Discussion: Should Kids do Homework—or Have Fun—in Their Spare Time?

This coming Tuesday, April 10, the LAUSD Board of Education will vote on whether or not to give students’ homework a 20-percent weight in grading.

The vote is likely to be closely watched by parents, teachers and school administrators—perhaps even by pedagogists—because it’s related to one of the most polarizing issues in American society: Do public school students—starting as early as from Kindergarten—benefit from spending up to two hours doing homework?

In July 2011, succumbing to pressure from parents who argued that they hadn’t been consulted, the LAUSD suspended a policy that would have required teachers to give homework no more than a 10-percent weight in a student’s grade.

What’s your take on homework? Does it rob your child of precious free time that might be spent on creative pursuits whose worth cannot be measured by standards-based tests? Or does homework help children resolve problems they might be unable to successfully tackle in the classroom, while also teaching them how to be responsible, independent learners?

And what about the impact of homework on parents? Do you manage to find enough time to begrudgingly guide your child through the many challenges that homework poses? Or do you feel that your child’s homework is too demanding of your meager, spare time?

Share your views in the Comments section below—and help shape educational policy at your local public school.