Why Students Shouldn T Have Out Of Class Work

Why is it that so many children in today's generation are so stressed over school and getting things done? Why should students have to live like this at such an early age? Of course, no one likes homework and the stress of some students having to get it done after their out-of-school activities. It’s this kind of work that makes students want to go insane everyday. There are three preeminent reasons why students shouldn’t have out of class work: it leads to stress, the educational value is usually little to none, and there are plenty of other options to better a child’s learning.

Stress It is no question at all that homework produces a large amount of stress in a child’s life almost daily. A study conducted by Stanford University in 2014

Those who are for homework would most likely defend that more work means more learning to better education. However, several studies have proved this to be false. One study conducted by Duke University concluded that homework can actually degrade the amount of education received rather than increase it (Spencer). This unvaluable learning can also teach youth bad work habits. Students feel as if they need to study or do work because they have to, rather than want to. School is becoming more and more about grades and passing rather than learning and understanding. Most of today’s homework is done on pencil and paper or sitting in front of a screen. This is also a factor of children not wanting to learn the material, but more of just wanting to pass (see fig. 1). If there were something else involved, such as a game or activity, students would be more compelled and interested in completing the tasks they are assigned. In an article by Robert J. Marzano and Debra J. Pickering, Alfie Kohn states:

Teachers should only assign homework when they can justify that the assignments are beneficial-- ideally involving students in activities appropriate for the home, such as performing an experiment in the kitchen, cooking, doing crossword puzzles with the family, watching good TV shows, or reading. (Marzano and

Instead of assigning more work, suggesting a book to read or checking a website could be just as effective. If it is the parent who is requesting more homework for their child, the teacher could send home instructions for, say, a workshop or activity that the parent could aid in. Tips on keeping your child busy with things such as review games and educational TV shows can also be