The Squeaky Wheel

I have two children, one in first and one in third grade at a private school, and I can already see the horribly slippery slope of homework we are headed down. I have a real feeling of panic every time my third-grader is asked on a playdate because I'm not sure how she will also have time to complete homework, dinner and a bath before going to bed at a reasonable hour.

I was a teacher in a private high school before I had children, and our guidelines were to give an hour of homework per subject, per night. The students were generally taking five classes, which meant they were expected to complete four to five hours of homework every night, on top of sports games, play rehearsals and other activities which often wouldn't get them home before eight or nine pm. Thinking about it now makes me want to cry! They must have felt they were on some kind of awful treadmill.

I also think that the issue of what age children should begin receiving homework ought to be discussed more widely. So many parents seem to feel a school isn't working children "hard enough" unless they are getting homework, but I've also seen how difficult it is for most kids to complete homework without significant adult help before a certain age, so I question the utility on that level as well.

Thanks so much!

Not only that this is worth reading, it is also life changing. I had experience this one. I was so focus in acing my grades that in the process I burnt out. I dedicated more than 8 hours a day for my
studying. I exclude socializing, video gaming, watching tv, relaxing, rest and sleep. I hope you can get the idea. I did it for a couple of months and ended up taking a rest for three weeks. Lesson of the story: Don't give a 100% or more. Well, I guess that works for me. Monday to Saturday I do work and Sunday no work or chores whatsoever. Sorry for my bad English. Really great article.

It is a huge problem here in the NY burbs. With all the studies proving beyond a doubt that it is more harmful than helpful, what in the world are these schools waiting for? Implement the changes that would be healthy for the kids! The excessive homework is child abuse and the teachers pushing it are ignorant. It's the principal's job to reeducate them and enforce the guidelines. DO IT!

When my kids were in elementary school I complained to their fancy private school about too many hours of homework. The response from the head of the school was that other parents wanted their kids to have more, not less, homework so that the kids wouldn't watch so much TV.

Are parents really that incompetent that schools have to fill kids' every waking hour?

Kids don't get to play, and parents miss out on being able to play with their kids. Worst of all, teachers are choosing what kids should spend their time on so kids don't get a chance to find their own passions.

Bravo on calling attention to this very sad trend ....an education is important, but too much of a good thing...