Homework Synthesis

Homework is a critical part of the educational process; however, it is crucial to consider balance when determining how much homework to assign. The negative perception of homework is fairly universal among students. However, in recent years, homework has escalated from “just one of those things” that people complain about to a bigger issue. A 2011 study conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics revealed that on average, students spend 6.8 hours on homework per week outside of school (Source A). If you consider that this average represents the apex of the bell curve for grades 9 through 12, regardless of course rigor, it is easy to see that those students concerned with receiving higher grades in more rigorous courses will

spend a much greater amount of time completing homework. The debate about the benefits of homework and the sheer amount that students are bringing home needs to be addressed. While schools need to continue assigning homework, due to its benefits towards retention and honing specific academic skills, the amount of homework assigned should conform to the ten-minute rule in order to prevent burnout and ensure quality.
Homework, despite the negative connotation it evokes, does have positive attributes that justify its place in the education system.

While source E espouses that “the side effects of homework are very destructive”, it completely overlooks the benefits of an appropriate amount of homework. One such benefit is that the repetition that some homework provides helps solidify concepts in the minds of students. Harris Cooper, social psychologist at Duke University and “one of the nation’s leading homework researchers”, supports this point, positing that “homework can indeed produce academic benefits, such as increased understanding and retention of material” (Source F). Mathematics is an example of a subject that depends on homework for retention. A teacher can introduce a concept or formula to students, however, nothing but practicing multiple problems can strongly establish those concepts and make them easy to master and recall. This principal is applicable to all students who are learning mathematics, no matter their grade-level, contradicting the decision made by the school described in Source E, which has completely stopped “sending students home with… math problems” (Source E). This principle is applicable to more than just mathematics. Dr. Cooper validates this thought by discussing how subjects “like vocabulary and spelling are learned through practice” (Source F). While implemented with good intentions, eliminating homework entirely disables students from better

understanding and encoding the concepts taught through repetition. If eliminating homework is not a viable solution, then one must consider if increasing homework to a greater extent will further aid retention.
While homework is a valuable tool, this does not justify the belief that overloading students with homework will increase the positive benefits it can have.

Assigning copious amounts of homework decreases the student’s interest and drive to complete the work. Dr. Cooper, the Duke University social psychologist mentioned earlier, bluntly states in source B that “Kids burn out” (Source B). This simply-put statement supports the earlier claim, especially when acknowledged by one of the most prestigious homework-researchers in the country. As a student myself, I can personally attest to feelings of disinterest and being “burnt-out” quite often while completing four to six hours of homework on weeknights. Assigning too much homework also puts quantity ahead of quality. The cartoon by Randy Glasbergen supports this. By having the teacher say “just read every other word”, Glasbergen is acknowledging how, in order to complete vast amounts of homework, students and sometimes even teachers find it acceptable to cut corners, a lesson that serves only to hurt the education of students. Realizing several negative effects result from assigning too much homework, including driving the wrong behaviors, the best course of action is to adhere to the ten-minute rule. The ten-minute rule is where the child’s grade level is multiplied by ten, which results in the amount of homework they should do, in minutes (Source C). Following the ten-minute rule would allow students to be able to

focus on the quality of their work, as well as protect against burn-out or disinterest in what they are learning. An influential supporter of the ten-minute rule is none other than Dr. Cooper himself, who upholds that beyond the amount of work that students get using the ten-minute rule, “kids don’t absorb much useful information” (Source F). The ten-minute rule is a happy medium between Source C’s belief that “a zero-homework policy seems to be the wrong way to prepare our children” and the hours of homework students are cramming in today (Source C).
In conclusion, while homework is beneficial to the education of students, such as enabling students to better understand and remember concepts, it is critical that excessive homework should not be assigned. The supporting points of view of the sources coupled with the argument of this paper make it clear that balance and moderation is the key to proper homework volume. Copious amounts of homework lead not to the betterment of the student, but to disinterest in the material and the prioritization of quantity of work over quality of work. The ten-minute rule points to a balance for the appropriate amount of homework, allowing for interest and attention to the quality of work, as well as bridging the gap between “no homework at all” and “as much homework as possible”. Overall, homework is a critical component of education that, when given in moderation, can help prepare a student for future education.