Schools are receiving increasing pressure to move to using curriculum that is more based around, self-centered learning and self taught subjects. The United States is beginning to realize the importance of teaching young kids to be creative and free thinkers. With this goal, the question of whether homework is beneficial or not has come into perspective. Now while like with any question, we want a definite answer, however there is not a definitive answer to whether homework is good or bad. The different benefits and consequences of homework vary from age group to age group.
Second-grade teacher Fiorentino, experimented with eliminating homework to see the kinds of effects it would have on her kids. Part of the issue that comes from giving too much homework to kids too soon, is they will burnout and not learn to properly appreciate learning. It will feel more like a task than an opportunity. Mrs Fiorentino’s findings, show that as the kids did not have homework, their drive in school increased. Not only this but “when these young kids were going home they were doing more explorative learning on subjects that interested them.” Instilling a passion for learning into young generations of America will bring great benefits to the country has a whole in the coming years.
There was actual research performed by Duke University psychology professor Harris Cooper, who found correlations between upper grade students doing homework and the benefit their test scores and grades saw. However when he looked at younger students he found, “a weak correlation from homework benefitting young students,” (Cooper.) Cooper believes that homework is meant to foster an enjoyment of learning and problem solving skills, and giving young children overwhelming amounts of homework does not foster this enjoyment. All in all when it comes to whether homework is beneficial or not, it really comes down to the age and situation of the child in question. No two children are the same and thus makes it extremely difficult to find a black and white answer answer to this question. So yes unfortunately you will still be getting homework from your teachers for now.
In my experience with having teachers who both give and do not give homework it can completely change the learning environment specifically in that class. I am also in complete agreement with Mrs Fiorentino’s discovery “as the kids did not have homework, their drive in school increased.” I wouldn’t encourage all teachers to give no homework at all, but I do strongly encourage keeping a balance between the classes. This can help develop a more engaged student that is always striving to learn.