S2 E23 To Do or Not To Do: Homework

The Homework Dilemma: How Much is Too Much?

Homework. It’s a topic that’s plagued both parents and kids alike for decades. You remember it, right? Maybe you have some fond memories (or not-so-fond) of the endless assignments you were tasked with after a long school day. As parents, now we find ourselves on the other side of the equation, navigating the homework struggles with our kids.

Homework brings out mixed emotions. Some of us recall dreading it, while others might have embraced certain parts of it, like drawing detailed lab reports (like I did in Marine Biology) or curling up with a good book for reading assignments. But whether we liked it or loathed it, one thing’s for sure: the idea of homework creates debate, with strong opinions on both sides.

To Do Homework or Not to Do Homework?

There’s a lot of research about the benefits and drawbacks of homework, and schools have chosen to handle it differently. Some have banned it altogether, while others continue to assign it regularly. Some parents beg for more, while others ask for less. It seems like there is not happy medium and no way for teachers, parents or students to win.

But before we dive into the research, here's a poem related to the dreaded topic of homework, that I remember well from childhood... probably because I didn't love homework... yet I also was the student who found unused "homework passes" in my closet years later. Even if I didn't like homework that much, I didn't want to miss out on any learning either!

Homework! Oh, Homework! — Jack Prelutsky
Homework! Oh, Homework!
I hate you! You stink!
I wish I could wash you away in the sink,
if only a bomb
would explode you to bits.
Homework! Oh, homework!
You're giving me fits.

I'd rather take baths
with a man-eating shark,
or wrestle a lion
alone in the dark,
eat spinach and liver,
pet ten porcupines,
than tackle the homework,
my teacher assigns.

Homework! Oh, homework!
you're last on my list,
I simple can't see
why you even exist,
if you just disappeared
it would tickle me pink.
Homework! Oh, homework!
I hate you! You stink!

While playful, this poem hits a chord with us because it sums up how many kids feel about homework. Now, as a parent and teacher, I see both sides. While I personally didn’t mind some homework (like my beloved Marine Biology lab reports mentioned before), I could certainly have passed on my pre-algebra assignments!

The Pros and Cons of Homework

As an elementary school teacher, I always assigned reading and some basic math practice to my students. I tried to cap their homework at 30 minutes, focusing more on giving families time together after school unless there was some big project at hand and they needed to do some additional research. But is this the right approach? Let’s take a look at the research to see what it says about this topic.

Pros of Homework

Research shows that homework can boost academic performance, especially for high school students. It’s a way to teach life skills like time management, responsibility, and self-discipline. The older students get, the more benefits they seem to gain. For high school students, homework can significantly increase learning, while for middle schoolers, the gains are more moderate. For elementary students, however, the academic benefits are merely minimal. The younger they are, the harder it is for them to complete assignments independently, which can lead to frustration if they don’t fully understand the concepts.

The National PTA and National Education Association recommend the “10-minute rule,” meaning students should do about 10 minutes of homework per grade level per night. For example, a 1st grader should have around 10 minutes of homework, while a 12th grader may have up to two hours. I would hope for it to be a bit less, but it’s an average, and depends on how your child manages their time.

Cons of Homework

Homework isn’t without its challenges, though. A 2014 study from Stanford found that too much homework can lead to stress, sleep deprivation, and issues like headaches and stomach aches. Kids spending hours on homework often sacrifice time with family, friends, and extracurriculars—important aspects of their personal development. Another study in 2017 echoed these findings, particularly for students in upper-middle-class communities, where the pressure to succeed academically is can be more intense.

Some experts argue that other countries with high-performing students, like Finland and Singapore, assign far less homework than the U.S., and still see great success (Edutopia: Research Trends: Why Homework Should be Balanced). So what gives?

There’s also the question of equity. Is the student doing the homework? Or is a parent, sibling or tutor stepping in? If AI can do it, is it worth asking a child to complete it? For economically-disadvantaged students, do they have the same resources or support at home to complete assignments as their peers? Just food for thought, I won't dig into this right now.

Improving Homework, Not Eliminating It

While some suggest eliminating homework in elementary school, educational researcher John Hattie offers a different take. His work synthesizes more than 2,100 meta-analyses drawing from more than 132,000 studies involving 300 million students throughout the world. He is continually updating his research as more studies come out, giving educators a better picture of what works and what doesn’t work. Hattie’s goal was to see not only what has a positive impact upon student learning, but by how much. His extensive research found that while homework in primary grades has a smaller impact, it is not worthless. Instead of ditching it altogether, he suggests improving the quality of assignments. Make homework engaging, review-based, and appropriate for the child's age and developmental stage. It should build upon what they already know and reinforce learning without being overwhelming.

In essence, homework should enhance learning, not become a source of stress for kids or a power struggle for parents. When done thoughtfully, it can be a way for parents to understand what’s being taught in the classroom and support learning at home. This is a win for everyone.

How to Handle Homework as a Parent

So, what do you do if your child’s school has what seems like an overwhelming amount of homework? Start by talking with your child’s teacher. Ask about the school’s homework policy, and share how much time your child is spending on assignments. Teachers may not realize how much time homework is taking, and a quick conversation can help get everyone on the same page.

If that doesn’t work, you can always bring up your concerns with the PTA or the school administration. If you’re in the process of choosing a school, be sure to ask about their homework policies. If possible, ask the admissions team to get you in touch with other parents to hear their perspectives, or find an online parent community in the area to get some additional perspectives. While wonderful, sometimes the admissions team isn’t fully in tune with the day-to-day realities, but other parents will be. They're the ones living it.

For those of you who have children who are overachievers, or if your child is at a school that doesn’t believe in homework, but you want some fun learning engagements for your child, I’m sharing three sets of what I call “Going Above And Beyond” for members of our Raising Thinkers Community (they're at the end of this post).  These learning engagements are ones I used when I was teaching in 3rd-5th grade, and while I always made them available to all my learners, they were most often capitalized upon by my gifted students.  With these resources, I think you may find some fun ideas to challenge your child and encourage a love of learning.  I also encourage you to head back and listen to Episode 13: Code Breakers for additional challenge ideas.  I still make secret codes and scavenger hunts with my niece and nephew during our family vacations, and they love them!

Final Thoughts

Whether your child enjoys homework or not, remember that balance is key. Encourage them to read every day, get involved in hands-on learning at home, and most importantly, give them time to explore and enjoy their childhood. The world is full of opportunities for learning—and the vast majority of them do not come from a textbook or workbook!

Do you have strong feelings about homework? Feel free to share in the comments below! And remember, you can always join our Raising Thinkers Community for more resources like the Going Above and Beyond resources mentioned above, and you can also get additional support on how to encourage learning both in and out of the classroom through the podcast or in our live monthly calls.