Trudging home each day after long hours of hard work and concentration, high school students all over Massachusetts face more hours of tedious schoolwork. As many as five or six hours of homework a night are not uncommon for students, leaving them little time to do much else. Assigned homework in almost every class, the students have acquired a heavy load of work by the end of the day. However, if a plan were installed in the high schools that allowed each teacher to give each of his or her classes a maximum of three hours of homework per week, students would have more time to develop themselves in other areas and a chance to lead more balanced lives.

Because of the amount of time students are obligated to spend on homework each night, other interests are undoubtedly suppressed. What happens to the student, so excited by science, who gets a new chemistry set for Christmas? He or she is so busy doing homework that the chemistry set remains unused. Or the student who can imagine no greater pleasure than curling up with a tall pile of books, what happens to this idea? He or she is also too busy studying to read. However, with the new plan of only three hours of homework a week from each teacher, these students would have time to pursue their passions.

Not only would students' minds benefit from a program like this, but their bodies would benefit as well. As American youth are generally viewed as being less physically competent than those of other countries, the extra time could be spent on exercise and physical activities. Many students do not have the time to get out and ride a bike or play outdoor sports simply because they are busy computing math problems or doing grammar exercises. As Greek philosophy states: "A sound mind and a sound body" are equally important. The stress that so much work puts on the students can in no way be helping their health either. By staying up too late frantically trying to finish assignments, many students do not get enough sleep, lowering their resistance to illness and dropping their performance levels as well.

Many also struggle to keep relationships with family and friends strong. Studies show American families, in general, do not spend enough time together, and homework significantly cuts down on the time that students can spend with their families. If a three-hour plan were installed in Massachusetts, however, students would be able to have more time with their families, which might help keep their relationships strong. As well as more family time, students would also be able to spend more time with friends, which is important in keeping emotional health in balance.

Although homework is an important teaching method, too much can keep teens from other activities and from fully developing other areas of their lives. However, if Massachusetts teachers are restricted to assigning no more than three hours of work a week, their students would be able to receive and learn things that they will never get from spending long hours on homework.n

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