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7 Research-Based Reasons Why Students Should Not Have Homework: Academic Insights, Opposing Perspectives & Alternatives

In recent years, the question of why students should not have homework has become a topic of intense debate among educators, parents, and students themselves. This discussion stems from a growing body of research that challenges the traditional view of homework as an essential component of academic success. The notion that homework is an integral part of learning is being reevaluated in light of new findings about its effectiveness and impact on students’ overall well-being.

The push against homework is not just about the hours spent on completing assignments; it’s about rethinking the role of education in fostering the well-rounded development of young individuals. Critics argue that homework, particularly in excessive amounts, can lead to negative outcomes such as stress, burnout, and a diminished love for learning. Moreover, it often disproportionately affects students from disadvantaged backgrounds, exacerbating educational inequities. The debate also highlights the importance of allowing children to have enough free time for play, exploration, and family interaction, which are crucial for their social and emotional development.

Checking 13yo’s math homework & I have just one question. I can catch mistakes & help her correct. But what do kids do when their parent isn’t an Algebra teacher? Answer: They get frustrated. Quit. Get a bad grade. Think they aren’t good at math. How is homework fair??? — Jay Wamsted (@JayWamsted) March 24, 2022

As we delve into this discussion, we explore various facets of why reducing or even eliminating homework could be beneficial. We consider the research, weigh the pros and cons, and examine alternative approaches to traditional homework that can enhance learning without overburdening students.

Once you’ve finished this article, you’ll know:

• Insights from Teachers and Education Industry Experts →
• 7 Reasons Why Students Should Not Have Homework →
• Opposing Views on Homework Practices →
• Exploring Alternatives to Homework →

Insights from Teachers and Education Industry Experts: Diverse Perspectives on Homework

In the ongoing conversation about the role and impact of homework in education, the perspectives of those directly involved in the teaching process are invaluable. Teachers and education industry experts bring a wealth of experience and insights from the front lines of learning. Their viewpoints, shaped by years of interaction with students and a deep understanding of educational methodologies, offer a critical lens through which we can evaluate the effectiveness and necessity of homework in our current educational paradigm.

Check out this video featuring Courtney White, a high school language arts teacher who gained widespread attention for her explanation of why she chooses not to assign homework.

Here are the insights and opinions from various experts in the educational field on this topic:

“I teach 1st grade. I had parents ask for homework. I explained that I don’t give homework. Home time is family time. Time to play, cook, explore and spend time together. I do send books home, but there is no requirement or checklist for reading them. Read them, enjoy them, and return them when your child is ready for more. I explained that as a parent myself, I know they are busy—and what a waste of energy it is to sit and force their kids to do work at home—when they could use that time to form relationships and build a loving home. Something kids need more than a few math problems a week.” — Colleen S. , 1st grade teacher

“The lasting educational value of homework at that age is not proven. A kid says the times tables [at school] because he studied the times tables last night. But over a long period of time, a kid who is drilled on the times tables at school, rather than as homework, will also memorize their times tables. We are worried about young children and their social emotional learning. And that has to do with physical activity, it has to do with playing with peers, it has to do with family time. All of those are very important and can be removed by too much homework.” — David Bloomfield , education professor at Brooklyn College and the City University of New York graduate center

“Homework in primary school has an effect of around zero. In high school it’s larger. (…) Which is why we need to get it right. Not why we need to get rid of it. It’s one of those lower hanging fruit that we should be looking in our primary schools to say, ‘Is it really making a difference?’” — John Hattie , professor

”Many kids are working as many hours as their overscheduled parents and it is taking a toll – psychologically and in many other ways too. We see kids getting up hours before school starts just to get their homework done from the night before… While homework may give kids one more responsibility, it ignores the fact that kids do not need to grow up and become adults at ages 10 or 12. With schools cutting recess time or eliminating playgrounds, kids absorb every single stress there is, only on an even higher level. Their brains and bodies need time to be curious, have fun, be creative and just be a kid.” — Pat Wayman, teacher and CEO of HowtoLearn.com

7 Reasons Why Students Should Not Have Homework

Let’s delve into the reasons against assigning homework to students. Examining these arguments offers important perspectives on the wider educational and developmental consequences of homework practices.

1. Elevated Stress and Health Consequences

The ongoing debate about homework often focuses on its educational value, but a vital aspect that cannot be overlooked is the significant stress and health consequences it brings to students. In the context of American life, where approximately 70% of people report moderate or extreme stress due to various factors like mass shootings, healthcare affordability, discrimination, racism, sexual harassment, climate change, presidential elections, and the need to stay informed, the additional burden of homework further exacerbates this stress, particularly among students.

Key findings and statistics reveal a worrying trend:

• Overwhelming Student Stress: A staggering 72% of students report being often or always stressed over schoolwork, with a concerning 82% experiencing physical symptoms due to this stress.
• Serious Health Issues: Symptoms linked to homework stress include sleep deprivation, headaches, exhaustion, weight loss, and stomach problems.
• Sleep Deprivation: Despite the National Sleep Foundation recommending 8.5 to 9.25 hours of sleep for healthy adolescent development, students average just 6.80 hours of sleep on school nights. About 68% of students stated that schoolwork often or always prevented them from getting enough sleep, which is critical for their physical and mental health.
• Turning to Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms: Alarmingly, the pressure from excessive homework has led some students to turn to alcohol and drugs as a way to cope with stress.

This data paints a concerning picture. Students, already navigating a world filled with various stressors, find themselves further burdened by homework demands. The direct correlation between excessive homework and health issues indicates a need for reevaluation. The goal should be to ensure that homework if assigned, adds value to students’ learning experiences without compromising their health and well-being.

By addressing the issue of homework-related stress and health consequences, we can take a significant step toward creating a more nurturing and effective educational environment. This environment would not only prioritize academic achievement but also the overall well-being and happiness of students, preparing them for a balanced and healthy life both inside and outside the classroom.

2. Inequitable Impact and Socioeconomic Disparities

In the discourse surrounding educational equity, homework emerges as a factor exacerbating socioeconomic disparities, particularly affecting students from lower-income families and those with less supportive home environments. While homework is often justified as a means to raise academic standards and promote equity, its real-world impact tells a different story.

The inequitable burden of homework becomes starkly evident when considering the resources required to complete it, especially in the digital age. Homework today often necessitates a computer and internet access – resources not readily available to all students. This digital divide significantly disadvantages students from lower-income backgrounds, deepening the chasm between them and their more affluent peers.

Key points highlighting the disparities:

• Digital Inequity: Many students lack access to necessary technology for homework, with low-income families disproportionately affected.
• Impact of COVID-19: The pandemic exacerbated these disparities as education shifted online, revealing the extent of the digital divide.
• Educational Outcomes Tied to Income: A critical indicator of college success is linked more to family income levels than to rigorous academic preparation. Research indicates that while 77% of students from high-income families graduate from highly competitive colleges, only 9% from low-income families achieve the same . This disparity suggests that the pressure of heavy homework loads, rather than leveling the playing field, may actually hinder the chances of success for less affluent students.

Moreover, the approach to homework varies significantly across different types of schools. While some rigorous private and preparatory schools in both marginalized and affluent communities assign extreme levels of homework, many progressive schools focusing on holistic learning and self-actualization opt for no homework, yet achieve similar levels of college and career success. This contrast raises questions about the efficacy and necessity of heavy homework loads in achieving educational outcomes.

The issue of homework and its inequitable impact is not just an academic concern; it is a reflection of broader societal inequalities. By continuing practices that disproportionately burden students from less privileged backgrounds, the educational system inadvertently perpetuates the very disparities it seeks to overcome.

3. Negative Impact on Family Dynamics

Homework, a staple of the educational system, is often perceived as a necessary tool for academic reinforcement. However, its impact extends beyond the realm of academics, significantly affecting family dynamics. The negative repercussions of homework on the home environment have become increasingly evident, revealing a troubling pattern that can lead to conflict, mental health issues, and domestic friction.

A study conducted in 2015 involving 1,100 parents sheds light on the strain homework places on family relationships. The findings are telling:

• Increased Likelihood of Conflicts: Families where parents did not have a college degree were 200% more likely to experience fights over homework.
• Misinterpretations and Misunderstandings: Parents often misinterpret their children’s difficulties with homework as a lack of attention in school, leading to feelings of frustration and mistrust on both sides.
• Discriminatory Impact: The research concluded that the current approach to homework disproportionately affects children whose parents have lower educational backgrounds, speak English as a second language, or belong to lower-income groups.

The issue is not confined to specific demographics but is a widespread concern. Samantha Hulsman, a teacher featured in Education Week Teacher , shared her personal experience with the toll that homework can take on family time. She observed that a seemingly simple 30-minute assignment could escalate into a three-hour ordeal, causing stress and strife between parents and children. Hulsman’s insights challenge the traditional mindset about homework, highlighting a shift towards the need for skills such as collaboration and problem-solving over rote memorization of facts.

The need of the hour is to reassess the role and amount of homework assigned to students. It’s imperative to find a balance that facilitates learning and growth without compromising the well-being of the family unit. Such a reassessment would not only aid in reducing domestic conflicts but also contribute to a more supportive and nurturing environment for children’s overall development.

4. Consumption of Free Time

In recent years, a growing chorus of voices has raised concerns about the excessive burden of homework on students, emphasizing how it consumes their free time and impedes their overall well-being. The issue is not just the quantity of homework, but its encroachment on time that could be used for personal growth, relaxation, and family bonding.

Authors Sara Bennett and Nancy Kalish , in their book “The Case Against Homework,” offer an insightful window into the lives of families grappling with the demands of excessive homework. They share stories from numerous interviews conducted in the mid-2000s, highlighting the universal struggle faced by families across different demographics. A poignant account from a parent in Menlo Park, California, describes nightly sessions extending until 11 p.m., filled with stress and frustration, leading to a soured attitude towards school in both the child and the parent. This narrative is not isolated, as about one-third of the families interviewed expressed feeling crushed by the overwhelming workload.

Key points of concern:

• Excessive Time Commitment: Students, on average, spend over 6 hours in school each day, and homework adds significantly to this time, leaving little room for other activities.
• Impact on Extracurricular Activities: Homework infringes upon time for sports, music, art, and other enriching experiences, which are as crucial as academic courses.
• Stifling Creativity and Self-Discovery: The constant pressure of homework limits opportunities for students to explore their interests and learn new skills independently.

The National Education Association (NEA) and the National PTA (NPTA) recommend a “10 minutes of homework per grade level” standard, suggesting a more balanced approach. However, the reality often far exceeds this guideline, particularly for older students. The impact of this overreach is profound, affecting not just academic performance but also students’ attitudes toward school, their self-confidence, social skills, and overall quality of life.

Furthermore, the intense homework routine’s effectiveness is doubtful, as it can overwhelm students and detract from the joy of learning. Effective learning builds on prior knowledge in an engaging way, but excessive homework in a home setting may be irrelevant and uninteresting. The key challenge is balancing homework to enhance learning without overburdening students, allowing time for holistic growth and activities beyond academics. It’s crucial to reassess homework policies to support well-rounded development.

5. Challenges for Students with Learning Disabilities

Homework, a standard educational tool, poses unique challenges for students with learning disabilities, often leading to a frustrating and disheartening experience. These challenges go beyond the typical struggles faced by most students and can significantly impede their educational progress and emotional well-being.

Child psychologist Kenneth Barish’s insights in Psychology Today shed light on the complex relationship between homework and students with learning disabilities:

• Homework as a Painful Endeavor: For students with learning disabilities, completing homework can be likened to “running with a sprained ankle.” It’s a task that, while doable, is fraught with difficulty and discomfort.
• Misconceptions about Laziness: Often, children who struggle with homework are perceived as lazy. However, Barish emphasizes that these students are more likely to be frustrated, discouraged, or anxious rather than unmotivated.
• Limited Improvement in School Performance: The battles over homework rarely translate into significant improvement in school for these children, challenging the conventional notion of homework as universally beneficial.

These points highlight the need for a tailored approach to homework for students with learning disabilities. It’s crucial to recognize that the traditional homework model may not be the most effective or appropriate method for facilitating their learning. Instead, alternative strategies that accommodate their unique needs and learning styles should be considered.

In conclusion, the conventional homework paradigm needs reevaluation, particularly concerning students with learning disabilities. By understanding and addressing their unique challenges, educators can create a more inclusive and supportive educational environment. This approach not only aids in their academic growth but also nurtures their confidence and overall development, ensuring that they receive an equitable and empathetic educational experience.

6. Critique of Underlying Assumptions about Learning

The longstanding belief in the educational sphere that more homework automatically translates to more learning is increasingly being challenged. Critics argue that this assumption is not only flawed but also unsupported by solid evidence, questioning the efficacy of homework as an effective learning tool.

Alfie Kohn , a prominent critic of homework, aptly compares students to vending machines in this context, suggesting that the expectation of inserting an assignment and automatically getting out of learning is misguided. Kohn goes further, labeling homework as the “greatest single extinguisher of children’s curiosity.” This critique highlights a fundamental issue: the potential of homework to stifle the natural inquisitiveness and love for learning in children.

The lack of concrete evidence supporting the effectiveness of homework is evident in various studies:

• Marginal Effectiveness of Homework: A study involving 28,051 high school seniors found that the effectiveness of homework was marginal, and in some cases, it was counterproductive, leading to more academic problems than solutions.
• No Correlation with Academic Achievement: Research in “ National Differences, Global Similarities ” showed no correlation between homework and academic achievement in elementary students, and any positive correlation in middle or high school diminished with increasing homework loads.
• Increased Academic Pressure: The Teachers College Record published findings that homework adds to academic pressure and societal stress, exacerbating performance gaps between students from different socioeconomic backgrounds.

These findings bring to light several critical points:

• Quality Over Quantity: According to a recent article in Monitor on Psychology , experts concur that the quality of homework assignments, along with the quality of instruction, student motivation, and inherent ability, is more crucial for academic success than the quantity of homework.
• Counterproductive Nature of Excessive Homework: Excessive homework can lead to more academic challenges, particularly for students already facing pressures from other aspects of their lives.
• Societal Stress and Performance Gaps: Homework can intensify societal stress and widen the academic performance divide.

The emerging consensus from these studies suggests that the traditional approach to homework needs rethinking. Rather than focusing on the quantity of assignments, educators should consider the quality and relevance of homework, ensuring it truly contributes to learning and development. This reassessment is crucial for fostering an educational environment that nurtures curiosity and a love for learning, rather than extinguishing it.

7. Issues with Homework Enforcement, Reliability, and Temptation to Cheat

In the academic realm, the enforcement of homework is a subject of ongoing debate, primarily due to its implications on student integrity and the true value of assignments. The challenges associated with homework enforcement often lead to unintended yet significant issues, such as cheating, copying, and a general undermining of educational values.

Key points highlighting enforcement challenges:

• Difficulty in Enforcing Completion: Ensuring that students complete their homework can be a complex task, and not completing homework does not always correlate with poor grades.
• Reliability of Homework Practice: The reliability of homework as a practice tool is undermined when students, either out of desperation or lack of understanding, choose shortcuts over genuine learning. This approach can lead to the opposite of the intended effect, especially when assignments are not well-aligned with the students’ learning levels or interests.
• Temptation to Cheat: The issue of cheating is particularly troubling. According to a report by The Chronicle of Higher Education , under the pressure of at-home assignments, many students turn to copying others’ work, plagiarizing, or using creative technological “hacks.” This tendency not only questions the integrity of the learning process but also reflects the extreme stress that homework can induce.
• Parental Involvement in Completion: As noted in The American Journal of Family Therapy , this raises concerns about the authenticity of the work submitted. When parents complete assignments for their children, it not only deprives the students of the opportunity to learn but also distorts the purpose of homework as a learning aid.

In conclusion, the challenges of homework enforcement present a complex problem that requires careful consideration. The focus should shift towards creating meaningful, manageable, and quality-driven assignments that encourage genuine learning and integrity, rather than overwhelming students and prompting counterproductive behaviors.

Addressing Opposing Views on Homework Practices

While opinions on homework policies are diverse, understanding different viewpoints is crucial. In the following sections, we will examine common arguments supporting homework assignments, along with counterarguments that offer alternative perspectives on this educational practice.

1. Improvement of Academic Performance

Homework is commonly perceived as a means to enhance academic performance, with the belief that it directly contributes to better grades and test scores. This view posits that through homework, students reinforce what they learn in class, leading to improved understanding and retention, which ultimately translates into higher academic achievement.

However, the question of why students should not have homework becomes pertinent when considering the complex relationship between homework and academic performance. Studies have indicated that excessive homework doesn’t necessarily equate to higher grades or test scores. Instead, too much homework can backfire, leading to stress and fatigue that adversely affect a student’s performance. Reuters highlights an intriguing correlation suggesting that physical activity may be more conducive to academic success than additional homework, underscoring the importance of a holistic approach to education that prioritizes both physical and mental well-being for enhanced academic outcomes.

2. Reinforcement of Learning

Homework is traditionally viewed as a tool to reinforce classroom learning, enabling students to practice and retain material. However, research suggests its effectiveness is ambiguous. In instances where homework is well-aligned with students’ abilities and classroom teachings, it can indeed be beneficial. Particularly for younger students , excessive homework can cause burnout and a loss of interest in learning, counteracting its intended purpose.

Furthermore, when homework surpasses a student’s capability, it may induce frustration and confusion rather than aid in learning. This challenges the notion that more homework invariably leads to better understanding and retention of educational content.

3. Development of Time Management Skills

Homework is often considered a crucial tool in helping students develop important life skills such as time management and organization. The idea is that by regularly completing assignments, students learn to allocate their time efficiently and organize their tasks effectively, skills that are invaluable in both academic and personal life.

However, the impact of homework on developing these skills is not always positive. For younger students, especially, an overwhelming amount of homework can be more of a hindrance than a help. Instead of fostering time management and organizational skills, an excessive workload often leads to stress and anxiety . These negative effects can impede the learning process and make it difficult for students to manage their time and tasks effectively, contradicting the original purpose of homework.

4. Preparation for Future Academic Challenges

Homework is often touted as a preparatory tool for future academic challenges that students will encounter in higher education and their professional lives. The argument is that by tackling homework, students build a foundation of knowledge and skills necessary for success in more advanced studies and in the workforce, fostering a sense of readiness and confidence.

Contrarily, an excessive homework load, especially from a young age, can have the opposite effect . It can instill a negative attitude towards education, dampening students’ enthusiasm and willingness to embrace future academic challenges. Overburdening students with homework risks disengagement and loss of interest, thereby defeating the purpose of preparing them for future challenges. Striking a balance in the amount and complexity of homework is crucial to maintaining student engagement and fostering a positive attitude towards ongoing learning.

5. Parental Involvement in Education

Homework often acts as a vital link connecting parents to their child’s educational journey, offering insights into the school’s curriculum and their child’s learning process. This involvement is key in fostering a supportive home environment and encouraging a collaborative relationship between parents and the school. When parents understand and engage with what their children are learning, it can significantly enhance the educational experience for the child.

However, the line between involvement and over-involvement is thin. When parents excessively intervene by completing their child’s homework,  it can have adverse effects . Such actions not only diminish the educational value of homework but also rob children of the opportunity to develop problem-solving skills and independence. This over-involvement, coupled with disparities in parental ability to assist due to variations in time, knowledge, or resources, may lead to unequal educational outcomes, underlining the importance of a balanced approach to parental participation in homework.

Exploring Alternatives to Homework and Finding a Middle Ground

In the ongoing debate about the role of homework in education, it’s essential to consider viable alternatives and strategies to minimize its burden. While completely eliminating homework may not be feasible for all educators, there are several effective methods to reduce its impact and offer more engaging, student-friendly approaches to learning.

Alternatives to Traditional Homework

• Project-Based Learning: This method focuses on hands-on, long-term projects where students explore real-world problems. It encourages creativity, critical thinking, and collaborative skills, offering a more engaging and practical learning experience than traditional homework. For creative ideas on school projects, especially related to the solar system, be sure to explore our dedicated article on solar system projects .
• Flipped Classrooms: Here, students are introduced to new content through videos or reading materials at home and then use class time for interactive activities. This approach allows for more personalized and active learning during school hours.
• Reading for Pleasure: Encouraging students to read books of their choice can foster a love for reading and improve literacy skills without the pressure of traditional homework assignments. This approach is exemplified by Marion County, Florida , where public schools implemented a no-homework policy for elementary students. Instead, they are encouraged to read nightly for 20 minutes . Superintendent Heidi Maier’s decision was influenced by research showing that while homework offers minimal benefit to young students, regular reading significantly boosts their learning. For book recommendations tailored to middle school students, take a look at our specially curated article .

Ideas for Minimizing Homework

• Limiting Homework Quantity: Adhering to guidelines like the “ 10-minute rule ” (10 minutes of homework per grade level per night) can help ensure that homework does not become overwhelming.
• Quality Over Quantity: Focus on assigning meaningful homework that is directly relevant to what is being taught in class, ensuring it adds value to students’ learning.
• Homework Menus: Offering students a choice of assignments can cater to diverse learning styles and interests, making homework more engaging and personalized.
• Integrating Technology: Utilizing educational apps and online platforms can make homework more interactive and enjoyable, while also providing immediate feedback to students. To gain deeper insights into the role of technology in learning environments, explore our articles discussing the benefits of incorporating technology in classrooms and a comprehensive list of educational VR apps . These resources will provide you with valuable information on how technology can enhance the educational experience.

For teachers who are not ready to fully eliminate homework, these strategies offer a compromise, ensuring that homework supports rather than hinders student learning. By focusing on quality, relevance, and student engagement, educators can transform homework from a chore into a meaningful component of education that genuinely contributes to students’ academic growth and personal development. In this way, we can move towards a more balanced and student-centric approach to learning, both in and out of the classroom.

Useful Resources

• Is homework a good idea or not? by BBC
• The Great Homework Debate: What’s Getting Lost in the Hype
• Alternative Homework Ideas

The evidence and arguments presented in the discussion of why students should not have homework call for a significant shift in homework practices. It’s time for educators and policymakers to rethink and reformulate homework strategies, focusing on enhancing the quality, relevance, and balance of assignments. By doing so, we can create a more equitable, effective, and student-friendly educational environment that fosters learning, well-being, and holistic development.

• “Here’s what an education expert says about that viral ‘no-homework’ policy”, Insider
• “John Hattie on BBC Radio 4: Homework in primary school has an effect of zero”, Visible Learning
• HowtoLearn.com
• “Time Spent On Homework Statistics [Fresh Research]”, Gitnux
• “Stress in America”, American Psychological Association (APA)
• “Homework hurts high-achieving students, study says”, The Washington Post
• “National Sleep Foundation’s updated sleep duration recommendations: final report”, National Library of Medicine
• “A multi-method exploratory study of stress, coping, and substance use among high school youth in private schools”, Frontiers
• “The Digital Revolution is Leaving Poorer Kids Behind”, Statista
• “The digital divide has left millions of school kids behind”, CNET
• “The Digital Divide: What It Is, and What’s Being Done to Close It”, Investopedia
• “COVID-19 exposed the digital divide. Here’s how we can close it”, World Economic Forum
• “PBS NewsHour: Biggest Predictor of College Success is Family Income”, America’s Promise Alliance
• “Homework and Family Stress: With Consideration of Parents’ Self Confidence, Educational Level, and Cultural Background”, Taylor & Francis Online
• “What Do You Mean My Kid Doesn’t Have Homework?”, EducationWeek
• “Excerpt From The Case Against Homework”, Penguin Random House Canada
• “How much homework is too much?”, neaToday
• “The Nation’s Report Card: A First Look: 2013 Mathematics and Reading”, National Center for Education Statistics
• “Battles Over Homework: Advice For Parents”, Psychology Today
• “How Homework Is Destroying Teens’ Health”, The Lion’s Roar
• “ Breaking the Homework Habit”, Education World
• “Testing a model of school learning: Direct and indirect effects on academic achievement”, ScienceDirect
• “National Differences, Global Similarities: World Culture and the Future of Schooling”, Stanford University Press
• “When school goes home: Some problems in the organization of homework”, APA PsycNet
• “Is homework a necessary evil?”, APA PsycNet
• “Epidemic of copying homework catalyzed by technology”, Redwood Bark
• “High-Tech Cheating Abounds, and Professors Bear Some Blame”, The Chronicle of Higher Education
• “Homework and Family Stress: With Consideration of Parents’ Self Confidence, Educational Level, and Cultural Background”, ResearchGate
• “Kids who get moving may also get better grades”, Reuters
• “Does Homework Improve Academic Achievement? A Synthesis of Research, 1987–2003”, SageJournals
• “Is it time to get rid of homework?”, USAToday
• “Stanford research shows pitfalls of homework”, Stanford
• “Florida school district bans homework, replaces it with daily reading”, USAToday
• “Encouraging Students to Read: Tips for High School Teachers”, wgu.edu
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Credit: August de Richelieu

Does homework still have value? A Johns Hopkins education expert weighs in

Joyce epstein, co-director of the center on school, family, and community partnerships, discusses why homework is essential, how to maximize its benefit to learners, and what the 'no-homework' approach gets wrong.

By Vicky Hallett

The necessity of homework has been a subject of debate since at least as far back as the 1890s, according to Joyce L. Epstein , co-director of the Center on School, Family, and Community Partnerships at Johns Hopkins University. "It's always been the case that parents, kids—and sometimes teachers, too—wonder if this is just busy work," Epstein says.

But after decades of researching how to improve schools, the professor in the Johns Hopkins School of Education remains certain that homework is essential—as long as the teachers have done their homework, too. The National Network of Partnership Schools , which she founded in 1995 to advise schools and districts on ways to improve comprehensive programs of family engagement, has developed hundreds of improved homework ideas through its Teachers Involve Parents in Schoolwork program. For an English class, a student might interview a parent on popular hairstyles from their youth and write about the differences between then and now. Or for science class, a family could identify forms of matter over the dinner table, labeling foods as liquids or solids. These innovative and interactive assignments not only reinforce concepts from the classroom but also foster creativity, spark discussions, and boost student motivation.

"We're not trying to eliminate homework procedures, but expand and enrich them," says Epstein, who is packing this research into a forthcoming book on the purposes and designs of homework. In the meantime, the Hub couldn't wait to ask her some questions:

What kind of homework training do teachers typically get?

Future teachers and administrators really have little formal training on how to design homework before they assign it. This means that most just repeat what their teachers did, or they follow textbook suggestions at the end of units. For example, future teachers are well prepared to teach reading and literacy skills at each grade level, and they continue to learn to improve their teaching of reading in ongoing in-service education. By contrast, most receive little or no training on the purposes and designs of homework in reading or other subjects. It is really important for future teachers to receive systematic training to understand that they have the power, opportunity, and obligation to design homework with a purpose.

Why do students need more interactive homework?

If homework assignments are always the same—10 math problems, six sentences with spelling words—homework can get boring and some kids just stop doing their assignments, especially in the middle and high school years. When we've asked teachers what's the best homework you've ever had or designed, invariably we hear examples of talking with a parent or grandparent or peer to share ideas. To be clear, parents should never be asked to "teach" seventh grade science or any other subject. Rather, teachers set up the homework assignments so that the student is in charge. It's always the student's homework. But a good activity can engage parents in a fun, collaborative way. Our data show that with "good" assignments, more kids finish their work, more kids interact with a family partner, and more parents say, "I learned what's happening in the curriculum." It all works around what the youngsters are learning.

Is family engagement really that important?

At Hopkins, I am part of the Center for Social Organization of Schools , a research center that studies how to improve many aspects of education to help all students do their best in school. One thing my colleagues and I realized was that we needed to look deeply into family and community engagement. There were so few references to this topic when we started that we had to build the field of study. When children go to school, their families "attend" with them whether a teacher can "see" the parents or not. So, family engagement is ever-present in the life of a school.

My daughter's elementary school doesn't assign homework until third grade. What's your take on "no homework" policies?

There are some parents, writers, and commentators who have argued against homework, especially for very young children. They suggest that children should have time to play after school. This, of course is true, but many kindergarten kids are excited to have homework like their older siblings. If they give homework, most teachers of young children make assignments very short—often following an informal rule of 10 minutes per grade level. "No homework" does not guarantee that all students will spend their free time in productive and imaginative play.

Some researchers and critics have consistently misinterpreted research findings. They have argued that homework should be assigned only at the high school level where data point to a strong connection of doing assignments with higher student achievement . However, as we discussed, some students stop doing homework. This leads, statistically, to results showing that doing homework or spending more minutes on homework is linked to higher student achievement. If slow or struggling students are not doing their assignments, they contribute to—or cause—this "result."

Teachers need to design homework that even struggling students want to do because it is interesting. Just about all students at any age level react positively to good assignments and will tell you so.

Did COVID change how schools and parents view homework?

Within 24 hours of the day school doors closed in March 2020, just about every school and district in the country figured out that teachers had to talk to and work with students' parents. This was not the same as homeschooling—teachers were still working hard to provide daily lessons. But if a child was learning at home in the living room, parents were more aware of what they were doing in school. One of the silver linings of COVID was that teachers reported that they gained a better understanding of their students' families. We collected wonderfully creative examples of activities from members of the National Network of Partnership Schools. I'm thinking of one art activity where every child talked with a parent about something that made their family unique. Then they drew their finding on a snowflake and returned it to share in class. In math, students talked with a parent about something the family liked so much that they could represent it 100 times. Conversations about schoolwork at home was the point.

How did you create so many homework activities via the Teachers Involve Parents in Schoolwork program?

We had several projects with educators to help them design interactive assignments, not just "do the next three examples on page 38." Teachers worked in teams to create TIPS activities, and then we turned their work into a standard TIPS format in math, reading/language arts, and science for grades K-8. Any teacher can use or adapt our prototypes to match their curricula.

Overall, we know that if future teachers and practicing educators were prepared to design homework assignments to meet specific purposes—including but not limited to interactive activities—more students would benefit from the important experience of doing their homework. And more parents would, indeed, be partners in education.

Posted in Voices+Opinion

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, how to do homework: 15 expert tips and tricks.

Coursework/GPA

Everyone struggles with homework sometimes, but if getting your homework done has become a chronic issue for you, then you may need a little extra help. That’s why we’ve written this article all about how to do homework. Once you’re finished reading it, you’ll know how to do homework (and have tons of new ways to motivate yourself to do homework)!

We’ve broken this article down into a few major sections. You’ll find:

• A diagnostic test to help you figure out why you’re struggling with homework
• A discussion of the four major homework problems students face, along with expert tips for addressing them
• A bonus section with tips for how to do homework fast

By the end of this article, you’ll be prepared to tackle whatever homework assignments your teachers throw at you .

So let’s get started!

How to Do Homework: Figure Out Your Struggles 

Sometimes it feels like everything is standing between you and getting your homework done. But the truth is, most people only have one or two major roadblocks that are keeping them from getting their homework done well and on time. 

The best way to figure out how to get motivated to do homework starts with pinpointing the issues that are affecting your ability to get your assignments done. That’s why we’ve developed a short quiz to help you identify the areas where you’re struggling. 

Take the quiz below and record your answers on your phone or on a scrap piece of paper. Keep in mind there are no wrong answers! 

1. You’ve just been assigned an essay in your English class that’s due at the end of the week. What’s the first thing you do?

A. Keep it in mind, even though you won’t start it until the day before it’s due  B. Open up your planner. You’ve got to figure out when you’ll write your paper since you have band practice, a speech tournament, and your little sister’s dance recital this week, too.  C. Groan out loud. Another essay? You could barely get yourself to write the last one!  D. Start thinking about your essay topic, which makes you think about your art project that’s due the same day, which reminds you that your favorite artist might have just posted to Instagram...so you better check your feed right now. 

2. Your mom asked you to pick up your room before she gets home from work. You’ve just gotten home from school. You decide you’ll tackle your chores: 

A. Five minutes before your mom walks through the front door. As long as it gets done, who cares when you start?  B. As soon as you get home from your shift at the local grocery store.  C. After you give yourself a 15-minute pep talk about how you need to get to work.  D. You won’t get it done. Between texts from your friends, trying to watch your favorite Netflix show, and playing with your dog, you just lost track of time! 

3. You’ve signed up to wash dogs at the Humane Society to help earn money for your senior class trip. You: 

A. Show up ten minutes late. You put off leaving your house until the last minute, then got stuck in unexpected traffic on the way to the shelter.  B. Have to call and cancel at the last minute. You forgot you’d already agreed to babysit your cousin and bake cupcakes for tomorrow’s bake sale.  C. Actually arrive fifteen minutes early with extra brushes and bandanas you picked up at the store. You’re passionate about animals, so you’re excited to help out! D. Show up on time, but only get three dogs washed. You couldn’t help it: you just kept getting distracted by how cute they were!

4. You have an hour of downtime, so you decide you’re going to watch an episode of The Great British Baking Show. You: 

A. Scroll through your social media feeds for twenty minutes before hitting play, which means you’re not able to finish the whole episode. Ugh! You really wanted to see who was sent home!  B. Watch fifteen minutes until you remember you’re supposed to pick up your sister from band practice before heading to your part-time job. No GBBO for you!  C. You finish one episode, then decide to watch another even though you’ve got SAT studying to do. It’s just more fun to watch people make scones.  D. Start the episode, but only catch bits and pieces of it because you’re reading Twitter, cleaning out your backpack, and eating a snack at the same time.

5. Your teacher asks you to stay after class because you’ve missed turning in two homework assignments in a row. When she asks you what’s wrong, you say: 

A. You planned to do your assignments during lunch, but you ran out of time. You decided it would be better to turn in nothing at all than submit unfinished work.  B. You really wanted to get the assignments done, but between your extracurriculars, family commitments, and your part-time job, your homework fell through the cracks.  C. You have a hard time psyching yourself to tackle the assignments. You just can’t seem to find the motivation to work on them once you get home.  D. You tried to do them, but you had a hard time focusing. By the time you realized you hadn’t gotten anything done, it was already time to turn them in. 

Like we said earlier, there are no right or wrong answers to this quiz (though your results will be better if you answered as honestly as possible). Here’s how your answers break down: 

• If your answers were mostly As, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is procrastination. 
• If your answers were mostly Bs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is time management. 
• If your answers were mostly Cs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is motivation. 
• If your answers were mostly Ds, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is getting distracted. 

Now that you’ve identified why you’re having a hard time getting your homework done, we can help you figure out how to fix it! Scroll down to find your core problem area to learn more about how you can start to address it. 

And one more thing: you’re really struggling with homework, it’s a good idea to read through every section below. You may find some additional tips that will help make homework less intimidating. 

How to Do Homework When You’re a Procrastinator  

Merriam Webster defines “procrastinate” as “to put off intentionally and habitually.” In other words, procrastination is when you choose to do something at the last minute on a regular basis. If you’ve ever found yourself pulling an all-nighter, trying to finish an assignment between periods, or sprinting to turn in a paper minutes before a deadline, you’ve experienced the effects of procrastination. 

If you’re a chronic procrastinator, you’re in good company. In fact, one study found that 70% to 95% of undergraduate students procrastinate when it comes to doing their homework. Unfortunately, procrastination can negatively impact your grades. Researchers have found that procrastination can lower your grade on an assignment by as much as five points ...which might not sound serious until you realize that can mean the difference between a B- and a C+. 

Procrastination can also negatively affect your health by increasing your stress levels , which can lead to other health conditions like insomnia, a weakened immune system, and even heart conditions. Getting a handle on procrastination can not only improve your grades, it can make you feel better, too! 

The big thing to understand about procrastination is that it’s not the result of laziness. Laziness is defined as being “disinclined to activity or exertion.” In other words, being lazy is all about doing nothing. But a s this Psychology Today article explains , procrastinators don’t put things off because they don’t want to work. Instead, procrastinators tend to postpone tasks they don’t want to do in favor of tasks that they perceive as either more important or more fun. Put another way, procrastinators want to do things...as long as it’s not their homework! 

3 Tips f or Conquering Procrastination 

Because putting off doing homework is a common problem, there are lots of good tactics for addressing procrastination. Keep reading for our three expert tips that will get your homework habits back on track in no time. 

#1: Create a Reward System

Like we mentioned earlier, procrastination happens when you prioritize other activities over getting your homework done. Many times, this happens because homework...well, just isn’t enjoyable. But you can add some fun back into the process by rewarding yourself for getting your work done. 

Here’s what we mean: let’s say you decide that every time you get your homework done before the day it’s due, you’ll give yourself a point. For every five points you earn, you’ll treat yourself to your favorite dessert: a chocolate cupcake! Now you have an extra (delicious!) incentive to motivate you to leave procrastination in the dust. 

If you’re not into cupcakes, don’t worry. Your reward can be anything that motivates you . Maybe it’s hanging out with your best friend or an extra ten minutes of video game time. As long as you’re choosing something that makes homework worth doing, you’ll be successful. 

#2: Have a Homework Accountability Partner 

If you’re having trouble getting yourself to start your homework ahead of time, it may be a good idea to call in reinforcements . Find a friend or classmate you can trust and explain to them that you’re trying to change your homework habits. Ask them if they’d be willing to text you to make sure you’re doing your homework and check in with you once a week to see if you’re meeting your anti-procrastination goals. 

Sharing your goals can make them feel more real, and an accountability partner can help hold you responsible for your decisions. For example, let’s say you’re tempted to put off your science lab write-up until the morning before it’s due. But you know that your accountability partner is going to text you about it tomorrow...and you don’t want to fess up that you haven’t started your assignment. A homework accountability partner can give you the extra support and incentive you need to keep your homework habits on track. 

#3: Create Your Own Due Dates 

If you’re a life-long procrastinator, you might find that changing the habit is harder than you expected. In that case, you might try using procrastination to your advantage! If you just can’t seem to stop doing your work at the last minute, try setting your own due dates for assignments that range from a day to a week before the assignment is actually due. 

Here’s what we mean. Let’s say you have a math worksheet that’s been assigned on Tuesday and is due on Friday. In your planner, you can write down the due date as Thursday instead. You may still put off your homework assignment until the last minute...but in this case, the “last minute” is a day before the assignment’s real due date . This little hack can trick your procrastination-addicted brain into planning ahead! 

If you feel like Kevin Hart in this meme, then our tips for doing homework when you're busy are for you. 

How to Do Homework When You’re too Busy

If you’re aiming to go to a top-tier college , you’re going to have a full plate. Because college admissions is getting more competitive, it’s important that you’re maintaining your grades , studying hard for your standardized tests , and participating in extracurriculars so your application stands out. A packed schedule can get even more hectic once you add family obligations or a part-time job to the mix. 

If you feel like you’re being pulled in a million directions at once, you’re not alone. Recent research has found that stress—and more severe stress-related conditions like anxiety and depression— are a major problem for high school students . In fact, one study from the American Psychological Association found that during the school year, students’ stress levels are higher than those of the adults around them. 

For students, homework is a major contributor to their overall stress levels . Many high schoolers have multiple hours of homework every night , and figuring out how to fit it into an already-packed schedule can seem impossible. 

3 Tips for Fitting Homework Into Your Busy Schedule

While it might feel like you have literally no time left in your schedule, there are still ways to make sure you’re able to get your homework done and meet your other commitments. Here are our expert homework tips for even the busiest of students. 

#1: Make a Prioritized To-Do List 

You probably already have a to-do list to keep yourself on track. The next step is to prioritize the items on your to-do list so you can see what items need your attention right away. 

Here’s how it works: at the beginning of each day, sit down and make a list of all the items you need to get done before you go to bed. This includes your homework, but it should also take into account any practices, chores, events, or job shifts you may have. Once you get everything listed out, it’s time to prioritize them using the labels A, B, and C. Here’s what those labels mean:

• A Tasks : tasks that have to get done—like showing up at work or turning in an assignment—get an A. 
• B Tasks : these are tasks that you would like to get done by the end of the day but aren’t as time sensitive. For example, studying for a test you have next week could be a B-level task. It’s still important, but it doesn’t have to be done right away.
• C Tasks: these are tasks that aren’t very important and/or have no real consequences if you don’t get them done immediately. For instance, if you’re hoping to clean out your closet but it’s not an assigned chore from your parents, you could label that to-do item with a C.

Prioritizing your to-do list helps you visualize which items need your immediate attention, and which items you can leave for later. A prioritized to-do list ensures that you’re spending your time efficiently and effectively, which helps you make room in your schedule for homework. So even though you might really want to start making decorations for Homecoming (a B task), you’ll know that finishing your reading log (an A task) is more important. 

#2: Use a Planner With Time Labels

Your planner is probably packed with notes, events, and assignments already. (And if you’re not using a planner, it’s time to start!) But planners can do more for you than just remind you when an assignment is due. If you’re using a planner with time labels, it can help you visualize how you need to spend your day.

A planner with time labels breaks your day down into chunks, and you assign tasks to each chunk of time. For example, you can make a note of your class schedule with assignments, block out time to study, and make sure you know when you need to be at practice. Once you know which tasks take priority, you can add them to any empty spaces in your day. 

Planning out how you spend your time not only helps you use it wisely, it can help you feel less overwhelmed, too . We’re big fans of planners that include a task list ( like this one ) or have room for notes ( like this one ). 

#3: Set Reminders on Your Phone 

If you need a little extra nudge to make sure you’re getting your homework done on time, it’s a good idea to set some reminders on your phone. You don’t need a fancy app, either. You can use your alarm app to have it go off at specific times throughout the day to remind you to do your homework. This works especially well if you have a set homework time scheduled. So if you’ve decided you’re doing homework at 6:00 pm, you can set an alarm to remind you to bust out your books and get to work. 

If you use your phone as your planner, you may have the option to add alerts, emails, or notifications to scheduled events . Many calendar apps, including the one that comes with your phone, have built-in reminders that you can customize to meet your needs. So if you block off time to do your homework from 4:30 to 6:00 pm, you can set a reminder that will pop up on your phone when it’s time to get started. 

This dog isn't judging your lack of motivation...but your teacher might. Keep reading for tips to help you motivate yourself to do your homework.

How to Do Homework When You’re Unmotivated 

At first glance, it may seem like procrastination and being unmotivated are the same thing. After all, both of these issues usually result in you putting off your homework until the very last minute. 

But there’s one key difference: many procrastinators are working, they’re just prioritizing work differently. They know they’re going to start their homework...they’re just going to do it later. 

Conversely, people who are unmotivated to do homework just can’t find the willpower to tackle their assignments. Procrastinators know they’ll at least attempt the homework at the last minute, whereas people who are unmotivated struggle with convincing themselves to do it at a ll. For procrastinators, the stress comes from the inevitable time crunch. For unmotivated people, the stress comes from trying to convince themselves to do something they don’t want to do in the first place. 

Here are some common reasons students are unmotivated in doing homework : 

• Assignments are too easy, too hard, or seemingly pointless 
• Students aren’t interested in (or passionate about) the subject matter
• Students are intimidated by the work and/or feels like they don’t understand the assignment 
• Homework isn’t fun, and students would rather spend their time on things that they enjoy 

To sum it up: people who lack motivation to do their homework are more likely to not do it at all, or to spend more time worrying about doing their homework than...well, actually doing it.

3 Tips for How to Get Motivated to Do Homework

The key to getting homework done when you’re unmotivated is to figure out what does motivate you, then apply those things to homework. It sounds tricky...but it’s pretty simple once you get the hang of it! Here are our three expert tips for motivating yourself to do your homework. 

#1: Use Incremental Incentives

When you’re not motivated, it’s important to give yourself small rewards to stay focused on finishing the task at hand. The trick is to keep the incentives small and to reward yourself often. For example, maybe you’re reading a good book in your free time. For every ten minutes you spend on your homework, you get to read five pages of your book. Like we mentioned earlier, make sure you’re choosing a reward that works for you! 

So why does this technique work? Using small rewards more often allows you to experience small wins for getting your work done. Every time you make it to one of your tiny reward points, you get to celebrate your success, which gives your brain a boost of dopamine . Dopamine helps you stay motivated and also creates a feeling of satisfaction when you complete your homework !  

#2: Form a Homework Group 

If you’re having trouble motivating yourself, it’s okay to turn to others for support. Creating a homework group can help with this. Bring together a group of your friends or classmates, and pick one time a week where you meet and work on homework together. You don’t have to be in the same class, or even taking the same subjects— the goal is to encourage one another to start (and finish!) your assignments. 

Another added benefit of a homework group is that you can help one another if you’re struggling to understand the material covered in your classes. This is especially helpful if your lack of motivation comes from being intimidated by your assignments. Asking your friends for help may feel less scary than talking to your teacher...and once you get a handle on the material, your homework may become less frightening, too. 

#3: Change Up Your Environment 

If you find that you’re totally unmotivated, it may help if you find a new place to do your homework. For example, if you’ve been struggling to get your homework done at home, try spending an extra hour in the library after school instead. The change of scenery can limit your distractions and give you the energy you need to get your work done. 

If you’re stuck doing homework at home, you can still use this tip. For instance, maybe you’ve always done your homework sitting on your bed. Try relocating somewhere else, like your kitchen table, for a few weeks. You may find that setting up a new “homework spot” in your house gives you a motivational lift and helps you get your work done. 

Social media can be a huge problem when it comes to doing homework. We have advice for helping you unplug and regain focus.

How to Do Homework When You’re Easily Distracted

We live in an always-on world, and there are tons of things clamoring for our attention. From friends and family to pop culture and social media, it seems like there’s always something (or someone!) distracting us from the things we need to do.

The 24/7 world we live in has affected our ability to focus on tasks for prolonged periods of time. Research has shown that over the past decade, an average person’s attention span has gone from 12 seconds to eight seconds . And when we do lose focus, i t takes people a long time to get back on task . One study found that it can take as long as 23 minutes to get back to work once we’ve been distracte d. No wonder it can take hours to get your homework done! 

3 Tips to Improve Your Focus

If you have a hard time focusing when you’re doing your homework, it’s a good idea to try and eliminate as many distractions as possible. Here are three expert tips for blocking out the noise so you can focus on getting your homework done. 

#1: Create a Distraction-Free Environment

Pick a place where you’ll do your homework every day, and make it as distraction-free as possible. Try to find a location where there won’t be tons of noise, and limit your access to screens while you’re doing your homework. Put together a focus-oriented playlist (or choose one on your favorite streaming service), and put your headphones on while you work. 

You may find that other people, like your friends and family, are your biggest distraction. If that’s the case, try setting up some homework boundaries. Let them know when you’ll be working on homework every day, and ask them if they’ll help you keep a quiet environment. They’ll be happy to lend a hand! 

#2: Limit Your Access to Technology 

We know, we know...this tip isn’t fun, but it does work. For homework that doesn’t require a computer, like handouts or worksheets, it’s best to put all your technology away . Turn off your television, put your phone and laptop in your backpack, and silence notifications on any wearable tech you may be sporting. If you listen to music while you work, that’s fine...but make sure you have a playlist set up so you’re not shuffling through songs once you get started on your homework. 

If your homework requires your laptop or tablet, it can be harder to limit your access to distractions. But it’s not impossible! T here are apps you can download that will block certain websites while you’re working so that you’re not tempted to scroll through Twitter or check your Facebook feed. Silence notifications and text messages on your computer, and don’t open your email account unless you absolutely have to. And if you don’t need access to the internet to complete your assignments, turn off your WiFi. Cutting out the online chatter is a great way to make sure you’re getting your homework done. 

#3: Set a Timer (the Pomodoro Technique)

Have you ever heard of the Pomodoro technique ? It’s a productivity hack that uses a timer to help you focus!

Here’s how it works: first, set a timer for 25 minutes. This is going to be your work time. During this 25 minutes, all you can do is work on whatever homework assignment you have in front of you. No email, no text messaging, no phone calls—just homework. When that timer goes off, you get to take a 5 minute break. Every time you go through one of these cycles, it’s called a “pomodoro.” For every four pomodoros you complete, you can take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes.

The pomodoro technique works through a combination of boundary setting and rewards. First, it gives you a finite amount of time to focus, so you know that you only have to work really hard for 25 minutes. Once you’ve done that, you’re rewarded with a short break where you can do whatever you want. Additionally, tracking how many pomodoros you complete can help you see how long you’re really working on your homework. (Once you start using our focus tips, you may find it doesn’t take as long as you thought!)

Two Bonus Tips for How to Do Homework Fast

Even if you’re doing everything right, there will be times when you just need to get your homework done as fast as possible. (Why do teachers always have projects due in the same week? The world may never know.)

The problem with speeding through homework is that it’s easy to make mistakes. While turning in an assignment is always better than not submitting anything at all, you want to make sure that you’re not compromising quality for speed. Simply put, the goal is to get your homework done quickly and still make a good grade on the assignment! 

Here are our two bonus tips for getting a decent grade on your homework assignments , even when you’re in a time crunch. 

#1: Do the Easy Parts First 

This is especially true if you’re working on a handout with multiple questions. Before you start working on the assignment, read through all the questions and problems. As you do, make a mark beside the questions you think are “easy” to answer . 

Once you’ve finished going through the whole assignment, you can answer these questions first. Getting the easy questions out of the way as quickly as possible lets you spend more time on the trickier portions of your homework, which will maximize your assignment grade. 

(Quick note: this is also a good strategy to use on timed assignments and tests, like the SAT and the ACT !) 

#2: Pay Attention in Class 

Homework gets a lot easier when you’re actively learning the material. Teachers aren’t giving you homework because they’re mean or trying to ruin your weekend... it’s because they want you to really understand the course material. Homework is designed to reinforce what you’re already learning in class so you’ll be ready to tackle harder concepts later.

When you pay attention in class, ask questions, and take good notes, you’re absorbing the information you’ll need to succeed on your homework assignments. (You’re stuck in class anyway, so you might as well make the most of it!) Not only will paying attention in class make your homework less confusing, it will also help it go much faster, too.

What’s Next?

If you’re looking to improve your productivity beyond homework, a good place to begin is with time management. After all, we only have so much time in a day...so it’s important to get the most out of it! To get you started, check out this list of the 12 best time management techniques that you can start using today.

You may have read this article because homework struggles have been affecting your GPA. Now that you’re on the path to homework success, it’s time to start being proactive about raising your grades. This article teaches you everything you need to know about raising your GPA so you can

Now you know how to get motivated to do homework...but what about your study habits? Studying is just as critical to getting good grades, and ultimately getting into a good college . We can teach you how to study bette r in high school. (We’ve also got tons of resources to help you study for your ACT and SAT exams , too!)

These recommendations are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links, PrepScholar may receive a commission.

Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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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] .

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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?

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School Life Balance , Tips for Online Students

The Pros and Cons of Homework

Updated: December 7, 2023

Published: January 23, 2020

Homework is a word that most students dread hearing. After hours upon hours of sitting in class , the last thing we want is more schoolwork over our precious weekends. While it’s known to be a staple of traditional schooling, homework has also become a rather divise topic. Some feel as though homework is a necessary part of school, while others believe that the time could be better invested. Should students have homework? Have a closer look into the arguments on both sides to decide for yourself.

Photo by  energepic.com  from  Pexels

Why should students have homework, 1. homework encourages practice.

Many people believe that one of the positive effects of homework is that it encourages the discipline of practice. While it may be time consuming and boring compared to other activities, repetition is needed to get better at skills. Homework helps make concepts more clear, and gives students more opportunities when starting their career .

2. Homework Gets Parents Involved

Homework can be something that gets parents involved in their children’s lives if the environment is a healthy one. A parent helping their child with homework makes them take part in their academic success, and allows for the parent to keep up with what the child is doing in school. It can also be a chance to connect together.

3. Homework Teaches Time Management

Homework is much more than just completing the assigned tasks. Homework can develop time management skills , forcing students to plan their time and make sure that all of their homework assignments are done on time. By learning to manage their time, students also practice their problem-solving skills and independent thinking. One of the positive effects of homework is that it forces decision making and compromises to be made.

4. Homework Opens A Bridge Of Communication

Homework creates a connection between the student, the teacher, the school, and the parents. It allows everyone to get to know each other better, and parents can see where their children are struggling. In the same sense, parents can also see where their children are excelling. Homework in turn can allow for a better, more targeted educational plan for the student.

5. Homework Allows For More Learning Time

Homework allows for more time to complete the learning process. School hours are not always enough time for students to really understand core concepts, and homework can counter the effects of time shortages, benefiting students in the long run, even if they can’t see it in the moment.

6. Homework Reduces Screen Time

Many students in North America spend far too many hours watching TV. If they weren’t in school, these numbers would likely increase even more. Although homework is usually undesired, it encourages better study habits and discourages spending time in front of the TV. Homework can be seen as another extracurricular activity, and many families already invest a lot of time and money in different clubs and lessons to fill up their children’s extra time. Just like extracurricular activities, homework can be fit into one’s schedule.

The Other Side: Why Homework Is Bad

1. homework encourages a sedentary lifestyle.

Should students have homework? Well, that depends on where you stand. There are arguments both for the advantages and the disadvantages of homework.

While classroom time is important, playground time is just as important. If children are given too much homework, they won’t have enough playtime, which can impact their social development and learning. Studies have found that those who get more play get better grades in school , as it can help them pay closer attention in the classroom.

Children are already sitting long hours in the classroom, and homework assignments only add to these hours. Sedentary lifestyles can be dangerous and can cause health problems such as obesity. Homework takes away from time that could be spent investing in physical activity.

2. Homework Isn’t Healthy In Every Home

While many people that think homes are a beneficial environment for children to learn, not all homes provide a healthy environment, and there may be very little investment from parents. Some parents do not provide any kind of support or homework help, and even if they would like to, due to personal barriers, they sometimes cannot. Homework can create friction between children and their parents, which is one of the reasons why homework is bad .

3. Homework Adds To An Already Full-Time Job

School is already a full-time job for students, as they generally spend over 6 hours each day in class. Students also often have extracurricular activities such as sports, music, or art that are just as important as their traditional courses. Adding on extra hours to all of these demands is a lot for children to manage, and prevents students from having extra time to themselves for a variety of creative endeavors. Homework prevents self discovery and having the time to learn new skills outside of the school system. This is one of the main disadvantages of homework.

4. Homework Has Not Been Proven To Provide Results

Endless surveys have found that homework creates a negative attitude towards school, and homework has not been found to be linked to a higher level of academic success.

The positive effects of homework have not been backed up enough. While homework may help some students improve in specific subjects, if they have outside help there is no real proof that homework makes for improvements.

It can be a challenge to really enforce the completion of homework, and students can still get decent grades without doing their homework. Extra school time does not necessarily mean better grades — quality must always come before quantity.

Accurate practice when it comes to homework simply isn’t reliable. Homework could even cause opposite effects if misunderstood, especially since the reliance is placed on the student and their parents — one of the major reasons as to why homework is bad. Many students would rather cheat in class to avoid doing their homework at home, and children often just copy off of each other or from what they read on the internet.

5. Homework Assignments Are Overdone

The general agreement is that students should not be given more than 10 minutes a day per grade level. What this means is that a first grader should be given a maximum of 10 minutes of homework, while a second grader receives 20 minutes, etc. Many students are given a lot more homework than the recommended amount, however.

On average, college students spend as much as 3 hours per night on homework . By giving too much homework, it can increase stress levels and lead to burn out. This in turn provides an opposite effect when it comes to academic success.

The pros and cons of homework are both valid, and it seems as though the question of ‘‘should students have homework?’ is not a simple, straightforward one. Parents and teachers often are found to be clashing heads, while the student is left in the middle without much say.

It’s important to understand all the advantages and disadvantages of homework, taking both perspectives into conversation to find a common ground. At the end of the day, everyone’s goal is the success of the student.

Related Articles

Why I Stopped Assigning Homework (And 6 Surprising Results) [Episode 96]

Click below to hear why I stopped assigning homework:

Remember the days when you were in school and thought, When I’m a teacher, I’m NEVER going to do this! But then you become a teacher and do exactly what you said you weren’t going to do. Don’t worry, I’m guilty of this too. As soon as I became a teacher, I followed suit with the cycle of assigning homework in my class. However, I had a mindset shift to where now I’m a huge advocate for not assigning homework.

I know for some, this sounds crazy! Most of you probably have a list of questions that include how do you do this, what are the benefits, and how will I know if my students are understanding the concept? And while those are all valid questions, I’ve got answers for you! In today’s episode, I’m sharing why I chose not to assign homework, my strategy in doing so, and the 6 results I learned that may surprise you.

Since not assigning homework is hard for us to grasp, I ask one simple question that asks you to reflect on the meaning of the homework you assign. Once I was truly honest with myself, the decision to not assign homework became easy. With a few tweaks to my lesson plans, pacing, and instructional time, the need for homework became nonexistent. Plus, this new change had a positive impact on my students’ motivation, focus, and academic success in my class.

I acknowledge that making this type of change in your classroom can be scary and, honestly, not for everyone. However, my goal is to provide you with a new perspective and approach to how you view and implement grading in your class. When I stopped making homework a habit in my class, it was transformative for both me and my students, and I know it will be for you and yours, too! 

Topics Discussed:

• My #1 tip for changing up your grading philosophy and practices
• Reflecting on the purpose or meaning of the homework you assign
• 3 strategies to implement when not assigning homework in your class
• The 6 benefits for you and your students when you break the cycle of not assigning homework
• How this idea is correlated to assigning projects as well
• My challenge for you regarding homework for your classes

Resources Mentioned:

• Get the FREE Lab Audit
• It’s Not Rocket Science Free PD
• Download your FREE Classroom Reset Challenge
• Send me a DM on Instagram:  @its.not.rocket.science
• Send me an email: [email protected] 
• Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts

Related Episodes and Blog Posts:

• Episode 95, How to STOP Grading Everything
• Episode 94, How to Deal with Cheating in Your High School Science Classes
• Classroom Management Series: Episode 90 , Episode 91 , Episode 92 , Episode 93
• Episode 74, My #1 Way to Simplify Future Lab Days
• Why I Don’t Assign Homework in High School

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More about Secondary Science Simplified: 

Secondary Science Simplified is a podcast specifically for high school science teachers that will help you to engage your students AND simplify your life as a secondary science educator. Each week Rebecca, from It’s Not Rocket Science, and her guests will share practical and easy-to-implement strategies for decreasing your workload so that you can stop working overtime and start focusing your energy doing what you love – actually teaching!

Teaching doesn’t have to be rocket science, and you’ll learn exactly what you need to do to simplify your secondary science teaching life so that you can enjoy your life outside of school even more. Head to  itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/challenge  to grab your FREE Classroom Reset Challenge.

Rebecca 0:00 You’re listening to episode number 96 of the secondary science simplified podcast. When I think back to my own high school experience, I think of late nights, I think you’re getting home from a three hour dance class or a play practice, only define myself up well past midnight trying to finish all my homework afterward. And most of the time, I was just doing it to get through it. Whatever I had done was just to get it done and not to really learn from it. I mean, God bless, honestly, my AP European History teacher, I didn’t even end up taking that AP exam, because he and I both knew that I was just doing what I had to do to get by I was not a history girl. I don’t even know why I was in that class. I had already not passed the AP US History exam the year before. And I think I just did it because I was one of those kids that I was like, I do AP everything and like, someone should have been like Sr, just stick with the math and science. So alright, needless to say, do not have fond memories of that. And then when I grew up and decide to become a teacher, like I really just didn’t think twice about assigning homework. I was like, having homework in high school is just what you’re supposed to do. That’s just part of it. We’re preparing them for college. That’s what I always thought. And so I never really thought about not assigning homework to my own students. But over time, my heart really, really changed on this. And I have grown so much, and how I think about this, to the point that now I’m actually incredibly passionate and like a huge advocate about not assigning homework at all, to my high school students. And so that’s what this podcast episode is about. This episode in our series on grading practices, is my number one grading recommendation. Like if you’re not going to start with any of the things I’ve mentioned thus far, I would hope that you would start with this, and that’s to not assign homework, and I’m going to explain why in today’s podcast episode. So let’s do this. This is secondary science simplified a podcast for secondary science teachers who want to engage their students and simplify their lives. I’m Rebecca joiner from it’s not rocket science. As a high school science teacher turned curriculum writer, I am passionate about helping other science teachers love their jobs, serve their students, and do it all in only 40 hours a week. Are you ready to rock the time you spend in your classroom and actually have a life outside of it? You are in the right place teacher friend, let’s get to today’s episode.

Rebecca 2:40 Okay, so obviously, this is kind of a touchy subject. But I really want to get to the heart behind this, but really understand the why. And then I want to share with you guys kind of my strategy and how I approach this. And then I’m also going to share with you six very surprising results that came from this experiment. When I decided a couple of years ago, when I was still teaching full time to not do homework anymore. It honestly went so much better than I ever could have thought. So first, let’s talk about the why though. And I want you to consider what is the purpose of the homework that you’re giving to your students. I know that most of us would say it’s to reinforce what is being learned in class and to make sure that they’re growing and they’re, they’re learning more, they’re understanding more at home, like you don’t have enough class time for them to really get it reinforced. So you want them to do that at home. But if I’m being completely honest and transparent, this is not why I was personally assigning homework for my students, I was assigning homework for my benefit, not for my students. I was assigning it because I didn’t feel like I had enough class time to cover everything. And so I was like, we got to do homework so that you guys can cover some of the stuff that I don’t have time to cover with you. And if I’m being completely honest, I want you to to, like would you say that you’ve been guilty of the same. And maybe I’m alone in this, but I want to say these words out loud, to those of you listening who are like me. And at one point like I couldn’t imagine not assigning homework. And so I want you to consider what is the goal of assigning homework in your class? Why do you really do it? Are you guilty of using homework as a scapegoat? Or are you truly taking the time and energy to assign meaningful homework to your students? And then, if you’re like, No, I am like I’m assigning good reinforcing practice for them. I would then ask, is there another way you could reach the same goal without assigning homework? Because here’s the thing. My other main issue with assigning homework besides my not very great motives for doing it was I didn’t have time to grade it. So it was only adding to their burden and to mind. I had so much on my plate degrade already, which I’ve eliminated over time, as you heard in last week’s episode number 95. But like in the beginning, I just had so much I was like why am I going to add more to it? And sure I could like by check their homework for completion and then we go over it. Because that is what I did. Like anytime I had homework, that’s what I would do, we just spot check it a check it during their bell ringer, and then we’d go over it right away. But then I don’t really know if students are actually doing it, or if they’re just copying it to get it done. You know, these are high school students, we all know how they are. Episode 94 was all about cheating, like, we get how it goes. And so if you’re assigning homework for it to be this reinforcing practice for them, so they can grow in their understanding, are you confident they’re really growing in their understanding? Or are they all just copying it just to get by and to get the grade that you they want to get. And so all of these reflections kind of led me to this place where one grading homework was overwhelming to me. And then to grading something for completion, which is, you know, basically grading for effort, felt inauthentic, because I couldn’t even confirm their effort, since I wasn’t able to witness them actually doing it. And I’ll never forget, like, walking into the hallway. And all these students sitting outside of their lockers at the end of the day, all doing their homework together, but really all copying each other’s homework. And I was like, why am I even assigning this, this is completely pointless. And like I already said, I was really just doing it to try to make my class time easier to take some things off of my plate during our class period. And so I wouldn’t feel as rushed. And none of that was benefiting my students at all. Like even the goal that I wasn’t even shooting for, which is like reinforcing and growing their understanding outside of class, like, I wasn’t even hitting that. And so I was like, You know what, I’m going to commit to not assigning homework anymore. Or if I do assign it, it’s going to be like on the rarest of occasions, it’s not going to be a regular thing, it’s only going to be an exception. And so here’s kind of the strategy I took when I was like, let’s start this great experiment. Let’s see what happens. And so the first thing I did was I decided to start off the year by telling my students that my classes didn’t have homework. Like it was literally in the syllabus, I was like, there’s no homework in this class. And they were thrilled, like day one of the school year, they were like, I love this class, this teacher is awesome. But I followed it up with my strategy, point number two, which was like I explained, hey, the reason that I don’t assign homework is because I respect your time outside of the classroom. I know you guys have lives, I know so many of you have jobs. I know so many of you are in other AP classes in sports, and whenever I get it, but here’s the deal, I’m gonna respect your time outside of class, you will respect my time inside of class. And then I will not have to give you homework. If you give me every minute of your attention in this class period, you will never have a homework in this class period. And I talked about this back in our classroom management series like this was a big procedure of mine that I use to manage whole class behavior was this motivation as a class to not have homework because they knew if they focus, they would not have homework, because I got really strategic about making sure my lesson plans truly were written so that it could all be done in class. And that came with my third point, my strategy, like, we will only have homework, if you don’t respect my time and use your time well in this class, and then we run out of time, you will then have homework. But I’m going to do everything in my power to create enough space in the class period, enough time that we will cover everything we need to cover in this class period. And so that’s what I did. I started the year off this way. I totally reevaluated my lesson plans. I changed my pacing, so that I could slow down and offer more time for practice problems and research projects and things like that in class. Instead of all these like, I was so guilty of always having like an outside research project that they were always working on or something like that, which I will say as a side note, I don’t think is then the world, especially if you have honor students, you can take a lot of this with a grain of salt, I think you can kind of honors and AP classes come with different expectations. But I think this is especially great for those on grade level classes. I mean, and even your honors and AP, like just seeing homework as an exception, not a rule to what’s going to be happening every day. But that’s a tangent, I didn’t mean to go on. And I created time. One of the ways I created time in my class to do more of their homework in class was by decreasing lecture time, and being really ruthless. With the lives and activities I did choose to do with my students. I did a really thorough audit of my labs and resources, which I will link in the show notes. I have a whole free document for you on how to do this and audit your stuff. If you weren’t here back in May, at the start of our summer podcast B. This is like a whole episode. So I will link that for you. But I just wanted to make sure I’m not going to do any busy work anymore. We’re not going to do labs for the sake of doing labs. Everything we do will be meaningful instructional resources that are incredibly intentionally selected. And the kids saw that my students saw that there’s not busy work and Miss joiners class. Like we do stuff for a reason. And it created so much respect for the class and again, it reclaimed a lot of time for me where we were just doing a lot of filler stuff and it was great. So that was my strategy and then Here’s how it turned out, y’all. I truly can’t believe this turnout as well as it did. So these are kind of like some of the results of my little experiment that then led me to do this the next year after that as well. And in for this now to become one of my like, internet platforms. I always think like if there was a beauty pageant for people on the internet, and you know, you had your platform, I feel like beauty pageant contestants always have a platform they’re advocating for this would be my platform, like I’m advocating for this, because I’m so passionate about this. This are prime times, let’s be honest, but I’m not. I’m not trying to make this another primetime podcast, y’all are like, please stop talking about it. Alright, let’s talk about the benefits of my little no homework experiment. So first things first, like I said, my no homework strategy, it built so much rapport with the students from day one. And y’all know, relationships, students are everything, when it comes to effective classroom management, especially on that one on one level, like truly from day one. It made me stand out as a teacher, like they were like, from day one, students were like, wow, she like, genuinely cares about us and like, sees that we have lives outside of school, and wants to respect our time, like that genuinely meant so much to them, you will be the exception to everyone else in your, in your school if you do this, and it’ll make a difference. The second thing that kind of came from that is, again, it motivated them to work hard for me, because they saw that I respected their time. So they respected mine, it totally changed our classroom culture. And that in turn, eliminated a lot of my classroom management issues because they kind of started to self manage a little bit more. I was treating them like adults, and respecting their time. So they started acting more like adults, it was really a beautiful, beautiful thing. Because they knew to the consequence was they’re going to potentially have to use their free time to do work for me, which they didn’t want to do. And another thing too, y’all, this was such a way just to care for my students that have so much going on in their personal lives. And y’all know those students, those students that get home, they ride the bus home, and then they got to care for their siblings. So their mom gets off third shift, or those kids who have to work another job immediately after school, they’re doing the shift from four to midnight, Dairy Queen, or at Starbucks or whatever. And then they’re going home like, those kids are exhausted. And I mean, even the kids that are playing to sports, and they’re in the play, and you know, they’re trying to volunteer like, these kids have a lot going on. I think it is rare nowadays that these kids aren’t overwhelmed in some capacity. And so I just felt like this was a way I really could care for them. And they saw that and they felt that. The third thing I saw is my students just started doing better in my class, which is surprising. Do you think like, oh, you’re you eliminate homework, you eliminate where they’re getting their reinforcement? Shouldn’t they do worse? Not at all. They are doing better in my class, because again, they were giving me so much more of their focus and attention when they’re in my classroom. But then also, a lot of my students said they were actually studying for my class for the first time because they had time to, a lot of times students are like, I never study because I’m always doing homework. So I don’t have time to study on top of that. But my students did have time to study for tests, because I told them like your basically your only homework ever for me is for you to study for my tests, because I’m not going to give you any other homework. And so it actually created space for them to be able to do that. The fourth surprising result from this experiment was, I feel like I became a better teacher, I genuinely do. I think it forced me to be so intentional with class time. And an intentionality that wasn’t there before. Because I kind of knew I always have a scapegoat, like, okay, they will go just, if we don’t get through this, they’ll just have to do it for homework. And like, I just was putting this burden on them. And I was kind of able to pick that back up. And it again, made me a better teacher really challenged me in a great way. Fifth benefit was I save so much time grading wise, it really contributed to me not having to grade as much because like I mentioned in our last episode 95. When I then did grade something, I knew it was an authentic assessment, because everything students I was grading was things that students had done in my presence. So I knew that they weren’t cheating, or at least they were working in a group so I can kind of hear their conversations and make sure they are working together or whatever. And then I would say the six benefit was it really allowed me to help students on a one on one basis in class, because again, I was monitoring everything that you did. So I could walk around and really see like what they were doing. And a lot of times to this looks like as simple as even taking a practice handout that has 10 problems, and just being like, Hey, we’re just going to do the odds in class. And then if you need extra support, you can come to tutoring and I’ll do the evens with you. You know, it just created so much room for flexibility there as well as opposed to being like, here’s 10 problems if you don’t finish in class, it’s for homework and then they’re overwhelmed because they think it’s too many. If they can do five problems they can do 10 That’s a huge I think back in the day it used to be like 2530 problems okay, let’s cut it down to like 10 or 15. Now Mike, let’s come down to five they can do five problems are fine. You know, I just I genuinely think that that you may disagree. So, you may be thinking after I say all this is it possible to never assign homework. It could be, but it isn’t easy. You and I both know, sometimes it happens, you know, sometimes you underestimate how long something will take, or maybe you all end up having a great discussion and things kind of go off that rails. And, you know, you can’t just bump the lesson back till tomorrow because you got to get this in before the test before the end of the quarter or whatever. But I think what was most transformational for my teaching practice was just stopping planning on having homework or making a habit of assigning homework, we’re only gonna have homework, if things get real crazy, or students don’t use their time. Well, it is the exception, it’s not the norm. And it makes all the difference. And I think this really carries over to, to projects outside of class, I was so guilty of kind of really once a quarter, but maybe more once in the semester, I think is once a quarter actually, students having some sort of project outside of class, which I love, I love a non traditional summative assessment, I love them so much. But it was this weight on students always outside of class that they had this project hanging over them. And oftentimes, I was guilty of making the project do after a break, thinking, Oh, I’m giving them six weeks to do this. But then the last week will be over winter break. So then if they haven’t finished up, they can finish up then. But you and I both know, they’re not going to do that they wait to the last minute and then they’re having to do it over the winter break. And now as a parent, I’m like my oldest about to start kindergarten. So I know I’m like a baby parent. I don’t know anything. But I’m like early emotional thinking about how little time I’m going to have with him when he started school full time. I am living for his fall break. I’m living for Thanksgiving break, I’m living for winter break. I can’t wait for every second I get to have with him. And obviously he’s in kindergarten. So he’s not gonna have any homework. But I’m just thinking about I mean, my precious kindergartener is going to be a high school boy, one day, Lord willing, and I’m still gonna want to spend my winter breaks with him, I don’t want him locked in his room or working on a biology project for some teacher, I want him resting and recharging with our family and enjoying the holiday. And I want that for my students to y’all. I’m getting teary. I swear becoming a mother has made me so soft. But like in the best way, I was so rigid, and black and white, and everything I did. And I was so like certain. And I think the older I get one, the more humbled I am. And to the more I’m less certain about everything, and less confident in everything. But I think in the best way, because it makes me hear other people better and take in other ideas better. And so I hope when I give you these podcast episodes, I’m sure they come off a little aggressive, because I get I get passionate, you’ll know I get passionate talking about these things. Because I get passionate sharing my experiences and how they change my life and my students. But I also want you to know that you know yourself best, you know, your students best, you know what is best, you know, you do not have to do everything like me, and you shouldn’t, because you and I are different people. But I hope when you hear this episode, maybe it just gets you starting to think differently about homework. And maybe you’re like, Oh, I hear that I never thought about that with projects, maybe I won’t be assigning a project. Now. That’s due anywhere near breaks, that students will end up doing it over a break, you want to be home enjoying your time off, so to your students, so to their parents, they want to enjoy it with their kids. And so think about that as we move through the rest of the school year. And so that’s kind of just my action set for you with this episode, is just take a few minutes and sit down and really reflect on what we talked about at the top of the episode, which is the reason for why you’re assigning homework kind of really nailed down what that reason is, if it’s a good reason, maybe think of okay, well, is there another way to achieve this goal without it being homework? And then if you’re willing, what if you just kind of decide for a quarter of this year to do the experiment like I did? At this point? You know, it’s September so most some of you have been in school for two months. Some of you just started last week. So you might be thinking like, Okay, well, like you said, you started this the beginning the year we can’t do that. What are you started it for quarter two, quarter two usually falls from most people starts around mid October, sometime in October, what he said at the start of quarter two guys, we’re gonna do something different this quarter. We’re all gonna do homework and kind of approach it with the same strategy as I did and just see how it goes. I can what’s the worst that can happen? You don’t get through as much in quarter two. Okay, well, unless you have an AP course and EOC course. Yeah, you’re supposed to teach the standards but like, who really cares, you don’t get through every single thing perfectly. Again, this is another way I’ve gone soft. And in my older age. I don’t know why I say older age but older than 22 When I started teaching is like when I was 22 teaching an EOC course it would have killed me to skip anything that was on the EOC. But now the older I get, I’m like life’s a learning experience. Like we just all do the best we have. I’d rather think about them as a holistic individual human then worry about their ESC score, their AP Bio score and again, I don’t mean to be flippant, because I know these things matter. I know you know, this can save, like especially AP exams, it saves students money in college and then have to take the course and I get it. I’m not trying to be flippant, but I do just want you to think about it differently maybe than you ever have before, because that’s what I did. And it really changed everything. I mean, truly a one at where I am now on this topic to where I was when I started teaching when I was 22 years old. Alright, so that’s it. I know I mentioned a couple of their podcast episodes that like we’ve talked about little things here and there related to this, and I’ll link those in the show notes at it’s not rocket science classroom.com/episode 96 And this week, I want you to leave a review if you haven’t already. If you’re on that no homework chain. Okay, as my kids would say, choo, choo, get on the train. If you want to try new homework, leave a rating or review and let me know about it. I would love to hear from you.

Rebecca 20:50 All right, teacher friends. That wraps up today’s episode. If you’re looking for an easy way to start simplifying your life as a secondary science teacher, head to It’s not rocket science classroom.com/challenge to grab your classroom reset challenge. And guess what? It’s totally free. Thanks so much for tuning in, and I’ll see you here next week. Until then, I’ll be rooting for you teacher friend.

More Podcast Posts

Teaching AP Environmental Science With Ashton Allgood [Episode 126]

Teaching AP Biology With Guest Beth Hines [Episode 125]

Teaching AP Physics With Guest Laura Preiser [Episode 124]

What to Do When You Care More Than Your Students Do [Episode 123]

Grab your free classroom reset challenge.

Not sure where to begin simplifying your teaching life? Start by reseting your classroom! Get the step-by-step checklist you need here!

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How to Get Homework Done when You Don't Want To

Last Updated: March 15, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Ashley Pritchard, MA and by wikiHow staff writer, Hannah Madden . Ashley Pritchard is an Academic and School Counselor at Delaware Valley Regional High School in Frenchtown, New Jersey. Ashley has over 3 years of high school, college, and career counseling experience. She has an MA in School Counseling with a specialization in Mental Health from Caldwell University and is certified as an Independent Education Consultant through the University of California, Irvine. There are 9 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 247,947 times.

Homework can be a drag, but it's got to be done to keep your grades up and stay on track during school. Going somewhere quiet, making a plan, and giving yourself breaks can all help you stay focused and on task to get your work done quickly. Try to keep your assignments organized and give yourself credit for completing hard or boring work, even if you didn’t want to.

Getting Motivated

• Keep a list of your assignments and check them off as you finish them. This can give you a sense of accomplishment that can motivate you to keep going.

• Make it the rule that you work for a certain amount of time, or until a certain amount of work has been accomplished. Afterward, you can hang out. Stick to this schedule.
• Try this out and see if it works. If you're too distracted by having friends around, make a date to hang out after homework instead.

• Make sure you keep the competition to yourself. Competing with your friends isn’t fun, especially over homework assignments and grades.

• Learning something that will probably help with future assignments, even if you don't know what they are yet.
• Proving to your teacher that you understand the homework so that they don’t keep assigning it over and over.
• Improving your GPA.
• Getting a good grade.

• Try not to reward yourself with food, as that can lead to snacking when you aren’t really hungry.

Staying Focused

• For instance, tell yourself that if you finish your first assignment in 20 minutes, you can go on your phone for 5 minutes.

• Make sure you stand up and do something when it's your break, or you won't get your wiggles out.
• Set a timer on your phone or use a kitchen timer to let yourself know when it's time to switch tasks.

• If you don't have control over the subject, try to find connections between the topic and something you care about. Find aspects of the subject that interest you.
• For instance, if you have to study History but you care the most about fashion, investigate the styles of the times and places you are studying. Learn how political and economical developments changed the way people dressed.

• You can find playlists on Spotify and YouTube that are made for studying and doing homework.

• When you're struggling to focus, sign out of your email and all social media so you don't check them as a reflex.

Creating Good Study Habits

• If you have many textbooks and worksheets, stack them and put them to the side.
• Get things like pencils, erasers, calculators, rulers, and paper.

• Having a planner will make it less tempting to procrastinate, as long as you have broken up your studying into manageable chunks.
• Your planner can be paper, or you can get one on your phone. Just make sure it has space for task lists as well as events.
• Once you have completed a task, cross it off or put a check next to it. Seeing that you're getting your work done will make you feel better, which in turn will motivate you to keep up the good work.
• Don't put more than you can do in one day on a list! Split up your week's work so that every day has a manageable amount.

• If you have a job or extracurricular activities that change your daily schedule, determine a weekly schedule that you stick to as much as possible.

• Sometimes just explaining what you have to do will help you understand it better.
• Talking to another person is a great way to brainstorm ideas. They may ask you questions or provide comments that can help you organize your ideas.
• Other times, the person you are talking to will notice something about the prompt that you overlooked.

Supercharge Your Studying with this Expert Series

Expert Q&A

Reader Videos

Share a quick video tip and help bring articles to life with your friendly advice. Your insights could make a real difference and help millions of people!

• Try asking a family member to help you remember when to start your assignments so you don’t forget. Thanks Helpful 4 Not Helpful 2
• If you’re really struggling with a topic, consider going to a tutor for extra help. Thanks Helpful 4 Not Helpful 2
• Getting motivated can be tough. Just try your best, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Thanks Helpful 4 Not Helpful 2

Tips from our Readers

• Set up a dedicated study area at home with your needed supplies, to establish a consistent homework routine. Having everything in one prepared place helps minimize distractions.
• Use a planner to schedule out all your assignments. Break them into small, manageable pieces so it's less overwhelming. Checking tasks off as you finish motivates you along.
• If completely stuck on an assignment, reach out and talk it through with someone. Verbalizing it can provide new insights to move forward.
• Take short activity breaks every 45 minutes. Get up, stretch, grab some water. It refreshes your mental focus so you stay engaged.
• Incorporate a fun personal interest into an assignment when possible. Writing about something you care about keeps you absorbed.
• When you really need to concentrate, eliminate enticing distractions like your phone. Logging out keeps you on track.

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://hwpi.harvard.edu/files/comm/files/smarttalk_staff_guide.pdf
• ↑ http://www.wcsu.edu/housing/wp-content/uploads/sites/55/2018/05/Handout-V6N6.pdf
• ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/worry-wise/201410/how-prevent-homework-procrastination
• ↑ Ashley Pritchard, MA. Academic & School Counselor. Expert Interview. 4 November 2019.
• ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/homework.html
• ↑ http://kidshealth.org/en/kids/organize-focus.html?WT.ac=p-ra#
• ↑ https://www.stonybrookmedicine.edu/sites/default/files/homework_tips.pdf
• ↑ https://childmind.org/article/strategies-to-make-homework-go-more-smoothly/
• ↑ http://kidshealth.org/en/teens/homework.html#

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Homework Concern: What To Do When Students DON’T Do It

• “Apathy.”
• “No motivation.”
• “Students don’t do it.”
• “What’s the point? Why do I need to do it?”
• “It takes too much time!”
• “Homework causes fights in our family.”
• “It’s just a couple of assignments…what’s the big deal?”
• “I lose my homework a lot.”
• “I don’t know how to do it.”
• Embracing Your Child’s Best Ways of Learning 12 Different Ways to Learn
• School Homework Hacks
• Help Motivate Your Kids With A Vision Board
• Break It Down Tech Tools for Task Analysis
• DIY Homework Folder {Tip 10 of 31}
• The Benefits of Delegating Your to-do List to Your Kids
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The Do's and Don'ts of Homework Help

Hitting the books shouldn't feel like a test for kids or parents. here's a smoother way to help with homework..

DO work with educators 

Check in with your child’s teacher early in the year about expectations (when work is due, how often kids get it, what happens if it’s not turned in) and relay any subsequent difficulties your kiddo is having. Don’t hesitate to jot a note like “Jake didn’t understand this problem . . . can you explain it to him?” on an assignment.

DON’T make ’em buckle down right after school

Many kids need time to recover after a day of learning. “School is a child’s workday,” says Madeline Levine, ph.d., author of  Teach Your Children Well: Parenting for Academic Success . “We underestimate how challenging it is. They’re learning not only content, but about social relationships, self-control, and delayed gratification.” So give them a chance to relax and recharge when they get home—they’ll focus better later if they have time to play first.

DON’T play teacher

When kids ask for help, “parents often want to teach kids how they were taught,” says Nanette Lehman, a second grade teacher at Haines Elementary School in Haines, OR, and the state’s 2013 Teacher of the Year. Resist that urge; academic vocabulary has changed so much that you’re likely to confuse your child more than help him. Instead, support the Common Core State Standards, which require students to explain their reasoning, by asking: “How did you get that answer? Can you walk me through it?”

DO check answers

To really help kids make the grade, parents should regularly review completed assignments, advises Lehman. “If you see a lot of mistakes, it’s an opportunity to talk with your child and say, ‘Hey, let’s recheck these,’” she explains. “Kids actually learn a lot from correcting their own missteps.”

DON’T let frustration fester 

It’s normal for your child to get stuck on a tough problem from time to time. Teachers want students to struggle productively — it teaches perseverance. That said, if your kid is on the verge of a meltdown, encourage her to take a break and return to the assignment later. If she’s still stumped, call it quits for the day and let the teacher know about the issue. Notes Lehman: “If any part of homework is a negative experience, we’re going in the wrong direction.”

DO be a cheerleader 

Children need to know that parents value what they’re studying. Pile on praise after assignments are finished — just be sure to commend effort, not results. Notes Levine: “The point is to get kids excited about learning.” Rather than saying, “You got almost all of the hard ones right,” try “I’m so proud of how hard you worked!”

What’s the right amount of time to spend on homework?

The formula: 10X your child’s grade number. (First graders should plan on 10 minutes, second graders should spend 20, and so on.)

Plus: 4 School Success Tips 10 Homework Help Tips

Inspired Together Teachers

10 Reasons Why Students Don’t Do Homework

January 18, 2019 by Inspired Together Teachers 3 Comments

Though the issue of homework is complicated and often involves a debate of whether or not homework is actually beneficial, the fact remains that most teachers still assign homework and some students will not do their homework.

If we can understand why students don’t do their homework, we have a better chance of both assigning homework that students will do and in doing what we can to create the motivation for them to do it. At the very least, understanding that there are many reasons that students don’t do homework can help teachers to realize that it isn’t personal. Students often don’t do homework for reasons that aren’t even about you, your teaching, or your subject matter.

Here is a list of 10 reasons that students don’t do homework, aligned with suggestions that may help to alleviate the problem.

They don’t know how to do the assignment. 

In order to do their work, students need to understand the directions and have the basic skills need in order to complete the task. This usually means that students have been introduced to a topic, have had some instruction and are not trying to learn something new and difficult on their own. The material also needs to be at the students’ instructional or independent level. Be sure your directions are clear and specific and that the level of the work is appropriate for the students.

They don’t understand the purpose for the assignment.

When students understand the importance of something they are learning, they are more likely to feel compelled to do it. We want to know and do things that are going to help us in our lives. When students perceive an assignment as busywork, they often rebel. If a student can do ten math problems correctly, doing one hundred math problems is overkill and perceived as busywork. So is spending hours using a dictionary to define words. Make sure that students know how the homework will help them. Help them to connect the content to real world tasks.

Students are overwhelmed by the enormity of the task.

We’ve all had experiences where we have felt overloaded with too much to do. As adults, we have also figured out ways to break down tasks. Students are still learning to manage large tasks. Help them to break down large assignments into smaller parts. Instead of assigning a large project due in three weeks, help students to break down the project into smaller chunks and then assign smaller chunks for homework in the days leading up to the due date for a big project.

Assignments are based on low level tasks.

Basic recall gets boring quickly. An assignment such as giving students fifty sentences and having them underline the noun once and the verb twice is drudgery and doesn’t engage them. How much more fun would it be to have a contest to see who could correctly incorporate the most verbs in a sentence?  Consider homework that require higher thinking levels such as application, analysis, synthesis and evaluation.

Students have too many assignments. 

This is a particular danger in middle and high school when students have many different teachers. At this level, teachers often don’t know what other teachers are assigning. You may think that homework will only take them thirty minutes. But if they have seven subjects and every teacher gives them thirty minutes of homework, the student is facing three to four hours of homework. Good teaching teams often discuss homework assignments and try to balance the load so that students don’t have many big assignments due at the same time.

Students don’t have time.

Many students are involved in many extracurricular activities. This is positive and those activities often help students to be engaged with school. When you add practices or games into the mix, it often becomes impossible to do hours of homework on any given night. Older students may have jobs or other responsibilities. Consider giving students assignments ahead of time so they can work on them throughout the week rather than assigning everything to be due the next day.

Students don’t get feedback on their work .

When a student turns in an assignment, they expect feedback. They may get a grade, but they also want comments, especially on written work. Homework should be an opportunity for learning. Students need feedback in order to learn. Teachers can read student work and provide feedback, or use homework in classroom discussions and activities in ways that allow students to get feedback or use their work for a purposeful activity.

Sometimes, the reason that students don’t do work is not related to you or your content. These are more difficult to control, but there are usually positive things you can do to help with the situation.

Students don’t have an appropriate environment to do work at home .

Let’s face it, some students live in chaotic environments. They may not have a quiet place to work or the tools they need in order to do homework. Having a one-on-one conversation with students can help. Talk about what they need in order to do their work and how they might get it. Could they stay at school and extra hour and work in a quiet room? Could they go to the public library? Could they carve a quiet corner of their home?

The student’s family is not supportive of education.

As much as we wish it weren’t true, some students come from families that do not value education. The student is not then likely to get the support or encouragement to do homework. Other families value education, but parents are absent or unable to help their children with homework. Your first instinct might be to “fix” the family. An easier route is to work with the student. Be their encourager. Let them know that you think they can succeed. Let them know how valuable a good education might be to them. We know of a first grader whose parent would not read with him. The teacher made a deal that the student could read to his baby brother, his dog, or even a stuffed animal. If he did that, he could sign his own name on the form that parents usually signed stating that they read together.

The student is rebelling against a parent.

If a parent cares about a student’s grades and a student is trying to rebel, often a quick way to do so is to stop doing homework. This usually gets the parent’s attention quickly. This is particularly true in cases where parents are very demanding and very controlling. Sometimes, the only way an adolescent knows how to rebel is to refuse to do something. This causes grief for both parties. Guiding the parent and student to compromise can be successful.  Essentially, help them to negotiate trade. For example, if the student agrees to do homework each night when he chooses to do it, the parent gives up the demand that it be done immediately when the student gets home from school. Both parties can even sign a contract.

If you suspect a student is rebelling, see if you can find out why. That will also help you see possible solutions. Don’t hesitate to get help and support from a guidance counselor, instructional coach or administrator.

These are some of the most common reasons students don’t complete homework. There are undoubtedly many more possible reasons. Though you can’t control all things, you can try to identify why students aren’t doing the homework and then see if there are ways to fix the problem. If we keep our eye on the goal, which is learning, it is less likely that we will fall into the “blame and punish” game that many teachers engage in. Blaming and punishing don’t usually result in more learning!

What are some of the effective strategies you have used to increase homework completion? We would love to hear your ideas in the comments below.

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October 3, 2022 at 11:41 pm

For me, I struggled to do homework as a child because my attention needs were not met. I had no friends in school and spent the whole day wishing to be with family who loved me, only to be forced into isolation again for an hour of homework that I couldn’t always do alone and made me feel inferior and hopeless about myself and the future. Meanwhile, everyone else, in my mind, was doing something fun together while that was happening and I felt like I was being punished.

In adulthood, work has taken the place of homework and I am even more unhappy, isolated and have no life outside work that makes up for it. Luckily, I am not the type to become addicted to substances.

So, don’t let you child’s fate be like mine. Make sure your child’s needs for love are met, and that way they will have the internal strength to do an unfun task, and each one thereafter.

October 5, 2022 at 2:59 pm

Hi Christine, Thank you for sharing your experiences. You are not alone in your struggles either as a child or now as an adult. I hope that you are getting help for your depression. You can get better! There are ways to shift your mindset and to discover ways to be happier. No one has a perfect life, but we can all find ways to enjoy life. I hope you can find someone to talk to who can help you through your struggles. You are worth it!

[…] you know that one of the top 10 reasons kids don’t do their homework is lack of an appropriate space to do assignments at […]

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When Your Clients Don’t Do Their Homework

Often it's the practitioner's fault. here are solutions..

Posted October 20, 2018

Other career coaches and counselors consult with me about how to improve their practice. A common concern they raise is, “What should I do about clients who don’t do their homework? This is what I tell them and is what I do with my clients.

Make sure the client is both willing and able to do the assignment. At the end of the session, ask, “So what homework assignment do you want to do?” That helps ensure that the client is motivated to do it and that it's appropriate in length and difficulty. Generally, you want to accept their self-assigned homework. That said, if you have a concern, tactfully raise it, for example, “That sounds challenging. Think you’ll be able to do it, with or without help?” Or, "I’m wondering whether you think it might be more useful to do X, perhaps in addition to what you propose? What do you think?”

Once the homework is agreed on, if I have some doubt as to whether the client will do it, I ask, “Pretend we’re in Vegas. What would be the odds you'll do the homework: even money? 10 to 1 in favor? 10 to 1 against?’ If the client answers anything less than 10:1 in favor, I ask, “How could we make it 10:1 in favor?” Common client responses are, “Put it in my calendar for a specific time,” “Get my spouse to nag me about it” or some such. If the client doesn't come up with an answer that leads them to say, “Yes, it’s 10:1. I’ll do it,” I suggest changing the assignment, I break it down into baby steps, or ask, “Where do you see getting stuck? Then, of course, I try to help.

When they don’t do their homework

First, I try to diagnose why they didn't do their homework. When they say, “I’m sorry but I didn’t do my homework,” I say something like, “That could occur for a number of reasons: you simply were too busy, it was too hard, you ran into a roadblock, or the homework ended up not feeling as worthwhile as when you said you wanted to do it. Any of those operative with you?”

If the client says s/he was busy, I'll typically say something like, “Were there less important things you found time for? I'd follow up with, "Why do you think you did that?"

If the client says the homework was difficult, we troubleshoot that.

If s/he got stuck with a particular part of the homework, we try to solve that.

If s/he says that the homework didn’t feel worth doing, we analyze why. Perhaps the more the client thought about the career direction s/he was to explore, the less interested s/he was in it. Or perhaps, deep down, s/he doesn’t want to work. If I assess the client’s not having done homework is mainly laziness or not really wanting to find a job, I tend to be firm, saying something like, “If you’re not going to do your homework, it may not be a good use of your time and money and my time as a career coach to keep working with you. What do you think?” Especially if the client hasn't done the agreed-on homework twice or three times in a row, I might be even tougher and say, “For your sake and mine, you need to do the agreed-on homework. If you don’t, we’re going to discontinue our sessions.” Sometimes, niceness works, sometimes accountability with teeth.

The takeaway

A client’s success heavily depends on doing homework between sessions. Too many coaches, counselors, and therapists are too nice when a client doesn't. They too readily let the client off the hook, for example, “I understand. You must have been busy. Let’s proceed and hopefully you’ll do the next assignment.” Such a response makes the counselor and client more comfy but doesn’t necessarily help the client move forward. It’s usually wiser to take the time at the end of a session to be sure the homework assignment is appropriate and if the client fails to do it, to troubleshoot and then consciously decide whether the wise response is support or tough love.

Marty Nemko, Ph.D ., is a career and personal coach based in Oakland, California, and the author of 10 books.

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Oct 1, 2016 9:00:00 AM | online class Never Do Homework In Bed: 3 Reasons Why | achs.edu

Where you decide to do homework plays a role in how much work you get done. And what’s the worst place to try to be productive? Your bed.

Some students will even map out the specific times they’re going to work each day in their planner. That’s a smart move; I’m for it.

However, have you gone so far as to plan where you’re going to get your work done?

Because most people have the mindset that it doesn’t matter where you work, it’s a non-factor.

I’m here to tell you that where you decide to do homework plays a significant role in how much work you get done, especially as an online student. And what’s the worst place to try to be productive? Your bed. 

Here are three reasons why you’d be better off studying anywhere other than your bed : 

1. Studying in bed limits focus.

Think about all the reasons why you love your bed. The comfort of warm covers, soft pillows, and putting off responsibility by pressing “Snooze” are highly persuasive on their own, but even more so when compared to focusing on your homework. 

Because your bed will tempt you to stop working and sleep, it’s best you don’t put yourself in a position to fail from the start. If you don’t change scenery, you may easily allow the comfort of your bed to suck away your focus. Trust me, I’ve been a victim of this before I wised up. 

And if your bed doesn’t make you lose focus, the other things in your room probably will. Your television, smart phone, or laundry will pull for your attention and offer an avenue to procrastinate.

When you’re looking to focus, a chair and desk is the better choice. The wisest choice is a standing desk, but not everyone has one available. Then, after you’ve done your work, you can relax in your bed feeling accomplished. 

2. Studying in bed decreases productivity.

Even if you can manage to focus in your bed, it’s not a productive place to get work done.

First, the lack of space to spread out your research for a paper or study material for an exam is a concern. You’ll waste time and valuable energy going through papers to find what you’re looking for. At a long desk, you can better assemble and organize your materials.

Second, you have no opportunity to get the productivity boost from standing when you’re laying on your bed for hours working. I’m a big supporter of standing when I work because standing sends fresh blood and oxygen to the brain, which promotes optimal brain function. [1] Your body isn’t designed to sit all day.

Before you think you need to spend hundreds of dollars for a standing desk, try putting your laptop on your dresser, propped up on books or a shelf, or get creative by putting your desk on risers (just be sure it’s safe and sturdy!). You now have a “standing desk” without breaking the bank.

3. Studying in bed hurts sleep.

I’ve already discussed how working in a place your body associates with sleep can make you lethargic and unable to focus. But on the flip side, working in your bed makes going to sleep harder. Working in your bed is double trouble! 

Because you’ve trained your body to associate your bed as a place to study or get homework done, once you lay in bed to call it a night your mind will continue to think. Studying in bed earlier in the day can actually rob you of rest.

Your body needs adequate sleep to stay healthy , retain new information, handle stress, and perform at its best each day. I wish sleep deprivation on no one. 

So, to protect your focus, productivity, and sleep, now you know not to study in your bed (or even your bedroom, if possible). Since your study space is important, making an effort to find a quiet place where you’re comfortable—but not too comfortable—can be the secret to success.

And don’t forget to try standing to get the most for your mind and body!

This article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to treat, diagnose, cure, or prevent disease. This article has not been reviewed by the FDA. Always consult with your primary care physician or naturopathic doctor before making any significant changes to your health and wellness routine.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a guest blogger for American College of Healthcare Sciences, the Institution that publishes this blog. However, all opinions are my own. This blog may contain affiliate links. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” 

[1] Behrens, L. (1990). An upright way to improve thinking. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved from http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1990-10-07/features/9003250339_1_brain-power-standing-stimulation

Written By: Brian Robben

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Why Can’t I do My Homework With Solutions

• Post author By admin
• August 30, 2023

Struggling with homework? Explore common challenges for why can’t I do my homework. From procrastination to focus issues, discover how to tackle ‘Why Can’t I Do My Homework’ head-on.

Imagine this: You’re cozied up at your desk, surrounded by textbooks, with a daunting pile of homework staring you down. Your brain feels like it’s taken a vacation, and you can’t help but wonder, “Why can’t I do my homework?”

If that scenario sounds familiar, welcome to the club! We’ve all been there, and it’s like homework has this magical power to turn us into amateur detectives trying to solve the case of the vanishing motivation.

But here’s the good news: you’re about to embark on a journey to demystify the reasons behind the “homework struggle.” Think of us as your friendly tour guides, here to unravel the mysteries, expose the culprits, and offer you some killer strategies to conquer the homework conundrum.

So, get ready to uncover why homework sometimes feels like a cryptic puzzle and learn how to transform it from a dreaded chore into a manageable mission. It’s time to dive in, have some fun, and crack the code on “Why can’t I do my homework?”

Table of Contents

Why Can’t I Do My Homework?

There are numerous reasons why someone might struggle with completing their homework. Here’s a list of common factors that can contribute to the challenge of “Why can’t I do my homework?”

Overwhelming Workload

A heavy workload can leave students feeling buried under a mountain of assignments. For instance, imagine a high school student juggling multiple advanced classes, each assigning substantial homework.

The sheer volume of work can be intimidating and make it difficult to manage time effectively, leading to incomplete or rushed homework.

Lack of Motivation

When a topic doesn’t spark interest, motivation can dwindle. Consider a student who loves history but dreads algebra.

The excitement for history homework may result in diligent completion, while the algebra assignment might be delayed or avoided due to lack of enthusiasm.

Procrastination

Procrastination is the art of delaying tasks until the last possible moment. Take, for instance, a college student who decides to binge-watch a TV series instead of starting their term paper.

This can result in a panic-induced rush to complete the paper, often leading to subpar work.

Distractions

An environment filled with distractions, like a noisy dorm room or a bustling café, can hinder concentration.

For example, a university student trying to study for an important exam in a crowded coffee shop may struggle to focus amidst the cacophony.

Time Management Issues

Poor time management can mean allocating too little time for homework. Consider a scenario where a student spends too much time on social media or extracurricular activities, leaving minimal time for academic tasks.

Difficulty Understanding the Material

If a student struggles to grasp concepts from class, completing homework becomes an uphill battle. For instance, a high school student may find calculus homework challenging if they don’t comprehend the underlying principles taught in class.

Fear of Failure

The fear of not meeting expectations can create anxiety around homework. Imagine a college student afraid of disappointing their parents with low grades. This fear can paralyze them, making it difficult to start or complete assignments.

Personal Problems

Personal issues such as family conflicts or relationship problems can be emotionally draining. Suppose a high school student is experiencing family troubles; their emotional distress may make it nearly impossible to focus on homework.

Health Issues

Physical or mental health problems can impact the ability to concentrate on homework. For example, a college student dealing with depression may lack the energy and motivation to complete assignments.

Perfectionism

Striving for perfection can lead to excessive time spent on a single assignment. Think of a high-achieving student who meticulously edits and revises an essay, constantly second-guessing themselves and ultimately missing deadlines.

Lack of Resources

Insufficient access to study materials or a quiet study space can hinder homework completion. Suppose a student lacks internet access at home for research purposes; this limitation can impede their ability to complete assignments that require online resources.

Language Barriers

For students learning in a non-native language, understanding and completing assignments in that language can be especially challenging.

For instance, an international student may struggle with English-language assignments, leading to slower progress.

Negative Peer Influence

Peer pressure can tempt students to prioritize social activities over homework. Imagine a high school student invited to a party on a homework-heavy night; the temptation to attend the party may lead to incomplete assignments.

Learning Disabilities

Students with learning disabilities, such as dyslexia, may require specialized support to complete their homework effectively. Consider a student with dyscalculia attempting math homework without the necessary accommodations, which can result in frustration and incomplete work.

Teacher-Student Mismatch

Sometimes, a student’s learning style doesn’t align with the teaching style of a particular teacher, making homework more challenging.

For example, a student who learns best through hands-on activities may struggle with a teacher who primarily uses lectures for instruction.

Lack of Interest in the Subject

If a student lacks interest in a particular subject, they may find it hard to motivate themselves to do the associated homework.

For instance, a high school student passionate about literature may struggle to engage with physics assignments, leading to procrastination.

Lack of Support

Some students lack a support system at home or school and may not have someone to turn to for help when they’re stuck on a problem.

Imagine a middle school student without access to a tutor or supportive parents; they might struggle to complete challenging assignments independently.

Insufficient Feedback

Without timely feedback from teachers, students may struggle to understand their mistakes and improve. Consider a scenario where a college professor rarely provides feedback on assignments; students may miss the opportunity to learn from their errors, leading to repeated difficulties.

Test Anxiety

Worrying about upcoming tests can distract students from focusing on their homework. Think of a high school student with a major exam approaching; their anxiety about the test may lead to procrastination or difficulty concentrating on other assignments.

Environmental Factors

Living in a noisy or chaotic environment can make it challenging to concentrate on homework. For instance, a university student sharing a small apartment with roommates who frequently host loud gatherings may struggle to find a quiet space for focused study.

Lack of a Structured Routine

A lack of a structured routine can lead to inconsistency in homework completion. Imagine a college student without a regular schedule; their homework habits may become erratic, impacting productivity.

Financial Stress

Students facing financial stress may need to work part-time jobs, leaving less time and energy for homework.

Suppose a college student must work long hours to cover tuition costs; this can result in exhaustion and insufficient time for assignments.

Technology Addiction

Excessive use of technology for non-educational purposes can interfere with homework completion. Consider a high school student addicted to online gaming; this addiction may lead to prolonged screen time and delayed homework.

Lack of Rewards

When students don’t see rewards or benefits from doing their homework, they may question its value. Think of a middle school student who receives no feedback or recognition for completed assignments; this lack of positive reinforcement can diminish their motivation.

Excessive workload and high expectations can lead to burnout, making it impossible to approach homework with enthusiasm. Suppose a college student takes on a heavy course load, participates in extracurricular activities, and works part-time; this overwhelming schedule can result in burnout and reduced productivity.

These factors illustrate the diverse challenges students face when tackling homework. It’s essential to recognize that homework struggles are not uncommon, and they can result from a combination of these factors.

Identifying the specific obstacles at play is the first step toward finding effective strategies to overcome them and enhance the homework experience.

What to do if I can’t do my homework?

Have a close look at what to do if I can’t do my homework.

Prioritize tasks based on deadlines and difficulty. Break the workload into smaller, manageable chunks, focusing on one subject at a time.

Find ways to make the assignment more engaging. Connect it to your interests or future goals. Set rewards for completing tasks.

Set clear goals and deadlines. Use techniques like the Pomodoro method to work in short, focused intervals with breaks.

Create a dedicated study space free from distractions. Consider noise-cancelling headphones to block out external noise.

Use planners or digital tools to schedule study sessions and allocate time for each assignment. Stick to the schedule.

Seek help from teachers, tutors, or online resources. Break down complex topics into smaller, more understandable parts.

Shift your focus from perfection to learning. Remember that making mistakes is part of the learning process. Seek support from teachers or counselors.

Communicate with teachers about personal challenges. Consider counseling or therapy to manage emotional stress.

Prioritize self-care. Seek treatment if needed, and communicate with teachers about health-related limitations.

Set realistic goals and time limits for assignments. Aim for improvement rather than perfection.

Utilize online resources, libraries, and educational websites. Ask teachers for additional materials if necessary.

Seek language support resources, such as language classes or tutoring. Use language learning apps to improve proficiency.

Set boundaries with friends and communicate your homework commitments. Prioritize academic responsibilities.

Work with school counselors to access appropriate accommodations and support.

Adapt your learning style by seeking additional resources and discussing challenges with the teacher.

Find relevance in the subject by exploring real-world applications or connecting it to personal interests.

Reach out to teachers, classmates, or academic support services for assistance. Join study groups for collaborative learning .

Request feedback from teachers or peers, and actively seek ways to improve.

Practice relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing, before studying and tests. Seek test anxiety management strategies.

Create a peaceful study environment. Consider studying at a library or during quieter times at home.

Establish a daily routine that includes specific homework times. Stick to it consistently.

Balance work commitments with schoolwork. Seek support from school financial aid or scholarships.

Use apps and tools to block distracting websites during study sessions. Set screen time limits.

Set personal rewards for completing homework, such as enjoying a favorite snack or watching a short video.

Prioritize self-care, including sufficient sleep, exercise, and relaxation. Adjust your workload to prevent overexertion.

By tailoring these strategies to your specific challenges, you can significantly improve your ability to tackle homework effectively and reduce stress associated with assignments.

Remember that seeking support from teachers, counselors, or peers is a sign of strength, not weakness, and can be a valuable resource in overcoming these challenges.

Why wont my brain let me do my homework?

Ah, the age-old struggle of the brain resisting homework – we’ve all been there! Here’s why your noggin might be playing hard to get, and some tips to outsmart it:

If the homework feels about as exciting as watching paint dry, your brain’s probably hitting the snooze button. Try making it more interesting – relate it to something you’re into, or break it down into bite-sized, less yawn-inducing chunks.

If you’ve been in the procrastination party, your brain’s probably protesting your last-minute panic. Set a schedule, try the Pomodoro Technique (work for 25 minutes, break for 5), and chip away at it bit by bit.

In today’s digital circus, distractions are the headliners. Your brain might prefer cat videos to calculus. Create a study sanctuary, and consider apps that block Facebook or Instagram when you’re in study mode.

When the homework pile looks like Mount Everest, your brain’s understandably in panic mode. Prioritize your tasks, tackle them one by one, and suddenly, it feels like a series of small hills instead.

Lack of Understanding

If the material’s about as clear as mud, homework’s a no-go. Don’t hesitate to ask for help – teachers, tutors, and that nerdy friend are your allies.

Stress or Anxiety

Stress and anxiety can make your brain do a vanishing act when it’s homework time. Try some Zen techniques like deep breathing or a quick jog to shake off the nerves.

A tired brain’s like a grumpy toddler – it won’t cooperate. Ensure you’re well-rested, eating right, and staying hydrated. A happy brain is a productive brain.

Just remember, homework resistance is a universal experience. The trick is finding your unique hacks to outsmart your brain’s games and make the homework mountain a molehill. You’ve got this!

Why can’t I just do my homework ADHD?

Why is it so darn tough to buckle down and tackle homework when you’ve got ADHD in the mix? Well, let’s break it down.

Attention Difficulties

With ADHD, concentrating on a single task can feel like herding cats. Homework might seem about as interesting as watching paint dry, making it extra tough to stay focused.

Impulsivity

Your brain might hop from one thought to another like a ping-pong ball, leaving homework in the dust. This impulsivity can make starting and finishing assignments a real challenge.

Hyperactivity

Sitting still for ages? Yeah, not exactly your ADHD brain’s favorite activity. That restlessness can make homework time feel like a marathon of discomfort.

Executive Functioning Woes

ADHD can throw a wrench in your executive functions – the stuff that helps you stay organized, manage time, and prioritize tasks. These skills are like homework superheroes, and when they’re not cooperating, it’s tough.

Frustration and Anxiety

Repeated homework battles can lead to frustration and anxiety. It’s like a vicious cycle – homework is hard, so you avoid it, which makes it even harder the next time.

But hey, you’ve got some tricks up your sleeve

Break It Down

Chop your homework into bite-sized bits. Completing these mini-goals feels like winning small battles in the war against procrastination.

Routine, Routine, Routine

A structured routine can be your secret weapon. Set specific homework times and stick to ’em. It’s like training your brain to get into homework mode.

No Distractions Allowed

Clear your workspace of distractions. Shut off those pesky notifications, use website blockers, and let your family or roommates know when you’re in “focus mode.”

Visual Aids

Visual tools are your buddies. Calendars, to-do lists, and color-coding can help you wrangle your tasks and keep track of time.

Take Breathers

Short, regular breaks can help you recharge. Ever heard of the Pomodoro Technique? Work for 25 minutes, then chill for 5 – it’s science!

Treat Yourself

Reward yourself after finishing a task. It’s like giving your brain a high-five for a job well done.

Talk to the Pros

If you haven’t already, chat with a pro about ADHD treatments like medication and therapy. They can be total game-changers.

Get Support

Don’t hesitate to reach out to teachers or counselors for extra help or accommodations. You’re not in this alone.

Remember, homework and ADHD might be a challenging combo, but you’re not powerless. With these strategies and some support, you can take on the homework dragon and come out victorious!

Alright, fellow homework adventurers, we’ve journeyed deep into the realm of “Why can’t I do my homework?” and uncovered a treasure trove of challenges that can turn homework time into a real quest.

But here’s the secret sauce: every challenge we explored has a potential solution. From taming procrastination monsters to battling the distractions dragon and seeking the wisdom of mentors (a.k.a. teachers), we’ve armed ourselves with knowledge and strategies to conquer these homework foes.

So, the next time you’re stuck with a tricky assignment and that question pops up, remember this journey. Homework isn’t an unsolvable riddle; it’s a puzzle waiting for you to unlock. With determination, a pinch of motivation, and a dash of support, you can transform homework into a rewarding adventure.

Now, go forth, young scholar, armed with newfound wisdom, and may your homework quests be filled with curiosity, growth, and the sweet taste of victory!

Frequently Asked Questions

What can i do to overcome homework procrastination.

Procrastination can be overcome by breaking tasks into smaller, manageable parts and setting realistic deadlines. Creating a quiet, organized study space can also help.

How Can I Improve My Time Management for Homework?

To improve time management, use tools like planners or apps to schedule study sessions. Prioritize tasks and avoid multitasking to stay focused.

Is Getting Homework Help Considered Cheating?

Getting help with understanding homework concepts or solving difficult problems is not cheating. It’s a valuable part of the learning process. However, copying someone else’s work is unethical.

What Should I Do If I Don’t Understand My Homework?

If you don’t understand your homework, don’t hesitate to ask for help. Reach out to your teacher, a tutor, or classmates for clarification.

How Can Parents Support Their Children with Homework?

Parents can support their children by creating a conducive study environment, setting a regular homework routine, and offering assistance when needed. Encouragement and positive reinforcement are also crucial.

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Why Can’t I Do My Homework?

“Why can’t I do my homework?” is a common question that some students ask themselves everyday. But its solution is also easy, which students think they are not able to do. 

If you are like most people, you’ve probably had times when you just couldn’t do your homework. Sometimes, you might not have the motivation to do your work, or you might not be interested in it. But it doesn’t have to be that way. 

There are some things you can do to get yourself into the habit of doing your homework. There are several reasons why some people cannot do their homework, and one of the most common problems is that they are not able to process information.

This blog will discuss the reasons that cause hindrances in doing homework. Also, we will discuss the solution.

Need homework or assignment help? Hire Codeavail experts now!

Table of Contents

Perfectionism

Perfectionism can be a big problem in children. Among other things, it can lead to anxiety, social stress, and negative behaviors. If you suspect that your child is a perfectionist, you should seek professional help.

Educators need to educate their students about perfectionism. It can make learning less fun and can interfere with their ability to complete important assignments. Developing a growth mindset in your child can motivate them to strive for excellence.

The root of perfectionism is a fear of failure. Oftentimes, perfectionism leads to a sense of inadequacy and a deep sense of self-criticism. This can lead to a downward spiral that leaves your child feeling unsatisfied and depressed.

The first step to combating a ruminating habit is to identify the triggers. Once you know what triggers a perfectionism, you can better control ruminating.

A good therapist can help you understand the deeper reasons behind your perfectionism. They can also teach you coping skills.

Lack of motivation

There are numerous reasons why kids of all ages are not motivated to do their homework. The most obvious reason is a lack of interest in school. Another common cause of disinterest is chronic stress. 

Students who have experienced chronic stress may lose interest in almost everything. In the long run, this can have a significant impact on their academic performance.

If your child isn’t showing the signs of motivation, it might be time to seek professional help. A therapist can be a great resource to determine the underlying cause. Whether the problem is due to trauma, psychological forces or other factors, it is important to look for the right solutions to get your child back on track.

Having high expectations will motivate your kids. However, excessively high expectations can lead to depression. They can also be counterproductive. To avoid these pitfalls, define the criteria of what makes your kids unmotivated.

One of the simplest ways to determine if your kid is motivated is to look at their behavior. Oftentimes, parents may notice that their kids aren’t doing what they should in school. It’s also helpful to identify the sources of their motivation, as this can help them to improve.

Excessive homework can be a source of stress

Homework is one of the biggest sources of stress for students. Too much homework can cause a variety of health problems, including headaches, stomach disorders, exhaustion, and weight loss. 

In addition, it can cause mental and emotional fatigue, which can interfere with students’ ability to perform in school and on the job.

Excessive homework can also hurt the social skills of students. Some experts say that the amount of homework today is too high and that it promotes less active learning. The National Education Association recommends that students spend no more than 10 minutes a night on their homework.

A recent study of 4,300 students at 10 high-performing schools found that more than half of the students surveyed reported feeling stressed out. Students reported that they did not have enough time for extracurricular activities, family time, or hobbies.

Also read: 20 reasons why homework should be banned

Another study, conducted by Denise Pope, a clinical assistant professor of psychology at the University of Connecticut, found that nearly a third of the students surveyed reported that their homework was the primary source of their stress. Other studies indicate that the average student spends over three hours a day doing homework.

Problematic behaviors from instructors

If your student’s behavior in class is problematic, you may have to try several methods to get your students back on track. These tactics can be especially helpful if your students are in high needs.

Getting students to engage in a task takes time. In some cases, they may just want to escape. To prevent this from happening, teachers can set up a productive climate on the first day of class. They can also use alpha commands to prevent conflict.

While it may not be the most effective strategy, it is a good idea to avoid arguing with your students. Arguments will only escalate the problem and make it worse. You should also try to establish eye contact and describe what you are asking in a firm, yet respectful, tone.

Another option is to wait for a reasonable amount of time. This will help preserve your teaching time and minimize the damage to your relationship with the student.

Lack of focus

The reason why some people cannot do their homework is because they have a hard time focusing. 

One way to overcome this problem is by setting a timer for a short amount of time and doing your homework while the timer is running. Another way to get through your homework is by using flashcards or other activities that require persistent focus.

Solutions You Can Adopt To Develop Interest in Homework

Reframing how you think about a subject.

Reframing your thoughts about a subject is one of the smartest things you can do. As a result, you’ll be in a better frame of mind to do your homework. 

Having a more positive outlook can mean the difference between getting a good grade or failing miserably. In fact, having a better attitude will increase your chances of acing that test.

What’s more, this technique is easy to implement. Just keep in mind that if you’re the type who suffers from a major case of perfectionism, you’ll want to take things slow. The key is to be proactive and not reactive. This means being more observant of your thought processes. 

For example, you’ll need to take note of what’s working in your favor, and what’s causing your problems in the first place. By doing so, you’ll be able to proactively nip the problem in the bud before it even has a chance to blossom.

Of course, not all students are the same. You can start by giving your students the requisite information and tools. One way to do this is by providing them with an open forum for asking questions.

Making time for extracurricular activities to refresh the student’s mind and body

If you are a student, it is important to make time for extracurricular activities to refresh your mind and body. It is often difficult to balance schoolwork and a healthy lifestyle, and many students become burnt out. However, extracurriculars can help you build professional and personal skills while fostering friendships with peers. 

This helps you learn how to manage your time more effectively and can give you a fresh perspective on your academics. You can improve your social skills by participating in debate clubs, leadership-oriented clubs, or sports.

Students who are part of an extracurricular activity are often more likely to plan their schedules and engage in their activities, and they are less likely to procrastinate during downtimes.

Extracurriculars also strengthen the mind and build a sense of resilience. In addition, they can expose students to new interests and introduce them to other people with similar interests. They can also provide a social network, which can be difficult for part-time students.

Creating a homework group

Creating a homework group may sound daunting to some, but in reality it’s a simple process. A homework group manager is tasked with scheduling meetings, distributing materials and refreshments, and checking in absent team members. 

The most important part of the job is ensuring that each member of the group completes his or her assignments on time. If a member misses a meeting, he or she can still submit his or her work later.

Using the Groups panel, a teacher can add, delete, or rearrange students in his or her groups. For example, a teacher can override the maximum number of students in a group by adding more or removing students. 

To prevent a group from becoming too big or too small, the teacher might consider assigning a maximum of two or three groups per class. This ensures that each student gets a chance to earn a grade.

In a nutshell, a homework group is an excellent way to get your students to engage in some collaborative learning. Students can take turns answering a question, and a group member can save and then resume work at a later date.

Finding a new place to do your homework

If you are having trouble doing your homework at home, you may want to consider finding a different place to study. It is always best to be in a quiet, comfortable environment. ( ultram ) There are many different places you can visit to get some work done, but you will need to be aware of distractions.

A bookstore is a great option because it offers a community atmosphere. This gives you the opportunity to work with other students and learn from a variety of books. You will find that the ambiance of a bookstore will help you focus and feel more inspired to study.

Another good option is to go to a library. Most libraries will allow you to use their computer and printer without any fees. They will also give you free Wi-Fi. However, you may have to turn off your phone. Phones can be a big distraction when it comes to studying.

One other option is to go out in nature. Not only can you spend some time in the fresh air, but you can also get some inspiration from the scenery.

The Bottom Line

In conclusion, many students face difficulty completing assigned homework because of various reasons, including forgetfulness, anxiety, or shyness. 

Although it can be difficult to persist through the process, it is important to remember that there are ways to overcome any difficulty. 

By using strategies such as breaking down assignments into smaller tasks and paying close attention during class, students can more effectively complete their work. 

Additionally, using a homework planner or assigned worksheets can help students manage their workload and stay organized.

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What to do if your eyes hurt after the eclipse and how to spot damage

Staring at anything for long enough can lead to eye discomfort. But the stakes are higher for anyone who watched Monday’s solar eclipse sweep across North America. After much of the country spent the afternoon gazing up at the searing rays of the sun, it’s worth distinguishing between a bout of dry eyes and the more severe retinal damage that unprotected exposure can cause.

2024 total solar eclipse

Experts told The Washington Post that anyone who followed the requisite safety tips and used proper solar eclipse glasses to view Monday’s spectacle should feel reassured that their eyes escaped any serious harm. But if any symptoms like soreness — or, more importantly, pain or blurriness of vision — persist, they strongly recommended checking in with an eye doctor.

Here’s what to know about why your eyes might be hurting after watching the solar eclipse.

I wore eclipse glasses but now my eyes feel sore or dry. Should I be worried?

If you’re experiencing headaches, soreness, pain or any other symptoms after watching the eclipse, it’s worth checking that you were adequately protected. Glasses that offer enough protection have the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 12312-2 code inside , and the American Astronomical Society has a list of trusted manufacturers .

Knockoffs are out there. Ahead of the eclipse, Amazon on Friday emailed customers that a brand of glasses sold on the site, Biniki, had not been approved by the American Astronomical Society and “may not be safe for viewing a solar eclipse.” The Illinois Department of Public Health also warned Monday that Biniki glasses did not meet safety standards despite being sold online and in some stores.

If you wore approved glasses and only viewed the solar eclipse through them, it’s unlikely that your eyes were damaged, said Carl Jacobsen, a clinical professor at UC Berkeley’s Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry & Vision Science.

Some discomfort can come naturally from eyes drying out after focusing and staring at the eclipse for a long period, especially outdoors, Jacobsen said. Sore eyes can be treated with lubricating eyedrops.

Why is looking at the eclipse without glasses dangerous?

It’s always dangerous to look at the sun with the naked eye. A blast of focused light from the sun can damage the photoreceptors in your eyes, which can lead to vision impairment or blindness.

An eclipse is an especially risky time to look directly at the sun, Suzanne Fleiszig, a professor of optometry and vision science at Berkeley’s school of optometry, previously told The Washington Post. While the sun is partially obscured, some wavelengths that trigger pain are blocked, dulling the reflex to look away. But enough rays will still get through to damage your eyes.

Even just a quick glance at the sun can leave your eyes vulnerable to damage . It’s also not safe to look at the sun through a camera, telescope or binoculars, either, the American Astronomical Society warns .

I looked at the eclipse without glasses — what do I do?

If you looked at the solar eclipse without protection, or with faulty glasses, you should pay attention to symptoms like pain or blurred vision. If your vision is blurry, or you see gray spots that don’t go away, you may have suffered damage to your retinas, said Seth Laster, an optometrist in Fort Smith, Ark.

“I tell people, ‘Hey, if you’re looking at something [and] a part of the image is missing, definitely come in and see your local optometrist,’” Laster said.

Solar retinopathy — damage to your retinas from looking at bright lights like the sun or a laser pointer — doesn’t always cause pain but can permanently affect on your vision, Laster said. Experts added that the damage isn’t always evident right away and can emerge a few hours or days after looking at the sun.

“Viewing the sun is often like getting a sunburn,” said Tamara Oechslin, an optometrist and associate professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. “You don’t notice the worst of the damage until an hour or two later.”

Eye pain can also be caused by photokeratitis , which is caused by exposure to ultraviolet rays. It’s also known as snow blindness or welder’s flash when it’s caused by sunlight reflecting off snow in arctic conditions or the light from a welder’s torch. Photokeratitis is a more painful condition than solar retinopathy, Jacobsen said. But it’s less likely to occur when viewing an eclipse, and usually doesn’t lead to permanent damage.

The main factor to consider is how long your symptoms last, Jacobsen said. If problems persist after using eyedrops, or if blurry shapes in your vision continue when you close your eyes, it’s probably best to see your doctor.

“There’s so many different things that can happen with people’s eyes,” Jacobsen said. “And we can never go wrong by saying, ‘Call your eye doctor right away.’”

Caroline O’Donovan, Amudalat Ajasa and Joel Achenbach contributed to this report.

A total solar eclipse passed across the United States on Monday, April 8. See photos and videos from the path of totality and read our reporters’ coverage from scenes across the nation .

Looking ahead: Missed this one? The next eclipse visible in the United States won’t be until 2044 — and then we’ll see another shortly after in 2045. If you did watch this eclipse but without proper eyewear, here’s what to do if your eyes hurt .

The science: This eclipse appeared especially dramatic because the sun was at its most active period in two decades. In the past, solar eclipses have helped scientists learn more about the universe . Here’s everything else to know about the solar eclipse.

• What to do if your eyes hurt after the eclipse and how to spot damage April 9, 2024 What to do if your eyes hurt after the eclipse and how to spot damage April 9, 2024
• See how the eclipse transformed America, city by city April 8, 2024 See how the eclipse transformed America, city by city April 8, 2024
• Clouds part and crowds scream as total solar eclipse delights the U.S. April 8, 2024 Clouds part and crowds scream as total solar eclipse delights the U.S. April 8, 2024

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Can’t Find Eclipse Glasses? Here’s What to Do.

You can watch a projection of the eclipse using some common household items.

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By Katrina Miller

Follow our live updates on the total solar eclipse .

Reliable paper-framed glasses are by far the most popular option for safely watching the total solar eclipse on Monday. But they’ve gotten more difficult to find in some places ahead of the event.

If you’ve checked everywhere — your local planetarium, public library and even online — fear not: There is still a way to watch the eclipse safely, using items around the house. Here are a few options.

Use your hands

Palms up, position one hand over the other at a 90-degree angle. Open your fingers slightly in a waffle pattern, and allow sunlight to stream through the spaces onto the ground, or another surface. During the eclipse, you will see a projection of the moon obscuring the surface of the sun.

This method works with anything with holes, such as a straw hat, a strainer, a cheese grater or even a perforated spoon. You will also notice this effect when light from the partially eclipsed sun streams through leaves on a tree.

Set up a cardstock screen

For this option, you need a couple of white index cards or two sheets of cardstock paper. First, punch a small hole in the middle of one of the cards using a thumbtack or a pin.

Then, facing away from the sun, allow light to stream through this pinhole. Position the second card underneath to function as a screen. Adjust the spacing between the two cards to make the projection of the sun larger or smaller.

Make a box projector

If you’re up for a bit of crafting, you can make a more sophisticated pinhole projector . Start with a cardboard box — empty cereal boxes are often used, but you can use a larger box, too. You’ll also need scissors, white paper, tape, aluminum foil and a pin or thumbtack.

Cut the piece of paper to fit the inside bottom of the cardboard box to act as a screen. Use tape to hold it in place.

On the top of the box, cut two rectangular holes on either side. (The middle should be left intact — you can use tape to secure this if needed.)

Tape a piece of aluminum foil over one of the rectangular cutouts. Punch a tiny hole in the middle of the foil with the tack or pin. The other cutout will serve as a view hole.

With your back to the sun, position the foil side of the box over your shoulder, letting light stream through the pinhole. An image of the sun will project onto the screen at the bottom of the box, which you can see through the view hole. A bigger box will create a bigger image.

Enjoy the show through any of these makeshift pinholes. And remember, during totality, you can view the sun directly with your naked eye. But you should stop looking at the sun as soon as it reappears.

Katrina Miller is a science reporting fellow for The Times. She recently earned her Ph.D. in particle physics from the University of Chicago. More about Katrina Miller

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Jeff Mason is a White House Correspondent for Reuters. He has covered the presidencies of Barack Obama, Donald Trump and Joe Biden and the presidential campaigns of Biden, Trump, Obama, Hillary Clinton and John McCain. He served as president of the White House Correspondents’ Association in 2016-2017, leading the press corps in advocating for press freedom in the early days of the Trump administration. His and the WHCA's work was recognized with Deutsche Welle's "Freedom of Speech Award." Jeff has asked pointed questions of domestic and foreign leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korea's Kim Jong Un. He is a winner of the WHCA's “Excellence in Presidential News Coverage Under Deadline Pressure" award and co-winner of the Association for Business Journalists' "Breaking News" award. Jeff began his career in Frankfurt, Germany as a business reporter before being posted to Brussels, Belgium, where he covered the European Union. Jeff appears regularly on television and radio and teaches political journalism at Georgetown University. He is a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism and a former Fulbright scholar.

British security firm Ambrey said on Sunday that Israel Defence Forces (IDF) intercepted an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) near Eilat, stating that it assessed the UAV was launched from Yemen.

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What should I do with my solar eclipse glasses? What to know about recycling, donating

The 2024 total solar eclipse has come and gone and now millions of Americans are facing the same question: What should I do with my solar eclipse glasses ?

You could save your glasses for the next total solar eclipse, but that won't be viewable in the contiguous United States for another 20 years and, even then, you may not be in its path .

The American Astronomical Society says modern eclipse glasses do not expire. The organization says they will last until 2044 as long as they are compliant with the ISO 12312-2 certification, have no punctures, scratches or tears, and the filters and lenses remain attached to the frames.

"Older eclipse glasses used materials that degraded over time, so they were often printed with a 3-year expiration period. That is no longer true," the AAS says on its website.

Next total solar eclipse: When is the next total solar eclipse in the US after 2024 and what is its path?

You can donate your eclipse glasses too

If you don't wish to hold on to your eclipse glasses for 20 years, you also have the option to donate them.

Astronomers Without Borders is running its second nationwide eclipse glasses recycling drive and already has over 300 businesses, schools, museums, city governments, community organizations and local libraries collecting and shipping millions of glasses to be repurposed for use by underserved communities around the world in future solar eclipses.

AWB launched its first run of the program after the last solar eclipse in 2017, when volunteer centers across the country collected more than  half a million glasses  that were distributed to Africa, Asia, and South America for reuse.

You can also donate to Eclipse Glasses USA , which is an AAS-approved supplier that collects donations of used, undamaged eclipse glasses. These glasses are inspected for safety and shipped to countries with upcoming eclipse events so school-aged children with limited resources can safely experience a solar eclipse, according to the AAO.

If you choose not to donate your eclipse glasses, you can also remove the lenses and recycle the cardboard.

When is the next total solar eclipse visible from the US?

According to NASA, after Monday's total solar  eclipse , the next one viewable from the contiguous U.S. will be on Aug. 23, 2044, though only three states are in the path of totality (Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota).

2044 total solar eclipse path of totality

Unfortunately, the 2044 total  solar eclipse  won't have the broad reach across the U.S. as the 2024 eclipse.

The path of totality during the 2044 eclipse will only touch three states, according to the Planetary Society, a nonprofit involved in research, public outreach, and political space advocacy. The eclipse will begin in Greenland, sweep through Canada and end around sunset in Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota.

2045 solar eclipse

While the 2044 total eclipse will only touch three states, a 2045 eclipse will have a more robust path across the U.S.

Expected to occur on Saturday, Aug. 12, 2045, this solar eclipse will trace a path of totality over California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, and Georgia.

A partial solar eclipse will also be viewable in 35 other states, according to  National Eclipse.com .

Contributing: Mary Walrath-Holdridge & Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY

Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X  @GabeHauari  or email him at [email protected].