This essay earned First Place in the 2025 Huaxia Writing Competition.

Does homework improve student learning or just create extra stress? This is a very controversial question. Homework is beneficial as long as it is balanced with physical health. Homework can help with time management, discipline, and habit development. However, homework can also take up lots of time and can be stressful for some students, preventing them from doing other activities. Let’s take a look at both the good and bad aspects of doing homework.

To start, homework is good for students because it teaches them time management. This means that students can manage what they do with their time. For example, assume that a student has to do many tasks in one hour. If the student has good time management, they may be able to stay on task and get things done in an orderly fashion. Homework also develops discipline and builds habits. If a student does their homework right when they get home, they are developing a habit of doing their homework automatically. Students can develop strong habits that they can use in the future. This is developing a healthy habit.

Another benefit of homework is self-paced learning. This means that students can choose the speed at which you learn, which helps them better understand the material. This means in some topics that may challenge students, they may need more time to study and learn. In other topics, students may quickly learn them and thrive at that topic. As Card Rogers said, “The only person who is educated is the one who has learned how to learn and change.”

Also, homework can reduce screen time because students are focused on schoolwork instead of electronics. A study found that using electronics more than two hours daily for teens 15–19 years old was found with lower language and maths test scores, with teenagers experiencing these low grades at a higher rate than younger children, according to Myscreencoach.com. Students can earn screen time as a reward for doing their homework.

Overall, homework can help students build skills that are useful like self-paced learning or reduction of screen time. I have found self- paced learning personally helpful. For example, in second grade I had a slightly hard time with math, but after doing math homework continuously over a long period of time I got better at math and I can now learn math faster. These skills can help people and students both in and outside the classroom in everyday life.

Although homework is beneficial, it can also be harmful. Too much homework can prevent students from developing hobbies, which helps expand one’s thought to be open minded and find new interests.Hobbies can also help manage stress from doing homework. Also, doing homework can cause a poor work life balance. This means that students that are too focused on work and might not have time to appreciate the world around them and themselves. Doing homework can also discourage students from exercising and students also need to stay physically healthy, and not just excel mentally. All of these things happening can create stress.

In conclusion, homework is both good and bad. It depends on how much students do and how they manage their time. Too much homework is unhealthy and can create stress, but without doing enough homework one won’t learn how to best manage time or know when to push one’s mind to think harder. Doing 1-2 hours is just the right amount of homework. Most important of all, students should have a good balance of homework or academic work and physical activities every day.