Is Homework Really Necessary?

Is Homework Really Necessary?

Does Homework really affect academic achievement? Matt Wheeler 8th Grade Project Z Section (Odd) The Walker School Mr. Surkan Word Count- 1,092 December 15, 2010

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Over the years the educational value of homework has been questioned, the assigning of homework now has become it takes "a village to raise a child," (VanDamme) meaning teachers give it because it has been given since school was created. Some experts believe that teachers have become lazy and are assigning homework because the teachers are not covering the material in class. They also believe that students that learn some from homework will just forget it soon after learning it. Although homework has been accepted form of re-teaching in the past, current thinking reveals that it could just be a source of stress and problems in students' lives.

Many parents and students over the years have wondered why teachers give so much homework to students. The real question is, "Is it really necessary?" Many educational experts have done numerous studies and have found homework given to elementary aged students may not increase their grades. The question is yet to be answered on whether homework is beneficial for middle school students and beyond.

"Practice makes perfect," but is that really true in the case of homework? For, Alfie Kohn, the author of "The Homework Myth", the answer is, "no," especially among elementary and middle school students. According to Kohn, homework is not a benefit; in fact, it's a curse among young children. He says homework leaves children frustrated and exhausted and also leaves little time for other activities. What's worse, children could possibly lose interest in learning because of the impact of homework. (Alfie Kohn Rethinking Homework) Lisa VanDamme, founder of VanDamme Academy, a school where no homework is ever assigned, (except reading) has written many articles on this issue. She claims the work is pointless and is just busy work. Children are over whelmed which, forces the parents to do the homework for the kids, but parents do not always know the material. "There is no sacred family time. Instead, the

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time for bonding between parents and children is compromised by battles over homework" (VanDamme).

Researchers from Duke University, deliver a somewhat different message. They reviewed more than sixty studies on homework between 1987 and 2003 and found positive correlation between homework and student achievement. The strongest evidence was in grades 7-12. Still, homework in the elementary grades was not seen as beneficial. However, the Duke researchers found that too much homework can effect achievement in a negative way in all grade levels (Cooper). According to Jonte Rhodes, writer for , homework is a productive method that teaches students to be self motivated rather than always being hounded in the classroom to do work. She also says it teaches students time management skills, (Rhodes). Homework should be reevaluated every year to see if it actually helps students learn.

What the Experts Say

Interviews with Billie Walker and Lisa VanDamme conducted by Matt Wheeler in November, 2010, indicated that these two experts have sharply different opinions when it comes to the subject of homework. Walker, a former lower school principal for over forty years at the Walker School, believes homework is beneficial because it helps students do better in school. Lisa VanDamme, a leader in the campaign to stop teachers from giving homework, however, believes that homework is pointless and that it does not help students get better grades. In fact, VanDamme founded a K-8 in California where only reading homework is given.

Walker says that the Walker School focuses on giving enough homework to advance their students, since it is a collegiate preparatory school. She claims it helps you review what you have learned during the week. She also believes students of all ages need homework to reflect on what they have learned during the school day. More homework should be given based upon

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the mental maturity of the students. Walker also suggests students do homework (ages ranging from pre-k to twelfth grade) half an hour to four hours of homework per night. She believes the students probably procrastinate as she says she remembers being "absentminded back during the dark ages" (Walker).

VanDamme, on the other hand, believes differently than Miss Walker saying homework is unnecessary and actually impedes a student's ability to learn. She believes homework ruins the student's "ability to learn intellectually and grow as a clear thinking adult" (VanDamme). She believes a student needs time to learn and have fun. School is learning and home is fun, she says. If a student has homework and he or she plays a sport, the student has no time to mentally and physically be themselves or be with their family. VanDamme refers to homework as an "error" (VanDamme). She believes most every school gives homework because of the belief that it helps students learn what they learned in class better. However, she says it just makes students cram information into their heads leading to a "race to nowhere" (VanDamme). VanDamme says the students are merely memorizing and not really learning anything. "Value education and give the students their family life back" (VanDamme Interview).

In examining this topic, research showed that many former school teachers and school affiliates believe in giving homework. In an interview with Miss Walker (Former Lower School Principal) she said homework was a way of re-teaching what was learned during the week. Several experts agree that it is an effective way to review what the student learned during the week. There also is another side to this topic, some scientists and some education experts believe homework is not necessary and is just busy work. There is not enough evidence to say that homework helps or hurts students in their journey to being a clear thinking adult.

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Works Cited

Cooper, Harris. "Duke Study: Homework Helps Students Succeed in School, As Long as There Isn't Too Much." dukenews.duke.edu. Duke University, 7 Mar. 2006. Web. 1 Nov. 2010. .

Kohn, Alfie. "Is Homework Really Necessary?" . NAESP, 11 Feb. 2008. Web. 27 Sept. 2010. .

Kohn, Alfie. The Homework Myth. Boston: Da Capo, 2006. Print.

Kohn, Alfie. "Does Homework Improve Learning?" . Da Capo Press, 2006. Web. 28 Sept. 2010. .

Rhodes, Jonte. "Why Homework Is Important." . Helium. Web. 8 Nov. 2010. .

VanDamme, Lisa. "The Homework Lie." Pedagogically Correct. VanDamme Academy, 4 Dec. 2006. Web. 08 Nov. 2010. .

VanDamme, Lisa. "Homework affecting academic achievement success."Personal interview. 8 Nov. 2010.Walker, Billie. "Homework affecting academic achievement success."Personal Interview. 8 Nov. 2010.

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