Last week Elizabeth Ballantyne Public School, an elementary school in Quebec, banned homework.
I believe they have the right idea as I’ve also been one of the many students that see homework as a large source of stress in their lives.
According to the 2003 Brown Center report on American education, homework can be a source of stress between parents and children at home.
Schools in Canada have been banning homework for the past few years and at Elizabeth Ballantyne Public School, the decision is already proving to be a good one.
Michael Brown, the principal of the school, explained in an email that there are a number of positive changes since the ban was implemented.
“We feel there is a better vibe in school,” wrote Brown. “Fewer student-teacher conflicts. Professionals who come to the school were the first ones to point out (the) change (in atmosphere)
to me, which was nice to hear…”
Ryan Bird, a spokesperson for the Toronto District School Board, said the TDSB is not considering banning homework.
With this, the TDSB shows it is just holding onto old ideas around the value of making kids do work when they get home.
By keeping homework around, the school system is inviting stress at a time when kids need to grow and develop as human beings.
Working hard in school under the daily deadlines of regular in-class work mirrors how a real-life job operates.
Giving children work to take home might encourage them to continue to take work home with them when they become adults, which can ultimately affect their mental health.
Kids deserve to be kids.
I can only imagine the fun times I could have had if I wasn’t stuck doing homework.
Homework stole some of my opportunities to be a kid because its purpose was to make me an adult.
Why not give kids a break?
When they’re out of school, they really should be out of school.
Children are only young for a short time.
They have their whole lives to work.
Ryan Tuchow was a Winter 2018 Masthead student and Managing Editor of Social Media and Engagement for the Ryersonian. He graduated from Ryerson with a Bachelors Degree in Journalism, a Certificate in English Literature and Pop Culture from Ryerson University’s Chang School. And a Double Minor in English and Politics.