Homework

This page is about homework, the assigment of work to be done outside of school during formal education.

We have agreed that, while homework can be beneficial, given how much time children spend in school in the U.S., which averages just under 7 hours, there is no need to assign homework, and we support the idea of making homework optional.

Excessive homework can take away from the time children would spend with family, having fun or relaxing, or in self-directed learning. Time spent on self-directed learning might actually yield greater learning and understanding than typical homework. We have also discussed the importance of children to have unstructured time, so as to develop the skill to enjoy it and use it effectively. Too much homework can take away from children being able to develop the ability to find interesting, fun, or productive things to do on their own.