While some may believe that giving students homework is helpful to their education, it is damaging to their mental health.

Finland is the country with the top student scores in the world. Their students are given no homework.

Finnish students go to school between 9:00-9:45 a.m., and go home by 2:00-2:45 p.m.. They also have more one on one time with their teachers, have fewer classes a day, and have longer breaks.

No homework is obviously not the only factor to Finnish students’ excellent test scores, but no homework certainly helps.

Many adults will say that homework helps students build character, promote self-discipline, and teaches good work habits, but there is no evidence to this.

Homework is frustrating and exhausting, can cause family conflict, takes away students’ time for other activities, and can reduce a student’s interest in learning.

A Stanford study showed that 56% of students said homework was a main source of their stress, and their amount of homework had caused sleep deprivation and other health problems. The survey data and student responses also indicated that students spending a lot of time on homework were “more likely to drop activities, not see friends or family, and pursue hobbies they enjoy.”

Students that understand the material given in their classes have no need to take homework home, and students that don’t understand the material are not going to learn by doing the work alone at home.

In order to produce an educated and well-rounded workforce, the U.S. education system needs to be revamped and homework discontinued.

21mmcbride@usd489.com