Pros and Cons of a No Homework Policy
To assign or not to assign? That is the question. Weigh the pros and cons of a no homework policy.
What Is a No Homework Policy?
As the name suggests, a no-homework policy is your promise as a teacher (or, in some cases, a school, district, or even a country) to never assign homework.
If you institute it as a policy, you follow it each and every day.
Math problems, essays, and projects are completed in class.
Homework is not a component of a student’s final grade.
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The No Homework Debate
A no-homework policy is an educational trend internationally.
Countries like Finland, South Korea, and Japan assign little to no homework to their students.
Even in the US, certain school districts are banning homework on certain days or eliminating it altogether.
Some schools make it optional.
Before you pick a side, consider the pros and cons of a no-homework policy.
Benefits of a No Homework Policy
A no-homework policy has distinct benefits.
Homework Stresses Students
Many students say that homework is their most significant stressor.
Today’s students are often overscheduled and overburdened, balancing extra-curricular activities, family help, and even jobs with their schoolwork.
Homework is an added burden that causes tension in students.
Critics of homework say any benefits of homework are outweighed by preserving a student’s mental health.
Homework Can Do More Harm Than Good
What happens if you do a math problem incorrectly and repeat that mistake dozens of times?
You are actually practicing the mistake and making it a habit.
Students can spend time completing homework incorrectly if they do not have direct supervision.
Not only is this a time-waster, but it can also form habits of thinking that are time-consuming and frustrating to undo.
Not All Students Have Internet Access
In this day and age, most homework requires internet access.
Modern education often relies on technology, such as accessing online assignment platforms, completing research, and writing in online word processing programs.
Not all students have laptops, tablets, or even internet access.
By assigning homework, you may be further disadvantaging low-income students.
Students Have More Time for Activities, Relationships, and Rest
Students attend school for seven to eight hours.
Critics of homework argue, “Isn’t that enough? It is as much as a full-time job. Why do overtime?”
Homework hours don’t appear out of nowhere; they are robbed from other activities.
Students should be playing outside and pursuing sports, music, and other personal interests outside of school.
They should enjoy their friends and family.
After a long day at school, students are drained. They should go to bed at a decent hour to get adequate rest for the day ahead.
This will help them to be at their best for the next school day.
Homework Burdens Parents
Let’s be realistic. Parents often need to help students with homework.
Many children today do not have a stay-at-home parent available for after-school homework help.
Instead, working parents stay up late helping their students with homework (and, in some cases, doing it for them because the homework load is so heavy).
Moreover, some children do not have parents who are willing or available to help with homework.
This means that some students struggle alone while others benefit from at-home help. It is hardly fair.
Teachers Control the Learning with a No Homework Policy
As a teacher, you are not just teaching subject knowledge; you are teaching methods and skills.
When you assign homework, you lose control of how students complete problems and find solutions.
Students may devise their own methods, which can be time-consuming or even counter-productive.
Worse, students may become frustrated and turn off to learning in general.
When you consolidate learning into your in-class time, you are right there to assist students and keep the process frustration-free.
Drawbacks of a No Homework Policy
Advocates of homework point out that a no-homework policy has drawbacks.
Homework Provides Lesson Reinforcement
Homework is extra practice in the skills learned during class time.
The more students interact with content and skills, the faster they learn.
Homework is a valuable reinforcement tool for in-class learning.
Homework Prepares High School Students for College
College requires that a student know how to learn independently and complete homework outside of college lectures.
How will students succeed in this model if they don’t have practice?
High school students need homework so they are ready and able to take on the college learning environment.
Homework May Improve Test Scores
A 1989 study drew a link between the students who complete homework and those with higher scores on standardized tests.
This link was only found in middle and high schoolers; there was no such correlation for elementary students.
Homework Develops Study Habits for All Students
Homework is at-home study and review. It allows students to learn good study habits, which are tools for lifelong success.
Homework Grades Reward Students Who Try
Not all students are great test-takers. Without a homework grade, these traditional forms of assessment may make up 100% of a student’s grade.
When teachers make homework a part of the final grade, they reward students for their consistency and effort.
Whether or Not to Institute a No Homework Policy
Before instituting a no-homework policy, consider consulting your students, parents, administration, and colleagues.
Weigh the advantages and disadvantages of a no homework policy.
If you proceed with the policy, you don’t have to do it all at once.
Consider a semester-long trial. Or assign minimal homework per week or no homework on certain days.
Use your best judgment when determining if a no-homework policy is right for your class.
