Homework: A Waste of Time

When I started writing this post a few days ago I wasn’t sure exactly where I wanted to go with it. I didn’t want it to come across as teacher shaming.  I am a teacher for crying out loud and spend 60 percent of my days immersed in the education system, but I did want it convey why I believe homework for elementary aged children is a flat out waste of time. This may come as a surprise for those that know me personally as I’m a teacher and kind of a goody-two-shoes, follow the rules type of gal. 

There are arguments for why homework is a good thing for kids. People say it builds character, teaches study skills, self-discipline and my personal favorite, increases students’ academic advantage. On the flip side, it can be argued that homework causes physical and mental fatigue, takes away family time, and limits free time. 

I’ll never forget the night my oldest daughter brought home a book bag, and we sat begrudgingly at the kitchen table as we do when I know a struggle is about to ensue. In the bag was a worksheet with a Venn Diagram on it.  ou know, two big overlapping circles used to compare and contrast. I opened up the book and she read it to me and then we began the worksheet. Except, she had no idea what a Venn Diagram was. It was frustrating to her and annoying to me that I would spend a solid 20 minutes completing this homework assignment.  

Then, we proceeded to practice her sight words for the week’s test. After about 30 minutes of homework (for an early elementary student), we finished for the night. I wish I could say this was a rare occasion, but this type of homework came home two or three times a week. We would have math worksheets, reading comprehension worksheets, spelling words…and on and on. I had a hard time understanding the benefit of it, but also didn’t want to be that parent who boycotted homework and caused more issues for the teacher. So, we (read: her father and I) completed the homework. 

About this time, I started reading and researching the benefits of homework and couldn’t find much substance to correlate student success with homework. Also, many parents started jumping on the bandwagon of no homework after this Facebook post by a second grade teacher in Texas went viral. So, what should students be doing after school? Because we can’t have a society of Oreo eating kids who watch copious amounts of YouTube every day. I would suggest things like reading a book as a family, playing a sport or taking in a hobby. In our house, we make our kids do simple chores after school like straightening their rooms. Our girls play sports, participate in Girl Scouts and even watch a little YouTube.

Do kiddos need to learn to spell words? Absolutely. Are spelling tests the way to accomplish this task or is spelling something that can be practiced and completed during school?  You know where I stand.    

Don’t misread this article as  bashing on teachers and schools, for goodness sake, most of the time it’s not their fault. We have some of the best schools in the country in the Kansas City area.  There is a lot of curriculum to complete and not enough time in the school year to complete it.  I’m hoping more research in this area will continue to shed light on the fact that there is no significant correlation between intelligence and homework. I’ve seen the shift in our district already when they brought back play-based centers in kindergarten.

All those homework advocates who tote about the benefits of homework teaching study skills and time management will see there are far more benefits to kids participating in extracurricular activities, hanging out with their family and maybe even watching a YouTube video or two.

How much homework does your child have? Do you love or hate homework?

Britni Jarvis
Hi all, I’m Britni! I’m a wife to the king of dad jokes and a mom to three daughters ages 10, 7 and 3. We live in northwest Olathe (basically Lenexa) where I am a part-time high school business/computer teacher and a part-time adjunct instructor at a local college. When I’m not teaching the youth of America, I can be found helping my husband run the two KC area shave ice stands we own (@jarvys_shaveice) and organizing our event business. In my free time, I enjoy running outside when it’s not above 85 or below 40 degrees, watching my husband grill out so I don’t have to cook, and being perpetually sarcastic. I love nights out with the hubs, traveling with my family, red wine, coffee, ice cream and flare pens. Follow my crazy on IG @britni_jarvis or on all other forms of social media @britnijarvis.

4 COMMENTS

  1. There is less this year in 2nd grade than last BUT I am anti HW all the way around. Our evenings are spent at activities and doing things with family…….oh and most importantly playing.

  2. Hate homework! We “just” have a first grader and I can already see that he is accomplishing more on his spelling words at school, than at home. Homework takes away from valuable play and family time in the evenings, especially for those kids with two parents who work until 5 and get home at 6. Luckily, we haven’t seen anything other than spelling words at this point in the school year. Here’s hoping Olathe 1st grade keeps up the pattern!

    • Totally agree about getting home at 5 or 6…the last thing you want to do as a parent (and kiddo) after a long day is do homework! There were many nights I was shouting spelling words across the island as I was making dinner and trying to manage the witching hour.

  3. I agree, my oldest daughter had the most homework in first grade than any other grade so far…maybe because it’s a transition year?

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