For decades, students have groaned from their desks when teachers assign homework. Many wonder if homework is even a necessity.

Homework has been reported to have been around since ancient Roman times. These kinds of assignments were originally used as a punishment. It is as old as education and the topic of homework has a range of opinions. Some places in the United Sates disagreed with homework so intensely that it got banned from California in 1901.

A select number of Mead High School teachers, including Ms. Emberg and Ms. Durkin, point out that there may be benefits to being assigned homework. Homework gives students extra practice to feel more confident when it comes to testing and learning the content.

Research addresses that homework may not be benefiting students. Homework can take away from family time and socializing. Homework also adds extra stress, making students tired and less focused for their next full day of school.

According to the same article, “Many students wrote that homework causes them to sleep less than they should and leads to ‘headaches, exhaustion, sleep deprivation, weight loss and stomach problems’ as well as a lack of balance in their lives.”

There is an average of five to ten required problems that are part of daily homework in most of her classes, said Ms. Durkin. Additional work is assigned to students based on the class that they are taking. Extra practice for specific classes, such as math, can be especially helpful because it’s so skill based. 

When they were kids, some teachers did enjoy receiving homework. It kept them from being bored. Ms. Emberg said that as a kid, she didn’t have a lot to do, so homework kept her busy.

Some argue that homework builds understanding, allows for practice, and can be seen as entertainment for certain students. Others disagree, arguing that homework causes too much stress and takes away too much time in a student’s day.