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Nothing is more powerful for your future than being a gatherer of good ideas and information. That's called doing your homework.

A genius is a talented person who does his homework.

Homework strongly indicates that the teachers are not doing their jobs well enough during the school day. It's not like they'll let you bring your home stuff to school and work on it there. You can't say, 'I didn't finish sleeping at home, so I have to work on finishing my sleep here.

Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration. As a result, a genius is often a talented person who has simply done all of his homework.

Homework is a term that means grown up imposed yet self-afflicting torture.

Persistence is important in every endeavor. Whether it's finishing your homework, completing school, working late to finish a project, or "finishing the drill" in sports, winners persist to the point of sacrifice in order to achieve their goals.

I like a teacher who gives you something to take home to think about besides homework.

Homework, I have discovered, involves a sharp pencil and thick books and long sighs.

You will never get anywhere if you do not do your homework.

We're doing our homework to make sure we're prepared.

Do your homework or hire wise experts to help you. Never jump into a business you have no idea about.

When was the last time you used the words 'teach me'? Maybe not since you started first grade? Here's an irony about school: The daily grind of tests, homework, and pressures sometimes blunts rather than stimulates a thirst for knowledge.

The more you do your homework, the more you're free to be intuitive. But you've got to put the work in.

College is about three things: homework, fun, and sleep...but you can only choose two.

The best schools tend to have the best teachers, not to mention parents who supervise homework, so there is less need for self-organised learning. But where a child comes from a less supportive home environment, where there are family tensions perhaps, their schoolwork can suffer. They need to be taught to think and study for themselves.

One of life's most painful moments comes when we must admit that we didn't do our homework, that we are not prepared.

To overcome stress you have to find out something. You've got to do some research and homework. You need to find out who you are today.

My life is a black hole of boredom and despair." "So basically you've been doing homework." "Like I said, black hole.

Do your homework, study the craft, believe in yourself, and out-work everyone.

Do as much homework as you can. Learn everybody's job and don't just settle.

If you want to be lucky, do your homework.

I'm learning skills I will use for the rest of my life by doing homework...procrastinating and negotiation.

You have got to pay attention, you have got to study and you have to do your homework. You have to score higher than everybody else. Otherwise, there is always somebody there waiting to take your place.

You don’t get rich off your day job, you get rich off your homework.

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80+ Inspiring Homework Quotes To Ignite Your Motivation

Homework is more than a series of assignments; it’s a journey of growth, discovery, and transformation.

Accept each task with enthusiasm, knowing that your hard work will result in a better comprehension of the subject matter and the development of vital life skills.

Let these 80+ homework quotes be your companions as you navigate the path of education. Remember that you can overcome any challenge with determination and a positive mindset .

So, approach your homework with the knowledge that you are investing in your own success.

Table of Contents

40 Quotes About Homework to Fuel Your Academic Journey

Beginning on the path of education, homework serves as both a challenge and a catalyst for growth.

Enjoy made up of insightful quotes of homework offering illuminate the transformative journey of learning and the significance it holds.

• “The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet.” – Aristotle
• “Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.” – Robert Collier
• “You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.” – Zig Ziglar
• “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” – Steve Jobs
• “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” – William Butler Yeats
• “The expert in anything was once a beginner.” – Helen Hayes
• “Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” – Theodore Roosevelt
• “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” – Nelson Mandela
• “Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.” – Chinese Proverb
• “The beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you.” – B.B. King
• “Education is the key to unlock the golden door of freedom.” – George Washington Carver
• “Homework is a bridge between school and home.” – Richard Walker
• “The biggest challenge of homework is staying focused and avoiding distractions.” – Shanice Miller
• “Homework is the practice ground for applying what you’ve learned.” – Paula Johnson
• “Homework teaches responsibility and time management.” – David Anderson
• “Homework is the compass that guides us through the territory of knowledge.” – Linda Nguyen
• “Homework is a canvas for creativity in showcasing your understanding.” – Jonathan Hughes
• “Homework turns learning into a personal journey of exploration.” – Megan Turner
• “Homework reinforces the learning process and helps us retain knowledge.” – Nathan Foster
• “Homework builds the bridge between classroom learning and real-world application.” – Emily Simmons
• “Homework is the ladder that takes us closer to our academic goals.” – Ethan Garcia
• “Homework is the stepping stone to achieving academic excellence.” – Sophia Patel
• “Homework is like a puzzle, and each piece brings us closer to mastery.” – Oliver Mitchell
• “Homework is an investment in your future success.” – Grace Robinson
• “Homework helps us develop problem-solving skills and critical thinking.” – Isaac Turner
• “Homework is the roadmap that leads to a deeper understanding of subjects.” – Anna Mitchell
• “Homework encourages us to question, explore, and seek answers.” – Alex Carter
• “Homework instills discipline and a strong work ethic.” – Ella Lewis
• “Homework is the foundation upon which academic achievements are built.” – Liam Adams
• “Homework is the ally that empowers us to take control of our learning journey.” – Zara Foster
• “Homework is not a burden; it’s a bridge that connects learning from school to life.” – Annie Sullivan
• “In the realm of education, homework is the compass that guides us toward deeper understanding.” – Malcolm Gladwell
• “Homework teaches us that effort is the key that unlocks the door to knowledge.” – Abigail Adams
• “Learning doesn’t end in the classroom; homework empowers us to explore the world within our minds.” – John Dewey
• “Homework is the thread that weaves the fabric of learning, making every lesson a part of who we are.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
• “Through homework, we practice the art of discipline, sculpting our minds into vessels of wisdom.” – Maya Angelou
• “Homework is the cornerstone of growth, the foundation upon which we build our dreams.” – Benjamin Franklin
• “Education without homework is like a ship without a rudder; it lacks direction and purpose.” – Margaret Mead
• “Homework is the sculptor’s chisel, shaping our potential into the masterpiece of knowledge.” – Pablo Picasso
• “Homework is the echo of the classroom, reminding us that learning is a lifelong journey.” – Albert Einstein

20 Funny Quotes on Homework to Brighten Your Study Session

• “Homework: because 7 hours of school wasn’t enough torture.” – Unknown
• “Homework is a long-forgotten word in the language of fun.” – Winston Churchill
• “Homework is like a race against time, where I’m the slowest runner.” – Albert Einstein
• “Homework: the art of convincing yourself that lying down with books open is studying.” – Mark Twain
• “I’m not saying homework is a conspiracy, but have you ever seen it and aliens in the same room?” – Oscar Wilde
• “Homework is like a math problem: if it’s too complicated, skip it and hope someone else has the answer.” – Elbert Hubbard
• “Homework is the real reason behind why aliens won’t talk to us.” – Thomas Edison
• “Homework is nature’s way of reminding us that time is a limited resource.” – Franklin P. Jones
• “I believe in karma, and that’s why I let my dog eat my homework.” – Albert Schweitzer
• “Homework: when you’re not sure if you’re practicing algebra or summoning demons.” – E.B. White
• “Homework is like a monster under my bed, except it’s on my desk and it never goes away.” – George Bernard Shaw
• “I don’t need therapy; I just need less homework.” – Sigmund Freud
• “Homework is proof that education is a never-ending assembly line of pain.” – Helen Keller
• “Homework is a sneaky way of professors saying, ‘Let’s see if they read the chapter!'” – J.K. Rowling
• “Homework is a cosmic joke; the punchline is my stress level.” – Erma Bombeck
• “I don’t always do homework, but when I do, it’s right before the deadline.” – Mark Zuckerberg
• “Homework: because every great mind needs to question why they’re doing what they’re doing.” – Voltaire
• “Homework is a battle of wills: mine against the laws of physics.” – Isaac Newton
• “Homework is like the Olympics for procrastination athletes.” – Aristotle
• “I’m convinced that homework was invented by a parent who lost at hide-and-seek.” – George Carlin

25 Quotes About Homework Being Bad: Beyond the Textbooks

• “Homework is a burden that stifles creativity and hampers genuine learning.” – John Taylor Gatto
• “Excessive homework drains the joy out of learning and replaces it with stress.” – Alfie Kohn
• “Homework overload turns education into a mechanical task rather than a meaningful pursuit.” – Diane Ravitch
• “Too much homework undermines the very essence of a well-rounded education.” – Etta Kralovec
• “Homework should inspire curiosity, not extinguish the flame of learning.” – Sara Bennett
• “Exhausting homework assignments leave students with little time for other important aspects of life .” – Nancy Kalish
• “The pressure of homework can lead to burnout, damaging a student’s overall well-being.” – Jessica Lahey
• “Homework-centric education shifts the focus from holistic growth to mere academic achievement.” – William Crain
• “When homework becomes a daily struggle, it erodes the passion for knowledge.” – Denise Pope
• “The relentless burden of homework can discourage students from exploring their interests.” – Harris Cooper
• “Homework should facilitate understanding, not serve as an obstacle to genuine comprehension.” – Alvin Rosenfeld
• “Excessive homework contributes to a culture of stress and anxiety among students.” – Richard Walker
• “Learning should be engaging, but too much homework drains the joy out of it.” – Sandra Aamodt
• “A healthy balance between homework and leisure is essential for a child’s growth.” – Tim Elmore
• “Homework-induced stress often overshadows the joy of learning, diminishing its value.” – Annie Murphy Paul
• “A mountain of homework can lead to a scarcity of time for meaningful family interactions.” – Melissa Walker
• “When homework becomes a burden, students may lose sight of the true purpose of education.” – Erika A. Patall
• “Overloading students with homework robs them of the opportunity to explore their own interests.” – Joseph Renzulli
• “Homework that feels like a chore impedes the development of a genuine love for learning.” – Edward Bok
• “Excessive homework can lead to exhaustion, hindering cognitive and emotional development.” – Natalie Wexler
• “Learning should be a joyous journey, not a tiresome trudge through endless homework.” – Sarah Kirby
• “When homework outweighs the benefits, it becomes detrimental to a student’s growth.” – Daniel Pink
• “The pursuit of well-rounded development often suffers when homework takes center stage.” – Diane Lapp
• “Homework overload can foster negative attitudes towards education and stifle curiosity.” – Kenneth Goldberg
• “When homework becomes a source of stress, it detracts from the joy of learning.” – Edward F. Zigler
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127+ Best Homework Quotes: Exclusive Selection

Homework teaches students to work independently and develop self-discipline. Profoundly inspirational homework quotes will fire up your brain and encourage you to look at life differently while making you laugh.

If you’re searching for motivational quotes for education and greatest teacher quotes that perfectly capture what you’d like to say or just want to feel inspired yourself, browse through an amazing collection of top ignorance quotes , popular class quotes and inspiring senior quotes .

Famous Homework Quotes

One of life’s most painful moments comes when we must admit that we didn’t do our homework, that we are not prepared. — Merlin Olsen

Nothing is more powerful for your future than being a gatherer of good ideas and information. That’s called doing your homework. — Jim Rohn

You have got to pay attention, you have got to study and you have to do your homework. You have to score higher than everybody else. Otherwise, there is always somebody there waiting to take your place. — Daisy Fuentes

Inspiration comes in the middle of the night when you should be doing homework. — Amy Lee

I’m just living my life. I’m incredibly disciplined and I work incredibly hard. I show up for things on time, I do my homework, and I work my ass off. I’ve had a lot of luck, but I work really, really hard. — Anna Paquin

By providing every student with a quality education, and the materials they need for class and to do their homework, we can help students from all backgrounds learn and thrive. — London Breed

I put so much pressure on myself to be perfect. Between homework and sports and drama and being social, I slept about four hours a night through high school and college. — Allison Williams

Having mid-week games is great. It’s almost like the pros. With three games you need to get your rest and get your fluids. You also need to make sure you get your homework done, because you don’t have every night free until Friday. — Tim Cook

It is not the end, just the beginning, but the homework is enormous, … The summit itself ended, but many, many meetings, action and partnership programs must start. — Yoshio Utsumi

Homework is a best work,but if human hate it its a worst work. — Vidhya Vijay

No kid should be getting three or four hours of homework a night. There’s no breathing time, there’s no family time, there are just extracurriculars and homework and then go to bed. — Ross W. Greene

Homework should be a swear word. Every time teachers say it, they should have to put money in a jar and then, when there’s enough, they need to buy all the kids ice cream. — Rachel Inbar

I’ve got a lot of homework to do, and none of it has anything to do with school. — Travis Thrasher

I also want to thank the person who picked up litter and put it in the litter basket. I want to thank the parents who help their children with homework every night and I want to thank the person who goes by to check on a neighbor, — James Perkins

We turn off the TV, video games and computer – except for homework – during the week. The TV’s reserved for Friday night, Saturday and Sunday just because that’s the time to do homework, and it makes it that much less chaotic in our house. — Candace Cameron Bure

A lot of actors talk about doing their homework, but very few of them do it. — Tony Scott

I wait till the last minute to do lyrics. I seem to work best that way – bummed out and under pressure. I often don’t do my homework. But I’ll always walk that extra mile. — Steven Tyler

The best thing about baseball is there’s no homework. — Dan Quisenberry

We’ve had a lot more teens hanging out at the new library, … The kids really like the new computers and a lot of them come here to hang out with their friends and do their homework after school. — American Library

We do everything together. At first, it was mostly wrestling but then we’d hang out together and do our homework together. — Alex McKinney

‘Grey Gardens’ consumed my life for over two and a half years. It really takes its toll on the family. I’m not there to tuck them in, help them with homework and eat dinner with them. When I work on a show, I only have about 20 minutes a day with my family. — Christine Ebersole

What I know is that if I was asked to teach mathematics in French for a week to young kids, I would do my homework and I think I could do a decent job. I don’t think a degree in education would make me a better teacher. I sometimes teach in college. I don’t teach for long periods of time, but I give workshops and I think I can communicate stuff. So, it’s about communicating. — Philippe Falardeau

We have been very grateful of the support from Spain and the European Union but we also feel we have to do our homework ourselves and not only trust our friends but also trust ourselves. — Per Stig

The deaf culture is portrayed very accurately on ‘Switched at Birth’ because the writers did the opposite of the norm. They did their homework before portraying anything on television. — Sean Berdy

What didn’t get done until 10 or 10:30, didn’t get done until the next day. It teaches you to manage your time. Class is from this time to this time and I can do homework from this time to that time. — A.J. Ellison

Jeremy is a player we did our homework on. He’s a defender, but is actually a converted forward. There are a lot of things we liked about him. — Dave Sarachan

Parents want to know things like how much homework their kids are doing, is it too much, what should they be reading, and at what level, — Piers Morgan

After your first job, is anyone asking you what your GPA was? No, they don’t care. They ask you: Are you a good leader? Do people follow you? Do you have integrity? Are you innovative? Do you solve problems? Somebody’s got to do that homework and redesign the educational system so that it can actually train people to be successful in life — Neil DeGrasse Tyson

We really wanted, as a committee, to do a thorough job and not jump into something. We looked at a lot of great candidates, and we did our homework on them. This committee was very, very thorough. — Randy Stange

I’m very homework-oriented – I’m a little Tracy Flick-ish. — Drew Barrymore

There has always been some cause for concern about that. But I feel we have done a very good job at doing our homework on these projects, and really, we hope the public will look at each one of these projects as they stand on there own merit. — Scot McNeley

I can get my homework done and hang out with my friends. — Mike Darnell

I will not go into a story unprepared. I will do my homework, and that’s something I learned at an early age. — Ed Bradley

Bird flu is totally under control, … The outbreak … occurred in one area and has been contained. Of course, we need to be careful, we need to do our homework well. — Recep Erdogan

Some adults feel intimidated by school, intimidated by the teacher, intimidated by the kind of homework their children are bringing home. It makes it difficult to be a part of things if you don’t have the skills you need. — Debra Conner

I definitely love ‘Camelot.’ It’s my favorite show. I’m a big ‘True Blood’ fan. I love ‘American Idol,’ and I love my girl J-Lo. The rest are my homework shows: ‘Forensic Files,’ ‘Dr. G. Medical Examiner,’ ‘The First 48.’ — Tamala Jones

Talent is important, and some background as well. This really is not beginner’s school. I want to work with people that have achieved a certain level and with whom i can easily communicate, which means you don’t have to do too much explaining so you won’t waste precious time. I don’t do much explaining during rehersals and we are just adjusting minor details. Simply, there is no space nor time for one to learn and each of them has to do their homework on time. That means practising, transitioning from a level to level. — Vlatko Stefanovski

I couldn’t do my homework if my room wasn’t clean. And it has carried on now that I am older, in a very freakish way. — Shaun White

Many people may be expecting a walking-talking clone of Arnold but I believe I’ve done my homework to the extent that the difference between us will be obvious. I’m playing a machine without emotion, but there’s an intensity I’m really working hard at hitting that I hope will come through to the audience and scare the crap out of them. — Robert Patrick

I liked the piano. I always liked playing. I just hated homework. — Mike Shinoda

She really did her homework on this one and read the analysts. — Holly Armstrong

We are reserving judgment. We have some homework to do. We are absolutely committed to help assure the future and viability of American Airlines. — Gregg Overman

I never studied art, but taught myself to draw by imitating the New Yorker cartoonists of that day, instead of doing my homework. — Bil Keane

Adrenaline kicks you in when you’re starving. That’s what nobody understands. Except for being hungry and cold, most of the time I feel like I can do anything. It gives me superhuman powers of smell and hearing. I can see what people are thinking, stay two steps ahead of them. I do enough homework to stay off the radar. Every night I climb thousands of steps into the sky to make me so exhausted that when I fall into bed, I don’t notice Cassie. Then suddenly it’s morning and I leap on the hamster wheel and it starts all over again. — Laurie Halse Anderson

He was a pro in the true sense. Tony did his homework and was always prepared. — Tom Higgins

Wednesday is an early release day, so kids will be out of school early and able to get their homework done. My staff is really excited about it. — Kristi Brown

Personally, the experience is amazing. To see where these kids live and grow up, it’s an experience all in itself to just talk to them individually and feel that you have made some kind of positive impact on their life. Most of them really are good kids stuck in a bad situation and we are there to try to bring out that motivation and determination in them to succeed in life. And the kids have started to warm up to us. They are starting to bring their homework more often and have gained more interest in what we have to share with them. — Ben Schaub

Many kids, particularly in lower-income families, would actually benefit from more structured activities. Plenty of children, especially teenagers, thrive on a busy schedule. But just as other trappings of modern childhood, from homework to technology, are subject to the law of diminishing returns, there is a danger of overscheduling the young. — Carl Honore

When my children were very young and I was working I had someone cooking for me. I don’t have a cook now, I haven’t had one for a number of years and I do it myself. But when they were all little it was hard to pay attention to everyone’s homework at the end of the day and make dinner. — Meryl Streep

Motivational Quotes About Homework

We have some tape on them from over the course of the year. We’ll have to do our homework now. — Jerry York

I’m learning skills I will use for the rest of my life by doing homework…procrastinating and negotiation. — Bill Watterson

One mother said that at 8 p.m. in her kitchen, she watched her son have a spirited exchange (online) with his classmates over the content of their homework — those things just can’t happen with paper and pencil. — Calvin Baker

There aren’t many rests in Jennifer’s concerto. She’s done her homework well and knows what works. But I have to be more like a long distance runner for this concerto, while orchestra playing is more like being a sprinter. — Peter Sullivan

It sounds so nerdy and pathetic, but what I always do on Sunday afternoon is bring my inbox down to zero, which is so sad. But e-mail has become like homework for adults. I’ll have 141 messages from people who will be offended if I don’t write back. — Mike Birbiglia

I don’t know anybody who said, ‘I love that teacher, he or she gave a really good homework set,’ or ‘Boy, that was the best class I ever took because those exams were awesome.’ That’s not what people want to talk about. It’s not what influences people in one profession or another. — Neil deGrasse Tyson

Here, homework is not a punishment. They really like coming to homework club. We want it to feel like home. — Amy Campbell

Writing an op-ed feels like I’m taking the SAT. It’s so hard. It feels like homework. And if it feels like homework, it just doesn’t get done. — Daniel Alarcon

We did an awful lot of homework. We actually started doing the homework going back to when the CBA was announced — recognizing that depending on what Nik decided to do that we might not have him here. — Jay Feaster

I felt extremely comfortable and at home on the set and actually I did homework about breaking down the scenes and often had shot lists in a rough way, but it was actually extremely spontaneous. Working with David Lynch-he is so spontaneous. — Joan Chen

Central’s size concerns me a little. The first I saw of them was (last Tuesday), and they are extremely talented. I didn’t see any weaknesses. Hopefully we’ll be able to do our homework and come up with some way to hang around and have a chance. — Jack Purtell

I study a lot. I pay attention to my homework. My parents have pushed academics all my life. When I get home, I do my homework before I do anything else. — Brianna Davis

Gabbe stepped forward. “Cam’s right. I’ve heard the Scale speak of these shifts.” She was tugging on the sleeves of her pale yellow cashmere cardigan as if she would never get warm. “They’re called timequakes. They are ripples in our reality. “And the closer he gets,” Roland added, with his usual understated wisdom, “the closer we are to the terminus of his Fall, the more frequent and the more severe the timequakes will become. Time is faltering in preparation for rewriting itself. “Like the way your computer freezes up more and more frequently before the hard drive crashes and erases your twenty-page term paper?” Miles said. Everyone looked at him in befuddlement. “What?” he asked. “Angels and demons don’t do homework? — Lauren Kate

The Public Health Minister who should have done her homework instead defended industry. But critical mass has been reached and many other campaigns have been initiated to eliminate aspartame. — Roger Williams

My parents were very firm about me always getting my homework done. — Chelsea Clinton

We’re going shine all day, all night. Please don’t be mad at us if we don’t do a little homework the next couple of weeks. — Joakim Noah

My earliest memories of my mom were of her multi-tasking – preparing dinner while checking on homework and housework; clearing the dinner plates while setting out bowls for breakfast; making sure we ate our breakfast while lining up bread, lunch meats, apples, and snacks assembly-line style so we could make our lunches. — Christine Pelosi

I compensate for big risks by always doing my homework and being well-prepared. I can take on larger risks by reducing the overall risk. — Donna Shalala

This is what I tell, especially young women, fight the big fights. Don’t fight the little fight … Be the first one in, be the last one out. Do your homework, choose your battles. Don’t whine, and don’t be the one who complains about everything. Fight the big fight. — Barbara Walters

My mother has been my mentor in my life. The number one attribute was discipline. To be on time to school, never miss a day at school, and then checking out homework and making sure I was doing it correctly and signing me up for lots of activities, extra tests and classes. — Ram Shriram

Players have to be nominated. We’ve done a ton of film-watching and studying. We were looking not only for good players, but also good citizens. I really feel good about our players. We’ve done good homework on them as far as who they are as players and also as young men. — Junior Graham

Sadly, I do my homework. I’ve a soft spot for the boring minutiae. I read the Charter of the United Nations before meeting with Kofi Annan. I read the Meltzer report, and then I’ll read C. Fred Bergsten’s defense of institutions like the World Bank and the I.M.F. It’s embarrassing to admit. — Bono

We have done our homework and the kids that we are bringing in are the kids that we want. Early in life when you are playing this building game you aren’t concerned about the ones you don’t get. You have to make sure the ones that you get are the ones that you want. — Howard Schnellenberger

We’ve lots of confidence in our game. Teams will have done their homework but our style is pretty hard to mark up if we do it properly. — Chris Jones

The more you do your homework, the more you’re free to be intuitive. But you’ve got to put the work in. — Edward Norton

Everybody talks about finding your voice. Do your homework and your voice will find you. — Branford Marsalis

Before I forget, here’s your homework. Where do you want me to put it? She pointed at the trash can. Right there would be fine. — Becca Fitzpatrick

He had done his homework on me. I like that. He was serious about me. — Alex Wood

My dad was fine about me doing modelling at 16 because I always said school was important to me. I always chose my jobs carefully so I wouldn’t have to take too much time off. It got harder toward the end with my A-levels; there were sleepless nights, and I was doing my homework on the plane coming home, but I pulled through. — Georgia May Jagger

My son and Marty’s son (assistant coach Marty Luc) come to every practice. My son Tommy is 9 and Marty’s son L.J. is 7. They can’t come on the court until their homework is done. Sometimes, when we have a late practice I’ll walk into my office and our players will be helping them with their homework. When we went on a trip to Pennsylvania over the holidays, our players would play with the kids in the pool or take them to the mall. Most high school kids don’t want to deal with that, but this group is special. My son’s favorite basketball player of all time is Desmond Wade. — Phil Colicchio

Homework Quotes For Students

I would have to say I was an excellent student. I was the type to always do my homework and study when I needed to. I never really partied or did anything like that. — Tia Mowry

You know, education, if you make the most of it, you study hard, you do your homework and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. If you don’t, you get stuck in Iraq. — John F. Kerry

My homework was not stolen by a one-armed man — Nancy Cartwright

She’s so concentrated. She wasn’t going to let her homework slip. — Susan Reed

To me, the family was raising a child, not a golfer. The golf was just something he had an aptitude for. There was no mistake that the parents made the rules and kids followed the rules, but it wasn’t a harsh environment. It seemed quite normal. Homework came first, golf came second, end of story. — Rudy Duran

When it comes to major projects like this, we have to work through the county. The county actually has to borrow the money. We’ve determined the need. We’ve done our homework and the market analysis. The next step would be once we determine the best financing alternative, then we’ll take the necessary steps to acquire the financing. — David Deaton

From parents, we get hugs. We’ve had a lot of comments that homework time has been cut in half. — Becky Dyer

It’s very hypocritical to constantly say, ‘We want to keep our kids close,’ then send them home with so much homework that family time becomes nonexistent. — Marcia Gay Harden

We’re very pushed to have our grades on target so we can play. We have to make sure all our homework is done. — Sandra Ford

I think if you get asked to do this, then that’s called doing your homework, and I try and do it. — Mark Harmon

Just going home after school and not have to worry about anything just homework take a little nap, it’s fun. — Trevin Cowman

We’ve done our homework and we think we’re going to be good with the Charger. — John Fernandez

Many people who buy a car can’t afford what they’re getting into. They don’t do their homework and they don’t look at the alternatives. — Phil Edmonston

I’m a very research-, homework-oriented person. — Drew Barrymore

A single woman should only marry a man she can follow: Ladies if you are single, be very, very careful who you date and marry. Don’t just date a man who you can put up with, marry a man you can trust, you’ll follow his leadership, you’ll respect him, he’s saved, he’s godly. The last thing you want is some guy you don’t trust, he’s not wise, he doesn’t do his homework, he’s harsh, he’s inconsiderate, he’s immature, he’s a boy, you’re more his mother than you are his mate, Real danger … real danger … — Mark Driscoll

We’ve done a lot of homework this week and hopefully we can get everything right on the day. — Warren Gatland

If a student knows their parents are looking online, they’ll want to do their homework and stay in school because they’ll know Mom or Dad will see if they’ve skipped class. — James Davis

My mother worked at the telephone company during the day and sold Tupperware at night. Evenings, she took classes when she could at University of Maryland’s University College, bringing me along to do homework while she studied to get the degree she hoped would offer her and me greater opportunities. — Gayle Tzemach Lemmon

We recommend that teachers don’t give homework or have big projects due during testing. — Kandise Gilbertson

We were kids still in school and playing 24 hours. We would get off school and then go do our homework in the bar right across the street and then play there until one or two in the morning and then grab a few hours’ sleep before we went to school. Then the same thing repeated, man, over and over. — Henry Garza

We’re going to give you homework every single day. — Fernando Sanchez

They don’t really listen to speeches or talks. They absorb incrementally, through hours and hours of observation. The sad truth about divorce is that it’s hard to teach your kids about life unless you are living life with them: eating together, doing homework, watching Little League, driving them around endlessly, being bored with nothing to do, letting them listen while you do business, while you negotiate love and the frustrations and complications and rewards of living day in and out with your wife. Through this, they see how adults handle responsibility, honesty, commitment, jealousy, anger, professional pressures, and social interactions. Kids learn from whoever is around them the most. — Rob Lowe

I’d much rather do research on up and coming companies that have potential and take the risk. It boils down to doing a lot of homework and learning the underlying fundamentals. — Fred Walker

You don’t get rich off your day job, you get rich off your homework. — Daymond John

I was an anxious kid. I worried about getting homework finished, even back when homework didn’t count for anything. — Andrea Seigel

I actually had to do my homework to pass the time. It was horrible. — S. Walker

I wish it looked more like a car. But NASCAR has done their homework on it, and it doesn’t look like we got much of a choice. — Clint Bowyer

I didn’t make the cut. Clearly, Avery didn’t do his homework and check out what kind of shooter I was in college. — Del Harris

When I come home, it’s about my kid, who needs to eat, needs to do homework, and needs to get to basketball. I don’t have a lot of time to think about me. — Taraji P. Henson

I give myself homework when I have an audition. I give myself goals, and that’s how I check how I’m doing. It can be something simple like ‘listen,’ or ‘find your feet.’ And then afterward it’s an assessment, so in a way it’s not about booking the job or not. It’s about what I learned as an actor about that character. — Lupita Nyong’o

On school nights I practice 45 minutes to an hour, depending on how much homework I’ve got. — Colin Brown

We do our homework and we feel good about how we evaluated the players. — Trudi Lacey

I think the strength of our league and some of our non-conference games have prepared us for this opportunity. Obviously, we’ll try to do some homework here and collect some information on our opponent Friday and try to prepare ourselves. — Mark Johnson

The Chinese mom is not the helicopter mom. I would never do their homework for them. It’s all about: Take responsibility, don’t blame others. Be self-reliant. Never blame the teacher. — Amy Chua

He’s a big dude. You have to do your homework on where he wants to get to. I read it very well. You know where it’s coming from but it doesn’t always mean you’ll get it. — Adonal Foyle

People expect girls from good middle-class families to be smart but what they mean by smart for a girl is to have nice handwriting and a neat locker and to do her homework on time. They don’t expect ideas or much in the way of real thought. — Adelle Waldman

I’m a mom, a full-time mom when I’m not taping. I do the carpool thing, and bake the cookies, and do the homework. — Vanna White

Everyone has days where they don’t get their way, where you have to go to bed early or you have too much homework to do or you can’t eat the candy that you want or you miss your favorite TV show and, in those moments, you just want to tear the whole world down. — Alex Hirsch

Ricky was L but he’s home with the flu,Lizzie, our O, had some homework to do,Mitchell, E prob’ly got lost on the way,So I’m all of the love that could make it today. — Shel Silverstein

Whoever we play, it’s going to be tough because it’s two great teams. We just have to make sure we do our homework and go out there and try to execute. — Kobe Bryant

We bought some shares recently in a dot.com company that was absolutely annihilated after this recent rout, About.com ( BOUT : Research , Estimates ), which is the ninth-largest Web property of all Web properties. The stock dropped from 100 in late March, to a low of $21. This is a company with a real business model that had blowout first-quarter earnings. And they are actually going to turn a profit in 2001. Investors went from ‘everything Internet is good’, to the ‘everything Internet is bad’ mantra. So now you’ve got to do your homework and look at individual names and identify the business models that are valid. And I think this is one that can go back to its old high. — Dan Veru

Our audience is full of multitaskers. They’re IM-ing and talking on the phone and doing their homework and watching TV all at the same time. — Van Toffler

I don’t want to brag, but I do more homework on the course than any other announcer. I chart the greens to get all the breaks. I walk down into the greenside bunkers. I walk into the fairway bunkers to see whether a player can reach the green from them. — Johnny Miller

I think its important that kids have homework about every night, — Tom Turner

I’m a pretty disciplined investor and pretty disciplined buyer. I do my due diligence. I do my homework. I don’t waste money. — Bruce Rauner

I had amazing intellectual privilege as a kid. My mom taught me to read when I was two or three. When I was five, I read and wrote well enough to do my nine-year older brother’s homework in exchange for chocolate or cigarettes. By the time I was 10, I was reading Orwell, Tolstoy’s ‘War and Peace,’ and the Koran. I was reading comic books, too. — Chris Abani

Acting, and the privilege of being able to do it for a living, is so important to me. I don’t turn up and just hope for the best. I really fret about it. I do my homework; I prepare myself for the experience of playing a particular character. — Kate Winslet

The positive side of it is that we have managed to keep our intensive levels high to beat teams like Zimbabwe and Bangladesh. We have done our homework well. We respect teams and we do what we can do best, without thinking too much about the opponents. It is shown by our results. — Marvan Atapattu

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August 16, 2021

Is it time to get rid of homework? Mental health experts weigh in

by Sara M Moniuszko

It's no secret that kids hate homework. And as students grapple with an ongoing pandemic that has had a wide-range of mental health impacts, is it time schools start listening to their pleas over workloads?

Some teachers are turning to social media to take a stand against homework .

Tiktok user @misguided.teacher says he doesn't assign it because the "whole premise of homework is flawed."

For starters, he says he can't grade work on "even playing fields" when students' home environments can be vastly different.

"Even students who go home to a peaceful house, do they really want to spend their time on busy work? Because typically that's what a lot of homework is, it's busy work," he says in the video that has garnered 1.6 million likes. "You only get one year to be 7, you only got one year to be 10, you only get one year to be 16, 18."

Mental health experts agree heavy work loads have the potential do more harm than good for students, especially when taking into account the impacts of the pandemic. But they also say the answer may not be to eliminate homework altogether.

Emmy Kang, mental health counselor at Humantold, says studies have shown heavy workloads can be "detrimental" for students and cause a "big impact on their mental, physical and emotional health."

"More than half of students say that homework is their primary source of stress, and we know what stress can do on our bodies," she says, adding that staying up late to finish assignments also leads to disrupted sleep and exhaustion.

Cynthia Catchings, a licensed clinical social worker and therapist at Talkspace, says heavy workloads can also cause serious mental health problems in the long run, like anxiety and depression.

And for all the distress homework causes, it's not as useful as many may think, says Dr. Nicholas Kardaras, a psychologist and CEO of Omega Recovery treatment center.

"The research shows that there's really limited benefit of homework for elementary age students, that really the school work should be contained in the classroom," he says.

For older students, Kang says homework benefits plateau at about two hours per night.

"Most students, especially at these high-achieving schools, they're doing a minimum of three hours, and it's taking away time from their friends from their families, their extracurricular activities. And these are all very important things for a person's mental and emotional health."

Catchings, who also taught third to 12th graders for 12 years, says she's seen the positive effects of a no homework policy while working with students abroad.

"Not having homework was something that I always admired from the French students (and) the French schools, because that was helping the students to really have the time off and really disconnect from school ," she says.

The answer may not be to eliminate homework completely, but to be more mindful of the type of work students go home with, suggests Kang, who was a high-school teacher for 10 years.

"I don't think (we) should scrap homework, I think we should scrap meaningless, purposeless busy work-type homework. That's something that needs to be scrapped entirely," she says, encouraging teachers to be thoughtful and consider the amount of time it would take for students to complete assignments.

The pandemic made the conversation around homework more crucial

Mindfulness surrounding homework is especially important in the context of the last two years. Many students will be struggling with mental health issues that were brought on or worsened by the pandemic, making heavy workloads even harder to balance.

"COVID was just a disaster in terms of the lack of structure. Everything just deteriorated," Kardaras says, pointing to an increase in cognitive issues and decrease in attention spans among students. "School acts as an anchor for a lot of children, as a stabilizing force, and that disappeared."

But even if students transition back to the structure of in-person classes, Kardaras suspects students may still struggle after two school years of shifted schedules and disrupted sleeping habits.

"We've seen adults struggling to go back to in-person work environments from remote work environments. That effect is amplified with children because children have less resources to be able to cope with those transitions than adults do," he explains.

'Get organized' ahead of back-to-school

In order to make the transition back to in-person school easier, Kang encourages students to "get good sleep, exercise regularly (and) eat a healthy diet."

To help manage workloads, she suggests students "get organized."

"There's so much mental clutter up there when you're disorganized... sitting down and planning out their study schedules can really help manage their time," she says.

Breaking assignments up can also make things easier to tackle.

"I know that heavy workloads can be stressful, but if you sit down and you break down that studying into smaller chunks, they're much more manageable."

If workloads are still too much, Kang encourages students to advocate for themselves.

"They should tell their teachers when a homework assignment just took too much time or if it was too difficult for them to do on their own," she says. "It's good to speak up and ask those questions. Respectfully, of course, because these are your teachers. But still, I think sometimes teachers themselves need this feedback from their students."

©2021 USA Today Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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What’s the Right Amount of Homework?

Decades of research show that homework has some benefits, especially for students in middle and high school—but there are risks to assigning too much.

Many teachers and parents believe that homework helps students build study skills and review concepts learned in class. Others see homework as disruptive and unnecessary, leading to burnout and turning kids off to school. Decades of research show that the issue is more nuanced and complex than most people think: Homework is beneficial, but only to a degree. Students in high school gain the most, while younger kids benefit much less.

The National PTA and the National Education Association support the “ 10-minute homework guideline ”—a nightly 10 minutes of homework per grade level. But many teachers and parents are quick to point out that what matters is the quality of the homework assigned and how well it meets students’ needs, not the amount of time spent on it.

The guideline doesn’t account for students who may need to spend more—or less—time on assignments. In class, teachers can make adjustments to support struggling students, but at home, an assignment that takes one student 30 minutes to complete may take another twice as much time—often for reasons beyond their control. And homework can widen the achievement gap, putting students from low-income households and students with learning disabilities at a disadvantage.

However, the 10-minute guideline is useful in setting a limit: When kids spend too much time on homework, there are real consequences to consider.

Small Benefits for Elementary Students

As young children begin school, the focus should be on cultivating a love of learning, and assigning too much homework can undermine that goal. And young students often don’t have the study skills to benefit fully from homework, so it may be a poor use of time (Cooper, 1989 ; Cooper et al., 2006 ; Marzano & Pickering, 2007 ). A more effective activity may be nightly reading, especially if parents are involved. The benefits of reading are clear: If students aren’t proficient readers by the end of third grade, they’re less likely to succeed academically and graduate from high school (Fiester, 2013 ).

For second-grade teacher Jacqueline Fiorentino, the minor benefits of homework did not outweigh the potential drawback of turning young children against school at an early age, so she experimented with dropping mandatory homework. “Something surprising happened: They started doing more work at home,” Fiorentino writes . “This inspiring group of 8-year-olds used their newfound free time to explore subjects and topics of interest to them.” She encouraged her students to read at home and offered optional homework to extend classroom lessons and help them review material.

Moderate Benefits for Middle School Students

As students mature and develop the study skills necessary to delve deeply into a topic—and to retain what they learn—they also benefit more from homework. Nightly assignments can help prepare them for scholarly work, and research shows that homework can have moderate benefits for middle school students (Cooper et al., 2006 ). Recent research also shows that online math homework, which can be designed to adapt to students’ levels of understanding, can significantly boost test scores (Roschelle et al., 2016 ).

There are risks to assigning too much, however: A 2015 study found that when middle school students were assigned more than 90 to 100 minutes of daily homework, their math and science test scores began to decline (Fernández-Alonso, Suárez-Álvarez, & Muñiz, 2015 ). Crossing that upper limit can drain student motivation and focus. The researchers recommend that “homework should present a certain level of challenge or difficulty, without being so challenging that it discourages effort.” Teachers should avoid low-effort, repetitive assignments, and assign homework “with the aim of instilling work habits and promoting autonomous, self-directed learning.”

In other words, it’s the quality of homework that matters, not the quantity. Brian Sztabnik, a veteran middle and high school English teacher, suggests that teachers take a step back and ask themselves these five questions :

• How long will it take to complete?
• Have all learners been considered?
• Will an assignment encourage future success?
• Will an assignment place material in a context the classroom cannot?
• Does an assignment offer support when a teacher is not there?

More Benefits for High School Students, but Risks as Well

By the time they reach high school, students should be well on their way to becoming independent learners, so homework does provide a boost to learning at this age, as long as it isn’t overwhelming (Cooper et al., 2006 ; Marzano & Pickering, 2007 ). When students spend too much time on homework—more than two hours each night—it takes up valuable time to rest and spend time with family and friends. A 2013 study found that high school students can experience serious mental and physical health problems, from higher stress levels to sleep deprivation, when assigned too much homework (Galloway, Conner, & Pope, 2013 ).

Homework in high school should always relate to the lesson and be doable without any assistance, and feedback should be clear and explicit.

Teachers should also keep in mind that not all students have equal opportunities to finish their homework at home, so incomplete homework may not be a true reflection of their learning—it may be more a result of issues they face outside of school. They may be hindered by issues such as lack of a quiet space at home, resources such as a computer or broadband connectivity, or parental support (OECD, 2014 ). In such cases, giving low homework scores may be unfair.

Since the quantities of time discussed here are totals, teachers in middle and high school should be aware of how much homework other teachers are assigning. It may seem reasonable to assign 30 minutes of daily homework, but across six subjects, that’s three hours—far above a reasonable amount even for a high school senior. Psychologist Maurice Elias sees this as a common mistake: Individual teachers create homework policies that in aggregate can overwhelm students. He suggests that teachers work together to develop a school-wide homework policy and make it a key topic of back-to-school night and the first parent-teacher conferences of the school year.

Parents Play a Key Role

Homework can be a powerful tool to help parents become more involved in their child’s learning (Walker et al., 2004 ). It can provide insights into a child’s strengths and interests, and can also encourage conversations about a child’s life at school. If a parent has positive attitudes toward homework, their children are more likely to share those same values, promoting academic success.

But it’s also possible for parents to be overbearing, putting too much emphasis on test scores or grades, which can be disruptive for children (Madjar, Shklar, & Moshe, 2015 ). Parents should avoid being overly intrusive or controlling—students report feeling less motivated to learn when they don’t have enough space and autonomy to do their homework (Orkin, May, & Wolf, 2017 ; Patall, Cooper, & Robinson, 2008 ; Silinskas & Kikas, 2017 ). So while homework can encourage parents to be more involved with their kids, it’s important to not make it a source of conflict.

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Stanford research shows pitfalls of homework

A Stanford researcher found that students in high-achieving communities who spend too much time on homework experience more stress, physical health problems, a lack of balance and even alienation from society. More than two hours of homework a night may be counterproductive, according to the study.

Education scholar Denise Pope has found that too much homework has negative effects on student well-being and behavioral engagement. (Image credit: L.A. Cicero)

A Stanford researcher found that too much homework can negatively affect kids, especially their lives away from school, where family, friends and activities matter.

“Our findings on the effects of homework challenge the traditional assumption that homework is inherently good,” wrote Denise Pope , a senior lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Education and a co-author of a study published in the Journal of Experimental Education .

The researchers used survey data to examine perceptions about homework, student well-being and behavioral engagement in a sample of 4,317 students from 10 high-performing high schools in upper-middle-class California communities. Along with the survey data, Pope and her colleagues used open-ended answers to explore the students’ views on homework.

Median household income exceeded $90,000 in these communities, and 93 percent of the students went on to college, either two-year or four-year.

Students in these schools average about 3.1 hours of homework each night.

“The findings address how current homework practices in privileged, high-performing schools sustain students’ advantage in competitive climates yet hinder learning, full engagement and well-being,” Pope wrote.

Pope and her colleagues found that too much homework can diminish its effectiveness and even be counterproductive. They cite prior research indicating that homework benefits plateau at about two hours per night, and that 90 minutes to two and a half hours is optimal for high school.

Their study found that too much homework is associated with:

• Greater stress: 56 percent of the students considered homework a primary source of stress, according to the survey data. Forty-three percent viewed tests as a primary stressor, while 33 percent put the pressure to get good grades in that category. Less than 1 percent of the students said homework was not a stressor.

• Reductions in health: In their open-ended answers, many students said their homework load led to sleep deprivation and other health problems. The researchers asked students whether they experienced health issues such as headaches, exhaustion, sleep deprivation, weight loss and stomach problems.

• Less time for friends, family and extracurricular pursuits: Both the survey data and student responses indicate that spending too much time on homework meant that students were “not meeting their developmental needs or cultivating other critical life skills,” according to the researchers. Students were more likely to drop activities, not see friends or family, and not pursue hobbies they enjoy.

A balancing act

The results offer empirical evidence that many students struggle to find balance between homework, extracurricular activities and social time, the researchers said. Many students felt forced or obligated to choose homework over developing other talents or skills.

Also, there was no relationship between the time spent on homework and how much the student enjoyed it. The research quoted students as saying they often do homework they see as “pointless” or “mindless” in order to keep their grades up.

“This kind of busy work, by its very nature, discourages learning and instead promotes doing homework simply to get points,” Pope said.

She said the research calls into question the value of assigning large amounts of homework in high-performing schools. Homework should not be simply assigned as a routine practice, she said.

“Rather, any homework assigned should have a purpose and benefit, and it should be designed to cultivate learning and development,” wrote Pope.

High-performing paradox

In places where students attend high-performing schools, too much homework can reduce their time to foster skills in the area of personal responsibility, the researchers concluded. “Young people are spending more time alone,” they wrote, “which means less time for family and fewer opportunities to engage in their communities.”

Student perspectives

The researchers say that while their open-ended or “self-reporting” methodology to gauge student concerns about homework may have limitations – some might regard it as an opportunity for “typical adolescent complaining” – it was important to learn firsthand what the students believe.

The paper was co-authored by Mollie Galloway from Lewis and Clark College and Jerusha Conner from Villanova University.

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More than two hours of homework may be counterproductive, research suggests.

A Stanford education researcher found that too much homework can negatively affect kids, especially their lives away from school, where family, friends and activities matter.   "Our findings on the effects of homework challenge the traditional assumption that homework is inherently good," wrote Denise Pope , a senior lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Education and a co-author of a study published in the Journal of Experimental Education .   The researchers used survey data to examine perceptions about homework, student well-being and behavioral engagement in a sample of 4,317 students from 10 high-performing high schools in upper-middle-class California communities. Along with the survey data, Pope and her colleagues used open-ended answers to explore the students' views on homework.   Median household income exceeded $90,000 in these communities, and 93 percent of the students went on to college, either two-year or four-year.   Students in these schools average about 3.1 hours of homework each night.   "The findings address how current homework practices in privileged, high-performing schools sustain students' advantage in competitive climates yet hinder learning, full engagement and well-being," Pope wrote.   Pope and her colleagues found that too much homework can diminish its effectiveness and even be counterproductive. They cite prior research indicating that homework benefits plateau at about two hours per night, and that 90 minutes to two and a half hours is optimal for high school.   Their study found that too much homework is associated with:   • Greater stress : 56 percent of the students considered homework a primary source of stress, according to the survey data. Forty-three percent viewed tests as a primary stressor, while 33 percent put the pressure to get good grades in that category. Less than 1 percent of the students said homework was not a stressor.   • Reductions in health : In their open-ended answers, many students said their homework load led to sleep deprivation and other health problems. The researchers asked students whether they experienced health issues such as headaches, exhaustion, sleep deprivation, weight loss and stomach problems.   • Less time for friends, family and extracurricular pursuits : Both the survey data and student responses indicate that spending too much time on homework meant that students were "not meeting their developmental needs or cultivating other critical life skills," according to the researchers. Students were more likely to drop activities, not see friends or family, and not pursue hobbies they enjoy.   A balancing act   The results offer empirical evidence that many students struggle to find balance between homework, extracurricular activities and social time, the researchers said. Many students felt forced or obligated to choose homework over developing other talents or skills.   Also, there was no relationship between the time spent on homework and how much the student enjoyed it. The research quoted students as saying they often do homework they see as "pointless" or "mindless" in order to keep their grades up.   "This kind of busy work, by its very nature, discourages learning and instead promotes doing homework simply to get points," said Pope, who is also a co-founder of Challenge Success , a nonprofit organization affiliated with the GSE that conducts research and works with schools and parents to improve students' educational experiences..   Pope said the research calls into question the value of assigning large amounts of homework in high-performing schools. Homework should not be simply assigned as a routine practice, she said.   "Rather, any homework assigned should have a purpose and benefit, and it should be designed to cultivate learning and development," wrote Pope.   High-performing paradox   In places where students attend high-performing schools, too much homework can reduce their time to foster skills in the area of personal responsibility, the researchers concluded. "Young people are spending more time alone," they wrote, "which means less time for family and fewer opportunities to engage in their communities."   Student perspectives   The researchers say that while their open-ended or "self-reporting" methodology to gauge student concerns about homework may have limitations – some might regard it as an opportunity for "typical adolescent complaining" – it was important to learn firsthand what the students believe.   The paper was co-authored by Mollie Galloway from Lewis and Clark College and Jerusha Conner from Villanova University.

Clifton B. Parker is a writer at the Stanford News Service .

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Sport and Competition

Is too much homework unhealthy, a grassroots movement led by parents is backed by science..

Posted October 10, 2014

This is the question at the heart of the homework debate. The Washington Post education reporter Jay Mathews wrote a powerful article: “ Parents Saying No to Too Much Homework .” The story was inspired by a chapter in the new book, The Learning Habit: A Groundbreaking Approach to Homework and Parenting That Helps Our Children Succeed in School and Life . (Perigee, 2014)

The Learning Habit separates fact from fiction about homework and has started a grassroots movement led by parents. Instead of encouraging a homework revolt, it asks for parents to institute a regular, balanced homework routine . This includes having children stop doing academic homework after a reasonable amount of time. When children can’t understand the assignment, parents will not make the children sit for extended time and try to help them figure it out; they will write a note on the paper asking the teacher for extra help.

At the root of the movement is science. It’s not developmentally appropriate to ask a third grader to sit for 120 minutes and complete an academic assignment. It’s also not psychologically healthy to have a fourth grader in tears every night over homework. The focus on a "the whole child" approach is resonating with parents and administrators in school districts such as Barrington, Rhode Island.

So how much academic homework should a child have?

10 minutes per grade in school, and then children can move onto other activities. If they don’t understand the assignment or get frustrated, they should stop and read a book for the remaining time.

The facts are clear when it comes to academic homework . There is a point of diminishing returns, and it is anything over 10 minutes per grade. We now understand that the concept of “homework” involves balancing many opportunities that provide our kids with healthy learning experiences.. Activities such as neighborhood play, sports, dancing, family time, chores, and sleeping are equally important for whole-child enrichment. Additionally, children who participate in extra-curricular activities such as sports, dance, and clubs score higher on academic, social and emotional scales.

• All students work at a different pace.
• Think big picture. Forcing a child to complete a homework assignment, after they have spent a reasonable amount of time on it (10 minutes per grade), is not promoting balance.
• Keep academic homework time balanced and consistent. On nights children don’t have schoolwork, they will read. Reading is important for both ELA and Mathematics.
• No tears policy: When kids feel frustrated or don’t understand an academic assignment, they can choose to read a book instead and ask the teacher for extra help the next day.

GET THE FACTS ON HOMEWORK: Fact Sheet Balanced Homework Habit

For more information on The Learning Habit (Perigee) click HERE

Rebecca Jackson is a neuropsychological educator and the co-author of The Learning Habit

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Do our kids have too much homework?

by: Marian Wilde | Updated: January 31, 2024

Print article

Many students and their parents are frazzled by the amount of homework being piled on in the schools. Yet many researchers say that American students have just the right amount of homework.

“Kids today are overwhelmed!” a parent recently wrote in an email to GreatSchools.org “My first-grade son was required to research a significant person from history and write a paper of at least two pages about the person, with a bibliography. How can he be expected to do that by himself? He just started to learn to read and write a couple of months ago. Schools are pushing too hard and expecting too much from kids.”

Diane Garfield, a fifth grade teacher in San Francisco, concurs. “I believe that we’re stressing children out,” she says.

But hold on, it’s not just the kids who are stressed out . “Teachers nowadays assign these almost college-level projects with requirements that make my mouth fall open with disbelief,” says another frustrated parent. “It’s not just the kids who suffer!”

“How many people take home an average of two hours or more of work that must be completed for the next day?” asks Tonya Noonan Herring, a New Mexico mother of three, an attorney and a former high school English teacher. “Most of us, even attorneys, do not do this. Bottom line: students have too much homework and most of it is not productive or necessary.”

Research about homework

How do educational researchers weigh in on the issue? According to Brian Gill, a senior social scientist at the Rand Corporation, there is no evidence that kids are doing more homework than they did before.

“If you look at high school kids in the late ’90s, they’re not doing substantially more homework than kids did in the ’80s, ’70s, ’60s or the ’40s,” he says. “In fact, the trends through most of this time period are pretty flat. And most high school students in this country don’t do a lot of homework. The median appears to be about four hours a week.”

Education researchers like Gill base their conclusions, in part, on data gathered by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) tests.

“It doesn’t suggest that most kids are doing a tremendous amount,” says Gill. “That’s not to say there aren’t any kids with too much homework. There surely are some. There’s enormous variation across communities. But it’s not a crisis in that it’s a very small proportion of kids who are spending an enormous amount of time on homework.”

Etta Kralovec, author of The End of Homework: How Homework Disrupts Families, Overburdens Children, and Limits Learning , disagrees, saying NAEP data is not a reliable source of information. “Students take the NAEP test and one of the questions they have to fill out is, ‘How much homework did you do last night’ Anybody who knows schools knows that teachers by and large do not give homework the night before a national assessment. It just doesn’t happen. Teachers are very clear with kids that they need to get a good night’s sleep and they need to eat well to prepare for a test.

“So asking a kid how much homework they did the night before a national test and claiming that that data tells us anything about the general run of the mill experience of kids and homework over the school year is, I think, really dishonest.”

Further muddying the waters is an AP/AOL poll that suggests that most Americans feel that their children are getting the right amount of homework. It found that 57% of parents felt that their child was assigned about the right amount of homework, 23% thought there was too little and 19% thought there was too much.

One indisputable fact

One homework fact that educators do agree upon is that the young child today is doing more homework than ever before.

“Parents are correct in saying that they didn’t get homework in the early grades and that their kids do,” says Harris Cooper, professor of psychology and director of the education program at Duke University.

Gill quantifies the change this way: “There has been some increase in homework for the kids in kindergarten, first grade, and second grade. But it’s been an increase from zero to 20 minutes a day. So that is something that’s fairly new in the last quarter century.”

The history of homework

In his research, Gill found that homework has always been controversial. “Around the turn of the 20th century, the Ladies’ Home Journal carried on a crusade against homework. They thought that kids were better off spending their time outside playing and looking at clouds. The most spectacular success this movement had was in the state of California, where in 1901 the legislature passed a law abolishing homework in grades K-8. That lasted about 15 years and then was quietly repealed. Then there was a lot of activism against homework again in the 1930s.”

The proponents of homework have remained consistent in their reasons for why homework is a beneficial practice, says Gill. “One, it extends the work in the classroom with additional time on task. Second, it develops habits of independent study. Third, it’s a form of communication between the school and the parents. It gives parents an idea of what their kids are doing in school.”

The anti-homework crowd has also been consistent in their reasons for wanting to abolish or reduce homework.

“The first one is children’s health,” says Gill. “A hundred years ago, you had medical doctors testifying that heavy loads of books were causing children’s spines to be bent.”

The more things change, the more they stay the same, it seems. There were also concerns about excessive amounts of stress .

“Although they didn’t use the term ‘stress,'” says Gill. “They worried about ‘nervous breakdowns.'”

“In the 1930s, there were lots of graduate students in education schools around the country who were doing experiments that claimed to show that homework had no academic value — that kids who got homework didn’t learn any more than kids who didn’t,” Gill continues. Also, a lot of the opposition to homework, in the first half of the 20th century, was motivated by a notion that it was a leftover from a 19th-century model of schooling, which was based on recitation, memorization and drill. Progressive educators were trying to replace that with something more creative, something more interesting to kids.”

The more-is-better movement

Garfield, the San Francisco fifth-grade teacher, says that when she started teaching 30 years ago, she didn’t give any homework. “Then parents started asking for it,” she says. “I got In junior high and high school there’s so much homework, they need to get prepared.” So I bought that one. I said, ‘OK, they need to be prepared.’ But they don’t need two hours.”

Cooper sees the trend toward more homework as symptomatic of high-achieving parents who want the best for their children. “Part of it, I think, is pressure from the parents with regard to their desire to have their kids be competitive for the best universities in the country. The communities in which homework is being piled on are generally affluent communities.”

The less-is-better campaign

Alfie Kohn, a widely-admired progressive writer on education and parenting, published a sharp rebuttal to the more-homework-is-better argument in his 2006 book The Homework Myth: Why Our Kids Get Too Much of a Bad Thing . Kohn criticized the pro-homework studies that Cooper referenced as “inconclusive… they only show an association, not a causal relationship” and he titled his first chapter “Missing Out on Their Childhoods.”

Vera Goodman’s 2020 book, Simply Too Much Homework: What Can We Do? , repeats Kohn’s scrutiny and urges parents to appeal to school and government leaders to revise homework policies. Goodman believes today’s homework load stresses out teachers, parents, and students, deprives children of unstructured time for play, hobbies, and individual pursuits, and inhibits the joy of learning.

Homework guidelines

What’s a parent to do, you ask? Fortunately, there are some sanity-saving homework guidelines.

Cooper points to “The 10-Minute Rule” formulated by the National PTA and the National Education Association, which suggests that kids should be doing about 10 minutes of homework per night per grade level. In other words, 10 minutes for first-graders, 20 for second-graders and so on.

Too much homework vs. the optimal amount

Cooper has found that the correlation between homework and achievement is generally supportive of these guidelines. “We found that for kids in elementary school there was hardly any relationship between how much homework young children did and how well they were doing in school, but in middle school the relationship is positive and increases until the kids were doing between an hour to two hours a night, which is right where the 10-minute rule says it’s going to be optimal.

“After that it didn’t go up anymore. Kids that reported doing more than two hours of homework a night in middle school weren’t doing any better in school than kids who were doing between an hour to two hours.”

Garfield has a very clear homework policy that she distributes to her parents at the beginning of each school year. “I give one subject a night. It’s what we were studying in class or preparation for the next day. It should be done within half an hour at most. I believe that children have many outside activities now and they also need to live fully as children. To have them work for six hours a day at school and then go home and work for hours at night does not seem right. It doesn’t allow them to have a childhood.”

International comparisons

How do American kids fare when compared to students in other countries? Professors Gerald LeTendre and David Baker of Pennsylvania State University conclude in their 2005 book, National Differences, Global Similarities: World Culture and the Future of Schooling, that American middle schoolers do more homework than their peers in Japan, Korea, or Taiwan, but less than their peers in Singapore and Hong Kong.

One of the surprising findings of their research was that more homework does not correlate with higher test scores. LeTendre notes: “That really flummoxes people because they say, ‘Doesn’t doing more homework mean getting better scores?’ The answer quite simply is no.”

Homework is a complicated thing

To be effective, homework must be used in a certain way, he says. “Let me give you an example. Most homework in the fourth grade in the U.S. is worksheets. Fill them out, turn them in, maybe the teacher will check them, maybe not. That is a very ineffective use of homework. An effective use of homework would be the teacher sitting down and thinking ‘Elizabeth has trouble with number placement, so I’m going to give her seven problems on number placement.’ Then the next day the teacher sits down with Elizabeth and she says, ‘Was this hard for you? Where did you have difficulty?’ Then she gives Elizabeth either more or less material. As you can imagine, that kind of homework rarely happens.”

Shotgun homework

“What typically happens is people give what we call ‘shotgun homework’: blanket drills, questions and problems from the book. On a national level that’s associated with less well-functioning school systems,” he says. “In a sense, you could sort of think of it as a sign of weaker teachers or less well-prepared teachers. Over time, we see that in elementary and middle schools more and more homework is being given, and that countries around the world are doing this in an attempt to increase their test scores, and that is basically a failing strategy.”

Quality not quantity?

“ The Case for (Quality) Homework: Why It Improves Learning, and How Parents Can Help ,” a 2019 paper written by Boston University psychologist Janine Bempechat, asks for homework that specifically helps children “confront ever-more-complex tasks” that enable them to gain resilience and embrace challenges.

Similar research from University of Ovideo in Spain titled “ Homework: Facts and Fiction 2021 ” says evidence shows that how homework is applied is more important than how much is required, and it asserts that a moderate amount of homework yields the most academic achievement. The most important aspect of quality homework assignment? The effort required and the emotions prompted by the task.

Robyn Jackson, author of How to Plan Rigorous Instruction and other media about rigor says the key to quality homework is not the time spent, but the rigor — or mental challenge — involved. ( Read more about how to evaluate your child’s homework for rigor here .)

Nightly reading as a homework replacement

Across the country, many elementary schools have replaced homework with a nightly reading requirement. There are many benefits to children reading every night , either out loud with a parent or independently: it increases their vocabulary, imagination, concentration, memory, empathy, academic ability, knowledge of different cultures and perspectives. Plus, it reduces stress, helps kids sleep, and bonds children to their cuddling parents or guardians. Twenty to 30 minutes of reading each day is generally recommended.

But, is this always possible, or even ideal?

No, it’s not.

Alfie Kohn criticizes this added assignment in his blog post, “ How To Create Nonreaders .” He cites an example from a parent (Julie King) who reports, “Our children are now expected to read 20 minutes a night, and record such on their homework sheet. What parents are discovering (surprise) is that those kids who used to sit down and read for pleasure — the kids who would get lost in a book and have to be told to put it down to eat/play/whatever — are now setting the timer… and stopping when the timer dings. … Reading has become a chore, like brushing your teeth.”

The take-away from Kohn? Don’t undermine reading for pleasure by turning it into another task burdening your child’s tired brain.

Additional resources

Books Simply Too Much Homework: What Can We do? by Vera Goodman, Trafford Publishing, 2020

The Case Against Homework: How Homework is Hurting Children and What Parents Can Do About It by Sara Bennett and Nancy Kalish, Crown Publishers, 2007

The Homework Myth: Why Our Kids Get Too Much of a Bad Thing by Alfie Kohn, Hatchett Books, 2006 The End of Homework: How Homework Disrupts Families, Overburdens Children, and Limits Learning by Etta Kralovec and John Buell, Beacon Press, 2001.

The Battle Over Homework: Common Ground for Administrators, Teachers, and Parents by Harris M. Cooper, Corwin Press, 2001.

Seven Steps to Homework Success: A Family Guide to Solving Common Homework Problems by Sydney Zentall and Sam Goldstein, Specialty Press, 1998.

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Student Opinion

Should We Get Rid of Homework?

Some educators are pushing to get rid of homework. Would that be a good thing?

By Jeremy Engle and Michael Gonchar

Do you like doing homework? Do you think it has benefited you educationally?

Has homework ever helped you practice a difficult skill — in math, for example — until you mastered it? Has it helped you learn new concepts in history or science? Has it helped to teach you life skills, such as independence and responsibility? Or, have you had a more negative experience with homework? Does it stress you out, numb your brain from busywork or actually make you fall behind in your classes?

Should we get rid of homework?

In “ The Movement to End Homework Is Wrong, ” published in July, the Times Opinion writer Jay Caspian Kang argues that homework may be imperfect, but it still serves an important purpose in school. The essay begins:

Do students really need to do their homework? As a parent and a former teacher, I have been pondering this question for quite a long time. The teacher side of me can acknowledge that there were assignments I gave out to my students that probably had little to no academic value. But I also imagine that some of my students never would have done their basic reading if they hadn’t been trained to complete expected assignments, which would have made the task of teaching an English class nearly impossible. As a parent, I would rather my daughter not get stuck doing the sort of pointless homework I would occasionally assign, but I also think there’s a lot of value in saying, “Hey, a lot of work you’re going to end up doing in your life is pointless, so why not just get used to it?” I certainly am not the only person wondering about the value of homework. Recently, the sociologist Jessica McCrory Calarco and the mathematics education scholars Ilana Horn and Grace Chen published a paper, “ You Need to Be More Responsible: The Myth of Meritocracy and Teachers’ Accounts of Homework Inequalities .” They argued that while there’s some evidence that homework might help students learn, it also exacerbates inequalities and reinforces what they call the “meritocratic” narrative that says kids who do well in school do so because of “individual competence, effort and responsibility.” The authors believe this meritocratic narrative is a myth and that homework — math homework in particular — further entrenches the myth in the minds of teachers and their students. Calarco, Horn and Chen write, “Research has highlighted inequalities in students’ homework production and linked those inequalities to differences in students’ home lives and in the support students’ families can provide.”

Mr. Kang argues:

But there’s a defense of homework that doesn’t really have much to do with class mobility, equality or any sense of reinforcing the notion of meritocracy. It’s one that became quite clear to me when I was a teacher: Kids need to learn how to practice things. Homework, in many cases, is the only ritualized thing they have to do every day. Even if we could perfectly equalize opportunity in school and empower all students not to be encumbered by the weight of their socioeconomic status or ethnicity, I’m not sure what good it would do if the kids didn’t know how to do something relentlessly, over and over again, until they perfected it. Most teachers know that type of progress is very difficult to achieve inside the classroom, regardless of a student’s background, which is why, I imagine, Calarco, Horn and Chen found that most teachers weren’t thinking in a structural inequalities frame. Holistic ideas of education, in which learning is emphasized and students can explore concepts and ideas, are largely for the types of kids who don’t need to worry about class mobility. A defense of rote practice through homework might seem revanchist at this moment, but if we truly believe that schools should teach children lessons that fall outside the meritocracy, I can’t think of one that matters more than the simple satisfaction of mastering something that you were once bad at. That takes homework and the acknowledgment that sometimes a student can get a question wrong and, with proper instruction, eventually get it right.

Students, read the entire article, then tell us:

Should we get rid of homework? Why, or why not?

Is homework an outdated, ineffective or counterproductive tool for learning? Do you agree with the authors of the paper that homework is harmful and worsens inequalities that exist between students’ home circumstances?

Or do you agree with Mr. Kang that homework still has real educational value?

When you get home after school, how much homework will you do? Do you think the amount is appropriate, too much or too little? Is homework, including the projects and writing assignments you do at home, an important part of your learning experience? Or, in your opinion, is it not a good use of time? Explain.

In these letters to the editor , one reader makes a distinction between elementary school and high school:

Homework’s value is unclear for younger students. But by high school and college, homework is absolutely essential for any student who wishes to excel. There simply isn’t time to digest Dostoyevsky if you only ever read him in class.

What do you think? How much does grade level matter when discussing the value of homework?

Is there a way to make homework more effective?

If you were a teacher, would you assign homework? What kind of assignments would you give and why?

Want more writing prompts? You can find all of our questions in our Student Opinion column . Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate them into your classroom.

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

Jeremy Engle joined The Learning Network as a staff editor in 2018 after spending more than 20 years as a classroom humanities and documentary-making teacher, professional developer and curriculum designer working with students and teachers across the country. More about Jeremy Engle

Does Homework Really Help Students Learn?

A conversation with a Wheelock researcher, a BU student, and a fourth-grade teacher

“Quality homework is engaging and relevant to kids’ lives,” says Wheelock’s Janine Bempechat. “It gives them autonomy and engages them in the community and with their families. In some subjects, like math, worksheets can be very helpful. It has to do with the value of practicing over and over.” Photo by iStock/Glenn Cook Photography

Do your homework.

If only it were that simple.

Educators have debated the merits of homework since the late 19th century. In recent years, amid concerns of some parents and teachers that children are being stressed out by too much homework, things have only gotten more fraught.

“Homework is complicated,” says developmental psychologist Janine Bempechat, a Wheelock College of Education & Human Development clinical professor. The author of the essay “ The Case for (Quality) Homework—Why It Improves Learning and How Parents Can Help ” in the winter 2019 issue of Education Next , Bempechat has studied how the debate about homework is influencing teacher preparation, parent and student beliefs about learning, and school policies.

She worries especially about socioeconomically disadvantaged students from low-performing schools who, according to research by Bempechat and others, get little or no homework.

BU Today  sat down with Bempechat and Erin Bruce (Wheelock’17,’18), a new fourth-grade teacher at a suburban Boston school, and future teacher freshman Emma Ardizzone (Wheelock) to talk about what quality homework looks like, how it can help children learn, and how schools can equip teachers to design it, evaluate it, and facilitate parents’ role in it.

BU Today: Parents and educators who are against homework in elementary school say there is no research definitively linking it to academic performance for kids in the early grades. You’ve said that they’re missing the point.

Bempechat : I think teachers assign homework in elementary school as a way to help kids develop skills they’ll need when they’re older—to begin to instill a sense of responsibility and to learn planning and organizational skills. That’s what I think is the greatest value of homework—in cultivating beliefs about learning and skills associated with academic success. If we greatly reduce or eliminate homework in elementary school, we deprive kids and parents of opportunities to instill these important learning habits and skills.

We do know that beginning in late middle school, and continuing through high school, there is a strong and positive correlation between homework completion and academic success.

That’s what I think is the greatest value of homework—in cultivating beliefs about learning and skills associated with academic success.

You talk about the importance of quality homework. What is that?

Quality homework is engaging and relevant to kids’ lives. It gives them autonomy and engages them in the community and with their families. In some subjects, like math, worksheets can be very helpful. It has to do with the value of practicing over and over.

What are your concerns about homework and low-income children?

The argument that some people make—that homework “punishes the poor” because lower-income parents may not be as well-equipped as affluent parents to help their children with homework—is very troubling to me. There are no parents who don’t care about their children’s learning. Parents don’t actually have to help with homework completion in order for kids to do well. They can help in other ways—by helping children organize a study space, providing snacks, being there as a support, helping children work in groups with siblings or friends.

Isn’t the discussion about getting rid of homework happening mostly in affluent communities?

Yes, and the stories we hear of kids being stressed out from too much homework—four or five hours of homework a night—are real. That’s problematic for physical and mental health and overall well-being. But the research shows that higher-income students get a lot more homework than lower-income kids.

Teachers may not have as high expectations for lower-income children. Schools should bear responsibility for providing supports for kids to be able to get their homework done—after-school clubs, community support, peer group support. It does kids a disservice when our expectations are lower for them.

The conversation around homework is to some extent a social class and social justice issue. If we eliminate homework for all children because affluent children have too much, we’re really doing a disservice to low-income children. They need the challenge, and every student can rise to the challenge with enough supports in place.

What did you learn by studying how education schools are preparing future teachers to handle homework?

My colleague, Margarita Jimenez-Silva, at the University of California, Davis, School of Education, and I interviewed faculty members at education schools, as well as supervising teachers, to find out how students are being prepared. And it seemed that they weren’t. There didn’t seem to be any readings on the research, or conversations on what high-quality homework is and how to design it.

Erin, what kind of training did you get in handling homework?

Bruce : I had phenomenal professors at Wheelock, but homework just didn’t come up. I did lots of student teaching. I’ve been in classrooms where the teachers didn’t assign any homework, and I’ve been in rooms where they assigned hours of homework a night. But I never even considered homework as something that was my decision. I just thought it was something I’d pull out of a book and it’d be done.

I started giving homework on the first night of school this year. My first assignment was to go home and draw a picture of the room where you do your homework. I want to know if it’s at a table and if there are chairs around it and if mom’s cooking dinner while you’re doing homework.

The second night I asked them to talk to a grown-up about how are you going to be able to get your homework done during the week. The kids really enjoyed it. There’s a running joke that I’m teaching life skills.

Friday nights, I read all my kids’ responses to me on their homework from the week and it’s wonderful. They pour their hearts out. It’s like we’re having a conversation on my couch Friday night.

It matters to know that the teacher cares about you and that what you think matters to the teacher. Homework is a vehicle to connect home and school…for parents to know teachers are welcoming to them and their families.

Bempechat : I can’t imagine that most new teachers would have the intuition Erin had in designing homework the way she did.

Ardizzone : Conversations with kids about homework, feeling you’re being listened to—that’s such a big part of wanting to do homework….I grew up in Westchester County. It was a pretty demanding school district. My junior year English teacher—I loved her—she would give us feedback, have meetings with all of us. She’d say, “If you have any questions, if you have anything you want to talk about, you can talk to me, here are my office hours.” It felt like she actually cared.

Bempechat : It matters to know that the teacher cares about you and that what you think matters to the teacher. Homework is a vehicle to connect home and school…for parents to know teachers are welcoming to them and their families.

Ardizzone : But can’t it lead to parents being overbearing and too involved in their children’s lives as students?

Bempechat : There’s good help and there’s bad help. The bad help is what you’re describing—when parents hover inappropriately, when they micromanage, when they see their children confused and struggling and tell them what to do.

Good help is when parents recognize there’s a struggle going on and instead ask informative questions: “Where do you think you went wrong?” They give hints, or pointers, rather than saying, “You missed this,” or “You didn’t read that.”

Bruce : I hope something comes of this. I hope BU or Wheelock can think of some way to make this a more pressing issue. As a first-year teacher, it was not something I even thought about on the first day of school—until a kid raised his hand and said, “Do we have homework?” It would have been wonderful if I’d had a plan from day one.

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Senior Contributing Editor

Sara Rimer A journalist for more than three decades, Sara Rimer worked at the Miami Herald , Washington Post and, for 26 years, the New York Times , where she was the New England bureau chief, and a national reporter covering education, aging, immigration, and other social justice issues. Her stories on the death penalty’s inequities were nominated for a Pulitzer Prize and cited in the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision outlawing the execution of people with intellectual disabilities. Her journalism honors include Columbia University’s Meyer Berger award for in-depth human interest reporting. She holds a BA degree in American Studies from the University of Michigan. Profile

She can be reached at [email protected] .

Comments & Discussion

Boston University moderates comments to facilitate an informed, substantive, civil conversation. Abusive, profane, self-promotional, misleading, incoherent or off-topic comments will be rejected. Moderators are staffed during regular business hours (EST) and can only accept comments written in English. Statistics or facts must include a citation or a link to the citation.

There are 81 comments on Does Homework Really Help Students Learn?

Insightful! The values about homework in elementary schools are well aligned with my intuition as a parent.

when i finish my work i do my homework and i sometimes forget what to do because i did not get enough sleep

same omg it does not help me it is stressful and if I have it in more than one class I hate it.

Same I think my parent wants to help me but, she doesn’t care if I get bad grades so I just try my best and my grades are great.

I think that last question about Good help from parents is not know to all parents, we do as our parents did or how we best think it can be done, so maybe coaching parents or giving them resources on how to help with homework would be very beneficial for the parent on how to help and for the teacher to have consistency and improve homework results, and of course for the child. I do see how homework helps reaffirm the knowledge obtained in the classroom, I also have the ability to see progress and it is a time I share with my kids

The answer to the headline question is a no-brainer – a more pressing problem is why there is a difference in how students from different cultures succeed. Perfect example is the student population at BU – why is there a majority population of Asian students and only about 3% black students at BU? In fact at some universities there are law suits by Asians to stop discrimination and quotas against admitting Asian students because the real truth is that as a group they are demonstrating better qualifications for admittance, while at the same time there are quotas and reduced requirements for black students to boost their portion of the student population because as a group they do more poorly in meeting admissions standards – and it is not about the Benjamins. The real problem is that in our PC society no one has the gazuntas to explore this issue as it may reveal that all people are not created equal after all. Or is it just environmental cultural differences??????

I get you have a concern about the issue but that is not even what the point of this article is about. If you have an issue please take this to the site we have and only post your opinion about the actual topic

This is not at all what the article is talking about.

This literally has nothing to do with the article brought up. You should really take your opinions somewhere else before you speak about something that doesn’t make sense.

we have the same name

so they have the same name what of it?

lol you tell her

totally agree

What does that have to do with homework, that is not what the article talks about AT ALL.

Yes, I think homework plays an important role in the development of student life. Through homework, students have to face challenges on a daily basis and they try to solve them quickly.I am an intense online tutor at 24x7homeworkhelp and I give homework to my students at that level in which they handle it easily.

More than two-thirds of students said they used alcohol and drugs, primarily marijuana, to cope with stress.

You know what’s funny? I got this assignment to write an argument for homework about homework and this article was really helpful and understandable, and I also agree with this article’s point of view.

I also got the same task as you! I was looking for some good resources and I found this! I really found this article useful and easy to understand, just like you! ^^

i think that homework is the best thing that a child can have on the school because it help them with their thinking and memory.

I am a child myself and i think homework is a terrific pass time because i can’t play video games during the week. It also helps me set goals.

Homework is not harmful ,but it will if there is too much

I feel like, from a minors point of view that we shouldn’t get homework. Not only is the homework stressful, but it takes us away from relaxing and being social. For example, me and my friends was supposed to hang at the mall last week but we had to postpone it since we all had some sort of work to do. Our minds shouldn’t be focused on finishing an assignment that in realty, doesn’t matter. I completely understand that we should have homework. I have to write a paper on the unimportance of homework so thanks.

homework isn’t that bad

Are you a student? if not then i don’t really think you know how much and how severe todays homework really is

i am a student and i do not enjoy homework because i practice my sport 4 out of the five days we have school for 4 hours and that’s not even counting the commute time or the fact i still have to shower and eat dinner when i get home. its draining!

i totally agree with you. these people are such boomers

why just why

they do make a really good point, i think that there should be a limit though. hours and hours of homework can be really stressful, and the extra work isn’t making a difference to our learning, but i do believe homework should be optional and extra credit. that would make it for students to not have the leaning stress of a assignment and if you have a low grade you you can catch up.

Studies show that homework improves student achievement in terms of improved grades, test results, and the likelihood to attend college. Research published in the High School Journal indicates that students who spent between 31 and 90 minutes each day on homework “scored about 40 points higher on the SAT-Mathematics subtest than their peers, who reported spending no time on homework each day, on average.” On both standardized tests and grades, students in classes that were assigned homework outperformed 69% of students who didn’t have homework. A majority of studies on homework’s impact – 64% in one meta-study and 72% in another – showed that take home assignments were effective at improving academic achievement. Research by the Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) concluded that increased homework led to better GPAs and higher probability of college attendance for high school boys. In fact, boys who attended college did more than three hours of additional homework per week in high school.

So how are your measuring student achievement? That’s the real question. The argument that doing homework is simply a tool for teaching responsibility isn’t enough for me. We can teach responsibility in a number of ways. Also the poor argument that parents don’t need to help with homework, and that students can do it on their own, is wishful thinking at best. It completely ignores neurodiverse students. Students in poverty aren’t magically going to find a space to do homework, a friend’s or siblings to help them do it, and snacks to eat. I feel like the author of this piece has never set foot in a classroom of students.

THIS. This article is pathetic coming from a university. So intellectually dishonest, refusing to address the havoc of capitalism and poverty plays on academic success in life. How can they in one sentence use poor kids in an argument and never once address that poor children have access to damn near 0 of the resources affluent kids have? Draw me a picture and let’s talk about feelings lmao what a joke is that gonna put food in their belly so they can have the calories to burn in order to use their brain to study? What about quiet their 7 other siblings that they share a single bedroom with for hours? Is it gonna force the single mom to magically be at home and at work at the same time to cook food while you study and be there to throw an encouraging word?

Also the “parents don’t need to be a parent and be able to guide their kid at all academically they just need to exist in the next room” is wild. Its one thing if a parent straight up is not equipped but to say kids can just figured it out is…. wow coming from an educator What’s next the teacher doesn’t need to teach cause the kid can just follow the packet and figure it out?

Well then get a tutor right? Oh wait you are poor only affluent kids can afford a tutor for their hours of homework a day were they on average have none of the worries a poor child does. Does this address that poor children are more likely to also suffer abuse and mental illness? Like mentioned what about kids that can’t learn or comprehend the forced standardized way? Just let em fail? These children regularly are not in “special education”(some of those are a joke in their own and full of neglect and abuse) programs cause most aren’t even acknowledged as having disabilities or disorders.

But yes all and all those pesky poor kids just aren’t being worked hard enough lol pretty sure poor children’s existence just in childhood is more work, stress, and responsibility alone than an affluent child’s entire life cycle. Love they never once talked about the quality of education in the classroom being so bad between the poor and affluent it can qualify as segregation, just basically blamed poor people for being lazy, good job capitalism for failing us once again!

why the hell?

you should feel bad for saying this, this article can be helpful for people who has to write a essay about it

This is more of a political rant than it is about homework

I know a teacher who has told his students their homework is to find something they are interested in, pursue it and then come share what they learn. The student responses are quite compelling. One girl taught herself German so she could talk to her grandfather. One boy did a research project on Nelson Mandela because the teacher had mentioned him in class. Another boy, a both on the autism spectrum, fixed his family’s computer. The list goes on. This is fourth grade. I think students are highly motivated to learn, when we step aside and encourage them.

The whole point of homework is to give the students a chance to use the material that they have been presented with in class. If they never have the opportunity to use that information, and discover that it is actually useful, it will be in one ear and out the other. As a science teacher, it is critical that the students are challenged to use the material they have been presented with, which gives them the opportunity to actually think about it rather than regurgitate “facts”. Well designed homework forces the student to think conceptually, as opposed to regurgitation, which is never a pretty sight

Wonderful discussion. and yes, homework helps in learning and building skills in students.

not true it just causes kids to stress

Homework can be both beneficial and unuseful, if you will. There are students who are gifted in all subjects in school and ones with disabilities. Why should the students who are gifted get the lucky break, whereas the people who have disabilities suffer? The people who were born with this “gift” go through school with ease whereas people with disabilities struggle with the work given to them. I speak from experience because I am one of those students: the ones with disabilities. Homework doesn’t benefit “us”, it only tears us down and put us in an abyss of confusion and stress and hopelessness because we can’t learn as fast as others. Or we can’t handle the amount of work given whereas the gifted students go through it with ease. It just brings us down and makes us feel lost; because no mater what, it feels like we are destined to fail. It feels like we weren’t “cut out” for success.

homework does help

here is the thing though, if a child is shoved in the face with a whole ton of homework that isn’t really even considered homework it is assignments, it’s not helpful. the teacher should make homework more of a fun learning experience rather than something that is dreaded

This article was wonderful, I am going to ask my teachers about extra, or at all giving homework.

I agree. Especially when you have homework before an exam. Which is distasteful as you’ll need that time to study. It doesn’t make any sense, nor does us doing homework really matters as It’s just facts thrown at us.

Homework is too severe and is just too much for students, schools need to decrease the amount of homework. When teachers assign homework they forget that the students have other classes that give them the same amount of homework each day. Students need to work on social skills and life skills.

I disagree.

Beyond achievement, proponents of homework argue that it can have many other beneficial effects. They claim it can help students develop good study habits so they are ready to grow as their cognitive capacities mature. It can help students recognize that learning can occur at home as well as at school. Homework can foster independent learning and responsible character traits. And it can give parents an opportunity to see what’s going on at school and let them express positive attitudes toward achievement.

Homework is helpful because homework helps us by teaching us how to learn a specific topic.

As a student myself, I can say that I have almost never gotten the full 9 hours of recommended sleep time, because of homework. (Now I’m writing an essay on it in the middle of the night D=)

I am a 10 year old kid doing a report about “Is homework good or bad” for homework before i was going to do homework is bad but the sources from this site changed my mind!

Homeowkr is god for stusenrs

I agree with hunter because homework can be so stressful especially with this whole covid thing no one has time for homework and every one just wants to get back to there normal lives it is especially stressful when you go on a 2 week vaca 3 weeks into the new school year and and then less then a week after you come back from the vaca you are out for over a month because of covid and you have no way to get the assignment done and turned in

As great as homework is said to be in the is article, I feel like the viewpoint of the students was left out. Every where I go on the internet researching about this topic it almost always has interviews from teachers, professors, and the like. However isn’t that a little biased? Of course teachers are going to be for homework, they’re not the ones that have to stay up past midnight completing the homework from not just one class, but all of them. I just feel like this site is one-sided and you should include what the students of today think of spending four hours every night completing 6-8 classes worth of work.

Are we talking about homework or practice? Those are two very different things and can result in different outcomes.

Homework is a graded assignment. I do not know of research showing the benefits of graded assignments going home.

Practice; however, can be extremely beneficial, especially if there is some sort of feedback (not a grade but feedback). That feedback can come from the teacher, another student or even an automated grading program.

As a former band director, I assigned daily practice. I never once thought it would be appropriate for me to require the students to turn in a recording of their practice for me to grade. Instead, I had in-class assignments/assessments that were graded and directly related to the practice assigned.

I would really like to read articles on “homework” that truly distinguish between the two.

oof i feel bad good luck!

thank you guys for the artical because I have to finish an assingment. yes i did cite it but just thanks

thx for the article guys.

Homework is good

I think homework is helpful AND harmful. Sometimes u can’t get sleep bc of homework but it helps u practice for school too so idk.

I agree with this Article. And does anyone know when this was published. I would like to know.

It was published FEb 19, 2019.

Studies have shown that homework improved student achievement in terms of improved grades, test results, and the likelihood to attend college.

i think homework can help kids but at the same time not help kids

This article is so out of touch with majority of homes it would be laughable if it wasn’t so incredibly sad.

There is no value to homework all it does is add stress to already stressed homes. Parents or adults magically having the time or energy to shepherd kids through homework is dome sort of 1950’s fantasy.

What lala land do these teachers live in?

Homework gives noting to the kid

Homework is Bad

homework is bad.

why do kids even have homework?

Comments are closed.

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Too Much Homework Hurts Your Students. Here’s What to Do Instead.

• Post author: The CTTL
• Post published: February 28, 2019
• Post category: Teaching Strategies

At the CTTL , we’re focused on using the best of Mind, Brain, and Education Science research to help teachers maximize their effectiveness and guide students toward their greatest potential. Doing that often means addressing what we like to call “Learning Myths”—those traditional bits of teaching wisdom that are often accepted without question, but aren’t always true. We also like to introduce new insight that can change the classroom for the better. In our Learning Myths series, we’ll explore true-or-false statements that affect teacher and student performance; for each, we’ll dive into the details that support the facts, leaving teachers with actionable knowledge that they can put to work right away.

True or False? Homework should be given every night, as this routine promotes learning.

Answer: False! Nightly homework is unnecessary—and can actually be harmful.

Homework for homework’s sake, or homework that’s not tied into the classroom experience, is a demotivating waste of your students’ time and energy. The Education Endowment Foundation Teaching and Learning Toolkit puts it this way: “Planned and focused activities are more beneficial than homework, which is more regular, but may be routine or not linked with what is being learned in class.”

How might teachers put this insight into action?

Homework, in itself, isn’t a bad thing. The key is to make sure that every homework assignment is both necessary and relevant—and leaves students with some time to rest and investigate other parts of their lives. Here are four key mindsets to adopt as an educator:

Resist the traditional wisdom that equates hardship with learning. Assigning constant homework is often tied into the idea that the more rigorous a class is, the better it is. However, according to research from Duke University’s Professor Harris Cooper, this belief is mistaken: “too much homework may diminish its effectiveness, or even become counterproductive.” A better guideline for homework, Cooper suggests, is to assign 1-2 hours of total homework in high school, and only up to 1 hour in junior high or middle school. This is based on the understanding that school-aged children are developing quickly in multiple realms of their lives; thus, family, outside interests, and sleep all take an unnecessary and damaging hit if students are spending their evenings on busy work. Even for high schoolers, more than two hours of homework was not associated with greater levels of achievement in Cooper’s study.

Remember that some assignments help learning more than others—and they tend to be simple, connected ones. Research suggests that the more open-ended and unstructured assignments are, the smaller the effect they have on learning. The best kind of homework is made of planned, focused activities that help reinforce what’s been happening in class. Using the spacing effect is one way to help students recall and remember what they’ve been learning: for example, this could include a combination of practice questions from what happened today, three days ago, and five days ago. (You can also consider extending this idea by integrating concepts and skills from other parts of your course into your homework materials). Another helpful approach is to assign an exercise that acts as a simple introduction to material that is about to be taught. In general, make sure that all at-home activities are a continuation of the story that’s playing out in class—in other words, that they’re tied into what happened before the assignment, as well as what will happen next.

When it comes to homework, stay flexible. Homework shouldn’t be used to teach complex new ideas and skills. Because it’s so important that homework is closely tied with current learning, it’s important to prepare to adjust your assignments on the fly: if you end up running out of time and can’t cover all of a planned subject on a given day, nix any homework that relies on it.

Never use homework as a punishment. Homework should never be used as a disciplinary tool or a penalty. It’s important for students to know and trust that what they’re doing at home is a vital part of their learning.

Make sure that your students don’t get stuck before they begin. Teachers tend to under-appreciate one very significant problem when it comes to homework: often, students just don’t know how to do the assignment! Being confused by the instructions—and without the means to remedy the situation—is extremely demotivating. If you find (or suspect) that this might be a problem for your students, one helpful strategy is to give students a few minutes in class to begin their homework, so that you can address any clarifying questions that arise.

In order for students to become high academic achievers, they have to be learning in a way that challenges them at the right level— much like the porridge in the Goldilocks story, it’s got to be just right. Homework is a great tool, but it must be used wisely. Part of our role as teachers is to make sure that the time we ask our students to give us after they leave class is meaningful to their learning; otherwise, the stress and demotivation of “just because” homework can be detrimental to their well-being. As the CTTL’s Dr. Ian Kelleher advises, “The best homework assignments are just 20 minutes long, because those are the ones that the teacher has really planned out carefully.” Put simply: quality beats out quantity, every time.

Here at the CTTL, we’re all about quality over quantity. Case in point: our newest endeavor, Neuroteach Global , helps teachers infuse their classroom practices with research-informed strategies for student success—in just 3-5 minutes a day, on a variety of devices.

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Quotes & Sayings About Too Much Homework

Enjoy reading and share 50 famous quotes about Too Much Homework with everyone.

Top Too Much Homework Quotes

Funny but, for me, the Bible was a hobby before it was a serious study. It was the thing I'd sneak off and do on the side, feeling rather guilty because I wasn't doing my real school homework or whatever ... and never thinking I would make it a life's work. — N. T. Wright

When I was in Grade 9, there was an election for high school president, and one of the candidates told us that if we elected him, he would abolish homework. He promised this to the entire student body from the stage in the school gymnasium. — Martin O'Malley

I was detained a couple of times but that was for not handing in homework because I was playing golf or not present because I was playing golf. There was a theme evolving. — Rory McIlroy

She wanted to slap herself for showing weakness around him. "Why?" he prodded. "Why what?" she snapped. "Why me?" "I was asking myself the same question." "The wide-eyed act won't work with me, cara." "I am not - " "I won't marry you. If that's what you're after, forget it. Not happening." "I'm after what?!" she spluttered. She was at a loss for words. "It takes more than a cherry to make me cough up a wedding ring, " he said with thinly veiled derision. "You should've done your homework. Marriage? Not in my cards. — Kat Madrid

My dad was fine about me doing modelling at 16 because I always said school was important to me. I always chose my jobs carefully so I wouldn't have to take too much time off. It got harder toward the end with my A-levels; there were sleepless nights, and I was doing my homework on the plane coming home, but I pulled through. — Georgia May Jagger

Talent is important, and some background as well. This really is not beginner's school. I want to work with people that have achieved a certain level and with whom i can easily communicate, which means you don't have to do too much explaining so you won't waste precious time. I don't do much explaining during rehersals and we are just adjusting minor details. Simply, there is no space nor time for one to learn and each of them has to do their homework on time. That means practising, transitioning from a level to level. — Vlatko Stefanovski

I think there is something about being described and having your abilities described as something definable. I was diagnosed at about six, when a teacher couldn't understand how I could be a bright girl and yet couldn't read yet. I did that whole backwards letters thing. I used to sit in the same place when I did homework because I remembered that B's went towards the window and D's went away from it. — Lucy Corin

S. Neill put it, promising a reward for an activity is "tantamount to declaring that the activity is not worth doing for its own sake."26 Thus, a parent who says to a child, "If you finish your math homework, you may watch an hour of TV" is teaching the child to think of math as something that isn't much fun. — Alfie Kohn

I'm not a big believer in doing too much research - I think you can get lost in it. You can get constrained by it, which I think is a mistake. But if you've done your homework, the audience feels it. — Jonathan Nolan

Knowing yourself is life's eternal homework — Felicia Day

If you meet somebody and are attracted to someone, and the exquisite neurons in your brain and her brain intermesh properly, then things can be wonderful. It's not like homework. You don't have to work at the relationship. — Woody Allen

My Teacher Sees Right Through Me I didn't do my homework. My teacher asked me, "Why?" I answered him, "It's much too hard." He said, "You didn't try." I told him, "My dog ate it." He said, "You have no dog." I said, "I went out running." He said, "You never jog." I told him, "I had chores to do." He said, "You watched TV." I said, "I saw the doctor." He said, "You were with me." My teacher sees right through my fibs, which makes me very sad. It's hard to fool the teacher when the teacher is your dad. — Bruce Lansky

Acting, and the privilege of being able to do it for a living, is so important to me. I don't turn up and just hope for the best. I really fret about it. I do my homework; I prepare myself for the experience of playing a particular character. — Kate Winslet

My kids are exhausted every day, and I keep them that way. It's gym, ice, homework. They're too tired to get in trouble. — Nelson Peltz

I live in a world where school is in a precarious balance with social life, parties, and sports games. He lives in a world where school is all-consuming, and when his homework isn't, Star Wars and video games are. — Selena Brooks

They [parents] can help the children work out schedules for homework, play, and television that minimize the conflicts involved inwhat to do first. They can offer moral support and encouragement to persist, to try again, to struggle for understanding and mastery. And they can share a child's pleasure in mastery and accomplishment. But they must not do the job for the children. — Dorothy H Cohen

I'm a mom, a full-time mom when I'm not taping. I do the carpool thing, and bake the cookies, and do the homework. — Vanna White

Love-based parenting elevates the importance of the relationship to the highest position. No homework assignment, no chore, and no social etiquette is ever more important than the parent-child relationship. Maintaining connectedness and attunement, thereby sustaining the balance of love of self and love of child, is the primal outcome of every interaction the parent has with the child. When this is achieved, the other less significant items will take care of themselves. The ultimate challenge in reaching this goal is that children both want and need autonomy (independence), yet they are biologically engineered to be in relationships and to belong (dependence). This clash between the two is compounded by American culture where there is a powerful emphasis on the individual rather than — Heather T. Forbes

There was a shared sigh as the boys ran off behind Radley, thanking God for not killing them, and telling him how they'd be better people and do their homework from now on. — Joseph Eastwood

My earliest memories of my mom were of her multi-tasking - preparing dinner while checking on homework and housework; clearing the dinner plates while setting out bowls for breakfast; making sure we ate our breakfast while lining up bread, lunch meats, apples, and snacks assembly-line style so we could make our lunches. — Christine Pelosi

We had a strict routine that nothing could change: we'd get up at six, and it would be my job or Meinhard's to get milk from the farm door. When w were a little older and starting to play sports, exercises were added to the chores, and we had to earn our breakfast by doing sit-ups. In the afternoon, we'd finish our homework and chores, and my father would make us practice soccer no matter how bad the weather was. — Arnold Schwarzenegger

But I really feel strongly that our kids do way too much homework . The research is on my side. It's easy to make a fuss when you're right. That can be the tagline of my life: 'It's Easy To Make A Fuss When You're Right.' — Ayelet Waldman

We live in a world saturated with information. We have virtually unlimited amounts of data at our fingertips at all times, and we're well versed in the arguments about the dangers of not knowing enough and not doing our homework. But what I have sensed is an enormous frustration with the unexpected costs of knowing too much, of being inundated with information. We have come to confuse information with understanding. — Malcolm Gladwell

We're told that parents push their children too hard to excel (by ghostwriting their homework and hiring tutors, and demanding that they triumph over their peers), but also that parents try to protect kids from competition (by giving trophies to everyone), that expectations have declined, that too much attention is paid to making children happy. Similarly, young adults are described as self-satisfied twits - more pleased with themselves than their accomplishments merit - but also as being so miserable that they're in therapy. Or there's an epidemic of helicopter parenting, even though parents are so focused on their gadgets that they ignore their children. The assumption seems to be that readers will just nod right along, failing to note any inconsistencies, as long as the tone is derogatory and the perspective is traditionalist. — Alfie Kohn

I have too much homework to watch M*A*S*H yet, so I settle down at the kitchen table and I face it. — A.S. King

I want a tutor," Layla said. "It would make doing homework so much easier." "Me too," said Kaitlyn. "If Layla gets one, I get one." "No daughter of mine will ever have a tutor," Dad said. "What if we're failing a course?" asked Layla. His graying eyebrows drew together. "If you fail a single course, young lady, we will pull you out of school and get you a job scrubbing toilets for the rest of your life. — Claire LaZebnik

Everyone has days where they don't get their way, where you have to go to bed early or you have too much homework to do or you can't eat the candy that you want or you miss your favorite TV show and, in those moments, you just want to tear the whole world down. — Alex Hirsch

If it wasn't for her literally doing my homework for me, I would not have even graduated high school. Guaranteed ... My mom always said, 'Luck is nothing but preparation and opportunity.' I think because I've had that history of not really being great in school, I probably try to overcompensate. That's why I try to read so many books. Just so I don't feel ... uneducated. — Channing Tatum

A typical weeknight when he was home like this: 1. Sit down and try to do homework. 2. Get interrupted by Jeffrey: "Please play with me!" 3. Ignore brother, try to do homework. 4. Get interrupted by Jeffrey: "Come ON, Steven! I'm BORED!" 5. Beg Jeffrey for five minutes of peace. 6. Get begged for five minutes of play: "Steven, you never, ever play with me - ever!" 7. Move entire homework operations center to different room. 8. Repeat steps #1-7 as directed by small drugged maniac. — Jordan Sonnenblick

Every couple of days I have to remind myself that I'm really okay. And it's not the pretend kind of okay. It's the kind that you feel from the inside out. It's the kind of okay that has me thinking about outfits and coffee first thing in the morning, and homework that's due later this week, and that I need to call Jodi back, and what Cole's abs look like when he flexes. It's the kind of okay that makes life a zillion times more bearable and also has me waiting for the other shoe to drop. I — Autumn Doughton

Homework, I have discovered, involves a sharp pencil and thick books and long sighs. — Katherine Applegate

Play is under attack in our nation's schools - and shrinking recess periods are only part of the problem. Homework is increasing. Cities are building new schools without playgrounds. Safety concerns are prompting bans of tag, soccer, and even running on the schoolyard. — Darell Hammond

Homework strongly indicates that the teachers are not doing their jobs well enough during the school day. It's not like they'll let you bring your home stuff to school and work on it there. You can't say, 'I didn't finish sleeping at home, so I have to work on finishing my sleep here. — Jim Benton

We had almost exactly a year together as a couple after that. She wanted to swim the Great Barrier Reef. I wish we had gone. I wish we had read books to each other. We had one weekend of sexy-times in New York City while her father looked after the kids. I wish we'd had more. I wish we'd walked more. I wish we hadn't sat in front of the TV so much. It was nice, we cuddled, we laughed at Stephen Colbert and Seth Meyers, but it didn't make much in the way of memories. We did such ordinary, banal things. Ordered pizza and played Trivial Pursuit with her sister and her dad. Helped the kids with homework. We did dishes together more than we ever made love. What kind of life is that?" "Real life," Harper said. — Joe Hill

I was really shy when I was a child, very self-conscious about taking up space or being an attention seeker. I was the kind of kid who was really good at homework. — Mickey Sumner

Academic credentials are neither a necessary nor a sufficient condition for having your ideas taken seriously. If a famous professor repeatedly says stupid things, then tries to claim he never said them, there's no rule against calling him a mendacious idiot - and no special qualifications required to make that pronouncement other than doing your own homework.Conversely, if someone without formal credentials consistently makes trenchant, insightful observations, he or she has earned the right to be taken seriously, regardless of background. — Paul Krugman

I'm not saying writing comedy's brain surgery, but there is a certain pressure to it. It's the equivalent of doing homework that's going to end up on national television. — Miranda Hart

So when your mom walks in, turn down the volume and act like you're doing your homework. — Willie D

Dad. I knew that was it. No more holding my hand. No more sitting in my lap. No more throwing your arms around my waist when I walked through the front door or standing on my shoes while we danced around the kitchen. I would be the bank now. The ride to your friend's house. The critic of your biology homework. The signature on the check mailed away with your college application. — Karin Slaughter

Too Busy I've folded all my laundry and put it in the drawer. I've changed my linen, made my bed, and swept my bedroom floor. I've emptied out the garbage and fixed tomorrow's lunch. I've baked some cookies for dessert and given dad a munch. I've searched the house for pencils and sharpened every one. There are so many things to do when homework must be done. — Bruce Lansky

Nobody loves me, nobody cares, Nobody picks me peaches and pears. Nobody offers me candy and Cokes, Nobody listens and laughs at me jokes. Nobody helps when I get into a fight, Nobody does all my homework at night. Nobody misses me, Nobody cries, Nobody thinks I'm a wonderful guy. So, if you ask me who's my best friend, in a whiz, I'll stand up and tell you NOBODY is! But yesterday night I got quite a scare I woke up and Nobody just WASN'T there! I called out and reached for Nobody's hand, In the darkness where Nobody usually stands, Then I poked through the house, in each cranny and nook, But I found SOMEBODY each place that I looked. I seached till I'm tired, and now with the dawn, There's no doubt about it- NOBODY'S GONE!! — Shel Silverstein

I will not go into a story unprepared. I will do my homework, and that's something I learned at an early age. — Ed Bradley

Looking back, I think we were all quite mature, surprisingly responsible. In earlier wars, boys of our age had just gone off to raise hell or enlist or both, but we stayed dutifully at our desks doing tomorrow's homework. — John Knowles

5.5 Never sacrifice the safety and comfort of your group just to meet your budget. Do your homework and research your chosen carrier thoroughly. Obtain a certificate of insurance listing your organization as additional insured and displaying a minimum of five million dollars in liability. Understand and factor in that one driver can drive ten hours or six hundred miles, whichever comes first. That driver must then have eight hours of sleep before being available again to drive! Don't push the limit too hard! — Craig Speck

Here's some soul homework, by way of Dallas Willard: If you want to really experience the flow of love as never before, the next time you are in a competitive situation [around work or relationship or whose kids are the highest achieving or looks or whatever], pray that the others around you will be more outstanding, more praised, and more used of God than yourself. Really pull for them and rejoice in their success. If Christians were universally to do this for each other, the earth would soon be filled with the knowledge of the glory of God. — John Ortberg

I did enjoy the broadcasting work of King, Punk and Josh Mathews last Monday on Raw. Josh is a hard working young man who does his homework and he did well with his opportunity to sit at the grown up table on Raw. — Jim Ross

It's funny, or tragic, really, how an ordinary act like helping someone with their homework could be the inadvertent trigger for almost a decade of silent suffering. — Jonathan Tropper

Do you write every day?' 'Oh, no. Oh, I sort of try. I don't work very hard, really. Really I'm on vacation. All the time. Or you could say I work all the time, too. It comes to the same thing.' He'd said all this before, to others; he wondered if he'd said it to her. 'It's like weekend homework. Remember? There wasn't ever a time you absolutely had to do it - there was always Saturday, then Sunday - but then there wasn't ever a time when it wasn't there to do, too.' 'How awful.' ("Novelty") — John Crowley

The worst thing a kid can say about homework is that it is too hard. The worst thing a kid can say about a game is it's too easy. — Henry Jenkins

I liked the piano. I always liked playing. I just hated homework. — Mike Shinoda

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40 Best Too Much Work Quotes To Cope Stress and Burnout

There is a saying “a solid day’s work is a noble act.” Work is great. But nobody likes to work too much. It is no fun when you have work piled up which triggers stress. Every year, overwork and burnout cost billions of dollars to the organizations.

Employees feel overwhelmed by the work pressure and it impacts their physical as well as spiritual wellbeing . The solution lies in a multi-faceted approach. Self-care and discipline should lie at its soul.

IMPACT OF TOO MUCH WORK ON EMPLOYEES

According to Atlassian , most productive employees work around 38 hours per week. When this figure drags around the 50 mark, there is a sharp decline in the efficiency of the employees and they experience burnout and health issues.

The most common effects of Overwork are-

• Stalling Productivity
• Developing Smoking Habits
• Trouble having sleep
• Impacts the Mental Health
• Negatively affects personal life and relationships
• Physical strain and muscular pain
• Less job satisfaction

It is important that employers understand the seriousness of the issue and constantly strive to adapt their work environment and work culture . It will ensure that employees are fresh and motivated to perform to the best of their abilities.

I have tried to sum up some of the best quotes highlighting the concerns around overwork and draw the attention of employers regarding the subject. Have a good read!

You need to remember to give yourself enough slack to work with, but too much and you'll soon find yourself entangled and bleeding. - Andrew Ervin

Too much work and too much energy kill a man just as effectively as too much-assorted vice or too much drink - Rudyard Kipling

Too much work will create too much motivation for the strong, and a big collapse for the weak! Strength gets great strength from the challenges! - Mehmet Murat Ildan

Stress is the trash of modern life. We all generate it, but if you don’t dispose of it properly, it will pile up and overtake your life. — Danzae Pace

Burnout is nature’s way of telling you you’ve been going through the motions your soul has departed. — Sam Keen

Balance in work is not better time management, but better boundary management. Balance means making choices and enjoying those choices. — Betsy Jacobson

Nothing is worth your health. Nothing is worth poisoning yourself into stress, anxiety, and fear. — Steve Maraboli

A woman who lives with the stress of an overwhelmed schedule will often ache with the sadness of an underwhelmed soul. — Lysa Terkeurst

If you get tired, learn to rest, not to quit. — Banksy

I actually think burnout is the wrong description of it. I think it’s burning up. Physiologically, that is what you are doing because of the chronic stress being placed on your body. — Richard Boyatzis

Your energy is currency. Spend it well. — Adrienne Bosh

Balance is not better time management, but better boundary management. Balance means making choices and enjoying those choices. — Betsy Jacobson

Being overwhelmed means that your life or work is overpowering you. Regain control by clarifying your intentions, setting realistic expectations, and focusing on your next step. — Daphne Michaels

Read our blog on: 10 Awesome Lifestyle Choices For Employees To Elevate Their Work-Life

Live a good life. More smiling, less worrying. More compassion, less judgment. More blessed, less stressed. More love, less hate.― Roy Bennett

Burnout is the result of too much energy output and not enough energy self-invested. In other words, it's burning too much fuel than you’ve put in your tank. ― Melissa Steginus

The more stress you accumulate, the heavier it becomes. If you accumulate too much, the weight of carrying it can break you.― Oscar Auliq-Ice

Take a break from the stresses of life and use that time to rediscover the important things that matter to you most. We all deserve an anti-stress day to recharge our batteries.― Dee Waldeck

Nothing is worth your health. Nothing is worth poisoning yourself into stress, anxiety, and fear.― Steve Maraboli

When life gets hectic and you feel overwhelmed, take a moment to focus on the people and things you are most grateful for. When you have an attitude of gratitude, frustrating troubles will fall by the wayside.― Dana Arcuri

One who possesses, stresses, and obsesses; and never progresses. One who surrenders, wonders and ventures; and never falters.― L.A. Golding

Another technique I use when my job seems overwhelming is to keep it all in perspective by saying to myself: 'My job is important but it only forms part of my life - it is not my entire life. ― Catherine Pulsife

Don't overwork your squad. If you're going to make a mistake, underwork them. - Bear Bryant

Do each day all that can be done that day. You don't need to overwork or rush blindly into your work trying to do the greatest possible number of things in the shortest possible time. - Earl Nightingale

If each day is a gift, I’d like to know where I can return Mondays — John Wagner

By working faithfully 8 hours a day you may eventually get to be boss and work 12 hours a day.— Robert Frost

There cannot be a stressful crisis next week. My schedule is already full. — Henry Kissinger

In too deep to see the diamond, down too dark to see the gold. Now he won't let go of the shovel, and he cannot dig out of the hole. — Randy Travis

Overwork has long been cast as a choice, and a positive one borne out of love at that. But the truth is that for so many, there is no choice. — Miya Tokumitsu

The bane of Americans is overwork-and the ruin of any work is a divided interest. Concentrate-concentrate. One thing at a time. — Mark Twain

More men are killed by overwork than the importance of the world justifies. — Rudyard Kipling

It's also our collective delusion that overwork and burnout are the prices we must pay in order to succeed. — Arianna Huffington

Work while you can. But avoid overwork; depletion of energy. — Lailah Gifty Akita

No work is worse than overwork; the mind preys on itself, the most unwholesome of food. — Charles Lamb

The working classes may be injuriously degraded and oppressed in three ways: 1st - When they are neglected in infancy 2nd - When they are overworked by their employer and are thus rendered incompetent from ignorance to make good use of high wages when they can procure them. 3rd - When they are paid low wages for their labor.— Robert Owen

Around me I saw women overworked and underpaid, doing men's work at half men's wages, not because their work was inferior, but because they were women.— Anna Howard Shaw

A thoroughly good relationship with ourselves results in being still, which doesn't mean we don't run and jump and dance about. It means there's no compulsiveness. We don't overwork, overeat, over smoke, over seduce. In short, we begin to stop causing harm.— Pema Chodron

We know that our bodies suffer from overwork and lack of leisure: anxiety, mental-health issues - we're not designed to work more than about 40 hours a week. Our systems wear out and the quality of the work suffers. After 50 hours, it crashes and burns.— Katrina Onstad

I'm far from perfect. I'm still learning. I overworked myself, and I paid the price. I consider the breakdown a breakthrough. I needed to hit rock bottom. I needed to understand the cost of pushing so hard; fighting so hard against the system.— Mariah Carey

Nervous exhaustion from mental overwork is most often due to neglect of this rule and the brain worker should limit his regular day's work to a reasonable number of hours per day and those when the brain is at its best.— Maurice Bigelow

No one on his deathbed ever said, ‘I wish I had spent more time at the office. — Harold Kushner

Let us know in the comments if the above quotes have helped to change some perspectives in your workplace.

This article is written by Nizamul Bhuyan , a Content Marketer at Vantage Circle . With a professional exprience of writing on various subject domains like Corporate Wellness and Sports, he prefers to watch football and explore new places to unwind. To get in touch, reach out to [email protected]

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Letter to the editor: Schools give too much homework

The increasing volume of homework assigned to students is a growing concern that requires immediate attention.

I believe it is a big issue due to it stressing students out and causing them to crunch their time every day after school trying to fit in after-school activities like sports and extracurricular activities and also other things they may have to do every day. It has affected students in many different ways and even causes them to cheat or not actually try on their homework due to their busy schedule, not being able to fit in all their homework as well. 

The article “This is why we should stop giving homework” from the Human Restoration Project explains how families feel crushed by their children's work overload and trying to help them and figure it out. This issue is important because it's causing children to get in the habit of cheating and just trying to find answers from their classmates because they're doing it every day as a daily habit. It stresses out parents and makes their home life harder. 

I believe that everything that students need to learn should be taught and practiced at school. I think there should be no such thing as homework, and most school-related things other than studying should be done at school.

A way that could help this issue is teachers teaching and practicing everything in class to make it where kids don't need to bring their schoolwork home. 

Jason Thain, Green