time on it, when instead they could productively utilise this time for extra-curricular activities such as learning how to play a musical instrument or practising sports. Evenings spent on these types of activities helps develop and progress a young person much more than homework ever could.

Some nations have already adapted this no-homework approach, the most popular being Finland. It has clearly been a successful triumph for Finland as they are renowned for having one of the best education systems, 93% of Finnish pupils graduate high school, compared to only 75% in the USA. Their no-homework approach allows more time for ‘kids to be kids’, it encourages a healthy work-life balance. At home they are allowed to play, whilst school is the environment where they are educated. Having a healthy work-life balance is so important in the modern day as it helps mental health wellbeing and promotes a healthier, happier lifestyle.

Homework is also a fundamental class issue. When pupils are at school, they are all on an equal playing field as they have access to the same teachers / resources / supplies. Yet, at home, some students may have more advantages to better their homework than others. For example, middle-class children will have a higher chance of being able to access computers and academic books. Whereas, another child who does not have access to such resources may fail to academically thrive and face punishment for being unable to successfully complete a piece of homework.

In addition, it has also been proven that homework has very little contribution to educational worth. Studies analysing international comparisons have proven that there ‘is no positive relationship between the amount of homework set and average test scores’. In fact, countries who tasked pupils with more homework actually produced worse results. This makes the purpose of homework seem pointless if it does not actually improve educational worth.

WORKS CITED:

O’Shaughnessy Maureen, ‘There is no homework in Finland’ (16 August 2017), https://lead-prep.org/2017/08/there-is-no-homework-in-finland/

Levy Sandra, ‘Is too much homework bad for kid’s health?’ (22 August 2019), https://www.healthline.com/health-news/children-more-homework-means-more-stress-031114

‘Homework should be banned’, https://debatewise.org/2959-homework-ban/

The other comments on this thread all include well researched opinions about homework and some of the negative consequences it has. However, homework also has two very important benefits that I believe justify its existence; it primarily helps to reinforce what is learnt in the classroom and encourages independent study in students. [1]

Although there is limited evidence that doing homework directly improves academic achievement for all students, it improves organisational skills and time management abilities. Many of the skills that children learn through the act of doing homework are essential for adult life. Some examples of the benefits of homework listed by the ‘Edugage’ website include: [2]

• Gives students another opportunity to review class material
• Students learn to take responsibility for their part in the educational process
• Trains students to work independently
• Students learn to stay organized
• Deepens students’ understanding of a subject matter
• Students learn about time management

[1] DOES HOMEWORK IMPROVE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT?
(https://today.duke.edu/2006/09/homework_oped.html)
[2] 10 Homework Benefits:Purpose & Facts,(https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/edugage.com/10-homework-benefits-purpose-facts/amp/)

Like you said, homework plays a big part in adding to the stress already on young people. The point about 'kids being kids' is very good as I think the most controversial age a child could be given homework is primary school age, where children should be growing and learning through play. Maybe in high school coming up to GCSEs or equivalent homework would make more sense, but children getting homework as young as 7 years old is hardly beneficial to their education, and can also put stress on the parent-child relationship (parents helping young children with homework can be a frustrating event for both).

My opinion on this would have to be against, as I do not agree that homework should be banned. And while you have made a very convincing argument, I don't think that entirely banning homework is the answer to the very real and concerning facts that you have presented.

If we look at why schools (or universities) were first erected or where the concept came from, it was so that there would be a place for a group of like-minded people to be able to share, discuss, debate and exchange their ideas, opinions and findings. This then evolved into what we have today. So, the concept of what schools are and do has definitely evolved through the ages. However, the main reason for having educational institutions essentially still seem to be the same - for learning purposes.

Additionally, while I feel that the concept of homework has sort of been lost, I feel that banning it completely might set a bad precedent for the future. I mean, I am of the opinion that the real reason why we should be going to school (or university) is to learn and engage with the teachers and students.

Also, I feel that maybe the reason homework has become such an issue, especially with regards to what you mentioned is because some of the current educational systems that we have in the various countries are either, too structured or not managed properly.

I mean, whatever happened to learning being fun? Remember, human beings learn all the time. So, just as they can learn in a more structured environment so too can they learn in a more relaxed (playful) environment. That is to say, we can learn through play too. Maybe if there was more of a balance between how learning (in general) is being done in terms of the above factors I've mentioned then this concept of "homework" would not be as stressful and problematic as it is.

So, while I feel that banning homework is not the answer, it also doesn't mean that I agree with how the various students are being treated, unfairly and suffering as a result of the fact that some schools feel it's mandatory for students to receive and complete (a certain amount of) homework.

While I definitely agree the way we approach homework needs to be relooked, possibly starting at a later age in school or having it less frequently, homework teaches children responsibility which they need in order to succeed at A-level, university and in jobs.

One of the greatest purposes schools serve is to ‘develop (children) into sequential members of society’.[1] Without responsibilities such as homework, children would find it incredibly difficult to transition from having no responsibilities outside of school to becoming well rounded members of society who have no choice but to take responsibilities for life outside of their own leisure activities. Homework is a great way to build a bridge from having little responsibility to becoming adults.

[1] ASCD, ‘What is the Purpose of Education’ (2012)
https://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/journals/ed_update/eu201207_infographic.pdf

While I definitely agree with Catrin who poses a brilliant argument, that homework can place extra pressure on young people at home, especially as all children do not all have the same support or quiet living space to complete it, I think homework is needed.

I think this because often in school there is not enough time to complete the topics and cover all of the practice questions necessary to ensure a young person understands a subject.

Homework offers teachers a chance to check how a child is coping with the academic or creative workload, and possibly tailor their approach to specific children if they see they are struggling when working independently.

Also homework may offer a chance for some children who are not very good at learning in large groups to excel academically. Some young people may not wish to appear interested in work in the classroom, due to social pressure, and some people may find it difficult to write essays or answers due to distractions or noise in the class.

I believe if a teacher can map out which forms of homework certain people adapt to and learn more from, the form of homework could be adapted to make it as useful as possible! For example if the topic is the plant cell, the homework could be to draw, write or create a model to explain a plant cell. Hopefully then people who learn in different ways could all benefit from the homework!

"Banned" is a strong word to use here. But it should be generally discouraged. What kids learn in life after school is generally more important than what they learn IN school. Kids need to learn by playing, not by churning and regurgitating idly in a seat.

Some schools are having a ton of success by having class work take place in class. Some colleges assign recorded lectures or other videos as homework, and then do the class work in class where the teacher is there to help.

Most of the paper work and pencil pushing you're going to be doing will happen during work hours anyway.

Never mind that teaching entire generations of kids to take their work home with them is a TERRIBLE LESSON... Having the ability to control a kid outside of school is WAY too much power. Teachers can not be universally trusted to be reasonable with their homework. So yes, I actually like the word "banned" here.

It is EGREGIOUS what some teachers have assigned me. Various homework practices did incredible amounts of damage to my growth and emotional wellbeing. The idea that homework is necessary for most subjects is laughable. I honestly can not think of a single time that homework enriched me in any way. You know what DOES enrich me? Being free to spend what little I have left of the rest of the day, doing ANYTHING but school. Just let kids be kids damn it. Stop saddling them with things that don't benefit them. You're acting like their time isn't valuable. As if time spent on things they want to do besides school is simply being "wasted". It disgusts me.

Edit: If absolutely nothing else, the ability to control students outside of school should not be something that is permitted as a standard thing to just any old teacher. They need to prove that they are incredibly critical about avoiding wasting their student's time. When you have like 7+ new teachers ever year and they ALL have the ability to control you outside of school, the odds of one of them ruining your entire year with their radically inflated sense self worth of their pet subjects is WAY too high.

I recognized that homework can be effective because RESEARCH is effective, and it's the ultimate way to learn. Some things really only CAN be done in homework format. But the power to control a kid outside of school is just... handed to every single teacher of every single subject by default with almost no regulation whatsoever. Students that speak out about specific, cruel homework conditions are typically brushed off as lazy, whiny children. The amount of damage this does to kids makes me sick to think about.

Public school systems have a ridiculous array of deeply rooted problems; and while one can reasonably consider homework to be one of them, the stress-level of students is of comparatively minimal importance.

Because humans only have a finite amount of energy to commit to positive change, I do not consider abolishing homework to be a worthwhile endeavor.

Homework for children is largely misused and overused. Piling hours of homework on a kid every night is not productive. It stresses kids out and does not prepare them for life after school. Rarely do I bring my work home, and having a break from work is absolutely essential. Homework, when used, should be an extension of the work done in class. It should not be busywork. Most of the work should be done during school hours, with homework being for those things that could not be finished during school hours.

Its too much. I had a teacher that gave 3 separate pieces of homework in 1 lesson... then I had 4 more classes to go to that day. That was the day I decided I was not going to do any homework unless it took less than 5 minutes to do.

Homework contributes to the stupidly high stress levels that students go through, with some studies suggesting that high school students in the 2010's had the same stress levels as psychiatric patients in the 1970's.

Now I am an adult I will be telling the school my children attend that I have told my children that homework is optional and that if they choose not to do it then they will not be attending detentions.

Homework in moderation teaches more than just the subject. It teaches structure and self discipline. We need to give every child the best possible start in the real world which requires often times we have to do stuff we don't want to do. Teachers put in the effort to teach students. They are often overworked and underpaid. Life isn't the easy road and it takes education and hard work to be a successful adult.