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No More Homework

Decent Essays

Katie Grove
Mrs. Wells
English 2B
March 3, 2013
Negative Effects of Homework Homework has historically been given to students to reinforce what they learn at school, and ultimately to help them learn the material better. However, too much homework is not helpful, and can be counterproductive. Excessive amounts of time spent on completing homework can take away from a student 's social life, family time, and limits participation in sports or other activities. The amount of homework a teacher can give to a student should be restricted, and only assigned due to necessity. Critically acclaimed author Tamim Ansary reports that since 1981, the amount of homework given to the average sixth grader has increased by more than fifty percent. …show more content…

Consumer Product Safety Commission has reported that in 1999, more than 800 kids were treated in emergency rooms for backpack-related injuries. Many of these injuries can lead to serious problems later in life including chronic shoulder, neck, and back pain (“Children”). The large amount of homework is causing kids in both high school and junior high school to be up until midnight or later. When extracurricular activities such as sports, clubs, etc., are added to the picture, kids may even have to wake up early the next morning to finish their homework, leaving them with an insufficient amount of sleep. Some parents and teachers argue that it would be beneficial to a child’s academics to limit after school activities. However, cutting back on the few hours a week teenagers use for exercise could be a factor in the growing obesity rates (Igo). Homework also takes away from time that a kid could be spending with his or her family. Rather than spending time bonding and building strong family relationships, parents and children argue over homework. Time is taken away from important elements of daily life. This time is particularly precious in families with two working parents whose time with their children is limited. This time could be better spent going out to dinner as a family, or doing other activities that most families are not able to do because the kids do not have time to take a break from their homework schedule (Igo). When busy work assignments are given

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