Too Much Homework, Too Little Time | Teen Ink

Too Much Homework, Too Little Time

January 15, 2009
By LAXdoubleK BRONZE, Aurora, Colorado
LAXdoubleK BRONZE, Aurora, Colorado
2 articles 0 photos 5 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure--which is:
Try to please everybody."
-Herbert Bayard Swope


It's all over the news: kids are spending a lot of time on homework. And, according to some, it's way too much. With the current emphasis on high-stakes testing, educators are trying to do more with less, which can result in an overabundance of schoolwork outside of school. Some critics say there is no evidence to suggest that homework is helpful to student achievement; on the contrary, too much of it can overwhelm students and cause them to disengage. Others, however, claim that homework is necessary and helpful, designed so students can practice the concepts taught in class, build good study habits, and reflect on their own learning.

As an 8th grade student who is in advanced classes, I think that homework is the cause of my depleting grades. Now, you’re probably going to think that I’m like any other kid in middle school that hates homework and that to even spend another second reading this will be a complete waste of time, right? Even so, just hear me out because I have several reasons that might just change your mind.

I have thousands of assignments every week; most of them homework assignments. As a result, I’m cascaded with homework every day, causing me to stay up until 11 o’clock at night more often than not. Obviously, this is a threat to my health as a developing teenager. It could stunt my growth, and result in fatigue and stress because everyone knows that no good sleep leads to no good grades. Even if I were to go to bed at a decent time, my homework wouldn’t be finished. Either way is a couldesack at the end of a road.

Stress is very unhealthy for growing teens and statistics show that 29% of 13-year-old students report spending 2 hours or more on homework daily in the U.S. Isn’t that a bit much? More homework means more stress. Stress can cause many things including: lack of sleep, slipping grades, fatigue, unhealthy eating habits, depression, and many more other factors. A teen should not have to face depression at such a young age.

So why do teenagers still have so much homework?

One of the answers to that is that teachers often have children covering material at home by themselves that they do not discuss during school time at all. Of course, the teacher's reasoning for this is that there aren't enough hours in the day and he/she wants to cover more territory on a certain subject. But being taught how to do something by a piece of paper just isn’t the same as being taught by an actual human being. The teacher can explain things a different way if someone doesn’t grasp how to do something or they can respond to questions about the subject for better learning.

I couldn’t even count how many kids just take the easy way out and disengage from the homework given at my school. They refuse to do homework and it’s lowering their grades. But I can’t blame them because I ask myself on a daily basis why I don’t just quit already and join the rest of the crowd.

I could actually have a life then instead of doing homework all day. I could participate in extra curricular activities like I used to when I participated in lacrosse but now I can’t because my grades are slipping due to not finishing homework. I could do fun things instead of homework because it keeps me cooped up inside like a prisoner in a jail cell and I hate it!

Statistics even show that kids who participated in an extra curricular activity have less stress. The only thing is, is that they have less time for homework too. Homework takes away all of my free time to spend with friends and family; where I can just forget about all of my worries for an hour or two.

The amount of homework that teachers give sometimes is ridiculous and unnecessary. Homework can cause stress, depression, lower grades, and less time to do extra curricular activities or hang out with friends, so teachers, could you please not get so excited about homework next time?


Similar Articles

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 218 comments.


NomNomCookie said...
on Dec. 1 2011 at 7:07 pm
Then don't go to school in China. I use to have school there and you get homework from every class everyday with no breaks and my cousin does not have any classes yet she stays up until midnight doing homework! It was very miserable and hard.

br0f said...
on Dec. 1 2011 at 1:43 am

I attend a high school that has high standards, and I'm harldy ever concious as a result of the homework I get.

I am in the band at the school, and I play many rare instruments so I'm implored to be in the orchestra for all school productions.

So every morning I must leave for school at 6:20 for morning rehearsals. I do not leave until 8:30 pm, and I'm not allowed to work on any assignments during rehearsals.

When I get home at around 9:00, I grab some energy shots and coffee to keep myself awake long enough to complete my homework. It is rare that I get to sleep more than 4 hours on any night.

Also, in my English class, my "teacher" practices a system of binary grading for homework assignments. If I do not answer one question on a worksheet, or I don't follow instructions to the letter on homework, I get A ZERO. She justifies it with the course being an honors level course, but I attempted to take standard english because of what I heard about this teacher, and I wasn't allowed to.

High School is making my life absolutely miserable. My vision is deteriorating from sleep deprivation, and I can barely remember anything I was told during the course of a school day.

My weekends are no break from it either. Every weekend I am assigned two essays, and whatever my other classes decide to give me. I spend all of every Saturday at band competions. I spend my Sunday writing essays and doing lawn work to get enough money to buy energy shots, so I won't get detention for falling asleep in class.

I swear it to be true, I am not exaggerating at all.


schoolgirl13 said...
on Oct. 20 2011 at 9:34 pm
trust me, i know how you all feel. Im an accelerated student in eigtht grade. Im about a month ahead in my classes because i put every once i can into school. I stress way too much when it comes to homework because of clubs. I participate in four afterschool clubs. ( all of them competitive or honor societys) When i get  home, all i do is homework and study, Butt aht doesnt mean we should cut it out. I think they should at least cover it more. Ive found that the reason most people stay up so long when doing homework is because they dont understand it. The teachers dont cover it clearly. Take for example, ( my algebra class goes at a very fast pace, pluz we have to learn regular math for the EOG and EOC Some dont understand due to the pace. The teachers must pay attention.) Its not the amount of homework we have( though sometimes it is ridiculous) its the content.

allie.ring88 said...
on Oct. 13 2011 at 10:22 pm
allie.ring88, Brunswick, Maine
0 articles 0 photos 1 comment

As a freshman in high school this year, I have absolutely felt the stress and pressure of loads of homework. Every other day I have a said of 4 classes. Currently, I'm taking:

Ancient Medevil History

Honors English

Academic Geometry

Geophysical Science

Honors Spanish II

Wind Ensemble

Graphic Design

Physical Education

These are all difficult classes that require hours of nightly homoework. What most teachers don't understand is that while they may only be assinging a45 minutes of homework, that adds up between all of my classes. On top of that is the pressure (from parents, teachers, government,) to not only do the homework but to do it well. In addition to this we are expected to participate in sports, clubs, arts, etc. Community service is also expected. Try putting all of this plus school into one day and there just isn't enough time. Then the "experts" say that we should be getting 8 to 10 hours of sleep. It isn' that we don't want to do all this. It just simply can't be done. Five hours of homeowork in one night is just not realistic for any human being, especially a developing teen. Nevermind all this pressure about school and being well-rounded (yet uique at the same time), the normal social media and peer pressure to look pretty, act "cool" and be popular are also weighing heavily on the minds of teens. I guess that the point I am trying to make is that a lot is expected of teenagers in high school, and homework is the biggest contributing factor. Trust me, I can speak from experience. I also believe that if we had less homework, we would focus better and do better quality work on the assingments that we did have. This logic seems to make a lot of sense to me, and I wish that ou school systems would see it the same way and figure out a solution this growing problem in America.

 


Sapphyhra808 said...
on Oct. 12 2011 at 9:56 pm
Ikr! homework is SUCH a pain, these teachers give us waaaaayyyyy to much now.

CoolDarkFoo said...
on Sep. 14 2011 at 8:47 am
The one thing about homeworks that I hate is that some of these sheets are not even worth to write and I got a 0 for not doing it!

CoolDarkFoo said...
on Sep. 14 2011 at 8:43 am
Hi Guys! I am really a procrastinator of homeworks because they are too long! I am searching for answers to stop this!

KaeJaeGal said...
on Jul. 7 2011 at 4:23 am
I agree. i have a friend who's in an elite school and does homework until 4am in the morning!

on May. 20 2011 at 7:15 am
hi im inuyasha lover1

on May. 20 2011 at 7:13 am
this ludicris home work is not needed i some times stay up to 9 if im luckey with home work is a god sent i have a social life at all

on May. 19 2011 at 6:53 am
HorseLover SILVER, Dallas, Texas
7 articles 0 photos 55 comments

Favorite Quote:
"A boat is safe in the harbor. But this is not the purpose of a boat."~Paulo Coelho, author of The Alchemist

I agree. I get done my homework at about 9 every night, but I know a lot of people who don't get done until 11 or 12.

on May. 5 2011 at 10:56 pm
LAXdoubleK BRONZE, Aurora, Colorado
2 articles 0 photos 5 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure--which is:
Try to please everybody."
-Herbert Bayard Swope

He's talking about the above comment. And I totally agree with him.

uhmmmm said...
on May. 5 2011 at 5:26 pm
uhmm but  that kidd did a really good jod and now you coming nd saying thatt grammar is a reasoning forr homeworkk likee pleaseee youu make noo typee of freaking sensee ugly >:0

on Apr. 28 2011 at 6:44 pm
hi im yerro

*Lovely* said...
on Apr. 7 2011 at 12:28 pm
So what is your personal opinion on the amount of homework that is given?

on Mar. 24 2011 at 9:07 pm
LAXdoubleK BRONZE, Aurora, Colorado
2 articles 0 photos 5 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure--which is:
Try to please everybody."
-Herbert Bayard Swope

I'm glad you liked my article but you should care about learning! It's your future, your life!

on Mar. 24 2011 at 9:05 pm
LAXdoubleK BRONZE, Aurora, Colorado
2 articles 0 photos 5 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure--which is:
Try to please everybody."
-Herbert Bayard Swope

Yes, I agree completely. Reality is that school isn't really possible without homework. I'm just suggesting that teachers need to be smarter and more efficient so we don't need to such a ridiculous amount of work.

on Mar. 24 2011 at 7:22 pm
simplydivine BRONZE, None Of Your Business, Wisconsin
2 articles 0 photos 2 comments

Favorite Quote:
I have a lot so when I have time I will put some up. Haha

After being cooped up inside at school for eight hours. Learning about stuff that we really don't care about. And they expect us to do another hour or two at home? It really is pathethic.

Great article!


Becca17 GOLD said...
on Mar. 24 2011 at 2:00 pm
Becca17 GOLD, Belleville Ontario, Other
10 articles 0 photos 36 comments

Favorite Quote:
“Seven Deadly Sins:
Wealth without work
Pleasure without conscience
Science without humanity
Knowledge without character
Politics without principle
Commerce without morality
Worship without sacrifice.”
― Mahatma Gandhi

Definitely a fascinating article and I definitely agree that the work overload can feel far to overwhelming for the developing teenager.

on Mar. 24 2011 at 12:01 pm
ventureroftheunknown BRONZE, Adell, Wisconsin
1 article 0 photos 8 comments

Favorite Quote:
you don't have to keep me falling, but it'd sure be cool if you did.

i believe if you are in sixth gradee then you need your homework to learn and build you knowledge; dancing and making jewelry can come later.