No More Homework !?!

Posted April 4, 2008

Category High School, Homework, Middle School

Has homework reached critical mass in Toronto?

Families across the greater Toronto Area will be on the edge of their seats in the upcoming weeks as they wait to hear whether or not Toronto District School Board trustees will make the groundbreaking decision to ban or restrict homework.

The fact that homework could be on the legislative chopping block at all is not that much of a surprise. Homework has been a thorn in the collective sides of parents for some time now as the sheer amount of homework that children face each night has been wrecking havoc in otherwise happy households.

Kids are stressed by the volume of homework they face every night, and parents aren’t too happy about it either.

Homework amounts seem to increase in direct relation to teacher cutbacks and classroom sizes. School boards are expected to do more with fewer resources and classroom sizes are rapidly expanding giving teachers less time to teach materials during class, which means that in order to meet grade standards, more and more homework is assigned to the student. Unable to teach the curriculum in class, teachers send it home as homework. Now legislators want to eliminate homework entirely.

Something’s gotta give.

No single set amount of time for homework will work either because kids still need some measure of individualized attention. They still need to learn how to prioritize tasks, how to be organized, and how to make sense of the work that they’ve been assigned.

How do you feel about the potential homework ban?

Jane

A homework “ban” seems too harsh. My understanding of homework—at least in the lower grades—is that it is mostly made up of assignments not completed in class. If we were to see homework banned, what would happen to all the half-finished classroom assignments that surely would build up? Teachers would be losing valuable instruction time to allow children to complete work that could have been done at home. I am not sure if a “ban” is the answer. I think it would be in the Toronto District School Board’s interests to explore a few alternatives, such as reducing the amount sent home, or ensuring that parents understand what is sent home so they can offer help and encouragement. Of course another great alternative would be to check out Oxford Learning, where children are taught to study smart, and make the most of their time.
Claudia

I agree .Homework puts my kid under wwwwwwwwwwwaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyy too much stress.
Amy

I think it is a terrible idea. As a teacher, I know how much material we must cover in the course of the year, and due to interruptions such as snow days, fire drills, field trips, sports games etc, the reality is, we lose a lot of time with our students. Some teachers give way too much homework, but I think homework is an important skill for students to learn. What will happen when they go through school being babied and only doing 2 hours of homework or less per night (in high school), then they get to University and are hit with 4 hours of readings plus essays and assignments? These kids are going to be lost. I think a homework ban will only hinder their development.
Jacqueline

I believe that having homework is an integral part of our right to be educated. Homework should enhance and reinforce what is being learned in the classroom. Parents should not be burdened with having to teach their children what should be taught in the schools, and the children should not be self-taught, using homework as the tool to do so. Well-planned homework and projects are necessary to prepare students for university, as well as to instill a good work ethic that will take them through their lifelong learning challenges.
charlynn

i totally agree
Jenna

I’m depressed and part of the reason is homework. Jenna
Sarah

My daughter has a learning disability that requires her to take a longer time to finish her in class work. This means in addition to regular homework, she has to complete class work which sometimes adds up to hours for a grade three. It becomes totally frustrating for her at times. I believe that emphasis should be put on the quality of homework done, not on the quantity.
Alex

Banning homework is not a good idea. My daughter went from a private school that handed out extensive homework to public school–that gives out practically none at all and she suffered greatly because of it. Too much free time is not good for kids. The only reason people want to ban homework is because parents don’t want to spend time with their children helping them do it.
Jack Rodden Education center

i would agree to ban homework, kids need to be able to play,laugh and just have fun. They dont always need to be doing homework. Personally i don’t think theres a point of getting 2-3 hours of homework, that just creates stress and if kid in high school get stressed enough it might lead to suicide. We need the goverment to really consider these comments. [[[[Kids need a life]]]]] -Jack Rodden
Alena Gabriel

I agree, children and young adults need to know how to learn and to know that it is their joyful right to learn. Great Website! Alena Gabriel Children Of Today
Jane

Simply to play the devil’s advocate, I’d point out to Mr. Rodden that some might say that children receiving little or no structure during after-school hours are more likely to turn to things such as drugs, promiscuity, and crime to fill their time. I might also suggest that likening homework to suicide is a bit harsh. As I suggested above, a happy medium needs to be found. Banning homework is a bad idea for the reasons listed above. Teachers have so little time to work with the students as it is. It would be irresponsible to expect them to spend their little precious time completing homework. I believe it is just as irresponsible to send the students home at 2:45 or 3:00 with absolutely nothing to do. Homework provides structure, breeds self-disclipline, and prepares students for college, university, ot the workforce. Let’s find the middle ground! A place where children are receiving enough homework and where they can still also be children.
Jane

As a side note to Mr. Rodden, I looked your center up online, and didn’t find anything. I was intrested in reading your philosophy. Does your center have a website?
Danielle

I believe my daughter who is in French public school grade 4 recieves to much homework and does get totaly stressed out about it. I also believe that we should get back to basic in the class room and spend more time on reading, writing and math. Never mind the field trips. I’d rather take care of that… I don’t think there should be a total band but I believe that homework should be a revision of what was tought in class and not an extension of what was not accomplised.
Danielle

This is to Jane You teachers make me laugh…Do you realy believe that children are home by 3:00 with nothing to do?? My 10 year old is on the school bus at 7:30am and doesn’t get picked by me untill 5:00 or 5:30PM. As soon as we are home she starts her homework while we make dinner. So about an of homework. After dinner she finishes what she couldn’t about another 1 hour 1/2 on good days. My heart break to see tears rolling down her cheeks when she is tired and frustrated and my husband who is anal about homework won’t dismiss her till she finishes. If that’s not stress I don’t know what is?? Most people are not teachers we don’t finish work at 3:00. I am not happy at all that it is going to cost me an arm and a leg to get her a tutor because basics have been cut out……
Jane

Danielle, I was primarily referring to the early dismissal times of high school students or students that are old enough to be left without supervision until their parent(s) gets home from work. I empathize with your situation, however, if you carefully read my previous posts, you will see that I support a reduction in homework amounts. I just do not agree with doing away with it altogether. I also made a point of suggesting that schools provide education for parents regarding homework, so that they can help and encourage their children, and help them finish quickly. Again, please note that I empathize with your situation, and feel badly that your child gets frustrated. I have suggested finding a middle ground where homework (an important time management exercise and pratise tool) does not interfere with a child’s right to be a child. As a final note, I feel that you should know that I am not a teacher, and agree with you regarding your problem with teachers not teaching the basics anymore.
Tare

Not only does homework give children a chance to work independently away from a classroom setting, I think homework is an important tool in communication. I think it keeps interested parents current with what their children are learning at school and gives us a glimpse of how they are managing the subject areas. I find that teachers are cutting back homework and I feel more disconnected from my children. When I visited the school for parent teacher night I was surprised to see the research subjects and sad to hear that one of my children wasn’t organized or neat enough in his work. I feel like I have been eliminated as a part of their education team. It has been said to me that math homework shouldn’t be brought home because teachers don’t want parents to help in troubled areas. Apparently the “new math” shouldn’t be confused with old methods. Personally I wonder whether children should be limited in their approaches to solving problems. Our school offered a “Parent Math Night” several years ago and explained to us the new approaches and showed us how they were helpful to students. I thought that was a nice touch.
Krystyna

I do not think that homework is helpful at all. First of all, the name “Homework” assumes that each child has a home that is safe enough to do their homework. It assumes that each child has the time to do homework – some children leave school and look after younger children or go to work to help support themselves or their family. By assigning homework in your class, you have set several of your students behind in their work – as a result they will act out simply to get sent to the office so that when homework checks come around they do not feel “stupid” or left out – acting out tends to have a strong connection to how prepared students feel compared to their peers – if they do not feel as “smart” as their classmates they will act out as a way to compensate for this. Most will argue that homework is needed to ensure that students are not up to “no good” once the school bell rings – however there are far more beneficial programs that are available for children that help with their development – both socially and personally (ie self esteem). Children are living in a fast paced world, where most are not given time to simply be children. The studies that show the importance of play far outweigh the studies (actually, I am not aware of any recent studies that show that homework is beneficial) that argue for homework.
Jonny

People please! homework is an important to the children’s education and learning! Sure it may be over loaded, and this might be because of kids using up the class’s time talking. So if your child comes in with a lot of homework, then his class most likely was messing around a lot of the class period. And Jane, I totally agree with you about this whole situation, and that it is important to review the children’s class period, about what they were learning. It ideed does help kids to learn the subject, and to get a better understanding of what they are learning! So I would say that it is important to keep kids with homework, to be able to go throughout their years of learning with skill, and an abillity to do so . . . Keep Homework!!!
#11 mansoor qayumi

i strongly believe that homework is very good for children’s educations and it support us too
james

my son always came and ask me to do homework on computer.I don’t know nothing about computer and internet and he go on www something.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Keegan

I’m in grade 8 and beleive that homework is a waste of time. Teachers do not provide enough time in class to do our class work and we should be able to have more than recess and lunch to hang out with our friends. The home work causes stress and argumants at home and I think Jack Rodden is completly right
daniel

at the moment i’m doing a speech on no home work and personaly i think this is a great idea!
Joe

you just have to do it.
Tim

I am doing a debate on we should give homework and I go to a private school and load us up with homework and I see my friends playing outside on a Monday night! Who is the better person? Homework give us as lids something to do and I am so into school work there are days where I get to school at 7:15 am and leave 8:00 pm!
Bob

KEEP HOMEWORK!
Lise

My mother-in-law who was a teacher and administrator for 23 years completely doesn’t believe in homework. She says that children today have way too much on their plates with activities after school such as mucic, dance, hockey, swimming lessons, etc. These activities are also important and as long as they read for about 45 minutes each night, that should be enough. I agree with her. Homework makes me cringe! They don’t want to do it, they don’t like it and sometimes I don’t understand it. It just makes everyone miserable. I’d much rather be having fun with my kids, than stressed about homework. Here’s to no homework!
yo

i think homework is not so bad its nottttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt
yo

i think homework is something that helps us learn
Lise

Reading books also helps you learn and it doesn’t cause stress in everyone’s day.
cody

a friend of mine killed himself due to homework
???

what are these poeple on about? but the web page is very good =) thanx??? sorry about ?? =) x xx x
JANIE

BAN HOMEWORK NOW!!!!!!!!!!
JANIE BRENAHAM

I HATE HOMEWORK BAN BAN NOW!!!!!!!!1
Jen

I can really understand how people get streesed out about homework — I do myself. However, it seems strange to say things like “its the teacher’s job.” I think that the teachers are responsible for getting information across to our kids, but the truth is — they are OUR kids. So, if the children are in need of more time to learn things, we should not be complaining about helping them. Who should care more about a child’s education… the teacher or the parent?
Alisa

to Janie its alisa u hav to learn but homework can be boring so im on your side how is Belguim?
Janie

fine but i think they should ban school too
Jacko

Jacko 26/8/08 Homeworks sucks i mean you sould ban it
Lauryn

I go to oxford learning center and i am in grade 6. so on top of regular homework i also have oxford homework. i just need a break Lauryn
Tara

To be honest I am quite surprised to see such a big debate about whether or not we should have homework for the children and youth of today to complete. I agree that today’s children must deal with concerns that many of us in the past were not presented with, but what opportunities lie ahead for our youth if they cannot keep up with the demands, as adults, in our society today??? Education is a foundation of success. Homework is not something invented to bother students or cut into their friend and family time. Homework is to help the student learn skills such as patience, concentration, and most of all the ability to THINK for themself. Video games and hanging out with friends will not help a student succeed in the reality we call LIFE.
Maryn

I’m in Middle School and the teachers DO give us a lot of homework. But homework isn’t so bad. It helps me with the work that we did that day. Homework can be a stress for me, but it helps me at the end. It makes me think, “Oh, I am SO glad that the teacher gave us that homework.” And besides, homework is not for making students miserable. Homework is for helping and learning things. Students can’t always have fun and laugh. Life isn’t that easy.
justina

no homework? yay!!!!!!!!
Lia

Personally I think 4 hours of homework a night is atrocious. i dont get a paycheck from thr school board fo rdoing what a teacjer is paid to do, so yeah, away wiht the homework. I’m thinking that half of you seem to forget that that adding homewrok after isschool is like telling you adults to go home after work and do quite a few more hours of work. Do you not like to take a break? I know if I work a shift of over 5 hrs i get 2 15 min. breaks and also a lunnch break, my son doesnt get recess anymore and only a break for lunch, We are adults and we ourselves would be overloaded and stressed as well if we were expected to do this much work, so you think it’s o.k. for KIDS to do it? And give me a break on the “parents don’t want to spend the time doing the work with our kids” well you are right, as a single pareent I’d rather spend the time cooking a great homemade meal with my kids, or throwing the ball around or better yet, spend the time laughing and fooling around, relaxing, then be stressed out 18 hrs a day and living a heck of a shorter life, or by fighting with my child over the frustration of all the homework. Until I find a patcheque in my mailbox from the T.D.S.B. for all the “teachig I do on top of my parental duties by doing the teachers job then I say No Homework!!!
Kathy

So I’m guessing that those of you who think homewrok is the key to success live like robots and don’t have many social skills either? As children, they also need a balance of education as well as a social life? guess you are also not up to date on the latest Pediatrics studies? You all know of what stress can do to an average say 30 year old? Can you imagine what it does to an 11 year old? And you think it’s o.k for an 11 year old or younger to have an average of 2 – 3 hours of homework a night and not have the weekends off like most adults do? Give me a break
Regal

Banning homework is rather, well, stupid. Kids do -not- get all that much homework. They complain about the smallest amounts and bug their parents to do it. Which is where the parents get distraught. The only problem is the major assignments they might get towards the end of school before more holiday breaks or semester ends. They just need to balance it out a bit and it’d be fine. Throughout the rest of the year, homework is not all that “mountainous.” Lighten the homework load. That’s it. Ban homework, and congratulations, you be ushering in the “dumbest” generations we’ve had in a long time. And yeah, I don’t like homework either. I’d love to have none, but it’s a necessary evil. ’Sides, there’s always just “not doing the homework.” Everybody is too hung up on marks anyway.
emma

stick it you teachers
ive-sept-16

i dont like homework because the techers alwas goes over bored with the work and alwas tent to make us do more and more work every day untill summer comes one more time but untill then i guess we need it to pass our classes and then leav the school. thanx for ur thoughs
sara

homework dosent need to be completely banned if at all the quantity decreased but not completely removed because it helps the students to keep in touch and renforces what has been taught in the classroom on that day.if a child was to pay attention in class and then come home and give it atleast 2 hours im sure it wont be a problem to do a bit of homework but yes the amount has to be decreased. thankyou
Anonamous

I really dislike homework!!!!! There should be a maximum of homework kids can get each day!!!! I personally DONT LIKE HOMEWORK!!!!
calvin

home work suks
calvin

really badly suks