FIVE THINGS ABOUT POLAND’S BAN ON HOMEWORK

1 WHY IS THE POLISH GOVERNMENT BANNING HOMEWORK?

Teachers are no longer to give required homework to kids in the first to third grades. In grades four to eight, homework is now optional and doesn’t count toward a grade. The new homework rules gained impetus when a 14-year-old boy, Maciek Matuszewski, stood up at a campaign rally and told Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk that children “had no time to rest.” The boy said their rights were being violated with so much homework on weekends and so many tests

on Mondays.

2 HOW ARE KIDS REACTING?

Ola Kozak is celebrating. The 11-year-old, who loves music and drawing, expects to have more free time for her hobbies.

“I am happy,” said the fifth grader, who lives in a Warsaw suburb. “Most people in my class in the morning would copy the work off someone who had done the homework or would copy it from the internet. So it didn’t make sense.”

3 HOW ARE PARENTS AND TEACHERS REACTING?

Not everyone likes the change — and even Ola’s parents are

divided. “If there is something that will make students enjoy school more, then it will probably be good both for the students and for the school,” said her father, Pawel Kozak. His wife, Magda Kozak, was skeptical. “I am not pleased, because (homework) is a way to consolidate what was learned,” she said.

4 WHAT DO EXPERTS SAY ABOUT HOMEWORK?

Debates over the proper amount of homework are common around the globe. While

some studies have shown little benefit to homework for young learners, other experts say it can help them learn how to develop study habits and academic concepts. Polish Education Minister Barbara Nowacka said she was prompted by research on children’s mental health. Of the various

stresses children face, she said, “the one that could be removed fastest was the burden of homework.” Pasi Sahlberg, a prominent Finnish educator and author, said the value of homework depends on what it is and how it is linked to overall

learning.

5 WHAT ARE OTHER COUNTRIES DOING?

In South Korea, homework limits were set for elementary schools in 2017 amid concerns that kids were under too much pressure. However, teenagers in the education-obsessed country often cram long into the night and get tutoring to meet the requirements of demanding school and university admission tests. In the U.S., teachers and parents decide for themselves how much

homework to assign.