Why is homework necessary? Students are not happy receiving homework, and teachers are not happy when the given homework is not completed, so why not just give no homework at all? In Massachusetts, there are schools called Sudbury Valley Schools, where students are educated without homework. I argue that homework isn't required for students to have advanced education and to succeed in career.
It is true that homework helps you in schoolwork, but to have a successful life, it isn't necessary to accomplish in academics. Many notable 'heroes' have failed in academics. For example, Thomas Edison, who invented the lightbulb, and who invented more inventions than any other man on earth, attended school for only 3 months. Albert Einstein was a genius to figure out the Theory of Relativity, but his academic grades didn't support his intelligence. Including Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, John D. Rockefeller, the richest man in history, Henry Ford, the man who invented automobiles, and Steven Spielberg, director of countless great movies, despite these people's failure in school, their dream of what they desired to do and making a fortune were both accomplished.
Another reason why homework isn't necessary is because it affects students' health. Dr. Denise Pope states that amount of time students use to do their homework is 3 hours and half minutes on average, and if this is continued, it can give the students sleep disorders, ulcers and headaches, affecting the students both mentally and physically. Also, homework has affect on students' obesity. The amount of homework given have significantly increased over the last 30 years. At the same time, percentage of obese students aged from 12 ~ 19 have increased from 5% to 18% over the last 30 years. This data shows that the percentage of child obesity and amount of homework has increased simultaneously. It proves that child obesity and amount of homework is related; homework can lead to obesity, so it should be banned.
School takes up half of a student's day. If students didn't have any homework, they can do so many things for the remaining time. They can improve their relationship with their friends or family; it is important for kids who are growing to have a solid relationship with the people around them. They can exercise or play sports to stay healthy and fit. They can also watch TV, read books, or any other sources that will provide them with more information and knowledge, which can help them later in their academics. Also mostly, to relax and rest. Students are tired after studying for a long time at school and if they do something additional, for example after-school activities, girl/boy scouts, relaxation is required. By not doing homework, students can develop themselves much more, and also helps them much more than doing homework.
It should be the school's responsibility if the school can't teach the students what they are required to learn in time. Also, I think homework should be an optional task for students who want to develop themselves further into learning. If I had the choice, I would consider extending school time to teach more, but force no homework to be done so that students are able to achieve what they desire to do.
