Five Good Reasons Why Homework Should Be Banned

Many people look back on their school days with a mixture of fondness, hindsight-tinged remorse and pride. Very little of that is connected to homework however which tends to be viewed almost universally as an unenjoyable experience. Here are just five of the reasons why homework should be abolished altogether.

It’s too general

Teachers may say that homework is assigned to assist children to learn a subject more deeply through attempting it on their own. This argument crumbles in the face of the fact that most assignments are given to the entire class and in no way tailored to any child’s individual strengths or weaknesses. A child who has mastered fractions and needs help with multiplication may be forced to do fractions homework simply because the teacher has planned that for the class.

It takes up time that could be better allocated

Many children spend a great portion of their lives in front of computer screens and other devices. By giving homework teachers actually take away from time that could be diverted into activities that take place outdoors. This is particularly important when rising obesity rates are considered.

It sometimes shows how much parents know rather than children

Very competitive parents may find it difficult to see their children struggle with homework and just step in and take over. This can actually make the child feel less capable than before or encourage him or her to always look out to someone else for help rather than first making an honest attempt.

It lets teachers ‘cheat’

When a good teacher assigns homework it tends to be used to help children understand. Bad teachers can use homework to break students down and disguise their own lack of teaching ability.

It puts children with shorter attention spans at a clear disadvantage

In a classroom setting children whose minds tend to wander can be directed back to the lesson with a gentle reprimand or even through the use of more exciting teaching aids. At home, a child who cannot pay attention may find the entire time allotted to homework has been spent doodling in the corners of pages or looking intently out of windows. This can lead to a habit of procrastination that leads to a cycle of guilt that permanently biases the child against education.

For all of the above reasons schools that truly care about student morale should consider doing away with homework once and for all.

 
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