For the second time this week she forgets a math assignment and now must face her teacher. The ride home is no solstice because she knew her parents would check PowerSchool and see multiple NHIs.

While homework in kindergarten requires coloring and learning the ABC’s, the high school homework load has increased becoming exponentially difficult and time consuming.

?I think homework is worthless and takes a long time to do,? Ross Perry, ?10, said. ?It helps you learn sometimes, but not really that much. I stay up until midnight doing work and sometimes I just don?t do my homework because I have so much; there is no point in even starting to do it.?

Hallie Rojeski, junior high teacher, tries not to give her classes homework, in hope to not overwhelm students.

?In junior high, students are getting introduced to homework,? Rojeski said. ?I try to give minimal homework because students just are not ready for a lot of work; they should be playing and getting exercise than be inside working all day. Students usually don?t have good study habits when they come into the 7th and 8th grade. I offer an after school study session for my students so they will learn good study habits.?

However when high school begins, homework starts pilling up. Campus teachers assign the average student two hours of homework a day.

?I just came back from New York City and I have a bunch of homework from the week of school that I missed, ?Natalie McCallum, ?09, said. ?I have to come to class during lunch everyday this week just to work on my homework. On top of homework I have a research project and a test to make up.?

Workload alters sleep schedule, extracurricular activities

Teenagers are encouraged to get 8-9 hours of sleep and participate in sports or physical activity outside of school. With 2-3 hours of homework it can be difficult to do everything.

?Homework is good for some classes but we have way to much,? Kristina Logan, ?10, said. ?When I get back form skating at 6:30 P.M., I have over two hours of homework to do, barely have time to shower and go to bed at a decent time. Sometimes I go to bed without eating, simply because I do not have time.?

Homework takes different amounts of time based on what courses students take. Honors classes often mean more assignments, tests, quizzes and projects. Those who take a foreign language, often find teachers give more homework for reinforcement.

?I give my Spanish students little bits of homework,? Melody Downie, Spanish teacher, said. ?That is about what we learned in class because for a foreign language you need to do work that reinforces what we learn. I hardly give my history class homework because it is not necessary.?

Homework can also take longer depending on student?s surroundings.

?When students do their homework they should be in a quiet area with no distractions,? Rojeski said. ?They also need to do work for 30 minutes and then take a 10 minute break because it is hard for students to keep focused for a long amount of time.?

The University of Michigan found in a recent study, the amount of homework increased 51% since 1981. Duke University?s Harris Cooper says that students that do small amounts of homework at night do better on standardized tests but when they exceed 60-90 minutes of homework the test scores fall.

?Homework is given to motivate students to learn, ?Principal Gary Schultz said. ?Repetition of what they do in school helps them to remember and learn things for tests. Some kids do not need homework to learn but most do. I believe practice makes perfect.?

For information on study tips, click on homework tips, or Why homework matters.