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?


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This article has 214 comments.


L.A.L.Etc said...
on May. 3 2014 at 4:25 pm
L.A.L.Etc, Vail, Arizona
0 articles 0 photos 13 comments

Favorite Quote:
I can't be impossible - I exist! I believe what you ment to say is 'I give up he's improbable!'"
By "Big Bang Theory"

I agree! I was taking high school math ( I'm in 7th grade) and there was to much Homework that it took the whole day to do because I had hw in all my 7 classes. I got overwhelmed and had to go to regular math for getting a c-plus.

Anon said...
on May. 1 2014 at 9:32 pm
2 hours of homework in 8th grade? Im in 8th grad and i have about 5 to 6 hours of homwork regularly

anonomys said...
on Apr. 24 2014 at 8:10 pm
I completely argree i am doing a speech at how middle and high school students have to much homework and i am doing it for homework i dont think that that is right

on Apr. 6 2014 at 9:40 pm
Me too. It has to be 20 pages long... Ironic, huh?

Anonymous said...
on Apr. 6 2014 at 9:38 pm
preach......

i<3pie! said...
on Apr. 6 2014 at 2:49 pm
I'm in 6th grade and in cats and every single night i have a new projuect to work on. i feel like a slave and when my teacher is mad at other kids, i get more work. Also we "had no homework" so she gave us a lot more :(

on Mar. 28 2014 at 8:47 pm
izzy_0314 BRONZE, Hartland, Wisconsin
2 articles 0 photos 16 comments

Favorite Quote:
Real bands save fans, real fans save bands. -Michael Clifford

I really enjoyed your article and you brought up many important and great points. I know that a lot of people that are older may be commenting on here sayng "stop complaining" or "wait until your in high school" but honestly they shouldn't really be talking. They all say they've been there, but the academic system is forever changing and it is just not the same as when they were in the 8th grade. I really enjoyed this article and plan on reading more of your writing. :)

on Mar. 28 2014 at 8:42 pm
izzy_0314 BRONZE, Hartland, Wisconsin
2 articles 0 photos 16 comments

Favorite Quote:
Real bands save fans, real fans save bands. -Michael Clifford

The person that commented this clearly does not understand the pressure of today’s schools, even in the 8th grade. I’m an eighth grader and am currently taking multiple advanced courses. For example I am currently taking a math course that is traditionally taken by a 10th/11th grader. Schools are creating more difficult courses, predominantly in the younger ages. The reasoning behind this that students go through their academic lives through high school with flying colors. Their brains are not stimulated enough in class and everything comes easily to them. However, college comes around and these students realize that their classes are actually difficult and they need to study. But since these students went through school without needing to study, they never developed the skills to do so. Teachers and school administrators across the world believe that giving more homework is the answer, which would be incorrect. It creates more pressure and stress for the students, which is not beneficial in the growing teenager. This article is completely true and maybe you are just too ignorant to understand this phenomenon going on in the world around us. So next time you comment on an article, I hope you think about what you are saying and are able to back it up with evidence because right now, you just sound like a narcissistic imbecile at the moment. Have a nice day and please don’t be a negative person, just understand that even younger kids have a lot of pressure too. Have a nice day! :)  

Anonymous said...
on Mar. 25 2014 at 7:33 am
I believe homework is important. Right now I'm in the equivalent of 8th grade, and I don't exactly like doing homework but sigh, I have to do it anyway. We already have more than 5 hours of school, not counting registration, break time, transition time, etc. Fortunately some of that time is in the arts, like Drama and Art, and in PE, Food Technology, and other more 'non-academic' subjects. However, these could also be GCSE subjects, in which case most likely regular homework will be set and because of evaluations, written exams, and theory, can actually turn quite academic! But at least for elective subjects, homework will probably be something you won't really mind doing, as you chose that subject. So for the meantime, try to enjoy school, then it'd be easier to listen to the teacher and do homework. And have a positive attitude - to everything!

Anon said...
on Mar. 24 2014 at 1:19 am
Well, when one has the sleep patterns of a college student while in middle/high school (like myself) I wouldn't say that it isn't "Huge"

pikachu9910 said...
on Mar. 18 2014 at 2:29 am
You guys all sound like a bunch of whining brats. I suggest you all learn how to deal with your "huge" amounts of homework in middle school before even thinking about moving on with your lives. Really? Considering "losing your childhood" when you're like what, 5 years old? Give me a break, that's pathetic. Now get off this website and finish your damn arithmetic homework. 

Aryoseno11 said...
on Mar. 10 2014 at 7:36 am
I agree, I have civics presentation tommorow along with bahasa homework and Biology test and SOSE presentation and tommorow is the due date for computer project..... Life is getting harder at school isn't it? The only way is to work hard....That's how life is when being affected by school...

on Mar. 5 2014 at 1:07 pm
screw home work i mean we learn at school why do we have to do it at home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

foop said...
on Feb. 26 2014 at 11:15 am
first of all u commentators keep spelling things wrong and it is bothering me.... btw i agreeeed to this article

annabanana said...
on Feb. 25 2014 at 8:06 pm
I agree, being in eighth grade the workload should be little, and middle schoolers have enough time to do this work, if this is too much now well just wait until youre a junior in high school

on Feb. 25 2014 at 8:02 pm
I agree with this article, however, most commenting are ninth graders and the person who wrote this is only an eight grader. I am a junior and all i have to say is all of you undeclassmen complaining about homework are going to be in for a real treat come junior year. I can honestly say freshman and sophomore year are absolutely nothing compared to the workload your junior year. Also, luckily for you 8th and 9th graders 10th and 11th grade are the grades that matter most in terms of college, so don't stress too much especially if it's a low percentage of your grade. Being a junior in AP classes as well as preparing for SATs can say, your health is more important than your homework.

Maxy1234 said...
on Feb. 20 2014 at 1:23 pm
Im a 7th Grader... Currently doing my Geography Project with my Maths homwork and my Chemistry Assessment Practice. I come tired form School and dont have time to play Football my favourite Sport. Now I occasioonally go to play just beacuse of Loads of Homework. I HATE IT!!!!!!!!

smartdevon said...
on Feb. 13 2014 at 2:12 pm
there is actually no proof that homework helps at all with a students ability to grast onto a certain concept.

on Feb. 12 2014 at 6:20 pm
i know, and if teachers can't finish a lesson in their time with us, then they should not make us do it after school

cookie1234 said...
on Feb. 12 2014 at 6:12 pm
I know right, teachers always pile it on when you go on vacations.  Whats the point of going away if you will spend all your time finishing your homework, the reason you went away was for a break!