DEALING WITH A FACT OF LIFE: HOMEWORK A MENTAL EXCERCISE OR NEEDLESS DRILL?

Homework. Students don't like to do it. Parents don't always understand it. Even so, homework is an undeniable fact of life.

Public views toward homework have ranged from calling it a positive form of mental exercise to a needless drill that causes stress.

On the pro side is Dr. Harris Cooper, a professor of psychological science at the University of Missouri at Columbia.

"Homework has a positive impact on children, and not only with regard to academic achievement," Cooper said. "It also teaches good study habits, time management skills, and it gives parents an opportunity to take part in their children's education."

Cooper has researched the effectiveness of homework as an educational strategy since 1985. He said his research reveals that homework is not effective in elementary school students because the children don't have the attention span and the study skills. However, junior high and high school students benefit more when they work outside of school.