Part 1
Interview with 4th Grade School Teacher
For this project I reached out to a local elementary school teacher to research the topic “Should Schools Ban Homework”. I conducted an interview with a teacher who wishes to remain anonymous, for the purpose of this dialogue I will refer to her as Mrs Smith. Mrs. Smith has been teaching various levels of elementary school for 16 years. She currently teaches 4th grade at a North Carolina public school.
1) How long have you been teaching?
Mrs Smith- This is my 16th year.
2) What is your opinion on the amount of Homework assigned to students?
Mrs Smith- It does get excessive, as teachers we have goals we must meet. We have to teach a great deal in a very limited time. We aren’t able to accomplish that during class and must send students home with mountains of work.
3) What feedback do you receive from parents about their child’s homework?
Mrs Smith- Most parents are understanding, I do get casual complaints about their children being burdened with too much homework. I’ve had a few parents tell me their child can’t complete the assignments because of outside obligations like church and sports. As a parent myself I understand, but as a teacher my hands are tied.
4) Do feel homework is effective?
Mrs Smith- I think it reenforces what we covered in class. It gives the child more time to practice certain topics. Some topics like math are only mastered by practice.
5) How do you think a homework ban would effect students grades?
Mrs Smith- I think banning homework would not help students grades, I do however feel that limiting the amount of assignments could improve grades. It would allow them to practice certain topics and give them enough downtime to be kids and reset their minds.
Part 2
Interview with a student
I spoke to a 4th grade student to get a pupil’s perspective. The student, Brianne Revels is 9 years old.
1) Do you think schools give too much homework?
Brianne- Yes
2) How much time a day do you spend on homework?
Brianne- About 2 hours.
3) Would you like to see a ban on homework? (Silly Question)
Brianne- Yes
4) Do you think your grades would be better or worse if you had no homework, why?
Brianne- Better, I would have time to relax and not be so tired at school.
Part 3
Interview with a parent
I interviewed Brianne’s mother as well about the project. Terica Revels has an associates degree in nursing and is currently pursuing a bachelors degree.
1) How much homework does Brianne have a night?
Terica- about 2 hours total.
2) Do you think schools should ban homework, why?
Terica- No, Because it’s important for parents to know how their students are doing. Parents can sometimes explain things to their child in a way that easier for them to understand.
3) Do you think her education would suffer if schools quit handing out homework and why?
Terica- I think so, some children need the extra practice for things to stick.
Artist Statement
Trey Revels
It seems that life runs at an ever increasing rate and time is a precious commodity few people have in abundance. From the moment my alarm goes off to the time I lay down at night every aspect of my life is carefully scripted to the minute. Any preverbal wrench thrown in and the entire thing spirals out of control. Further complicating matters is as parent, I’m often forced to juggle my responsibilities and my daughter’s as well. In the evening after dinner our nightly ritual begins, we sit down to what normally amounts to about 2 hours of homework. Most nights after dinner, homework, and showers are taken care of, my daughter doesn’t get anytime to relax before bed. I wondered what it would be like if schools banned homework and would students preform as well.
If schools banned homework surely kids grades would suffer was the reaction I got most often when I spoke to other parents about the subject. Today we throw so much information at children, in so many different ways it becomes tedious and mind numbing. Kids need to reset by having down time, time to just be kids. Raised in the 80’s and 90’s, I don’t remember having nightly homework until middle school. After being in school all day it’s a constant battle just to get my daughter to complete her homework and after forcing her to do it she gains little. If schools were to ban homework in elementary school, students would get much needed rest and be less likely to tune out their education. Even as adults, there is only so much we can absorb before our minds turn off. I’m not sure a complete halt to homework is the answer, after all some subjects such as math are only mastered with practice. I do however feel a serious reduction in homework should be implemented before kids loose their sanity and with it, their childhood. Schools should at the very least, explore other options.
When children are in their earlier years of school there simply is no reason for 2 or more hours of homework every night. Children should be able to come home from school and simply be a kid, there is plenty of time to be stressed when you're an adult. As a parent I challenge you to talk to your children about their homework and get their feedback. As a community if we come together maybe we make a change for the better for our children's sake. That pretty much embodies my reasons for creating the collage and my interview pieces.
As mentioned my purpose was to shed light on the heavy volume of homework elementary students have to handle at such a young age. I interviewed a teacher, student, and parent to get three different vantage points on the subject. I thought that directly asking those involved would have maximum impact in conveying my message. The feedback I received from all three of the people I interviewed seem to steer me in the same general direction. What I was able to gather from my interview was that most people felt students had far too much homework. With the collage I choose images showing children surrounded by a pile of books to invoke an emotional appeal by the viewers. I thought using younger children would further add to the emotional feel of the piece. I chose these particular genres because I felt the way the message is displayed is at opposite ends of the spectrum, one being visual one being dialogue. Together they provide a well rounded point of view on my argument. The purpose is the same but overall the way the messages are delivered are in contrast yet compliment each other. The audience would be teachers, parents, and school administrators. Anyone involved with eduction at any level would be the intended audience.
Many schools have started to shift away from traditional homework polices in an effort to improve students lives and learning ability. “Homework really is a black hole,” said Etta Kralovec, an associate professor of teacher education at the University of Arizona South and co-author of “The End of Homework: How Homework Disrupts Families, Overburdens Children, and Limits Learning”(Pawlowski 2014). This statement speaks volumes about current homework polices. Homework is assigned simply because that’s the way it has always been done. Homework, if assigned, should be relatively short and focused. Not just a random handout for the sake of giving out homework, that method has proved to be ineffective and counterproductive. Homework has some benefits such as reenforcing what was learned at school and allowing more practice time (Pilgrim 2013). However the argument has been made that homework is more harmful than beneficial, at least in it’s current application that is. Some of the unintended negative effects of excess homework include; academic stress, physical health problems, and lack of balance in their lives (Levy 2013). Children’s mental, physical, and family lives are in decline as the pressures of too much homework mount. Today, life runs at a frantic pace and children need to stay grounded and learn the importance of quality family time. Children's mental and emotional well being depend on strong ties with their family, something current homework policies disrupt.
Works Cited
Levy, Sandra, “Is Too Much Homework Bad for Kids' Health?” March 11, 2014 Retrieved November 3, 2014
Pilgrim, Trevor, “ Homework: Harmful or Helpful?”, EduFlo.com, October 3, 2013 Retrieved November 1, 2014
Pawlowski, A. “The end of homework? Why some schools are banning homework” today.com, Sept 8, 2014,
Retrieved November 1 2014.