Both the National Parent Teacher Association and the National Education Association endorse a guideline calling for 10 minutes of homework per grade level each night. That means about 80 minutes of homework for eighth graders, 70 minutes for seventh graders and so on for middle-schoolers. The 10-minute rule is based on research from the late 1980s, and backed by a 2006 study at Duke University. The research also found that middle school and high school students benefited more from homework than elementary school students. While the study found that homework led to better grades and test scores, researchers also concluded homework that exceeded the 10-minute rule guidelines did not produce additional benefits.
Arguments in favor of homework in middle schools often cite statistics that say U.S. eighth-graders rank far behind their peers in other industrialized countries on math, science and reading tests. A 2012 study released in the United Kingdom linked two hours of homework a night to higher achievement in British schools. The research suggested high achievement in England’s own private schools resulted in part from parents and teachers who expected students to do large amounts of homework. However, other research shows that in countries with high-ranking schools systems -- namely, Japan and Finland -- teachers assign very little homework.
Anne Murphy Paul, the author of “Brilliant: The Science of Smart,” supports the need for middle school homework. However, she claims the amount of time students spend doing homework is irrelevant. Paul argues that middle school students don’t get smarter from doing what many children and parents call “busy work” -- assignments that have no educational value. She proposes schools adopt homework practices supported by research. “The application of such research-based strategies to homework is a yet-untapped opportunity to raise student achievement,” Paul writes. As an example, she cites studies that show people retain information more readily if they have to work hard to understand it. She recommends homework assignments that require students to apply a wide variety of problem-solving skills to complete the tasks.
The right amount of middle school homework is no homework at all, according to educational researcher Alfie Kohn. He acknowledges studies show a positive effect on grades and test scores from homework. However, he claims the gains are very small. Kohn doubts a two- or three-point improvement on a test justifies what he feels are homework’s negative consequences, which he says are “frustration, exhaustion, family conflict, loss of time for other activities, and potential diminution of interest in learning.” Sarah Bennett, author of “The Case Against Homework,” notes that increases in homework take time away from beneficial activity including talking with family, playing with friends and reading for enjoyment. “These activities, not homework, will ensure that our children are happy and competitive in a highly competitive world,” Bennett writes.