homework and work ethic

Are You Down With or Done With Homework?

• Posted January 17, 2012
• By Lory Hough

The debate over how much schoolwork students should be doing at home has flared again, with one side saying it's too much, the other side saying in our competitive world, it's just not enough.

It was a move that doesn't happen very often in American public schools: The principal got rid of homework.

This past September, Stephanie Brant, principal of Gaithersburg Elementary School in Gaithersburg, Md., decided that instead of teachers sending kids home with math worksheets and spelling flash cards, students would instead go home and read. Every day for 30 minutes, more if they had time or the inclination, with parents or on their own.

"I knew this would be a big shift for my community," she says. But she also strongly believed it was a necessary one. Twenty-first-century learners, especially those in elementary school, need to think critically and understand their own learning — not spend night after night doing rote homework drills.

Brant's move may not be common, but she isn't alone in her questioning. The value of doing schoolwork at home has gone in and out of fashion in the United States among educators, policymakers, the media, and, more recently, parents. As far back as the late 1800s, with the rise of the Progressive Era, doctors such as Joseph Mayer Rice began pushing for a limit on what he called "mechanical homework," saying it caused childhood nervous conditions and eyestrain. Around that time, the then-influential Ladies Home Journal began publishing a series of anti-homework articles, stating that five hours of brain work a day was "the most we should ask of our children," and that homework was an intrusion on family life. In response, states like California passed laws abolishing homework for students under a certain age.

But, as is often the case with education, the tide eventually turned. After the Russians launched the Sputnik satellite in 1957, a space race emerged, and, writes Brian Gill in the journal Theory Into Practice, "The homework problem was reconceived as part of a national crisis; the U.S. was losing the Cold War because Russian children were smarter." Many earlier laws limiting homework were abolished, and the longterm trend toward less homework came to an end.

The debate re-emerged a decade later when parents of the late '60s and '70s argued that children should be free to play and explore — similar anti-homework wellness arguments echoed nearly a century earlier. By the early-1980s, however, the pendulum swung again with the publication of A Nation at Risk , which blamed poor education for a "rising tide of mediocrity." Students needed to work harder, the report said, and one way to do this was more homework.

For the most part, this pro-homework sentiment is still going strong today, in part because of mandatory testing and continued economic concerns about the nation's competitiveness. Many believe that today's students are falling behind their peers in places like Korea and Finland and are paying more attention to Angry Birds than to ancient Babylonia.

But there are also a growing number of Stephanie Brants out there, educators and parents who believe that students are stressed and missing out on valuable family time. Students, they say, particularly younger students who have seen a rise in the amount of take-home work and already put in a six- to nine-hour "work" day, need less, not more homework.

Who is right? Are students not working hard enough or is homework not working for them? Here's where the story gets a little tricky: It depends on whom you ask and what research you're looking at. As Cathy Vatterott, the author of Rethinking Homework , points out, "Homework has generated enough research so that a study can be found to support almost any position, as long as conflicting studies are ignored." Alfie Kohn, author of The Homework Myth and a strong believer in eliminating all homework, writes that, "The fact that there isn't anything close to unanimity among experts belies the widespread assumption that homework helps." At best, he says, homework shows only an association, not a causal relationship, with academic achievement. In other words, it's hard to tease out how homework is really affecting test scores and grades. Did one teacher give better homework than another? Was one teacher more effective in the classroom? Do certain students test better or just try harder?

"It is difficult to separate where the effect of classroom teaching ends," Vatterott writes, "and the effect of homework begins."

Putting research aside, however, much of the current debate over homework is focused less on how homework affects academic achievement and more on time. Parents in particular have been saying that the amount of time children spend in school, especially with afterschool programs, combined with the amount of homework given — as early as kindergarten — is leaving students with little time to run around, eat dinner with their families, or even get enough sleep.

Certainly, for some parents, homework is a way to stay connected to their children's learning. But for others, homework creates a tug-of-war between parents and children, says Liz Goodenough, M.A.T.'71, creator of a documentary called Where Do the Children Play?

"Ideally homework should be about taking something home, spending a few curious and interesting moments in which children might engage with parents, and then getting that project back to school — an organizational triumph," she says. "A nag-free activity could engage family time: Ask a parent about his or her own childhood. Interview siblings."

Instead, as the authors of The Case Against Homework write, "Homework overload is turning many of us into the types of parents we never wanted to be: nags, bribers, and taskmasters."

Leslie Butchko saw it happen a few years ago when her son started sixth grade in the Santa Monica-Malibu (Calif.) United School District. She remembers him getting two to four hours of homework a night, plus weekend and vacation projects. He was overwhelmed and struggled to finish assignments, especially on nights when he also had an extracurricular activity.

"Ultimately, we felt compelled to have Bobby quit karate — he's a black belt — to allow more time for homework," she says. And then, with all of their attention focused on Bobby's homework, she and her husband started sending their youngest to his room so that Bobby could focus. "One day, my younger son gave us 15-minute coupons as a present for us to use to send him to play in the back room. … It was then that we realized there had to be something wrong with the amount of homework we were facing."

Butchko joined forces with another mother who was having similar struggles and ultimately helped get the homework policy in her district changed, limiting homework on weekends and holidays, setting time guidelines for daily homework, and broadening the definition of homework to include projects and studying for tests. As she told the school board at one meeting when the policy was first being discussed, "In closing, I just want to say that I had more free time at Harvard Law School than my son has in middle school, and that is not in the best interests of our children."

One barrier that Butchko had to overcome initially was convincing many teachers and parents that more homework doesn't necessarily equal rigor.

"Most of the parents that were against the homework policy felt that students need a large quantity of homework to prepare them for the rigorous AP classes in high school and to get them into Harvard," she says.

Stephanie Conklin, Ed.M.'06, sees this at Another Course to College, the Boston pilot school where she teaches math. "When a student is not completing [his or her] homework, parents usually are frustrated by this and agree with me that homework is an important part of their child's learning," she says.

As Timothy Jarman, Ed.M.'10, a ninth-grade English teacher at Eugene Ashley High School in Wilmington, N.C., says, "Parents think it is strange when their children are not assigned a substantial amount of homework."

That's because, writes Vatterott, in her chapter, "The Cult(ure) of Homework," the concept of homework "has become so engrained in U.S. culture that the word homework is part of the common vernacular."

These days, nightly homework is a given in American schools, writes Kohn.

"Homework isn't limited to those occasions when it seems appropriate and important. Most teachers and administrators aren't saying, 'It may be useful to do this particular project at home,'" he writes. "Rather, the point of departure seems to be, 'We've decided ahead of time that children will have to do something every night (or several times a week). … This commitment to the idea of homework in the abstract is accepted by the overwhelming majority of schools — public and private, elementary and secondary."

Brant had to confront this when she cut homework at Gaithersburg Elementary.

"A lot of my parents have this idea that homework is part of life. This is what I had to do when I was young," she says, and so, too, will our kids. "So I had to shift their thinking." She did this slowly, first by asking her teachers last year to really think about what they were sending home. And this year, in addition to forming a parent advisory group around the issue, she also holds events to answer questions.

Still, not everyone is convinced that homework as a given is a bad thing. "Any pursuit of excellence, be it in sports, the arts, or academics, requires hard work. That our culture finds it okay for kids to spend hours a day in a sport but not equal time on academics is part of the problem," wrote one pro-homework parent on the blog for the documentary Race to Nowhere , which looks at the stress American students are under. "Homework has always been an issue for parents and children. It is now and it was 20 years ago. I think when people decide to have children that it is their responsibility to educate them," wrote another.

And part of educating them, some believe, is helping them develop skills they will eventually need in adulthood. "Homework can help students develop study skills that will be of value even after they leave school," reads a publication on the U.S. Department of Education website called Homework Tips for Parents. "It can teach them that learning takes place anywhere, not just in the classroom. … It can foster positive character traits such as independence and responsibility. Homework can teach children how to manage time."

Annie Brown, Ed.M.'01, feels this is particularly critical at less affluent schools like the ones she has worked at in Boston, Cambridge, Mass., and Los Angeles as a literacy coach.

"It feels important that my students do homework because they will ultimately be competing for college placement and jobs with students who have done homework and have developed a work ethic," she says. "Also it will get them ready for independently taking responsibility for their learning, which will need to happen for them to go to college."

The problem with this thinking, writes Vatterott, is that homework becomes a way to practice being a worker.

"Which begs the question," she writes. "Is our job as educators to produce learners or workers?"

Slate magazine editor Emily Bazelon, in a piece about homework, says this makes no sense for younger kids.

"Why should we think that practicing homework in first grade will make you better at doing it in middle school?" she writes. "Doesn't the opposite seem equally plausible: that it's counterproductive to ask children to sit down and work at night before they're developmentally ready because you'll just make them tired and cross?"

Kohn writes in the American School Board Journal that this "premature exposure" to practices like homework (and sit-and-listen lessons and tests) "are clearly a bad match for younger children and of questionable value at any age." He calls it BGUTI: Better Get Used to It. "The logic here is that we have to prepare you for the bad things that are going to be done to you later … by doing them to you now."

According to a recent University of Michigan study, daily homework for six- to eight-year-olds increased on average from about 8 minutes in 1981 to 22 minutes in 2003. A review of research by Duke University Professor Harris Cooper found that for elementary school students, "the average correlation between time spent on homework and achievement … hovered around zero."

So should homework be eliminated? Of course not, say many Ed School graduates who are teaching. Not only would students not have time for essays and long projects, but also teachers would not be able to get all students to grade level or to cover critical material, says Brett Pangburn, Ed.M.'06, a sixth-grade English teacher at Excel Academy Charter School in Boston. Still, he says, homework has to be relevant.

"Kids need to practice the skills being taught in class, especially where, like the kids I teach at Excel, they are behind and need to catch up," he says. "Our results at Excel have demonstrated that kids can catch up and view themselves as in control of their academic futures, but this requires hard work, and homework is a part of it."

Ed School Professor Howard Gardner basically agrees.

"America and Americans lurch between too little homework in many of our schools to an excess of homework in our most competitive environments — Li'l Abner vs. Tiger Mother," he says. "Neither approach makes sense. Homework should build on what happens in class, consolidating skills and helping students to answer new questions."

So how can schools come to a happy medium, a way that allows teachers to cover everything they need while not overwhelming students? Conklin says she often gives online math assignments that act as labs and students have two or three days to complete them, including some in-class time. Students at Pangburn's school have a 50-minute silent period during regular school hours where homework can be started, and where teachers pull individual or small groups of students aside for tutoring, often on that night's homework. Afterschool homework clubs can help.

Some schools and districts have adapted time limits rather than nix homework completely, with the 10-minute per grade rule being the standard — 10 minutes a night for first-graders, 30 minutes for third-graders, and so on. (This remedy, however, is often met with mixed results since not all students work at the same pace.) Other schools offer an extended day that allows teachers to cover more material in school, in turn requiring fewer take-home assignments. And for others, like Stephanie Brant's elementary school in Maryland, more reading with a few targeted project assignments has been the answer.

"The routine of reading is so much more important than the routine of homework," she says. "Let's have kids reflect. You can still have the routine and you can still have your workspace, but now it's for reading. I often say to parents, if we can put a man on the moon, we can put a man or woman on Mars and that person is now a second-grader. We don't know what skills that person will need. At the end of the day, we have to feel confident that we're giving them something they can use on Mars."

Read a January 2014 update.

Homework Policy Still Going Strong

Ed. Magazine

The magazine of the Harvard Graduate School of Education

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Does homework really work?

by: Leslie Crawford | Updated: December 12, 2023

Print article

You know the drill. It’s 10:15 p.m., and the cardboard-and-toothpick Golden Gate Bridge is collapsing. The pages of polynomials have been abandoned. The paper on the Battle of Waterloo seems to have frozen in time with Napoleon lingering eternally over his breakfast at Le Caillou. Then come the tears and tantrums — while we parents wonder, Does the gain merit all this pain? Is this just too much homework?

However the drama unfolds night after night, year after year, most parents hold on to the hope that homework (after soccer games, dinner, flute practice, and, oh yes, that childhood pastime of yore known as playing) advances their children academically.

But what does homework really do for kids? Is the forest’s worth of book reports and math and spelling sheets the average American student completes in their 12 years of primary schooling making a difference? Or is it just busywork?

Homework haterz

Whether or not homework helps, or even hurts, depends on who you ask. If you ask my 12-year-old son, Sam, he’ll say, “Homework doesn’t help anything. It makes kids stressed-out and tired and makes them hate school more.”

Nothing more than common kid bellyaching?

Maybe, but in the fractious field of homework studies, it’s worth noting that Sam’s sentiments nicely synopsize one side of the ivory tower debate. Books like The End of Homework , The Homework Myth , and The Case Against Homework the film Race to Nowhere , and the anguished parent essay “ My Daughter’s Homework is Killing Me ” make the case that homework, by taking away precious family time and putting kids under unneeded pressure, is an ineffective way to help children become better learners and thinkers.

One Canadian couple took their homework apostasy all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada. After arguing that there was no evidence that it improved academic performance, they won a ruling that exempted their two children from all homework.

So what’s the real relationship between homework and academic achievement?

How much is too much?

To answer this question, researchers have been doing their homework on homework, conducting and examining hundreds of studies. Chris Drew Ph.D., founder and editor at The Helpful Professor recently compiled multiple statistics revealing the folly of today’s after-school busy work. Does any of the data he listed below ring true for you?

• 45 percent of parents think homework is too easy for their child, primarily because it is geared to the lowest standard under the Common Core State Standards .

• 74 percent of students say homework is a source of stress , defined as headaches, exhaustion, sleep deprivation, weight loss, and stomach problems.

• Students in high-performing high schools spend an average of 3.1 hours a night on homework , even though 1 to 2 hours is the optimal duration, according to a peer-reviewed study .

Not included in the list above is the fact many kids have to abandon activities they love — like sports and clubs — because homework deprives them of the needed time to enjoy themselves with other pursuits.

Conversely, The Helpful Professor does list a few pros of homework, noting it teaches discipline and time management, and helps parents know what’s being taught in the class.

The oft-bandied rule on homework quantity — 10 minutes a night per grade (starting from between 10 to 20 minutes in first grade) — is listed on the National Education Association’s website and the National Parent Teacher Association’s website , but few schools follow this rule.

Do you think your child is doing excessive homework? Harris Cooper Ph.D., author of a meta-study on homework , recommends talking with the teacher. “Often there is a miscommunication about the goals of homework assignments,” he says. “What appears to be problematic for kids, why they are doing an assignment, can be cleared up with a conversation.” Also, Cooper suggests taking a careful look at how your child is doing the assignments. It may seem like they’re taking two hours, but maybe your child is wandering off frequently to get a snack or getting distracted.

Less is often more

If your child is dutifully doing their work but still burning the midnight oil, it’s worth intervening to make sure your child gets enough sleep. A 2012 study of 535 high school students found that proper sleep may be far more essential to brain and body development.

For elementary school-age children, Cooper’s research at Duke University shows there is no measurable academic advantage to homework. For middle-schoolers, Cooper found there is a direct correlation between homework and achievement if assignments last between one to two hours per night. After two hours, however, achievement doesn’t improve. For high schoolers, Cooper’s research suggests that two hours per night is optimal. If teens have more than two hours of homework a night, their academic success flatlines. But less is not better. The average high school student doing homework outperformed 69 percent of the students in a class with no homework.

Many schools are starting to act on this research. A Florida superintendent abolished homework in her 42,000 student district, replacing it with 20 minutes of nightly reading. She attributed her decision to “ solid research about what works best in improving academic achievement in students .”

More family time

A 2020 survey by Crayola Experience reports 82 percent of children complain they don’t have enough quality time with their parents. Homework deserves much of the blame. “Kids should have a chance to just be kids and do things they enjoy, particularly after spending six hours a day in school,” says Alfie Kohn, author of The Homework Myth . “It’s absurd to insist that children must be engaged in constructive activities right up until their heads hit the pillow.”

By far, the best replacement for homework — for both parents and children — is bonding, relaxing time together.

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Does Homework Work?

There's absolutely no proof that homework helps elementary school pupils learn more or have greater academic success. In fact...when children are asked to do too much nightly work, just the opposite has been found. And study after study shows that homework is not much more beneficial in middle school either. Even in high school, where there can be benefits, they start to decline as soon as kids are overloaded.

Most kids hate homework. They dread it, groan about it, put off doing it as long as possible. It may be the single most reliable extinguisher of the flame of curiosity.

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How to Develop a Strong Work Ethic

• Tutti Taygerly

Hiring managers want to see your motivation, can-do attitude, and dedication.

In our early career years, it can be challenging to figure out what behaviors are and are not acceptable in different professional environments. Employers are now expecting more of entry-level workers and they want to see that you have good work ethic. So what is work ethic?

• Work ethic refers to a set of moral principles, values, and attitudes around how to act at work. It often surrounds what behaviors are commonly acceptable and appropriate (or not).
• Qualities like reliability, productivity, ownership and team support all demonstrate professional integrity, or a strong commitment to ethical behavior at work. In contrast, low-quality work, tardiness, or lack of attention to details demonstrates bad work ethic.
• If you’re new to the workplace, a good way to start is by observing. Pay attention to how your coworkers behave in meetings to gain a better understanding of their “etiquette,” as well as the communication styles of different people and teams. Another essential part of building good work ethic is adopting a “do it like you own it” attitude. You can do this by being proactive in small, but powerful, ways.

Where your work meets your life. See more from Ascend here .

Have you ever wondered about how to behave appropriately at work? Throughout your career, and especially in the early years, it’s challenging to figure out what behaviors and attitudes are and are not acceptable in different professional environments. The more you traverse companies and industries, the clearer your understanding will become. When you’re just starting out, though, it can be hard to pin down these behaviors.

• Tutti Taygerly is an executive coach and speaker with 20+ years of product design experience in Silicon Valley. Her book Make Space to Lead: Break Patterns to Find Flow and Focus on What Matters Most (Taygerly Labs, 2021) shows high achievers how to reframe their relationship to work.

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Is Homework Necessary? Education Inequity and Its Impact on Students

The Problem with Homework: It Highlights Inequalities

How much homework is too much homework, when does homework actually help, negative effects of homework for students, how teachers can help.

Schools are getting rid of homework from Essex, Mass., to Los Angeles, Calif. Although the no-homework trend may sound alarming, especially to parents dreaming of their child’s acceptance to Harvard, Stanford or Yale, there is mounting evidence that eliminating homework in grade school may actually have great benefits , especially with regard to educational equity.

In fact, while the push to eliminate homework may come as a surprise to many adults, the debate is not new . Parents and educators have been talking about this subject for the last century, so that the educational pendulum continues to swing back and forth between the need for homework and the need to eliminate homework.

One of the most pressing talking points around homework is how it disproportionately affects students from less affluent families. The American Psychological Association (APA) explained:

“Kids from wealthier homes are more likely to have resources such as computers, internet connections, dedicated areas to do schoolwork and parents who tend to be more educated and more available to help them with tricky assignments. Kids from disadvantaged homes are more likely to work at afterschool jobs, or to be home without supervision in the evenings while their parents work multiple jobs.”

[RELATED] How to Advance Your Career: A Guide for Educators >> 

While students growing up in more affluent areas are likely playing sports, participating in other recreational activities after school, or receiving additional tutoring, children in disadvantaged areas are more likely headed to work after school, taking care of siblings while their parents work or dealing with an unstable home life. Adding homework into the mix is one more thing to deal with — and if the student is struggling, the task of completing homework can be too much to consider at the end of an already long school day.

While all students may groan at the mention of homework, it may be more than just a nuisance for poor and disadvantaged children, instead becoming another burden to carry and contend with.

Beyond the logistical issues, homework can negatively impact physical health and stress — and once again this may be a more significant problem among economically disadvantaged youth who typically already have a higher stress level than peers from more financially stable families .

Yet, today, it is not just the disadvantaged who suffer from the stressors that homework inflicts. A 2014 CNN article, “Is Homework Making Your Child Sick?” , covered the issue of extreme pressure placed on children of the affluent. The article looked at the results of a study surveying more than 4,300 students from 10 high-performing public and private high schools in upper-middle-class California communities.

“Their findings were troubling: Research showed that excessive homework is associated with high stress levels, physical health problems and lack of balance in children’s lives; 56% of the students in the study cited homework as a primary stressor in their lives,” according to the CNN story. “That children growing up in poverty are at-risk for a number of ailments is both intuitive and well-supported by research. More difficult to believe is the growing consensus that children on the other end of the spectrum, children raised in affluence, may also be at risk.”

When it comes to health and stress it is clear that excessive homework, for children at both ends of the spectrum, can be damaging. Which begs the question, how much homework is too much?

The National Education Association and the National Parent Teacher Association recommend that students spend 10 minutes per grade level per night on homework . That means that first graders should spend 10 minutes on homework, second graders 20 minutes and so on. But a study published by The American Journal of Family Therapy found that students are getting much more than that.

While 10 minutes per day doesn’t sound like much, that quickly adds up to an hour per night by sixth grade. The National Center for Education Statistics found that high school students get an average of 6.8 hours of homework per week, a figure that is much too high according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). It is also to be noted that this figure does not take into consideration the needs of underprivileged student populations.

In a study conducted by the OECD it was found that “after around four hours of homework per week, the additional time invested in homework has a negligible impact on performance .” That means that by asking our children to put in an hour or more per day of dedicated homework time, we are not only not helping them, but — according to the aforementioned studies — we are hurting them, both physically and emotionally.

What’s more is that homework is, as the name implies, to be completed at home, after a full day of learning that is typically six to seven hours long with breaks and lunch included. However, a study by the APA on how people develop expertise found that elite musicians, scientists and athletes do their most productive work for about only four hours per day. Similarly, companies like Tower Paddle Boards are experimenting with a five-hour workday, under the assumption that people are not able to be truly productive for much longer than that. CEO Stephan Aarstol told CNBC that he believes most Americans only get about two to three hours of work done in an eight-hour day.

In the scope of world history, homework is a fairly new construct in the U.S. Students of all ages have been receiving work to complete at home for centuries, but it was educational reformer Horace Mann who first brought the concept to America from Prussia. 

Since then, homework’s popularity has ebbed and flowed in the court of public opinion. In the 1930s, it was considered child labor (as, ironically, it compromised children’s ability to do chores at home). Then, in the 1950s, implementing mandatory homework was hailed as a way to ensure America’s youth were always one step ahead of Soviet children during the Cold War. Homework was formally mandated as a tool for boosting educational quality in 1986 by the U.S. Department of Education, and has remained in common practice ever since.  

School work assigned and completed outside of school hours is not without its benefits. Numerous studies have shown that regular homework has a hand in improving student performance and connecting students to their learning. When reviewing these studies, take them with a grain of salt; there are strong arguments for both sides, and only you will know which solution is best for your students or school. 

Homework improves student achievement.

• Source: The High School Journal, “ When is Homework Worth the Time?: Evaluating the Association between Homework and Achievement in High School Science and Math ,” 2012. 
• Source: IZA.org, “ Does High School Homework Increase Academic Achievement? ,” 2014. **Note: Study sample comprised only high school boys. 

Homework helps reinforce classroom learning.

• Source: “ Debunk This: People Remember 10 Percent of What They Read ,” 2015.

Homework helps students develop good study habits and life skills.

• Sources: The Repository @ St. Cloud State, “ Types of Homework and Their Effect on Student Achievement ,” 2017; Journal of Advanced Academics, “ Developing Self-Regulation Skills: The Important Role of Homework ,” 2011.
• Source: Journal of Advanced Academics, “ Developing Self-Regulation Skills: The Important Role of Homework ,” 2011.

Homework allows parents to be involved with their children’s learning.

• Parents can see what their children are learning and working on in school every day. 
• Parents can participate in their children’s learning by guiding them through homework assignments and reinforcing positive study and research habits.
• Homework observation and participation can help parents understand their children’s academic strengths and weaknesses, and even identify possible learning difficulties.
• Source: Phys.org, “ Sociologist Upends Notions about Parental Help with Homework ,” 2018.

While some amount of homework may help students connect to their learning and enhance their in-class performance, too much homework can have damaging effects. 

Students with too much homework have elevated stress levels. 

• Source: USA Today, “ Is It Time to Get Rid of Homework? Mental Health Experts Weigh In ,” 2021.
• Source: Stanford University, “ Stanford Research Shows Pitfalls of Homework ,” 2014.

Students with too much homework may be tempted to cheat. 

• Source: The Chronicle of Higher Education, “ High-Tech Cheating Abounds, and Professors Bear Some Blame ,” 2010.
• Source: The American Journal of Family Therapy, “ Homework and Family Stress: With Consideration of Parents’ Self Confidence, Educational Level, and Cultural Background ,” 2015.

Homework highlights digital inequity. 

• Sources: NEAToday.org, “ The Homework Gap: The ‘Cruelest Part of the Digital Divide’ ,” 2016; CNET.com, “ The Digital Divide Has Left Millions of School Kids Behind ,” 2021.
• Source: Investopedia, “ Digital Divide ,” 2022; International Journal of Education and Social Science, “ Getting the Homework Done: Social Class and Parents’ Relationship to Homework ,” 2015.
• Source: World Economic Forum, “ COVID-19 exposed the digital divide. Here’s how we can close it ,” 2021.

Homework does not help younger students.

• Source: Review of Educational Research, “ Does Homework Improve Academic Achievement? A Synthesis of Researcher, 1987-2003 ,” 2006.

To help students find the right balance and succeed, teachers and educators must start the homework conversation, both internally at their school and with parents. But in order to successfully advocate on behalf of students, teachers must be well educated on the subject, fully understanding the research and the outcomes that can be achieved by eliminating or reducing the homework burden. There is a plethora of research and writing on the subject for those interested in self-study.

For teachers looking for a more in-depth approach or for educators with a keen interest in educational equity, formal education may be the best route. If this latter option sounds appealing, there are now many reputable schools offering online master of education degree programs to help educators balance the demands of work and family life while furthering their education in the quest to help others.

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Homework and Children in Grades 3–6: Purpose, Policy and Non-Academic Impact

• Original Paper
• Open access
• Published: 12 January 2021
• Volume 50 , pages 631–651, ( 2021 )

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Increasing academic demands, including larger amounts of assigned homework, is correlated with various challenges for children. While homework stress in middle and high school has been studied, research evidence is scant concerning the effects of homework on elementary-aged children.

The objective of this study was to understand rater perception of the purpose of homework, the existence of homework policy, and the relationship, if any, between homework and the emotional health, sleep habits, and parent–child relationships for children in grades 3–6.

Survey research was conducted in the schools examining student ( n  = 397), parent ( n  = 442), and teacher ( n  = 28) perception of homework, including purpose, existing policy, and the childrens’ social and emotional well-being.

Preliminary findings from teacher, parent, and student surveys suggest the presence of modest impact of homework in the area of emotional health (namely, student report of boredom and frustration ), parent–child relationships (with over 25% of the parent and child samples reporting homework always or often interferes with family time and creates a power struggle ), and sleep (36.8% of the children surveyed reported they sometimes get less sleep) in grades 3–6. Additionally, findings suggest misperceptions surrounding the existence of homework policies among parents and teachers, the reasons teachers cite assigning homework, and a disconnect between child-reported and teacher reported emotional impact of homework.

Conclusions

Preliminary findings suggest homework modestly impacts child well-being in various domains in grades 3–6, including sleep, emotional health, and parent/child relationships. School districts, educators, and parents must continue to advocate for evidence-based homework policies that support children’s overall well-being.

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Introduction

Children’s social-emotional health is moving to the forefront of attention in schools, as depression, anxiety, and suicide rates are on the rise (Bitsko et al. 2018 ; Child Mind Institute 2016 ; Horowitz and Graf 2019 ; Perou et al. 2013 ). This comes at a time when there are also intense academic demands, including an increased focus on academic achievement via grades, standardized test scores, and larger amounts of assigned homework (Pope 2010 ). This interplay between the rise in anxiety and depression and scholastic demands has been postulated upon frequently in the literature, and though some research has looked at homework stress as it relates to middle and high school students (Cech 2008 ; Galloway et al. 2013 ; Horowitz and Graf 2019 ; Kackar et al. 2011 ; Katz et al. 2012 ), research evidence is scant as to the effects of academic stress on the social and emotional health of elementary children.

Literature Review

The following review of the literature highlights areas that are most pertinent to the child, including homework as it relates to achievement, the achievement gap, mental health, sleep, and parent–child relationships. Areas of educational policy, teacher training, homework policy, and parent-teacher communication around homework are also explored.

Homework and Achievement

With the authorization of No Child Left Behind and the Common Core State Standards, teachers have felt added pressures to keep up with the tougher standards movement (Tokarski 2011 ). Additionally, teachers report homework is necessary in order to complete state-mandated material (Holte 2015 ). Misconceptions on the effectiveness of homework and student achievement have led many teachers to increase the amount of homework assigned. However, there has been little evidence to support this trend. In fact, there is a significant body of research demonstrating the lack of correlation between homework and student success, particularly at the elementary level. In a meta-analysis examining homework, grades, and standardized test scores, Cooper et al. ( 2006 ) found little correlation between the amount of homework assigned and achievement in elementary school, and only a moderate correlation in middle school. In third grade and below, there was a negative correlation found between the variables ( r  =  − 0.04). Other studies, too, have evidenced no relationship, and even a negative relationship in some grades, between the amount of time spent on homework and academic achievement (Horsley and Walker 2013 ; Trautwein and Köller 2003 ). High levels of homework in competitive high schools were found to hinder learning, full academic engagement, and well-being (Galloway et al. 2013 ). Ironically, research suggests that reducing academic pressures can actually increase children’s academic success and cognitive abilities (American Psychological Association [APA] 2014 ).

International comparison studies of achievement show that national achievement is higher in countries that assign less homework (Baines and Slutsky 2009 ; Güven and Akçay 2019 ). In fact, in a recent international study conducted by Güven and Akçay ( 2019 ), there was no relationship found between math homework frequency and student achievement for fourth grade students in the majority of the countries studied, including the United States. Similarly, additional homework in science, English, and history was found to have little to no impact on respective test scores in later grades (Eren and Henderson 2011 ). In the 2015 “Programme of International Student Assessment” results, Korea and Finland are ranked among the top countries in reading, mathematics, and writing, yet these countries are among those that assign the least amount of homework (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development [OECD] 2016 ).

Homework and Mental Wellness

Academic stress has been found to play a role in the mental well-being of children. In a study conducted by Conner et al. ( 2009 ), students reported feeling overwhelmed and burdened by their exceeding homework loads, even when they viewed homework as meaningful. Academic stress, specifically the amount of homework assigned, has been identified as a common risk factor for children’s increased anxiety levels (APA 2009 ; Galloway et al. 2013 ; Leung et al. 2010 ), in addition to somatic complaints and sleep disturbance (Galloway et al. 2013 ). Stress also negatively impacts cognition, including memory, executive functioning, motor skills, and immune response (Westheimer et al. 2011 ). Consequently, excessive stress impacts one’s ability to think critically, recall information, and make decisions (Carrion and Wong 2012 ).

Homework and Sleep

Sleep, including quantity and quality, is one life domain commonly impacted by homework and stress. Zhou et al. ( 2015 ) analyzed the prevalence of unhealthy sleep behaviors in school-aged children, with findings suggesting that staying up late to study was one of the leading risk factors most associated with severe tiredness and depression. According to the National Sleep Foundation ( 2017 ), the recommended amount of sleep for elementary school-aged children is 9 – 11 h per night; however, approximately 70% of youth do not get these recommended hours. According to the MetLife American Teacher Survey ( 2008 ), elementary-aged children also acknowledge lack of sleep. Perfect et al. ( 2014 ) found that sleep problems predict lower grades and negative student attitudes toward teachers and school. Eide and Showalter ( 2012 ) conducted a national study that examined the relationship between optimum amounts of sleep and student performance on standardized tests, with results indicating significant correlations ( r  = 0.285–0.593) between sleep and student performance. Therefore, sleep is not only impacted by academic stress and homework, but lack of sleep can also impact academic functioning.

Homework and the Achievement Gap

Homework creates increasing achievement variability among privileged learners and those who are not. For example, learners with more resources, increased parental education, and family support are likely to have higher achievement on homework (Hofferth and Sandberg 2001 ; Moore et al. 2018 ; Ndebele 2015 ; OECD 2016 ). Learners coming from a lower socioeconomic status may not have access to quiet, well-lit environments, computers, and books necessary to complete their homework (Cooper 2001 ; Kralovec and Buell 2000 ). Additionally, many homework assignments require materials that may be limited for some families, including supplies for projects, technology, and transportation. Based on the research to date, the phrase “the homework gap” has been coined to describe those learners who lack the resources necessary to complete assigned homework (Moore et al. 2018 ).

Parent–Teacher Communication Around Homework

Communication between caregivers and teachers is essential. Unfortunately, research suggests parents and teachers often have limited communication regarding homework assignments. Markow et al. ( 2007 ) found most parents (73%) report communicating with their child’s teacher regarding homework assignments less than once a month. Pressman et al. ( 2015 ) indicated children in primary grades spend substantially more time on homework than predicted by educators. For example, they found first grade students had three times more homework than the National Education Association’s recommendation of up to 20 min of homework per night for first graders. While the same homework assignment may take some learners 30 min to complete, it may take others up to 2 or 3 h. However, until parents and teachers have better communication around homework, including time completion and learning styles for individual learners, these misperceptions and disparities will likely persist.

Parent–Child Relationships and Homework

Trautwein et al. ( 2009 ) defined homework as a “double-edged sword” when it comes to the parent–child relationship. While some parental support can be construed as beneficial, parental support can also be experienced as intrusive or detrimental. When examining parental homework styles, a controlling approach was negatively associated with student effort and emotions toward homework (Trautwein et al. 2009 ). Research suggests that homework is a primary source of stress, power struggle, and disagreement among families (Cameron and Bartel 2009 ), with many families struggling with nightly homework battles, including serious arguments between parents and their children over homework (Bennett and Kalish 2006 ). Often, parents are not only held accountable for monitoring homework completion, they may also be accountable for teaching, re-teaching, and providing materials. This is particularly challenging due to the economic and educational diversity of families. Pressman et al. ( 2015 ) found that as parents’ personal perceptions of their abilities to assist their children with homework declined, family-related stressors increased.

Teacher Training

As homework plays a significant role in today’s public education system, an assumption would be made that teachers are trained to design homework tasks to promote learning. However, only 12% of teacher training programs prepare teachers for using homework as an assessment tool (Greenberg and Walsh 2012 ), and only one out of 300 teachers reported ever taking a course regarding homework during their training (Bennett and Kalish 2006 ). The lack of training with regard to homework is evidenced by the differences in teachers’ perspectives. According to the MetLife American Teacher Survey ( 2008 ), less experienced teachers (i.e., those with 5 years or less years of experience) are less likely to to believe homework is important and that homework supports student learning compared to more experienced teachers (i.e., those with 21 plus years of experience). There is no universal system or rule regarding homework; consequently, homework practices reflect individual teacher beliefs and school philosophies.

Educational and Homework Policy

Policy implementation occurs on a daily basis in public schools and classrooms. While some policies are made at the federal level, states, counties, school districts, and even individual school sites often manage education policy (Mullis et al. 2012 ). Thus, educators are left with the responsibility to implement multi-level policies, such as curriculum selection, curriculum standards, and disability policy (Rigby et al. 2016 ). Despite educational reforms occurring on an almost daily basis, little has been initiated with regard to homework policies and practices.

To date, few schools provide specific guidelines regarding homework practices. District policies that do exist are not typically driven by research, using vague terminology regarding the quantity and quality of assignments. Greater variations among homework practices exist when comparing schools in the private sector. For example, Montessori education practices the philosophy of no examinations and no homework for students aged 3–18 (O’Donnell 2013 ). Abeles and Rubenstein ( 2015 ) note that many public school districts advocate for the premise of 10 min of homework per night per grade level. However, there is no research supporting this premise and the guideline fails to recognize that time spent on homework varies based on the individual student. Sartain et al. ( 2015 ) analyzed and evaluated homework policies of multiple school districts, finding the policies examined were outdated, vague, and not student-focused.

The reasons cited for homework assignment, as identified by teachers, are varied, such as enhancing academic achievement through practice or teaching self-discipline. However, not all types of practice are equally effective, particularly if the student is practicing the skill incorrectly (Dean et al. 2012 ; Trautwein et al. 2009 ). The practice of reading is one of the only assignments consistently supported by research to be associated with increased academic achievement (Hofferth and Sandberg 2001 ). Current literature supports 15–20 min of daily allocated time for reading practice (Reutzel and Juth 2017 ). Additionally, research supports project-based learning to deepen learners’ practice and understanding of academic material (Williams 2018 ).

Research also shows that homework only teaches responsibility and self-discipline when parents have that goal in mind and systematically structure and supervise homework (Kralovec and Buell 2000 ). Non-academic activities, such as participating in chores (University of Minnesota 2002 ) and sports (Hofferth and Sandberg 2001 ) were found to be greater predictors of later success and effective problem-solving.

Consistent with the pre-existing research literature, the following hypotheses are offered:

Homework will have some negative correlation with children’s social-emotional well-being.

The purposes cited for the assignment of homework will be varied between parents and teachers.

Schools will lack well-formulated and understood homework policies.

Homework will have some negative correlation with children’s sleep and parent–child relationships.

This quantitative study explored, via perception-based survey research, the social and emotional health of elementary children in grades 3 – 6 and the scholastic pressures they face, namely homework. The researchers implemented newly developed questionnaires addressing student, teacher, and parent perspectives on homework and on children’s social-emotional well-being. Researchers also examined perspectives on the purpose of homework, the existence of school homework policies, and the perceived impact of homework on children’s sleep and family relationships. Given the dearth of prior research in this area, a major goal of this study was to explore associations between academic demands and child well-being with sufficient breadth to allow for identification of potential associations that may be examined more thoroughly by future research. These preliminary associations and item-response tendencies can serve as foundation for future studies with causal, experimental, or more psychometrically focused designs. A conceptual framework for this study is offered in Fig.  1 .

Conceptual framework

Research Questions

What is the perceived impact of homework on children’s social-emotional well-being across teachers, parents, and the children themselves?

What are the primary purposes of homework according to parents and teachers?

How many schools have homework policies, and of those, how many parents and teachers know what the policy is?

What is the perceived impact of homework on children’s sleep and parent–child relationships?

The present quantitative descriptive study is based on researcher developed instruments designed to explore the perceptions of children, teachers and parents on homework and its impact on social-emotional well-being. The use of previously untested instruments and a convenience sample preclude any causal interpretations being drawn from our results. This study is primarily an initial foray into the sparsely researched area of the relationship of homework and social-emotional health, examining an elementary school sample and incorporating multiple perspectives of the parents, teachers, and the children themselves.

Participants

The participants in this study were children in six Northern California schools in grades third through sixth ( n  = 397), their parents ( n  = 442), and their teachers ( n  = 28). The mean grade among children was 4.56 (minimum third grade/maximum sixth grade) with a mean age of 9.97 (minimum 8 years old/maximum 12 years old). Approximately 54% of the children were male and 45% were female, with White being the most common ethnicity (61%), followed by Hispanic (30%), and Pacific Islander (12%). Subjects were able to mark more than one ethnicity. Detailed participant demographics are available upon request.

Instruments

The instruments used in this research include newly developed student, parent, and teacher surveys. The research team formulated a number of survey items that, based on existing research and their own professional experience in the schools, have high face validity in measuring workload, policies, and attitudes surrounding homework. Further psychometric development of these surveys and ascertation of construct and content validity is warranted, with the first step being their use in this initial perception-based study. Each of the surveys, developed specifically for this study, are discussed below.

Student Survey

The Student Survey is a 15-item questionnaire wherein the child was asked closed- and open-ended questions regarding their perspectives on homework, including how homework makes them feel.

Parent Survey

The Parent Survey is a 23-item questionnaire wherein the children’s parents were asked to respond to items regarding their perspectives on their child’s homework, as well as their child’s social-emotional health. Additionally, parents were asked whether their child’s school has a homework policy and, if so, if they know what that policy specifies.

Teacher Survey

The Teacher Survey is a 22-item questionnaire wherein the children’s teacher was asked to respond to items regarding their perspectives of the primary purposes of homework, as well as the impact of homework on children’s social-emotional health. Additionally, teachers were asked whether their school has a homework policy and, if so, what that policy specifies.

Data was collected by the researchers after following Institutional Review Board procedures from the sponsoring university. School district approval was obtained by the lead researcher. Upon district approval, individual school approval was requested by the researchers by contacting site principals, after which, teachers of grades 3 – 6 at those schools were asked to voluntarily participate. Each participating teacher was provided a packet including the following: a manila envelope, Teacher Instructions, Administration Guide, Teacher Survey, Parent Packet, and Student Survey. Surveys and classrooms were de-identified via number assignment. Teachers then distributed the Parent Packet to each child’s guardian, which included the Parent Consent and Parent Survey, corresponding with the child’s assigned number. A coded envelope was also enclosed for parents/guardians to return their completed consent form and survey, if they agreed to participate. The Parent Consent form detailed the purpose of the research, the benefits and risks of participating in the research, confidentiality, and the voluntary nature of completing the survey. Parents who completed the consent form and survey sent the completed materials in the enclosed envelope, sealed, to their child’s teacher. After obtaining returned envelopes, with parent consent, teachers were instructed to administer the corresponding numbered survey to the children during a class period. Teachers were also asked to complete their Teacher Survey. All completed materials were to be placed in envelopes provided to each teacher and returned to the researchers once data was collected.

Analysis of Data

This descriptive and quantitative research design utilized the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) to analyze data. The researchers developed coding keys for the parent, teacher, and student surveys to facilitate data entry into SPSS. Items were also coded based on the type of data, such as nominal or ordinal, and qualitative responses were coded and translated where applicable and transcribed onto a response sheet. Some variables were transformed for more accurate comparison across raters. Parent, teacher, and student ratings were analyzed, and frequency counts and percentages were generated for each item. Items were then compared across and within rater groups to explore the research questions. The data analysis of this study is primarily descriptive and exploratory, not seeking to imply causal relationships between variables. Survey item response results associated with each research questionnaire are summarized in their respective sections below.

The first research question investigated in this study was: “What is the perceived impact of homework on children’s social-emotional well-being across teachers, parents, and children?” For this question the examiners looked at children’s responses to how homework makes them feel from a list of feelings. As demonstrated in Table 1 , approximately 44% of children feel “Bored” and about 25% feel “Annoyed” and “Frustrated” toward homework. Frequencies and percentages are reported in Table 1 . Similar to the student survey, parents also responded to a question regarding their child’s emotional experience surrounding homework. Based on parent reports, approximately 40% of parents perceive their child as “Frustrated” and about 37% acknowledge their child feeling “Stress/Anxiety.” Conversely, about 37% also report their child feels “Competence.” These results are reported in Table 1 .

Additionally, parents and teachers both responded to the question, “How does homework affect your student’s social and emotional health?” One notable finding from parent and teacher reports is that nearly half of both parents and teachers reported homework has “No Effect” on children’s social and emotional health. Frequencies and percentages are reported in Table 2 .

The second research question investigated in this study was: “What are parent and teacher perspectives on the primary purposes of homework?” For this question the examiners looked at three specific questions across parent and teacher surveys. Parents responded to the questions, “Does homework relate to your child’s learning?” and “How often is homework busy work?” While the majority of parents reported homework “Always” (45%) or “Often” (39%) relates to their child’s learning, parents also feel homework is “Often” (29%) busy work. The corresponding frequencies and percentages are summarized in Table 3 . Additionally, teachers were asked, “What are the primary reasons you assign homework?” The primary purposes of homework according to the teachers in this sample are “Skill Practice” (82%), “Develop Work Ethic” (61%), and “Teach Independence and Responsibility” (50%). The frequencies and percentages of teacher responses are displayed in Table 4 . Notably, on this survey item, teachers were instructed to choose one response (item), but the majority of teachers chose multiple items. This suggests teachers perceive themselves as assigning homework for a variety of reasons.

The third research question investigated was, “How many schools have homework policies, and of those, how many parents and teachers know what the policy is?” For this question the examiners analyzed parent and teacher responses to the question, “Does your school have a homework policy?” Frequencies and percentages are displayed in Table 5 . Notably, only two out of the six schools included in this study had homework policies. Results indicate that both parents and teachers are uncertain regarding whether or not their school had a homework policy.

The fourth research question investigated was, “What is the perceived impact of homework on children’s sleep and parent–child relationships?” Children were asked if they get less sleep because of homework and parents were asked if their child gets less sleep because of homework. Finally, teachers were asked about the impact of sleep on academic performance. Frequencies and percentages of student, parent, and teacher data is reported in Table 6 . Results indicate disagreement among parents and children on the impact of homework on sleep. While the majority of parents do not feel their child gets less sleep because of homework (77%), approximately 37% of children report sometimes getting less sleep because of homework. On the other hand, teachers acknowledge the importance of sleep in relation to academic performance, as nearly 93% of teachers report sleep always or often impacts academic performance.

To investigate the perceived impact of homework on the parent–child relationship, parents were asked “How does homework impact your child’s relationships?” Almost 30% of parents report homework “Brings us Together”; however, 24% report homework “Creates a Power Struggle” and nearly 18% report homework “Interferes with Family Time.” Additionally, parents and children were both asked to report if homework gets in the way of family time. Frequencies and percentages are reported in Table 7 . Data was further analyzed to explore potentially significant differences between parents and children on this perception as described below.

In order to prepare for analysis of significant differences between parent and child perceptions regarding homework and family time, a Levene’s test for equality of variances was conducted. Results of the Levene’s test showed that equal variances could not be assumed, and results should be interpreted with caution. Despite this, a difference in mean responses on a Likert-type scale (where higher scores equal greater perceived interference with family time) indicate a disparity in parent ( M  = 2.95, SD  = 0.88) and child ( M  = 2.77, SD  = 0.99) perceptions, t (785) = 2.65, p  = 0.008. Results suggest that children were more likely to feel that homework interferes with family time than their parents. However, follow up testing where equal variances can be assumed is warranted upon further data collection.

The purpose of this research was to explore perceptions of homework by parents, children, and teachers of grades 3–6, including how homework relates to child well-being, awareness of school homework policies and the perceived purpose of homework. A discussion of the results as it relates to each research question is explored.

Perceived Impact of Homework on Children’s Social-Emotional Well-Being Across Teachers, Parents, and Students

According to self-report survey data, children in grades 3–6 reported that completing homework at home generates various feelings. The majority of responses indicated that children felt uncomfortable emotions such as bored, annoyed, and frustrated; however, a subset of children also reported feeling smart when completing homework. While parent and teacher responses suggest parents and teachers do not feel homework affects children’s social-emotional health, children reported that homework does affect how they feel. Specifically, many children in this study reported experiencing feelings of boredom and frustration when thinking about completing homework at home. If the purpose of homework is to enhance children’s engagement in their learning outside of school, educators must re-evaluate homework assignments to align with best practices, as indicated by the researchers Dean et al. ( 2012 ), Vatterott ( 2018 ), and Sartain et al. ( 2015 ). Specifically, educators should consider effects of the amount and type of homework assigned, balancing the goal of increased practice and learning with potential effects on children’s social-emotional health. Future research could incorporate a control group and/or test scores or other measures of academic achievement to isolate and better understand the relationships between homework, health, and scholastic achievement.

According to parent survey data, the perceived effects of homework on their child’s social and emotional well-being appear strikingly different compared to student perceptions. Nearly half of the parents who participated in the survey reported that homework does not impact their child’s social-emotional health. Additionally, more parents indicated that homework had a positive effect on child well-being compared to a negative one. However, parents also acknowledge that homework generates negative emotions such as frustration, stress and anxiety in their children.

Teacher data indicates that, overall, teachers do not appear to see a negative impact on their students’ social-emotional health from homework. Similar to parent responses, nearly half of teachers report that homework has no impact on children’s social-emotional health, and almost one third of teachers reported a positive effect. These results are consistent with related research which indicates that teachers often believe that homework has positive impacts on student development, such as developing good study habits and a sense of responsibility (Bembenutty 2011 ). It should also be noted, not a single teacher reported the belief that homework negatively impacts children’s’ social and emotional well-being, which indicates clear discrepancies between teachers’ perceptions and children’s feelings. Further research is warranted to explore and clarify these discrepancies.

Primary Purposes of Homework According to Teachers and Parents

Results from this study suggest that the majority of parents believe that homework relates and contributes to their child’s learning. This finding supports prior research which indicates that parents often believe that homework has long-term positive effects and builds academic competencies in students (Cooper et al. 2006 ). Notably, however, nearly one third of parents also indicate that homework is often given as busy work by teachers. Teachers reported that they assigned homework to develop students’ academic skills, work ethic, and teach students responsibility and promote independence. While teachers appear to have good intentions regarding the purpose of homework, research suggests that homework is not an effective nor recommended practice to achieve these goals. Household chores, cooking, volunteer experiences, and sports may create more conducive learning opportunities wherein children acquire work ethic, responsibility, independence, and problem-solving skills (Hofferth and Sandberg 2001 ; University of Minnesota 2002 ). Educators should leverage the use of homework in tandem with other student life experiences to best foster both academic achievement and positive youth development more broadly.

Homework Policies

As evident from parent responses, the majority of parents are unaware if their child’s school has a homework policy and many teachers are also uncertain as to whether their school provides restrictions or guidelines for homework (e.g., amount, type, and purpose). Upon contacting school principals, it was determined that only two of the six schools have a school-wide homework policy. Current data indicates the professionals responsible for assigning homework appear to be unclear about whether their school has policies for homework. Additionally, there appears to be a disconnect between parents and teachers regarding whether homework policies do exist among the sampled schools. The research in the current study is consistent with previous research indicating that policies, if they do exist, are often vague and not communicated clearly to parents (Sartain et al. 2015 ). This study suggests that homework policies in these districts require improved communication between administrators, teachers, and parents.

Perceived Impact of Homework on Children’s Sleep and Parent–Child Relationships

Regarding the importance of sleep on academic performance, nearly all of the teachers included in this study acknowledged the impact that sleep has on academic performance. There was disagreement among children and parents on the actual impact that homework has on children’s sleep. Over one third of children report that homework occasionally detracts from their sleep; however, many parents may be unaware of this impact as more than three quarters of parents surveyed reported that homework does not impact their child’s sleep. Thus, while sleep is recognized as highly important for academic achievement, homework may be adversely interfering with students’ full academic potential by compromising their sleep.

In regard to homework’s impact on the parent child-relationship, parents in this survey largely indicated that homework does not interfere in their parent–child relationship. However, among the parents who do notice an impact, the majority report that homework can create a power struggle and diminish their overall family time. These results are consistent with Cameron and Bartell’s ( 2009 ) research which found that parents often believe that excessive amounts of homework often cause unnecessary family stress. Likewise, nearly one third of children in this study reported that homework has an impact on their family time.

This study provides the foundation for additional research regarding the impact of academic demands, specifically homework, on children’s social-emotional well-being, including sleep, according to children, parents, and teachers. Additionally, the research provides some information on reasons teachers assign homework and a documentation of the lack of school homework policies, as well as the misguided knowledge among parents and teachers about such policies.

The preexisting literature and meta-analyses indicate homework has little to no positive effect on elementary-aged learners’ academic achievement (Cooper et al. 2006 ; Trautwein and Köller 2003 ; Wolchover 2012 ). This led to the question, if homework is not conducive to academic achievement at this level, how might it impact other areas of children’s lives? This study provides preliminary information regarding the possible impact of homework on the social-emotional health of elementary children. The preliminary conclusions from this perception research may guide districts, educators, and parents to advocate for evidence-based homework policies that support childrens’ academic and social-emotional health. If homework is to be assigned at the elementary level, Table 8 contains recommended best practices for such assignment, along with a sample of specific guidelines for districts, educators, and parents (Holland et al. 2015 ).

Limitations and Recommendations for Future Research

Due to the preliminary nature of this research, some limitations must be addressed. First, research was conducted using newly developed parent, teacher, and student questionnaires, which were not pilot tested or formally validated. Upon analyzing the data, the researchers discovered limitations within the surveys. For example, due to the nature of the survey items, the variables produced were not always consistently scaled. This created challenges when making direct comparisons. Additionally, this limited the sophistication of the statistical procedures that could be used, and reliability could not be calculated in typical psychometric fashion (e.g., Cronbach’s Alpha). Secondly, the small sample size may limit the generalizability of the results, especially in regard to the limited number of teachers (n  = 28) we were able to survey. Although numerous districts and schools were contacted within the region, only three districts granted permission. These schools may systematically differ from other schools in the region and therefore do not necessarily represent the general population. Third, this research is based on perception, and determining the actual impacts of homework on child wellness would necessitate a larger scale, better controlled study, examining variables beyond simple perception and eliminating potentially confounding factors. It is possible that individuals within and across rater groups interpreted survey items in different ways, leading to inconsistencies in the underlying constructs apparently being measured. Some phrases such as “social-emotional health” can be understood to mean different things by different raters, which could have affected the way raters responded and thus the results of this study. Relatedly, causal links between homework and student social-emotional well-being cannot be established through the present research design and future research should employ the use of matched control groups who do not receive homework to better delineate the direct impact of homework on well-being. Finally, interpretations of the results are limited by the nested nature of the data (parent and student by teacher). The teachers, parents, and students are not truly independent groups, as student and parent perceptions on the impact of homework likely differ as a function of the classroom (teacher) that they are in, as well as the characteristics of the school they attend, their family environment, and more. The previously mentioned challenge of making direct comparisons across raters due to the design of the surveys, as well as small sample size of teachers, limited the researchers’ ability to address this issue. Future research may address this limitation by collecting data and formulating related lines of inquiry that are more conducive to the analysis of nested data. At this time, this survey research is preliminary. An increased sample size and replication of results is necessary before further conclusions can be made. Researchers should also consider obtaining data from a geographically diverse population that mirrors the population in the United States, and using revised surveys that have undergone a rigorous validation process.

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Holland, M., Courtney, M., Vergara, J. et al. Homework and Children in Grades 3–6: Purpose, Policy and Non-Academic Impact. Child Youth Care Forum 50 , 631–651 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10566-021-09602-8

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A Strong Work Ethic Can *Make* Your Career and Character—Here's How to Develop It

It pays to work hard

Julie Nguyen is a certified relationship coach and freelance mental health and sexuality writer. Her writing explores themes around mental well-being, culture, psychology, trauma, and human intimacy.

Dr. Sabrina Romanoff, PsyD, is a licensed clinical psychologist and a professor at Yeshiva University’s clinical psychology doctoral program.

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Characteristics of a Strong Work Ethic

How to develop a strong work ethic, work ethic skills for success, the downside to a strong work ethic.

My mother was relentless in instilling a strong work ethic in my family. Growing up, we didn’t have much. But we believed in self-reliance and getting things done, no matter what, to get the things we did have. Her value systems forever shaped my attitude and behaviors, teaching me to channel a wholehearted commitment to my actions. 

Chrystal Ramos , a Headspace mental health coach and coach manager, defines a strong work ethic as the ability to set goals and stick to those objectives until they are achieved. According to Ramos, dedication, discipline , productivity , and flexibility are essential qualities for success.

Dreaming about your desires is one thing; taking action to go after them is another. Here’s how and why you should develop a strong work ethic.

Jeremy Dela Rosa , executive advisor for founders and spiritual life coach, notes possessing a strong work ethic can help you show up to work with increased focus, courage, and problem-solving. 

A work ethic is made up of many qualities that contribute to your success and effectiveness in the workplace. Dela Rosa shares some characteristics below: 

Reliability and Integrity

“Follow through on your commitments to build trust . When others trust you, it cultivates a willingness to give you their time, attention, energy, and ideas,” Dela Rosa says. Examples include meeting your deadlines, following through on your projects, and being on time. “More importantly, when you can trust yourself - your confidence rises, fear loses its hold on you, and making decisions becomes easier.”

Flexibility

Dela Rosa points out that society is undergoing rapid shifts, affecting virtually every job on the market today. Adaptability is key to navigating these changes: “Set yourself up for success by accepting that things never remain static, be willing to let go of old patterns and beliefs that no longer serve you and the team, and constantly experiment with new ideas. By letting go of your personal preferences and comfort zone, you will find new perspectives, clarity, and creative solutions with greater ease.”

Set yourself up for success by accepting that things never remain static, be willing to let go of old patterns and beliefs that no longer serve you and the team, and constantly experiment with new ideas.

Humility and Ownership

You won’t know everything and you’ll make mistakes. That’s OK. “Recognize that this is not a reflection of your inherent worth, but rather an opportunity to learn, improve, and take accountability where you can do better and try new angles. Doing so dramatically improves your working relationship with others and builds loyalty with your customers.”

Collaboration

“We live in a world of immense complexity, with many layers of systems constantly interacting with each other - economic, technological, social, legal, or environmental,” Dela Rosa says. “Your ability to support and work with others is an absolute necessity. Without it, you can’t be a team player and tackle challenges with others. This requires clear communication, reciprocity, integrity, and a genuine interest in the well-being of others.” 

Perseverance

"It may seem easier to give up sometimes, for it often takes multiple tries to get things right," Dela Rosa explains. "Whether it be in life, business, or relationships - the greatest rewards are hidden behind the discomfort. Having the grit and resilience to overcome adversity is a superpower, letting you ascend to unimaginable heights.” 

Benefits of Developing a Strong Work Ethic

Developing a strong work ethic is rewarding as you can see your tangible results and it enhances your professional reputation. As your reputation builds, you prove you can take responsibility for your outcomes, sharpening your ability to thrive in dynamic work settings. 

“There are few things more satisfying than seeing your creations completed, shining with a high quality that only you could produce at your best,” Dela Rosa continues. “Whether it be a happy customer, an increase in sales, a more efficient process, or a more beautiful product - having a strong work ethic enables you to consistently deliver, and deliver well.”

A strong work ethic helps you organize your priorities, tasks, and time effectively to meet challenges head-on, reinforcing positive habits. Despite inevitable moments of stress, procrastination, overwhelm, and distraction, you can rely on your hard-earned discipline to push your projects to completion.

“When you deliver consistently, people start to notice. They trust in your capabilities, they respect your input, they gravitate towards your energy, and they become your biggest supporters,” he says. “Your efforts can open up opportunities for a salary increase, promotion, partnership, or a dream job.”

If you don’t have a strong work ethic, it’s easy to feel demotivated, underperform, and turn in sloppy work at your job.

A solid work ethic is needed to maintain motivation, productivity, and high-quality work. When you care about your goals, team, and overall output, it becomes easier to approach your career with a positive attitude and commitment to excellence. 

Ramos says, “A person can develop a strong work ethic by finding out their ‘why’ and ‘what?’.  Why are you here?  What do you want to accomplish?  What do you ultimately hope to achieve?” Engaging in a contemplative dialogue with yourself to identify these motivations and then defining the core principles are pivotal steps to establish pillars in how you approach work.

Dela Rosa shares tips he uses in his coaching practice to guide new founders, entrepreneurs, and members of organizations through this process. 

• Set a vision for who you are and what you stand for: “Understand who you truly are and what you value most. Is it integrity, consistency, quality, speed, pragmatism, creativity, compassion? Envision yourself operating at your absolute best and what that looks and feels like. Then show up each day and make the choices that represent that ideal self.”
• Practice self-discipline: “Believing in something and acting on it are two different things. Each day, commit to small achievable actions and activities that adhere to your goals and principles. Over time, this consistent behavior will turn into habits and routines and yield compounding returns.”
• Set boundaries : He recommends being firm around distractions such as social media, email, and nonessential meetings. Learn to say no when necessary and commit to following through on your true priorities to get your tasks done.  
• Surround yourself with motivated people. “Individuals naturally conform to their environment, and that includes other people. Surround yourself with peers and colleagues who share similar values and work ethics. Their positive influence and feedback can help motivate and inspire you to stay focused and committed to your own goals.”

A 2022 study found job satisfaction is determined by the concept of “realizing a perfect image of oneself,” which is less about viewing your job as a forced obligation and more about seeing it as a space to refine and master your skills.

As you accomplish goals with cognitive effort, your brain releases dopamine, flooding your body with satisfaction. So, whether it’s doing a good job flipping burgers or project managing, doing those tasks with intrinsic motivation pulls the same reward chemical levers in your brain.

This perspective is especially relevant today, as society increasingly shifts away from hustle culture to combat the burnout experienced by younger generations within the capitalist framework.

Among Gen Z, there’s a notable embrace of “ quiet quitting ,” which rejects the idea that work must be the center of your life. At its best, its values can enforce strong boundaries for work/life balance, reclaim your time, and find meaning in your work since you're making time in life for your happiness.

What are some work ethic skills for success? For starters, Dela Rosa suggests being curious about your job which will incentivize you to seek out new knowledge and acquire new skills. He explains that conscientiousness, paying attention to details, and striving for diligence play a big role in your daily efforts.

“The greatest problem solvers are proactive, self-driven, forward-thinking, and solutions-focused,” he says. “By taking initiative, anticipating future needs, and creating solutions before being asked, you lead the way in preventing delays, minimizing disruptions, and accelerating progress. These are key elements to improving work ethic.”

Examples of a Strong Work Ethic

Let’s explore how a strong work ethic can show up in different professions. In education, it might be a science teacher who passionately conducts engaging experiments in class to excite students. In healthcare, it looks like a nurse who goes above and beyond to provide compassionate care to their patients. In entrepreneurship, it may be demonstrated by a founder tirelessly dedicated to their vision, working around the clock to achieve their goals. 

According to Ramos, here are some other pillars you can add to your work ethic to help you succeed further:

• Advocating for yourself: This helps you take control of your career, how you interact with others, and the projects you’re taking on.
• Prioritizing and being intentional about planning your work-life: Manage your time and energy so you can be thoughtful about caring for yourself while juggling work commitments. 
• Educating yourself as a subject matter expert: By staying updated with continuous learnings, you can learn new perspectives and also network with other individuals in your field. 
• Asking for feedback: This feedback helps you identify blind spots, understand how others perceive your work, and grow professionally. 
• Seeking out mentorship: A mentor can look out for your career path, provide opportunities for growth, and offer support and guidance. 

Most importantly, a strong work ethic benefits the team. Dela Rosa says, “When I recollect the best people I’ve worked with, I always remember the ones who were reliable. They showed up with a smile on their face, followed through, and owned their mistakes. Not only did I feel safe and confident they were on my team, but it was an absolute joy to be in their presence and collaborate.”

Although having a strong work ethic can help you get ahead with your job, it can have detrimental effects on your personal life and mental health when taken too far. Dela Rosa notes a strong work ethic can sometimes translate into excessive self-criticism , workaholism, and perfectionism if one strives for flawless execution. To avoid this pitfall, he recommends practicing self-compassion, setting realistic goals , and celebrating your achievements –no matter how small.

“Working long hours and neglecting personal needs can result in burnout, which impacts mental and physical health,” he says. To prevent burnout , he advises his clients to delegate tasks and focus on their health, hobbies, loved ones, and restorative activities such as meditation, exercise, or reading.

Too much focus on your work ethic may lead to excessive performance and criticizing people who aren't able to match your pace. Doing this can disconnect you from your empathy and emotions as you focus more on doing than being. “Judging others based on their work habits can create tension and undermine team cohesion,” Dela Rosa says. “Focus on your own progress and appreciate diversity in working styles. It fosters a supportive work environment where everyone feels valued and respected.”

What This Means For You

Developing a strong work ethic can be a powerful asset in life. By being driven and actualizing your ambitions, you can count on yourself to see your goals through to the end. As you apply yourself and set your goals, it’s important to recognize when you need to recharge to take care of yourself .

When you’re able to effectively channel your hard work, you can fulfill your dreams and find your individual independence.

Grabowski D, Chudzicka-Czupała A, Stapor K. Relationships between work ethic and motivation to work from the point of view of the self-determination theory .  PLoS One . 2021;16(7):e0253145.

Westbrook A, Braver TS. Dopamine does double duty in motivating cognitive effort .  Neuron . 2016;89(4):695-710.

By Julie Nguyen Julie Nguyen is a certified relationship coach and freelance mental health and sexuality writer. Her writing explores themes around mental well-being, culture, psychology, trauma, and human intimacy.

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The Dos and Don’ts of Teaching the Work Ethic

How To Teach Work Ethic

Imagine a scenario where you give an assignment and get back half-hearted work from your students. It isn’t hard to imagine, and it’s a scene that plays out in classrooms on a daily basis. It’s human nature to want to put out the least amount of effort possible. That is unless we have motivation to work harder.

A strong work ethic is one of the most important traits teachers want to instill in their students, so how can we help them learn to love hard work?

Do: Praise students for effort rather than being ‘smart’. If students see that you value hard work, even when the product is not perfect,  then they see you are rewarding a work ethic that will often serve them better than their smarts

Don’t: Allow students to remain stuck in ‘System 1.’ No, your students are not robots, but in System 1 you might start to think they are. What is System 1? According to Todd Finley at Edutopia:

“The efficient and fairly unconscious mode is System 1. Involuntarily reading a Wheaties box, scorning new “athleisure” clothes, and opening a combination lock are all System 1 mental events.”

System 1 tasks are tasks that take minimal thinking and don’t challenge students. What might be a System 1 task to a high school student would be a System 2 task for a younger child, so tailoring the difficulty of tasks to your students is key.

Do: Give assignments that push students to ‘System 2.’ “System 2 mental activities are things like solving problems. System 2 is attention-hungry and physically straining. Your eyes dilate, your breath becomes shallow, your blood pressure quickens, and your muscles bunch” Finley says. Push students beyond the status quo. Of course, every activity shouldn’t be ‘System 2,’ but getting students off autopilot will help them develop stamina and hard work.

Don’t: Become a drill sergeant. While it is important to push students and help them build the stamina to work hard all day, they are still children. They need down time, they need to laugh, and they need a break now and again. If you become too strict, students will consequently rebel and won’t do their best.

Do: Make it fun. Can you challenge students and have fun at the same time? Absolutely! Meeting a challenge is innately fulfilling. Make difficult tasks relevant to students or include competition as part of the activity (teams against each other, beat the timer, etc.)

Don’t: Expect students to jump into new and challenging activities and to love it from day one. If students are used to going through school on autopilot, then increased expectations may be very stressful for them. They are going to need time to adjust to new, higher expectations.

Start small and build from where students are.

Do: Support students. Push them a bit more each day to do better. You don’t have to revamp your entire curriculum and all their activities, just add a dimension of difficulty to tasks they are already familiar with. You can add a writing component, have students work in groups, do some research, etc. Incorporating more in-depth activities bit by bit will help move students toward higher level and deeper thinking.

Don’t: Choose completely teacher directed activities. Students will overall be far less likely to buy in and increase their effort if all the activities they are participating in are close-ended, teacher directed, and irrelevant.

Do: Encourage Creativity. Give students some ownership in their learning . Help them to choose activities that are relevant to them and to be creative. Give students open-ended tasks and encourage out of the box thinking. Play to their strengths by incorporating a variety of activities for students to participate in so that each student gets to experience both what they are strong in and what they are not.

While it may feel impossible to get your students motivated to work hard, rewarding the hard work for its own sake can create a culture of “GRIT”* in your classroom.

* GRIT: Continuing to strive toward goal completion despite set-backs; overcoming the natural temptation to put forth the least amount of effort.

Amy Curletto has been teaching for 12 years in grades K-2. She has a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education and also has endorsements in reading and ESL. Besides education, her other passion is writing and she has always dreamed of being a writer. She lives in Utah with her husband, her 3 daughters, and her miniature schnauzer. She enjoys reading, knitting, and camping.

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The value of homework and developing a good work ethic

• By: Ottawalife Contributor
• Posted: September 30, 2020
• Category: Health

Our son has just returned to physical school after many months of virtual learning. He will also be resuming extracurricular hockey which will leave him short on free time. Soon he will be getting homework as well. Some parents we know say they do not do homework at their house at all, while others say they do it for their children when time gets tight. What are your ideas about homework?

Just Wondering

Answer:  

Dear Just Wondering,

David Andrew Taylor was a Junior B hockey player with the Levack Huskies in the early 1970s. He went on to be an outstanding right-winger for the NHL playing for the LA Kings after stellar performance at university. He was known as a hard worker and often as a teenager, after others had left the rink to socialize, Dave went to the pubic school rink close to the arena and skated and shot pucks by himself for a couple of hours. This hard work ethic and “homework” in his hockey resulted in him becoming a star NHL player and winning an award for perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to ice hockey.

Leona Boyd got her first guitar at age 13 and is a five-time Juno award winner for Instrumental Artist of the Year. Over-practice gave her local dystonia in one of her right-hand fingers. Leona was pushing herself with practice on her chosen instrument. The extra effort that led to mastery led to Leona’s worldwide fame and accomplishment.

Angela Hewitt was three years old and having a lesson every day on the piano. In high school she was practicing the piano three hours a day and at age 16 attended the University of Ottawa where she practiced the piano eight hours a day. Angela is the most accomplished classical musician Ottawa, Ontario ever produced. She achieved that status because of her dedication to practice her chosen instrument and comply with the guidance of her teachers.

Jim Miller is a history professor emeritus from the University of Saskatchewan. He is the author of 10 books and won the Gillam prize in the Humanities in 2014. Jim attended the University of Toronto in the early 60s. A fellow student recalls that Jim attended 15 hours a week of classes and studied over 30 hours per week on his own. Self-directed learning at its finest!

Larry Ross Jones, a retired Ottawa Board of Education teacher, recalls doing homework approximately four hours daily during grade 13. Dr. James Glenn Bradley recalls doing homework during grade 13 sometimes up to six hours a night. I recall myself and most of my friends doing homework approximately three hours nightly all through high school as well. The grades earned allowed the vast majority of such students to attend university and enter assorted professions.

The value of homework has been under debate for decades but for my money there is no question that a reasonable amount of homework completed outside of the classroom is invaluable to the learner at any grade level. The examples above of successful people are proof positive that putting in the extra effort and extra time at learning a new skill can do nothing but improve one’s performance in the school setting. Concepts are introduced to children in the classroom and then reviewed independently at home. When the mothers and fathers become involved the learning can be even greater because the adults can see clearly the strengths of their children and the holes in their learning. Parents come to know the curriculum better and can provide more directed and pertinent guidance to their children. The dads and moms can help their children develop a good work ethic by insisting upon completion of the school work before leisure activities. This kind of training is so very helpful to youngsters when they go to college or university or enter the workforce. There they are totally on their own to do what is required to make the grade academically or satisfy an employer.

Jennifer Atkinson in “ Why Homework is Important ,” speaks about the many advantages of homework. She states that educators are trying to empower kids with confidence and knowledge with homework. These characteristics will enable them to be successful in all aspects of their life. Homework is an opportunity for parents and students to connect as well as reinforce skills and concepts learned in class. Jennifer says homework prepares students for upcoming learning and teaches independence and self- discipline. She states that it encourages initiative and teaches children how to complete tasks. She concurs that parents involved in children’s learning allows them to evaluate their own progeny’s progress and be more in sync with what is going on in the classroom. Jennifer suggests that homework should be varied, meaningful and provide some rote practice additionally.

An interesting article entitled “ Is Homework Beneficial ” by ProCon.org states that “studies show that homework improves student achievement in terms of improved grades, test results and the likelihood to attend college.” A 2006 study by Cooper, Robinson and Patall found that students in classes that were assigned homework outperformed 69 per cent of those from classes that didn’t have homework on both standardized tests and grades. A 2017 study by Bas, Senturk and Cigerci found that “a majority of studies on homework’s impact — 64 per cent in one meta study and 72 per cent in another — showed that take home assignments were effective at improving academic achievement.”

A 2017 article, published in Psychology Today, entitled “ The Value of Homework ” refers to the 10-minute rule. This is an idea supported by the American National Education Association and the American National Parent-Teacher Association. It suggests 10 minutes of homework per grade level per night as a guideline. A child in first grade would do approximately 10 minutes of homework, a child in fifth grade would do approximately 50 minutes of homework and a child in grade 12 would do approximately two hours of homework. This seems to be a reasonable way of approaching the question of how long a child should do school work in the evening and allows balance between school, home, and leisure activities outside of those two environments.

I would be remiss if I did not comment on the reasons why some adults do not support the idea of homework. I refer you to the Stanford research by Clifton B Parker, in 2014. Clifton concluded that too much homework may have negative effects on children and on their life outside of school. Homework can be associated with greater stress, sleep deprivation, and other health problems, and less time for friends and extracurricular activities. I will emphasize here that this study refers to “too much” homework, not just a reasonable amount of homework.

The ProCon.org article also reports that homework can increase stress on children and reduce the amount of leisure time available to them. Sometimes homework can lead to cheating because children do not finish the work themselves but obtain outside help. The Psychology Today article noted that homework can be problematic for children without access to the appropriate technology, a factor of which teachers and parents need to be aware.

So Just Wondering, may I suggest you build homework time into your child’s routine just as surely as his mealtime, bath-time and hockey practice. You will be setting him up for success with his academics and teaching him to prioritize work and play. Should he be unable to complete an assignment you can teach him how to approach his teacher and request an extension or to rearrange his schedule to allow the completion of the task as required. Failing that, allow your son or daughter to take the consequences of non-completion of assignments that his teachers feel is appropriate. This experience in self will be a valuable teacher.

I will conclude with some inspiring quotations about homework Just Wondering:

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

“ A genius is a talented person who does his homework. ” — Thomas Edison

“ Listen to your parents, do your homework, and listen to your teachers. Those are the real heroes. ” — Carl Crawford

Sincerely, Adele

Photo: Jeremy Avery, Unsplash

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Debate on Homework Should be Abolished [In Favour and Against]

Homework, a task students complete outside of school hours, sparks a widespread debate. Many argue it should be abolished. Today, with evolving educational methods, the relevance of homework is a hot topic. Its impact on students’ well-being and learning experience is under scrutiny.

Arguments in Favour Of Homework Should be Abolished

Argument 1: positive effects of abolishing homework on student mental health.

Homework can sometimes feel like a never-ending cycle of stress and pressure for students. Imagine a world where students could focus on learning in the classroom without the looming burden of homework hanging over their heads. Abolishing homework could have a profoundly positive impact on student mental health.

One primary reason why abolishing homework would benefit students’ mental health is the reduction of stress and anxiety. Students often feel overwhelmed by the amount of homework they have to complete, leading to high levels of stress that can affect their overall well-being. By removing this extra pressure, students would have more time to relax, unwind, and engage in activities that bring them joy.

Moreover, abolishing homework can improve students’ sleep quality. Many students stay up late trying to finish assignments, sacrificing valuable hours of sleep in the process. Sleep is essential for mental health, and getting enough rest allows students to focus better in school and feel more refreshed and energized.

Additionally, abolishing homework can help students maintain a healthier work-life balance. Students deserve time to pursue their interests, spend time with family and friends, and engage in extracurricular activities. Without the burden of homework, students would have more opportunities to explore their passions and develop a well-rounded lifestyle.

Furthermore, abolishing homework can enhance students’ confidence and self-esteem. When students are constantly struggling to complete assignments, it can take a toll on their belief in their abilities. By eliminating homework, students can feel more confident in their academic skills and approach learning with a positive attitude.

In conclusion, abolishing homework could be a significant step towards promoting better mental health among students. By reducing stress, improving sleep quality, fostering a healthier work-life balance, and boosting confidence, students can thrive academically and emotionally in a homework-free environment.

Argument 2: Fostering Family Bonding and Social Skills Through the Abolition of Homework

When homework is abolished, families have more opportunities to bond and connect with each other. Instead of being engrossed in individual tasks, students and their families can engage in shared activities like cooking together, playing games, or simply talking about their day. These moments of togetherness can strengthen family relationships and create lasting memories that may not have been possible if homework were taking up all the time.

Furthermore, abolishing homework can also help students develop important social skills. Without the burden of homework, students have more time to interact with their siblings, parents, and even neighbors. These interactions allow them to practice communication, empathy, and teamwork in a real-world setting. Through conversations and activities with family members, students can learn how to express themselves effectively, resolve conflicts peacefully, and understand different perspectives.

In addition, by abolishing homework, schools can encourage students to participate in community activities and events. Students can join clubs, sports teams, or volunteer organizations, fostering a sense of belonging and social responsibility. These extracurricular activities not only provide opportunities for students to make new friends but also help them develop leadership skills, teamwork, and resilience.

In conclusion, abolishing homework can have a positive impact on fostering family bonding and social skills among students. By prioritizing quality time with family members and engaging in social activities outside of school, students can develop stronger relationships, communication skills, and a sense of community. Ultimately, by promoting these aspects, schools can contribute to the holistic development of students and prepare them for success in both their personal and professional lives.

Arguments Against Of Homework Should be Abolished

Argument 1: detrimental impact on academic performance and learning retention.

Homework can be a source of stress and anxiety for many students. It takes away precious time that could be spent on other activities like hobbies, sports, or spending time with family and friends. This burden of homework can lead to students feeling overwhelmed and exhausted, affecting their overall well-being and mental health.

Furthermore, the pressure to complete homework assignments can sometimes result in students rushing through their work just to meet deadlines. This rush to finish tasks can compromise the quality of their learning and understanding of the material. Instead of deeply engaging with the subject matter, students may simply focus on completing the assignment quickly, leading to surface-level learning that is quickly forgotten.

Research has shown that excessive homework can actually have a negative impact on academic performance. When students are overloaded with homework, they may struggle to retain the information they are trying to learn. This can result in lower test scores and a lack of true mastery of the material. Without sufficient time to review and consolidate what they have learned in class, students may find themselves falling behind academically.

Moreover, the stress and pressure associated with homework can create a barrier to effective learning. Students may feel demotivated and disengaged from their studies when faced with an overwhelming amount of homework to complete. This can hinder their ability to develop a genuine interest in the subjects they are studying and can lead to a lack of enthusiasm for learning.

In conclusion, the detrimental impact of homework on academic performance and learning retention is a significant concern that should not be overlooked. By abolishing homework, we can create a more balanced and holistic approach to education that prioritizes student well-being and genuine understanding of the material.

Argument 2: Loss of Individual Accountability and Work Ethic

Homework can sometimes lead to a loss of individual accountability and work ethic among students. When homework is assigned, some students may rely on others to complete it for them, instead of taking responsibility for their own learning. This can create a habit of dependency, where students do not develop the skills needed to work independently and take ownership of their education.

Additionally, when students are given homework tasks that they do not understand, it can be demotivating and lead to a lack of effort in completing the assignments. This lack of motivation can hinder the development of a strong work ethic, as students may not see the value in putting in the effort to complete tasks that they perceive as irrelevant or too challenging.

Moreover, the pressure to complete homework assignments on time can sometimes cause students to prioritize speed over quality. This can result in rushed and incomplete work, which does not foster a sense of pride in one’s accomplishments or encourage students to strive for excellence in their academic pursuits.

Furthermore, when students are burdened with excessive amounts of homework, it can take away from valuable time that could be spent engaging in other activities that promote personal growth and development. Without the opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities, hobbies, or simply relax and recharge, students may struggle to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

In conclusion, the practice of assigning homework can inadvertently contribute to a loss of individual accountability and work ethic among students. By abolishing homework, we can create a learning environment that encourages students to take ownership of their education, develop a strong work ethic, and prioritize meaningful learning experiences over rote tasks.

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Is work ethic what it used to be? Survey finds disconnect between perception and reality

Office workers. Ivan Pantic/iStockPhoto / Getty Images

Scott Schieman is a professor in the department of sociology at the University of Toronto. Daniel Hill is a graduate student in the department of sociology at the University of Toronto.

Does anyone want to work anymore?

Since 2020, we’ve endured a stream of supposed work trends. “Quiet quitting” is among the most prominent. According to TikTok, it’s when you “ quit the idea of going above and beyond .”

Gallup recently claimed that “‘quiet quitters’ make up at least 50 per cent of the U.S. workforce — probably more.” Canada is purportedly worse , with two thirds of workers quiet quitting.

Quiet quitting supposedly reflects a new age of anti-ambition, where “decentering” work is celebrated. As Simone Stolzoff proclaims in his recent book The Good Enough Job: Reclaiming Life from Work , work-life balance needs a recalibration. “Go for good enough” is now inspirational advice. The message: Work less — and care less about it.

While the pendulum seems to have swung to the “life” side, some wonder if it has gone too far. Is work ethic fading?

To find out, we partnered with the research firm YouGov to conduct a survey of 5,000 Americans in November of 2023. We then partnered with research firm Angus Reid to replicate that same survey with 2,500 Canadians in May of 2024. We call our study the MESSI ( Measuring Employment Sentiments and Social Inequality ).

Directly measuring work ethic is challenging. As one indicator, we asked respondents: “How much effort do you put into your job beyond what is required?” If work ethic is waning, most people should answer “none.”

But that wasn’t the case — not even close. Even more striking is that the numbers are similar for American and Canadian full-time workers. In both surveys, roughly 52 per cent said “a lot,” 35 per cent said “some,” 10 per cent said “a little,” and a mere 3 per cent said “none.”

Has work ethic changed over time? To check, we excavated data from the classic 1977 Quality of Employment Survey and found Americans were similar to our 2023 MESSI. In 1977, 57 per cent said “a lot,” 36 per cent said “some,” 5 per cent said “a little” and 2 per cent said “none” when asked the same question. As much as things change about the organization and culture of work, the average worker’s willingness to go above and beyond has barely budged.

But how can we explain the disconnect between all the bad vibes and rhetoric about work these days and workers’ responses about their own work ethic? To find out, in both MESSI surveys we asked: “How much effort do you think the ‘average [American/Canadian] worker’ puts into their job beyond what is required?” In a surprise to likely no one, most people think they work harder than others.

While 52 per cent of American and Canadian workers say they personally put a lot of effort into their job beyond what is required, only 13 per cent of all workers believe that the average American or Canadian worker does the same.

So, to answer the question about if anyone wants to work anymore, the simple answer is yes. But there is a major disconnect between how hard we say we work and how hard we think others work.

We really got a sense of the bad vibes — how lousy it is “out there,” for everyone else — when we asked workers about work ethic. Here’s just a sampling of what people told us.

A caterer declared that people “in general these days hate their jobs and don’t want to work at all.” A janitor lamented: “Not many people want to work, and if they do, most of them complain about their work or other people they work with.” And a locksmith added: “Most people are just not interested in working more than they have to.”

“I feel attitudes have changed a lot,” a cook explained. “People used to work hard to get their jobs done and were happy with their paycheque. Now a lot of people don’t care, choose when they feel like working, and complain a lot.”

A CEO of a roofing company amplified the point: “In an era of rampant poor work ethic, chronic victimhood mentality and the worst combination of self-entitlement with intense envy of what is perceived that everyone else has, most people are unnecessarily miserable at their jobs.”

Despite what most Americans and Canadians think, most workers say they are still willing to go above and beyond. On balance, that’s a good thing. Working hard is anchoring for our sense of self and motivation.

A 67-year-old custodian told us: “Most people, if truthful, don’t work for the money; rather, people derive their satisfaction from the things that come from steady work — pride, personal responsibility, satisfaction and the ability to determine what they want to achieve or accomplish.”

The residual aftershocks of the pandemic and the so-called Great Resignation have sullied work’s reputation. We believe that a perception-reality check about the state of work ethic is needed to correct the prevalence inflation that sustains the pessimism.

Cutting into those bad vibes would be a small step toward repairing work’s damaged reputation.

This column is part of Globe Careers’ Leadership Lab series, where executives and experts share their views and advice about the world of work. Find all Leadership Lab stories at tgam.ca/leadershiplab and guidelines for how to contribute to the column here .

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Homework tips for supporting children in primary school

Homework can be a sticking point for busy families.

After experts questioned its relevance for primary schoolers, many of you weighed in on Facebook, disagreeing on how much, if any, homework is the right amount for this age group. 

So, what is beneficial? And what are some strategies to help make it a less stressful part of the day for both parents and kids?

What's the value in homework?

Grattan Institute deputy program director Amy Haywood says there is value in homework — particularly set reading — for primary school-aged kids.

Ms Haywood, based in Naarm/Melbourne, says time spent reading independently or with an adult "is a really good use of time because it builds up the vocabulary".

In addition to reading, other key skills such as maths can be a focus.

"In classes is where they're doing a lot of the learning of new content or skills, and then outside the school might be opportunity to practise."

She says there's "clear evidence around practice leading to mastery, and then the mastery having an impact on students' engagement in school, [and] their confidence with taking on different learning tasks".

There's also a case for homework in later primary years as you might want them to build some of those study habits before they go into secondary school.

But, she says "schools need to be careful about what homework they are setting".

Communicate with the school

Ms Haywood encourages parents to speak to teachers if they have concerns about set homework.

"[Teachers] may not necessarily realise that a student is spending a lot of time or needing quite a bit of help.

"That new information is very useful for a teacher because it means that they can go back and understand what they might need to reteach and any misconceptions that they need to go over."

Find the best time for your family

Parenting expert and family counsellor Rachel Schofield says finding the best time for homework in your family's routine is important.

Based in New South Wales' Bega Valley, on traditional lands of the Yuin-Monaro Nations, she says for some families fitting it into the morning routine is easier.

It's also about when parents and caregivers are in "the best shape" to help, "because if you've got a kid that's battling homework, you're going to have to be in emotionally good shape".

"If you're really stressed at the end of the day, then that's probably not the best time."

Ms Schofield says "parents have incredibly busy lives" but if you can carve out the time "homework can become a place where you actually get to slow down and stop".

She says children below the age of 10 need a lot a supervision and shouldn't be expected to do homework independently.

Why homework straight after school might not work 

Ms Schofield says kids "need decompression time after school".

She says there's an understandable tendency among busy parents to get homework out of the way as soon as possible, but this could be working against them.

Snacks, play and time to offload are usually what primary-aged kids need, Ms Schofield says.

Some time to play and connect with a parent after school can be "really helpful".

Even 10 minutes "can make the whole trajectory of the evening go differently", she says.

Ms Schofield says kids can come home with "a lot of emotional stuff" and rough-and-tumble-play can be a good way to spend time with them and help them decompress after school.

Ms Schofield says you can also try and engage with your child 'playfully' if they are refusing to do homework.

It's tempting to be stern and serious in response, but she says treating it more "goofily" by poorly attempting to complete it yourself or asking your child for help with a task might get a better result.

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10 Ways to Help Children Develop A Strong Work Ethic

This is a guest post by Ron Stefanski, founder of JobsForTeensHQ.com

A strong work ethic is one of the keys to a leading a successful adult life, and not just in the workplace! A well developed and healthy work ethic is a skill best learned in childhood and will serve a person throughout their entire adult life, both on and off the job.

Instilling a sense of a strong work ethic in your child doesn’t have to be difficult, it doesn’t have to be tiresome, and it can absolutely be fun!

While developing a strong and healthy work ethic is an ongoing process, there are plenty of things you can do with children, even very small children, to help them grow into adults with a keen sense of responsibility and willingness to “get the job done.”

#1 Regular Chores

Chores are often the first “jobs” our children experience in their lives.  Whether it’s loading the dishwasher or mowing the lawn, children of all ages (even very young children) are capable of doing chores. Even children as young as three can carry their plate from the dinner table to the sink, wipe up small spills off the floor, and put things in the hamper.

#2 Helping Around The House

Helping around the house is different from doing “chores”. Chores are assigned to each family member depending on their age and ability, while “helping out” is something that should be expected of everyone. If you’re dusting, hand your child a rag and ask them to help out! Set the groundwork for the expectation that every member of the family is responsible, at least in part, for the successful running of the household. Asking children to help out without the expectation of a reward is a great way to instill a sense of pride and work ethic in them.

#3 School Work

Homework is your child’s first “job”. Encouraging them to take pride in their work (not just getting good grades) is a great way to instill a strong work ethic in them. While schoolwork isn’t always fun, you should frame it as an opportunity to “do a good job” and “learn” rather than treating it as yet another job to be finished as soon as possible.

#4 Helping Those In Need

Encourage your children to help out those in need without the expectation of receiving something in return. Whether it be a friend, an elderly neighbor, the local homeless population , or even an animal, encouraging empathy and consideration for others is another way to instill a sense of work ethic and pride in our children.

#5 Volunteer Work

If no opportunities to be organically helpful present themselves, you can seek our volunteer work for your child. You can tailor the type of volunteer work to their interests. If they love animals, a few hours on a Saturday at the animal shelter could be perfect.

#6 Part-time Work

For children that are old enough, a part-time job can be an excellent way to instill a healthy work ethic. Jobs outside the home differ from chores and schoolwork in that it’s often the first time that children are answerable to a boss (other than mom or dad!).  There are plenty of jobs that are suitable for children, even young teens , and you can try to match up a part-time job with your child’s interests.

#7 Summer Jobs

If you are uncomfortable with your child holding a part-time job during the school year, a summer job may be a great alternative. Not only will it keep your child from being bored once the novelty of summer vacation wears off, but it’s a great way to make a little extra money and learn valuable lessons in responsibility.

#8 Plenty of Encouragement

Praising your child for a job well done is one of the less concrete, but still very important, things you can do to instill a healthy sense of work ethic. Telling them that they’ve done a good job is effective, but you don’t need to lie. If a child doesn’t successfully complete a chore but you can tell that they tried, you should encourage them for their effort and offer gentle suggestions on how to improve.

#9 Delayed Gratification

Delaying gratification, whether it be in the form of an allowance at the end of the week or a reward for a job well done, is a good way to help instill work ethic in children. Immediate gratification feels nice in the moment, but developing the capacity to wait for praise and/or a reward is good practice for adulthood.

#10 Teaching by Example

One of the best things you can do to instill a healthy sense of work ethic in your children is leading by example! Kids are remarkably observant and will look to you as a model.

What are you doing to help your children devleop a strong work ethic? Share your ideas in the comment section below.

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The Ethics of Working from Home

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A panel discussion, "Economic, Ethical, and Legal Attributes of Working from Home," explores this growing trend.

As communications technology makes it possible for employees to work from almost anywhere, businesses are confronting the question of whether doing so makes good business sense, and whether employees should be allowed to do so. A panel discussion called "Economic, Ethical, and Legal Attributes of 'Working from Home'" at the Business and Organizational Ethics Partnership explored the ramifications of this decision.

Yahoo generated a lot of attention when it announced that employees needed to work in their assigned office, not remotely, to increase collaboration. Other companies offer flexible schedules to accommodate workers' child care, elder care, or other personal needs. And some companies have taken a third approach, called ROWE, which stands for results-oriented work environment. These companies look exclusively at whether employees are getting their work done and don't worry about when or where it happened; only its volume and quality.

The panel was moderated by Kristin Major, vice president and deputy general counsel for global functions and information services at Hewlett-Packard Co. Panelists were Patty Woolcock, executive director of the California Strategic Human Resource Partnership; Eric Severson, senior vice president of global talent solutions for Gap Inc.; and Laura Maechtlen, a partner in the San Francisco office of Seyfarth Shaw LLP.

Severson told the story of Gap Inc. and its transformation to ROWE in the early 2000s. In the pre-recession economy, the company had turnover rates as high as 35 percent in professional creative positions. It also wanted to differentiate itself in the talent market.

Severson said in their extensive research, they were "challenged to find anything that suggested that physical presence correlated with productivity or collaboration." They also found that "process measures" such as how much time people spent logged onto the computer network did not correlate with productivity, since an employee who is browsing Facebook is on the network but a creative designer who is sketching new products ideas in the lobby of the building may not be.

Productivity, communication, quality, and service levels all increased after the ROWE program was implemented. Gap found that employees were getting an average of 1 hour more of sleep per night with ROWE, which correlates highly with better job performance. Also, the percentage of employees who exercised regularly nearly doubled.

Although Gap Inc.'s ROWE program allows employees to not work in the office at all, what employees used it for most was to change their starting and ending times, often to save time on their commute time. The percentage of employees working from home did go up but remained relatively low.

For now, Gap Inc.'s ROWE program is only available for its professional workers, since employees in stores can't work from other places. However, Severson said they are looking at how to replicate the spirit of the program in stores, possibly by creating a system that lets employees switch shifts without manager intervention.

Severson said that generally, programs like this decrease voluntary turnover and increase involuntary turnover, as it becomes clear which employees were "always there but not actually accomplishing anything." Gap Inc. cut its voluntary turnover rates in half after implementing the ROWE program. Involuntary turnover tripled, but it was a very small percentage to begin with.

One risk with evaluating employees only on results is that if the expected results are unrealistic, employees may find themselves with plenty of flexibility but still working all the time. Severson said Gap Inc. manages this by measuring employee engagement in quarterly surveys. "You can't have high employee engagement if you're driving employees into the ground," he said. "It doesn't ever work."

Panelists also discussed the real challenges that come with having employees working in different locations, whether those are satellite offices or the employees' homes.

"You have to make things more explicit than you might have when you no longer see people face-to-face every day," Woolcock said. Setting expectations about how quickly remote parties will respond to email, for example, is more important when you can't just stop by their office.

These expectation-setting conversations may be more difficult when they have to be formal, Major said. "When you're in the same office, it's easier to stop by and ask casually about when something will be done."

Making remote work successful also requires more communication about what equipment will be supplied, for example, and clear communication with all employees about how managers decide who is allowed to work remotely.

"I think if you have managers who are trained well and manage actively, then you can manage workers effectively whether they're in the office or out of the office," Maechtlen said.

Margaret Steen is a freelance author.

Report Card Comments & Phrases—Work and Study Habits

Report Card Comments & Phrases—Work Habits

Report card comments.

As I have explained in my previous reports, ________ does not use his/her time wisely in class. Please help him/her to understand that we study in class and play at only certain times in school.

When _______ is able to settle down, he/she does much better work. However, he/she is often seeking the attention of his/her classmates, which causes distraction for everyone.

As we have discussed in previous meetings, __________ must continue to improve his/her study habits. We need to encourage him/her to be much more serious about the work he does.

_______ loves artistic activities. However, I am concerned about the amount of time he/she spends drawing when he/she has other work to do. Can we please meet to discuss strategies to help _________ correct this issue?

________ is doing grade-level work at this time. However, I am sure he is capable of turning in better work. When he improves his concentration abilities, I know the work will improve.

_______ misuses much of his work time daydreaming and then does not complete the work in time. He is capable of finishing the work in the allotted time and needs to start doing so.

________ has been doing good work at times, but it is not consistent. She can be very social and restless and often does not finish his/her work on time. Thank you for your help at home. Please continue to work with him/her on this issue.

________ is very anxious to get his/her work done, yet he/she tends to be bothersome to other students around him/her. Although he/she has shown progress in this area over the past month, he/she still needs to work on it.

_______ is having difficulty because he frequently talks out loud and disturbs the other students. He is trying to improve this bad habit and has shown some growth in the past few weeks.

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Report Card Phrases

______ works well in groups, planning and carrying out activities.

______ needs to work democratically with others in groups.

______ needs to develop a better sense of responsibility.

______ wants responsibilities and follows through.

______ now accepts responsibility well.

______ is an attentive student.

______ is gaining self-confidence.

______'s work habits are improving.

______ has the ability to follow directions.

______ requires incentives.

______'s assignments and/or homework are incomplete and/or late.

______ needs to pay attention in class.

______ needs better study skills.

Please encourage him/her to do things on his/her own.

______ is learning to listen to directions more carefully.

______ is learning to be a better listener.

______ is learning to share and listen.

______ listens carefully.

______ is a good worker and an attentive listener.

______ evaluates what he/she hears.

______ needs to listen to all directions.

______ has difficulty following directions.

______'s hand work is beautifully done.

______ enjoys doing neat, careful work.

______'s work is neatly and accurately done.

______ does colorful and interesting art work.

______ takes pride in work well done.

______ makes careless errors.

______ is disorganized.

______ needs to proofread work.

______ is learning to occupy his time constructively.

______ always uses his/her time wisely.

______ never completes assignments in the allotted time.

______ is becoming more dependable during work periods.

______ is gaining independence.

______ is becoming more self-reliant.

______ works independently on assignments.

______ fails to finish independent assignments.

______ comprehends well, but needs to work more quickly.

______ needs to be urged.

______ lacks independence.

______ is too easily distracted.

______ works too slowly.

______ does not complete assignments in the allotted time.

______ seems unable to finish required work.

______ often completes work early.

______ is not very appreciative of the value of time.

______ is sacrificing accuracy for unnecessary speed in his written work.

______ has great potential and works toward achieving it.

______ is working to full capability.

______ is a steadfast, conscientious worker.

______ is enthusiastic about work in general.

______ seeks information.

______ is a hard-working student.

______ is extremely conscientious.

______ is a pleasant, conscientious student.

______ is a hard worker.

______ is an enthusiastic worker during the ____ period.

______ is a polite and conscientious pupil.

______ must improve work habits if he is to gain the fundamentals needed for ___ grade work.

______ is inconsistent in his/her efforts, especially in _______.

______ makes little effort when not under direct supervision.

______ is anxious to please.

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"Iga Swiatek has the same work ethic as Rafael Nadal" "She's a psycho" - Fans react to Pole sweeping court at French Open

I ga Swiatek was captured sweeping a practice court at Roland Garros ahead of a training session. The three-time French Open champion's act caught the eye of tennis fans.

Swiatek breezed into the second round of the ongoing French Open after a dominant 6-1, 6-2 win over Leolia Jeanjean. The reigning World No. 1 is slated to next lock horns with former World No. 1 Naomi Osaka on Wednesday, May 29.

Before a training session on the Roland Garros practice courts, Swiatek was seen using a drag brush and a line scrub to ensure that everything was in order before she started training.

Tennis fans on Reddit were quick to voice their opinions on Swiatek's decision to take court maintenance matters into her own hands. One set of fans lauded the Pole, with one fan drawing a parallel to Swiatek's idol, Rafael Nadal.

"I don't think his is about trust. Its just that she has the same work ethic as Nadal. Not afraid to do labour, even being World Number 1. It's about humility," one fan wrote .

"I saw her do this in Stuttgart AFTER practice. Sweeping the court so it's ready for the next player. Good girl. Most players wouldn't bother doing that themselves," commented another fan .

"Makes sense. You take care of the court, the court takes care of you!" another fan chimed in .

Another set of fans came up with humorous reactions to Swiatek's act.

"Iga's a psycho and I love her for it lol," wrote one fan .

"This is her secret weapon, sweeping helps with her proprioception on the court," another fan commented .

"This gives me spiritual / monk vibes for some reason," another fan wrote .

"It is pretty tricky" - Iga Swiatek on facing Naomi Osaka in the second round of the French Open

Following her emphatic win over Jeanjean, Swiatek assessed her upcoming second-round clash against Osaka. According to the Pole, despite the differences in her and Osaka's games and current rankings, it will be "tricky" to get past the World No. 134-ranked Japanese .

"I don't think it (their different styles of play and ranking positions) matters on the court. I'll prepare like for any other match but for sure, nowadays, in women's draw you can play Grand Slam champions early in the tournament and it is pretty tricky, you know, these players are really experienced," Swiatek said during a press conference.

Swiatek and Osaka's last meeting on the WTA Tour came in the final of the 2022 Miami Open. On that occasion, it was the Pole who came out on top to become the World No. 1 for the first time in her career.

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Uri study to examine ethical considerations of using generative ai in communications work.

KINGSTON, R.I. – May 28, 2024 – If you’ve heard the term deepfake, you may have some notion of how artificial intelligence can be used in communications. Earlier this year, a robocall purportedly of President Joe Biden discouraging voters from participating in the New Hampshire state primary prompted swift investigation by election officials as well as action by the Federal Communications Commission. More recently, TikTok announced its intention to label AI-generated content as the technology becomes more universal.

But how are professional communicators and public relations firms utilizing generative AI? And what are the ethical considerations for doing so? That’s what a new study from researchers at the University of Rhode Island , along with industry partner and independent public relations agency MikeWorldWide , aims to discover. The study, made possible through a $10,000 grant from The Arthur W. Page Center for Integrity in Public Communication at Penn State, will explore the drivers and barriers to the adoption of AI technology as well as perceptions of its ethical use.

“There is a lot of emerging technology available in the space of generative AI,” says Ammina Kothari, director of URI’s Harrington School of Communication and Media . “But when we talk about generative AI in the space of public relations, the types that apply very directly are things like image generation and cloning of voices.”

From a business perspective, she says, it’s much more cost-effective to utilize these types of technologies than creating a campaign that would involve purchasing images or hiring actors or photographers and paying for a shoot or recording session. However, ethical concerns remain.

“Use of AI technology in creative work is a growing trend and one I don’t think any company can completely avoid these days,” said Joon Kim, URI assistant professor of public relations and communication studies. “But an important question is what firms disclose to their clients and how they communicate about its use.”

Kothari and Kim agree that it is important that clients understand what they are paying for. There are also concerns about how an artist’s work may be co-opted by generative AI platforms. The two also note the similarity between tools and how the tools collect data to generate output.

“By their nature, PR and ad campaigns should be unique,” says Kothari. “So, if you are replacing what is – essentially – a very human contribution, and companies are using the same or similar tools, how do you differentiate?”

“AI will drive an array of evolutions for the public relations industry, from reporting, gathering insights and curating content,” says Bret Werner, president of MikeWorldWide and a URI alumnus. “However, what makes a successful PR strategy is its inherent understanding of connecting with audiences, which cannot be lost. By leveraging our own client partners and employees, we’ll unearth the industry’s view, acceptance, and concerns around this technology wave we find ourselves on.”

Research will commence this summer with a field study that will include in-depth interviews and research on industry use of generative AI tools, its challenges and ethical issues surrounding its use, which will help form the basis of a broader survey of public relations practitioners. Additionally, the team will develop and field a second survey of public relations clients and potential clients to ascertain their understanding of generative AI and perception of its use for strategic communication.

Study findings will provide a fuller picture of AI use in the public relations industry and client perceptions and uncover any disconnect between the two. Additionally, knowledge gained as to challenges and ethical issues surrounding its use will provide practitioners with insights that will help to pave the way for more effective, ethical, and transparent communication.

Game 1 lineup: Peter Laviolette-led Rangers prepared for biggest test yet

TARRYTOWN - The exact number of coaches Chris Drury interviewed last summer isn’t public knowledge, but it’s known around NHL circles to be substantial.

Peter Laviolette was up first on that long list, and by the time the Rangers’ team president and general manager completed the thorough process to his satisfaction, he found himself drawn right back to the candidate who kicked off the month-plus marathon.

“As some of you have noted, I was meticulous,” Drury told reporters from the MSG Training Center on Tuesday. “I took my time and did a lot of homework. It just so happened to be scheduling wise, Peter was the first person I interviewed, and no one came close to knocking him out of the box.”

Nearly a year later, with the Blueshirts one of only four teams still alive in the chase for the Stanley Cup, Drury's decision is looking wise.

Laviolette wasn’t the most exciting hire for a fan base that had seen him bounce around with five teams prior to landing in New York, but his experienced, steady hand turned out to be exactly what these Rangers needed.

Drury described a highly organized approach with a willingness and aptitude to adjust when needed, while players have raved about improved communication and lineup stability .

"It's been a lot of preparation from day one in camp – from a system standpoint, to a finding our identity standpoint, to the competitiveness in practice, and then to a continuity standpoint, too," center Vincent Trocheck said. "We’ve all had a familiar role or linemates throughout the entire year, and I think that continuity helps. Everything that we've done this whole year, it’s been to build ourselves to this point – to a team that we think can win a championship. Now it's just kind of putting everything that we've worked on all year to use."

Above all, Drury recognized that the Blueshirts needed to be pushed harder in the aftermath of last season's devastating first-round loss to the New Jersey Devils.

Their world-class talent needed a world-class work ethic to match it.

He attempted to accomplish that with a handful of grit-minded acquisitions in recent years − beginning with the 2021 offseason additions of Sammy Blais, Barclay Goodrow, Patrik Nemeth and Ryan Reaves, with Goodrow the only one left standing, and extending to the much more successful 2022 signing of Vincent Trocheck − but fulfilling that hard-to-play-against mantra was going require a more consistent voice of accountability on the bench.

That made the demanding-but-fair Laviolette an ideal fit.

“A lot of it, to me, comes down to details and planning,” Drury said. “You saw right from the first minute in a training camp, the details we were working on, the pace at which practice and training camp was played. I think guys understood right from there, things around here were elevated and you better be ready to go.”

Anyone who's been around the team in recent seasons has witnessed the difference under this coaching staff .

The Rangers are split into two groups every practice, with winners and losers being crowned based on the results of each drill. The tempo has noticeably ratcheted up compared to the relaxed approach of previous coach Gerard Gallant, as has the variance with more diverse practice plans.

The result has been treating every day with playoff-like intensity.

"We’re competing against each other," veteran Chris Kreider said. "Everything is a game within a game. It's just kind of been ingrained in us from the first day. All these small games and other small competitions, you can't not work as hard as you possibly can in a situation like that. It just raises everyone's level."

Their next opponent will test that newfound tenacity.

The Florida Panthers await in the Eastern Conference Final, which will begin with Game 1 on Wednesday at 8 p.m. at Madison Square Garden.

Rangers-Panthers preview: Inside line-by-line matchups, with series prediction

The defending conference champs are a ferocious outfit that led the league in hits this season while tying the Winnipeg Jets for fewest goals allowed. They've achieved that success behind a signature forecheck that's executed by a versatile, hard-nosed group of forwards and a D corps that's got plenty of size and mobility.

The Laviolette-led Rangers believe their season of grinding has equipped them for the challenge, but as their coach noted this week, "The toughest work is still in front of us."

"I know that there were questions at the beginning of the year about how we would handle certain teams and their physicality, and I think our guys have done a really good job," Laviolette said. "I think one of the biggest things going into the series is we're trying to establish our game – our plan, our identity that's worked for us. Along the way, I do think you have to acknowledge your opponent and things that they do – not just physicality, but what they do on the forecheck, what they do in D-zone coverage or what they do off the faceoff plays – and you have to make small adjustments to that. But I think our team has done a really good job of playing the hand that's been dealt."

This is precisely the time the Rangers expect their shift in mindset and preparation to pay off.

There's little doubt that they have the skill to get it done, but they're going to have to dig even deeper to take this run further than when they reached the same stage under Gallant in 2022.

Drury believes he identified the right coach to get them there, and this tight-knit group of players seem to have fully bought in. The only thing left to do is show the rest of the league by passing their biggest test yet.

"I think their love for each other," Drury said when asked about the primary trait that sets this year's team apart. "I really do think they come to work every day, they love being here, they love being Rangers. The way we end every practice, the way we start every practice, the compete. There's a lot of belief in that room, and I think they're all working for each other. It's been exciting to be part of."

NY Rangers (8-2) projected lineup: Game 1, Eastern Conference Final, vs. Florida Panthers (8-3)

When:  Wednesday, May 22 at 8 p.m.

Where:   Madison Square Garden

TV/Radio:  ESPN/98.7 FM

Top line  ⊳ Chris Kreider (LW) ⋄ Mika Zibanejad (C) ⋄ Jack Roslovic (RW)

Second line  ⊳ Artemi Panarin (LW) ⋄ Vincent Trocheck (C) ⋄ Alexis Lafrenière (RW)

Third line  ⊳ Filip Chytil (LW) ⋄ Alex Wennberg (C) ⋄ Kaapo Kakko (RW)

Fourth line  ⊳ Will Cuylle (LW) ⋄ Barclay Goodrow (C) ⋄ Jimmy Vesey (RW)

Top pair  ⊳ Ryan Lindgren (L) ⋄ Adam Fox (R)

Second pair  ⊳ K'Andre Miller (L) ⋄ Jacob Trouba (R)

Third pair  ⊳ Erik Gustafsson (L) ⋄ Braden Schneider (R)

Starter  ⊳ Igor Shesterkin

Backup  ⊳ Jonathan Quick

Healthy scratches:  F Jonny Brodzinski, G Louis Domingue, F Adam Edström,   D Zac Jones, F Matt Rempe, D Chad Ruhwedel and F Blake Wheeler

Vincent Z. Mercogliano is the New York Rangers beat reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Read more of his work at  lohud.com/sports/rangers/  and follow him on Twitter  @vzmercogliano .