During brunch, I rush towards the library to finish the homework that is due next period. I would have done it last night, but between my track meet, family dinner, assignments for three other classes, and desire to sleep for at least five hours, there simply was not enough time. Throughout the library, I see students with the same dull, overtired eyes and anxious, scribbling hands. I am not alone in my challenge.
My constant struggle to complete my homework (along with myriad extracurricular activities) reminds me of running on a treadmill that never stops. I know that if I stopped, even for ten minutes, to catch my breath and rehydrate, my running would become zestier and stronger. Instead, I keep trudging along, my run slowing to a jog and then a hunched-over walk. I become exhausted and lose sight of my goal.
Piedmont High School should set a policy in which students and teachers get one weekend per quarter entirely without homework.
Similar schools, such as Palo Alto High School and the College Preparatory School, have already adopted policies that restrict when teachers may assign homework.
According to the Palo Alto High School student handbook, “The winter break is intended to be a time that is free from schoolwork for students and staff.” During the break, teachers may not assign homework to students, except for reading.
At the College Preparatory School, students have one homework-free weekend per quarter.
Imagine the bliss that Piedmont students would feel with a similar break. We could breathe, rehydrate, and reinvigorate our love for learning. Maybe we could even go for a hike with our families, read books for pleasure, or catch up on much-neglected sleep.
I can hear the doubts about my proposal: during their 60 hour weekends without homework, students’ brains will atrophy and their test scores will diminish. They will become lazy and disengaged from learning.
The truth is that one homework-free weekend per quarter will not hurt student learning. The schools in the Bay Area that have no-homework weekends perform academically on par with, if not better than, Piedmont High.
Occasional weekends without homework will reinvigorate student curiosity and excitement about learning, while giving time for students to recharge.
Homework-free weekends will also benefit teachers, who, like students, need a break from grading and creating worksheets every once in a while. Also, the homework-free weekends will stimulate teachers to consider each task that they assign, creating thoughtful assignments.
With a short break, students will resume running with speed and verve. Give us four short breaks from homework per year to reinvigorate student learning.