The Truth About Homework, By Alfie Kohn

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The amount of homework assigned has dramatically increased over the past few years. With new state standards and standardized testings, teachers are beginning to put more pressure on children. They are being sent home with six page packets and vocabulary words that are due the next day. Most children do not have the time or help to complete this much homework. Alfie Kohn’s The Truth About Homework states “Homework continues to be assigned - in ever greater quantities - despite the absence of evidence that it is necessary or even helpful in most cases.” Not only is all of this homework unnecessary, but it can have negative effects on the children as well. More and more children are beginning to feel pressured in school. Their teachers are assigning too much homework and they are expected to excel in their classes. Most children are involved in some sort of after school activity with their family and friends. But having large amounts of homework restricts them from having any free time. This …show more content…

But children are not understanding their work causing them to get low test scores. Struggling to keep up their their work and failing tests can have an emotional toll on them. For example, a child can begin to feel depressed or even develop a low self-esteem. Too much home can have physical effects as well. For example, with all their time spent on homework a child can begin to gain weight and become sleep deprived. Parents are often expected to help their children with their homework. Even though most of them do not understand, have the necessary resources, or the time to help. This creates additional stress for the parents and the child. Homework is stressor for teachers as well. Teachers have to create lesson plans, tests, class assignments, and meet state standards. Making sure that each child completes and turn in their homework is an unnecessary

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