by Tonya Wright

Created on: May 21, 2007

As an educator, I can absolutely agree that too much homework can have a negative impact on children. Homework should provide children with time to practice skills learned in school. After a 7-8 hour day in school, homework should not take children another 4 hours! Think of how you would feel if, after a long hard day at work, you had to bring home 4 more hours of work each and every day. When would you have time to talk to your family, read with a book, or just relax? Would you begin to resent your employer for expecting you to bring home so much extra work? What emotional state would you find yourself in after spending twelve hours of each week day working?

So, yes, too much homework can be detrimental. Too much homework can rob children of time to play, relax, interact with others, and participate in other events such as sports or the arts. Too much homework may lead to negative feelings about school and education.

What is considered to be "too much" depends on the child's academic level. According to the National Education Association*, children in K-2 should have less than 20 minutes of homework per day. Third Sixth grade students should have less than 60 minutes per day. Homework for older students will vary by grade level, school curriculum, and subject area. Middle and high school students may need help creating and managing timelines for longer projects and assignments.

* http://www.nea.org/parents/homework.html

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