Trouble with homework

But not everyone thinks this ritual is unavoidable, including one second-grade Texas teacher, Brandy Young, who recently wrote in a note to parents: “After much research this summer, I am trying something new … Research has been unable to prove that homework improves student performance.

Don’t cause trouble in class and stay focused. Your teacher might be more likely to forgive some of your mistakes if they believe you are doing your best. If you are forgetting homework, try to participate in class and do well on quizzes to bring up your grade. Talk to a professional.

One survey of wealthy high school students found that those who reported doing more homework were more stressed out and had worse health, but again, the study couldn’t show that more homework was to blame. Tom Loveless, of the Brookings Institution, agrees that there’s been remarkably little research on homework that can identify its causal impact.

Maybe homework is useless, but high-performing students are more likely to do it anyhow. Or perhaps teachers are more likely to give extra work to kids who are struggling. The research review acknowledges this complication: “All studies, regardless of type, had design flaws.”