Running head: LIMITING HOMEWORK HELP 1

Limiting Homework Help

Misha A. Joao

Tidewater Community College

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Abstract

This essay explores the struggle that parents face in how much help they should provide to

students with their homework and addresses the question “how much is too much?”. Some argue

that too much homework help will create unrealistic results in the student’s work. But others

argue that parents helping with homework just shows that they are invested in their child’s

education.

Keywords: Homework, Parents, Young Students

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Limiting Homework Help

We’ve all seen it in our classrooms before, a student comes in with an overly polished

piece of work that is too good to be true. Everybody needs help with homework sometimes, but

at what point is it too much? In recent discussions, an issue has been to what extent parents

should help with their child’s homework. Some argue that parents should be invested in their

child’s education while others argue that too much help takes away from the child’s learning

experience. My own view is that parents should help by creating expectations, providing

guidance, and supporting their child. But, I think the parent should never do the child’s

homework for them. I think autonomy and a relatively ‘hands-off’ environment in a student’s

education are important because it makes the learning more meaningful, the child more

independent, and builds their work ethic.

Some parents that strongly disagree with helping students claim that the quality of their

work becomes skewed. Author Sara Bennet (2014) explains in an experience with a teacher that

“[She] tried to tell him that he was actually seeing the work of parents or tutors, but he refused to

see the obvious”. This seems to be the outcome in many situations, especially in younger

students because the parents want their child to succeed but oversteps and creates unrealistic

results in their child’s work. Although it is difficult to see a child struggle with work or not

produce high-quality work, excessive helping can muddle the actual progress of the child. As

former high school teacher Martha Brockenbrough (2014) explains, “Anything else gets in the

way of the teacher’s ability to see where my kids are academically, and where their class is

overall”. Although the learning process can be hard, the purpose of homework is to help cover

material and trigger a sense of responsibility from the student.

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My own view on the issue is that homework should promote autonomy for the students. I

think the purpose of homework is not limited to covering material, it should also promote a

strong work ethic and time management skills. Many students don’t like having homework

assigned but the sense of responsibility it develops will help them in the long run. Completing

work by themselves and problem-solving can also help increase a child’s confidence and

motivation to continue interest in their studies. Ericka Patell (2014) agrees that “ When kids feel

like homework has value and doing it is their own choice, it will seem more interesting and lead

to greater achievement”. And the benefits of autonomy go outside the lines of school and

homework. In a study done about Maternal Control Style and Infant, Mastery Motivation results

showed that “Autonomy oriented control behavior, sensitive care and knowledge of child rearing

were positively related to infant mastery motivation" (Grolnick, W., Frodi, A., & Bridges, L.,

1984, p.72). Letting children explore and be autonomous in numerous circumstances, not just

school can help them develop the desire to keep learning. Although students will undoubtedly

need assistance at some point, it is important that the parent provides guidance rather than doing

the work for their child. An article about Primary Teacher’s opinions about homework agrees

that “The role of an adult is to make the child aware that he/she must work in order to carry out

any task that is assigned to him/her” (Matei, S., & Ciascai, L., 2015). Without autonomy, the

child will become dependent on their parent as they progress through school and will not be able

to problem solve independently, which will eventually become a larger issue.

Another view concerning this topic is that assigning homework at all hurts students more

than it helps. Although homework is assigned to solidify material learned in school, it can cause

additional stress at home and make students feel like they have no breaks in their work. Gale’s

Research in Context argues that “many parents who are a part of the anti-homework movement
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argue that homework cuts into their family time” (Anti-Homework Movement, 2018). on top of

extra stress on students. Sara Bennet (2014) additionally argues that “homework sets up a pattern

of dependence that continues throughout the school years, rather than instilling responsibility and

self-discipline as they claim”. On the one hand, I agree that homework can be a burden on

students who juggle many responsibilities. But on the other hand, I still insist that homework

helps to develop important life skills.

The arguments here should interest parents who have students in school and are

struggling to decide how much help to give. Beyond this limited audience, however, my point

should speak to anyone who cares about the larger issue of the upbringing of the next generation.

No matter if you support homework or not, it is crucial that the next group of citizens learns to be

autonomous and productive in their daily lives. The world’s looming problems will not be able to

be efficiently solved without an upcoming group of young adults that can critically think and

problem solve. It’s crucial that children learn these skills early on, whether that be through

homework or otherwise.

References
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Anti-Homework Movement. (2018). In Research in Context. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale.

Retrieved from

https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/ALHMIE017892922/MSIC?u=vbcps&sid=MSIC&x

id=4741b637

Bennet, S. (2014, November 12). Don't bother, homework is pointless. New York

Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2014/11/12/

should-parents-help-their-children-with-homework/

dont-bother-homework-is-pointless

Brockenbrough, M. (2014, November 12). Support your kids by letting learning

happen. New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/

roomfordebate/2014/11/12/should-parents-help-their-children-with-homework/

support-your-kids-by-letting-learning-happen

Grolnick, W., Frodi, A., & Bridges, L. (1984). Maternal control style and the

mastery motivation of one year olds [PDF]. Infant Mental Health Journal,

5(2), 72-73. Retrieved from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/

10.1002

Matei, S., & Ciascai, L. (2015). PRIMARY TEACHERS OPINION ABOUT

HOMEWORK. Acta Didactica Napocensia, 8(3), 29-36. Retrieved from

https://search.proquest.com/docview/1774318380?accountid=3785

Patall, E. A. (2014, November 12). Help children form good study habits. New

York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2014/11/12/

should-parents-help-their-children-with-homework/

Help-children-form-good-study-habits
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