As a teacher, you want to make sure that you find a healthy balance of homework—if you give too little, students may lose interest, but if you give too much, they may get overwhelmed. Often it's inadvisable and unachievable for teachers to assign no homework but in this article, I will try to make a case for assigning less homework.
So how much homework should you assign? One study found that for middle school students the optimum amount of homework was between 1 and 2 hours while for high school students it was between 1.5 and 2.5 hours.
In my years of teaching, I’ve found a sweet spot with homework, that actually involves lessening my students’ homework load. I originally assigned five discussion questions that my students had to answer and three that they had to write short responses to. Later, I decided to change that to two discussion questions and two written-response questions. I found that the results were significantly better because the students were much more inclined to do the homework!
If you are trying to figure out how much homework you should assign, here are four reasons why students should have less homework:
4 reasons why students should have less homework
1. Students are encouraged to learn
It's important that students aren't just learning, but are excited to learn. Try to find assignments that your students might enjoy, like creating a social media profile or blog for a character from a Shakespeare play you’re reading. When students are more excited about homework, they are more likely to invest time and effort into their work. Rather than viewing homework as a chore, students begin to approach it as an opportunity to explore more ideas.
I’ve found that when students have a more manageable homework load, they’re more excited about school and learning in general. Without the constant pressure of completing assignments after school, students can focus more during the school day and actually look forward to the learning process. They are less likely to feel drained or overwelmed, which makes them more open to participating.
2. Students are better rested and focused
School days can end up being long for students, especially high schoolers. Students may normally arrive at school between 7 and 8 a.m., stay in school until 3 p.m., might have after-school activities until 5 or 6 p.m., and may not be able to start on homework until 7 or 8 p.m. after eating dinner. Even if your students have a homework load of just 1–2 hours, that means they won’t be able to get to bed until 9 or 10 p.m.
Sleep is incredibly important for growing children and teenagers. One of the benefits of not having as much homework is that your students will have the opportunity to get more sleep, which means they’ll be more awake and engaged in class the next day. Having less homework can also help reduce stress. One school conducted a survey and found that 70% of students were attributing their stress to assignments and homework. After implementing a homework reduction plan, students reported having less stress and, despite concerns that it could impact their grades, there was no noticeable drop in academic performance.
3. Free time makes them well-rounded
While academic learning is essential, it's just as important for students to have a life outside of school. Kids need time to explore their interests, build relationships, and simply be kids. These experiences outside of school are what help shape more well-rounded individuals and give kids time to develop creativity, social skills, and a stronger sense of self. Less homework means that there is more time for extracurricular activities that students enjoy.
This is especially important for high school students. Colleges today aren't just looking at test scores—they're also paying close attention to how engaged students are in their communities, interest, and personal growth. Admission teams want to see well-rounded individuals who show curiosity, leadership, and the ability to balance academics with meaningful extracurricular experiences.
4. Family time is valuable to well-being
Family time is a crucial part of a child's development. Spending quality time together strengthens emotional bonds, builds trust, and gives kids a sense of security and belonging. When students aren't overwhelmed with hours of assignments after school, they have more time to connect with their families. If they did one less hour of homework and had one more hour of time with their families to play a game, watch movies, or just talk, it would contribute greatly not only to the health of the family but also to the well-being of the student.
Less homework also means less stress at home. Homework can sometimes be stressful for parents and caregivers as well, whether they are assisting their children with math assignments or simply ensuring its completed on time. By reducing the workload, parents can focus on supporting their children in positive and encouraging ways.
The verdict: Kids should have less homework
Some of the benefits of less homework are students love learning, are getting more sleep, can explore their own interest, and have more time to spend with family.
If you want to give this a shot, you should think about practical ways that you can reduce your students’ homework load. Maybe it’s reducing the number of questions like I did. Maybe it’s assigning fewer pages of reading. Whatever it is, know that giving less homework to your students will likely produce better results in class!
This article was adapted from a blog post initially developed by the education technology company Classcraft, which was acquired by HMH in 2023. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of HMH.
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