Homework overload

One of the easiest ways for students to develop confidence in class is being able to turn in homework completed and on time. But in order to accomplish this, students need a strategy for tackling homework—especially when there is a lot to do.

“When you make homework mandatory, it becomes a chore, rather than a joyful activity,” she says. Other organizations -- such as the National PTA -- go with a policy supported by Duke University social psychologist Harris Cooper, who advises giving students about 10 minutes of homework each night, per grade level starting in first grade.

High-achieving students who are swamped with homework can suffer from poor mental and physical health, says Stanford University professor Denise Pope. In fact, findings consistently show that homework has very limited value in the elementary grades.

In fact, findings consistently show that homework has very limited value in the elementary grades. In response to this new research, many educators are acknowledging homework’s flaws (much to the delight of students, no doubt). Homework now only accounts for 10 percent of a student’s grade in the Los Angeles Unified School District.