Should Children Bring Homework Home with Them?

The debate is on as to whether children should have to bring homework home with them after school, especially if these children are elementary age. Some experts say that homework plays no significant role in test scorings. Other believe that homework gives children more motivation.

Some parents believe that homework just gets in the way of children being children. They need time after school for more family time, to interact with their peers, to take part in the succession of after school programs that many children sign up for now a days.

The rule used to be that first and second graders should have no more than 10 minutes of homework a night. As the child excels to a higher education level than the number of homework minutes should also grow. By the time a child reaches, high school, they could be spending as much as a hour and a half on homework a night.

But can a child get enough learning in a school day? What if the child needs extra attention?

Here in Ohio, one county has quit giving homework to their elementary school age children (Jackson County). The teachers there are saying that the children are doing just as well in school as they did when they were handing out homework.

Many teachers say that many times homework was copied from other students, that it was only done half heartedly, that the children did not seem to put much to any effort in to it at all.

Yet, it isn't just elementary school teachers that have stopped giving homework. Some high school teachers have stopped giving it. They state the same reasons as above for not giving it. They also find that it isn't necessary. They claim the students are doing just as well without it. Many teachers tell parents to look at the test scores the children are receiving as proof of their claim.

Personally, looking back at my education days, I realize I needed that homework. I was the type of child that had to study. I didn't learn things as quickly as other children. I wasn't dumb. I just needed to read things over a few times. Homework gave me this opportunity. If I didn't have work sheets to do at night, would I had taken the time to read over those lessons, again? I doubt it.