Should Kids Get Homework?

Homework gives elementary students a way to practice concepts, but too much can be harmful, experts say.

Mother helping son with homework at home

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Effective homework reinforces math, reading, writing or spelling skills, but in a way that's meaningful.

How much homework students should get has long been a source of debate among parents and educators. In recent years, some districts have even implemented no-homework policies, as students juggle sports, music and other activities after school.

Parents of elementary school students, in particular, have argued that after-school hours should be spent with family or playing outside rather than completing assignments. And there is little research to show that homework improves academic achievement for elementary students.

But some experts say there's value in homework, even for younger students. When done well, it can help students practice core concepts and develop study habits and time management skills. The key to effective homework, they say, is keeping assignments related to classroom learning, and tailoring the amount by age: Many experts suggest no homework for kindergartners, and little to none in first and second grade.

Value of Homework

Homework provides a chance to solidify what is being taught in the classroom that day, week or unit. Practice matters, says Janine Bempechat, clinical professor at Boston University 's Wheelock College of Education & Human Development.

"There really is no other domain of human ability where anybody would say you don't need to practice," she adds. "We have children practicing piano and we have children going to sports practice several days a week after school. You name the domain of ability and practice is in there."

Homework is also the place where schools and families most frequently intersect.

"The children are bringing things from the school into the home," says Paula S. Fass, professor emerita of history at the University of California—Berkeley and the author of "The End of American Childhood." "Before the pandemic, (homework) was the only real sense that parents had to what was going on in schools."

Harris Cooper, professor emeritus of psychology and neuroscience at Duke University and author of "The Battle Over Homework," examined more than 60 research studies on homework between 1987 and 2003 and found that — when designed properly — homework can lead to greater student success. Too much, however, is harmful. And homework has a greater positive effect on students in secondary school (grades 7-12) than those in elementary.

"Every child should be doing homework, but the amount and type that they're doing should be appropriate for their developmental level," he says. "For teachers, it's a balancing act. Doing away with homework completely is not in the best interest of children and families. But overburdening families with homework is also not in the child's or a family's best interest."

Negative Homework Assignments

Not all homework for elementary students involves completing a worksheet. Assignments can be fun, says Cooper, like having students visit educational locations, keep statistics on their favorite sports teams, read for pleasure or even help their parents grocery shop. The point is to show students that activities done outside of school can relate to subjects learned in the classroom.

But assignments that are just busy work, that force students to learn new concepts at home, or that are overly time-consuming can be counterproductive, experts say.

Homework that's just busy work.

Effective homework reinforces math, reading, writing or spelling skills, but in a way that's meaningful, experts say. Assignments that look more like busy work – projects or worksheets that don't require teacher feedback and aren't related to topics learned in the classroom – can be frustrating for students and create burdens for families.

"The mental health piece has definitely played a role here over the last couple of years during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the last thing we want to do is frustrate students with busy work or homework that makes no sense," says Dave Steckler, principal of Red Trail Elementary School in Mandan, North Dakota.

Homework on material that kids haven't learned yet.

With the pressure to cover all topics on standardized tests and limited time during the school day, some teachers assign homework that has not yet been taught in the classroom.

Not only does this create stress, but it also causes equity challenges. Some parents speak languages other than English or work several jobs, and they aren't able to help teach their children new concepts.

" It just becomes agony for both parents and the kids to get through this worksheet, and the goal becomes getting to the bottom of (the) worksheet with answers filled in without any understanding of what any of it matters for," says professor Susan R. Goldman, co-director of the Learning Sciences Research Institute at the University of Illinois—Chicago .

Homework that's overly time-consuming.

The standard homework guideline recommended by the National Parent Teacher Association and the National Education Association is the "10-minute rule" – 10 minutes of nightly homework per grade level. A fourth grader, for instance, would receive a total of 40 minutes of homework per night.

But this does not always happen, especially since not every student learns the same. A 2015 study published in the American Journal of Family Therapy found that primary school children actually received three times the recommended amount of homework — and that family stress increased along with the homework load.

Young children can only remain attentive for short periods, so large amounts of homework, especially lengthy projects, can negatively affect students' views on school. Some individual long-term projects – like having to build a replica city, for example – typically become an assignment for parents rather than students, Fass says.

"It's one thing to assign a project like that in which several kids are working on it together," she adds. "In (that) case, the kids do normally work on it. It's another to send it home to the families, where it becomes a burden and doesn't really accomplish very much."

Private vs. Public Schools

Do private schools assign more homework than public schools? There's little research on the issue, but experts say private school parents may be more accepting of homework, seeing it as a sign of academic rigor.

Of course, not all private schools are the same – some focus on college preparation and traditional academics, while others stress alternative approaches to education.

"I think in the academically oriented private schools, there's more support for homework from parents," says Gerald K. LeTendre, chair of educational administration at Pennsylvania State University—University Park . "I don't know if there's any research to show there's more homework, but it's less of a contentious issue."

How to Address Homework Overload

First, assess if the workload takes as long as it appears. Sometimes children may start working on a homework assignment, wander away and come back later, Cooper says.

"Parents don't see it, but they know that their child has started doing their homework four hours ago and still not done it," he adds. "They don't see that there are those four hours where their child was doing lots of other things. So the homework assignment itself actually is not four hours long. It's the way the child is approaching it."

But if homework is becoming stressful or workload is excessive, experts suggest parents first approach the teacher, followed by a school administrator.

"Many times, we can solve a lot of issues by having conversations," Steckler says, including by "sitting down, talking about the amount of homework, and what's appropriate and not appropriate."

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Is Homework Valuable or Not? Try Looking at Quality Instead

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Is there an end in sight to the “homework wars?”

Homework is one those never-ending debates in K-12 circles that re-emerges every few years, bringing with it a new collection of headlines. Usually they bemoan how much homework students have, or highlight districts and even states that have sought to cap or eliminate homework .

Now, a new analysis from the Center for American Progress suggests a more fruitful way of thinking about this problem. Maybe, it suggests, what we should be doing is looking at what students are routinely being asked to do in take-home assignments, how well that homework supports their learning goals (or doesn’t), and make changes from there.

The analysis of nearly 200 pieces of homework concludes that much of what students are asked to do aligns to the Common Core State Standards—a testament to how pervasive the standards are in the U.S. education system, even though many states have tweaked, renamed, or replaced them. However, most of the homework embodied basic, procedural components of the standards, rather than the more difficult skills—such as analyzing or extending their knowledge to new problems.

“We were surprised by the degree of alignment. And we were also surprised by the degree that the homework was rote, and how much some of this stuff felt like Sudoku,” said Ulrich Boser, a senior fellow at CAP. “It made the homework debate make a lot more sense about why parents are frustrated.”

It is also similar to the findings of groups like the Education Trust, which have found that classwork tends to be aligned to state standards, but not all that rigorous.

Collecting Homework Samples

The CAP analysis appears to be one of the first studies to look at homework rigor using a national survey lens. Many studies of homework are based on one school or one district’s assignments, which obviously limits their applicability. Attempts to synthesize all this research have led to some hard-to-parse conclusions. One of the most cited studies concludes there’s some connection for grades 6-12 between homework and test scores, but less so for elementary students, and less of an impact on actual grades.

Another problem is that students’ experiences with homework seem to vary so dramatically: A Brookings Institution report based on survey data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress concluded that, while on average students aren’t overburdened by homework, a subset of students do appear to get hours upon hours.

The CAP analysis, instead, was based on getting a sample of parents from across the country to send in examples of their children’s homework. The researchers used MTurk, a crowdsourcing service offered by Amazon.com to recruit parents. Of the 372 parents who responded, the researchers got a pile of 187 useable assignments. Next, John Smithson, an emeritus researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, had teams grade them on a taxonomy looking at both the content and the “cognitive demand,” or difficulty, of the work. The index fell on a 1 to 10 scale, with a score 4 to 6 range considered as “good” alignment.

The results? On average, math assignments fell within this range, while the ELA ones were slightly weaker, in the 3 to 5 range.

But the real eye-opening graphic is this one, which shows that by far the assignments were mostly low-level.

opinion piece on homework

This makes some logical sense when you think about it. Just as with teaching and testing, it is much easier to write homework assignments prioritizing basic arithmetic drills and fill-in-the-blank vocabulary words than ones that get students to “prove” or “generalize” some tenet. (I suspect prepackaged curricula, too, probably lean more toward rote stuff than cognitively demanding exercises.)

Here’s another explanation: Many teachers believe homework should be for practicing known content, not learning something new. This is partially to help close the “homework gap” that surfaces because some students can access parent help or help via technology, while other students can’t. It’s possible that teachers are purposefully giving lower-level work to their students to take home for this reason.

To be sure, Boser said, it’s not that all lower-level work is intrinsically bad: Memorization does have a place in learning. But assignments like color-in-the-blank and word searches are probably just a waste of students’ time. “Homework assignments,” the study says, “should be thought-provoking.”

Study Limitations

The study does come with some significant limitations, so you must use caution in discussing its results. The surveyed population differs from the population at large, overrepresenting mothers over fathers and parents of K-5 students, and underrepresenting black parents. Also, the majority of the assignments the parents sent in came from the elementary grades.

The report makes suggestions on how districts can strategically improve the quality of their homework, rather than deciding to chuck it out altogether.

One is to is to audit homework assignments to make sure they’re actually useful at building some of the more difficult skills. Another is to extend the “curriculum revolution” of the last decade, which has focused more attention on the quality and alignment of textbooks and materials, to homework. A third is to use appropriate technology so students can access out-of-school supports for challenging homework.

A version of this news article first appeared in the Curriculum Matters blog.

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Why I Think All Schools Should Abolish Homework

Two brothers work on laptop computers at home

H ow long is your child’s workweek? Thirty hours? Forty? Would it surprise you to learn that some elementary school kids have workweeks comparable to adults’ schedules? For most children, mandatory homework assignments push their workweek far beyond the school day and deep into what any other laborers would consider overtime. Even without sports or music or other school-sponsored extracurriculars, the daily homework slog keeps many students on the clock as long as lawyers, teachers, medical residents, truck drivers and other overworked adults. Is it any wonder that,deprived of the labor protections that we provide adults, our kids are suffering an epidemic of disengagement, anxiety and depression ?

With my youngest child just months away from finishing high school, I’m remembering all the needless misery and missed opportunities all three of my kids suffered because of their endless assignments. When my daughters were in middle school, I would urge them into bed before midnight and then find them clandestinely studying under the covers with a flashlight. We cut back on their activities but still found ourselves stuck in a system on overdrive, returning home from hectic days at 6 p.m. only to face hours more of homework. Now, even as a senior with a moderate course load, my son, Zak, has spent many weekends studying, finding little time for the exercise and fresh air essential to his well-being. Week after week, and without any extracurriculars, Zak logs a lot more than the 40 hours adults traditionally work each week — and with no recognition from his “bosses” that it’s too much. I can’t count the number of shared evenings, weekend outings and dinners that our family has missed and will never get back.

How much after-school time should our schools really own?

In the midst of the madness last fall, Zak said to me, “I feel like I’m working towards my death. The constant demands on my time since 5th grade are just going to continue through graduation, into college, and then into my job. It’s like I’m on an endless treadmill with no time for living.”

My spirit crumbled along with his.

Like Zak, many people are now questioning the point of putting so much demand on children and teens that they become thinly stretched and overworked. Studies have long shown that there is no academic benefit to high school homework that consumes more than a modest number of hours each week. In a study of high schoolers conducted by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), researchers concluded that “after around four hours of homework per week, the additional time invested in homework has a negligible impact on performance.”

In elementary school, where we often assign overtime even to the youngest children, studies have shown there’s no academic benefit to any amount of homework at all.

Our unquestioned acceptance of homework also flies in the face of all we know about human health, brain function and learning. Brain scientists know that rest and exercise are essential to good health and real learning . Even top adult professionals in specialized fields take care to limit their work to concentrated periods of focus. A landmark study of how humans develop expertise found that elite musicians, scientists and athletes do their most productive work only about four hours per day .

Yet we continue to overwork our children, depriving them of the chance to cultivate health and learn deeply, burdening them with an imbalance of sedentary, academic tasks. American high school students , in fact, do more homework each week than their peers in the average country in the OECD, a 2014 report found.

It’s time for an uprising.

Already, small rebellions are starting. High schools in Ridgewood, N.J. , and Fairfax County, Va., among others, have banned homework over school breaks. The entire second grade at Taylor Elementary School in Arlington, Va., abolished homework this academic year. Burton Valley Elementary School in Lafayette, Calif., has eliminated homework in grades K through 4. Henry West Laboratory School , a public K-8 school in Coral Gables, Fla., eliminated mandatory, graded homework for optional assignments. One Lexington, Mass., elementary school is piloting a homework-free year, replacing it with reading for pleasure.

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Across the Atlantic, students in Spain launched a national strike against excessive assignments in November. And a second-grade teacher in Texas, made headlines this fall when she quit sending home extra work , instead urging families to “spend your evenings doing things that are proven to correlate with student success. Eat dinner as a family, read together, play outside and get your child to bed early.”

It is time that we call loudly for a clear and simple change: a workweek limit for children, counting time on the clock before and after the final bell. Why should schools extend their authority far beyond the boundaries of campus, dictating activities in our homes in the hours that belong to families? An all-out ban on after-school assignments would be optimal. Short of that, we can at least sensibly agree on a cap limiting kids to a 40-hour workweek — and fewer hours for younger children.

Resistance even to this reasonable limit will be rife. Mike Miller, an English teacher at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Va., found this out firsthand when he spearheaded a homework committee to rethink the usual approach. He had read the education research and found a forgotten policy on the county books limiting homework to two hours a night, total, including all classes. “I thought it would be a slam dunk” to put the two-hour cap firmly in place, Miller said.

But immediately, people started balking. “There was a lot of fear in the community,” Miller said. “It’s like jumping off a high dive with your kids’ future. If we reduce homework to two hours or less, is my kid really going to be okay?” In the end, the committee only agreed to a homework ban over school breaks.

Miller’s response is a great model for us all. He decided to limit assignments in his own class to 20 minutes a night (the most allowed for a student with six classes to hit the two-hour max). His students didn’t suddenly fail. Their test scores remained stable. And they started using their more breathable schedule to do more creative, thoughtful work.

That’s the way we will get to a sane work schedule for kids: by simultaneously pursuing changes big and small. Even as we collaboratively press for policy changes at the district or individual school level, all teachers can act now, as individuals, to ease the strain on overworked kids.

As parents and students, we can also organize to make homework the exception rather than the rule. We can insist that every family, teacher and student be allowed to opt out of assignments without penalty to make room for important activities, and we can seek changes that shift practice exercises and assignments into the actual school day.

We’ll know our work is done only when Zak and every other child can clock out, eat dinner, sleep well and stay healthy — the very things needed to engage and learn deeply. That’s the basic standard the law applies to working adults. Let’s do the same for our kids.

Vicki Abeles is the author of the bestseller Beyond Measure: Rescuing an Overscheduled, Overtested, Underestimated Generation, and director and producer of the documentaries “ Race to Nowhere ” and “ Beyond Measure. ”

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Homework: Good, Bad…Necessary?

Homework seems like a fact of life for most people—something that students and teachers alike accept as an essential part of teaching and learning. But is homework necessarily a good thing? While some parents and teachers insist that it is an important way to reinforce what goes on during the school day, persistent questions are being raised about how much homework students should get (and whether they need it at all).

In 2016, Eric Sheninger, a senior fellow at the International Center for Leadership in Education, penned a nostalgic opinion piece for The Huffington Post. His topic? “Why Homework Practices Need to Change.” In his piece, Sheninger fondly recalled running free after school, unburdened by mounds of homework. He wrote, “Part of why I believe my childhood was so great was that there was a distinct balance between school and life.” As soon as the bus dropped off Sheninger and his brothers at their New Jersey home, Sheninger felt sure that playtime was paramount, while at school, the “focus was on learning.”

These days, Sheninger believes that the “life of a child...has changed dramatically.” Sheninger recalled having occasional, minimal homework as a kid, but noted that today’s students—including his own children—are often required to complete an hour or more of homework each night. Still, Sheninger said he is not entirely opposed to homework, he just thinks it should be limited to no more than 30 minutes per night for students through seventh grade, an assertion that he claimed research supports.

A front-page article in The New York Times also looked at the topic of homework, tapping into something it called a national “homework revolt.” The newspaper cited examples from school districts across the United States in which parents, teachers, and administrators were implementing new policies about homework. For instance, one school in Georgia that serves advanced learners decided to make homework optional, although the principal acknowledged that helping children with homework may allow parents to feel “connected” to the school.

In the Times piece, Duke University professor Harris Cooper stated that research shows small amounts of homework—such as 10 minutes per night—can “reinforce basic skills and help young children develop study habits.” A New Jersey parent whose school district was considering significantly limiting homework similarly expressed her support, saying she believed homework helps students understand that hard work can pay off. Should we teach them instead, she wondered, that extra work on a project or assignment is simply not necessary?

opinion piece on homework

There is clearly more than one answer to the question of whether homework is a useful thing, and Randi Weingarten, head of the American Federation of Teachers, said mandating how much homework to assign interferes with teachers’ “professional practice.” Telling teachers when to give homework and for how long turns teaching into an “assembly-line process,” she contended back in 2011 . Many would still undoubtedly agree with Weingarten on this, supporting her belief that teachers need to use their own discretion based on the students in front of them.

Interestingly, high school student Amedee Martella wrote her own opinion piece about homework, which was published on the education-focused ASCD website and offered a balanced view on the topic. First, Martella delved into some of the research around homework, such as Cooper’s 1989 “ Synthesis of Research on Homework .” Homework is acceptable, Martella concluded, when it is work students “can actually do within a reasonable amount of time” and doesn’t cause undue stress.  

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OPINION: Why Students Should Have Significantly Less Homework

The opinions published by  The Match  are solely those of the author, and not of the entire publication, its staff, or Collegiate School.  The Match  welcomes thoughtful commentary and response to our content. You can respond in the comments below, but please do so respectfully. Letters to the Editors will be published, but they are subject to revision based on content or length. Letters can be sent to [email protected].

By Ava Lingerfelt

opinion piece on homework

15-year-old boy doing homework. Photo credit: David R. Frazier Photolibrary, Inc.

During the past school year, I have struggled with mental health due to excessive amounts of homework. Although I am grateful for my education and my experience at Collegiate, it is difficult to balance school work, sports, a social life, and college preparation. I know some students struggle more than others with school-life balance, but I am not the only one whose mental health is affected by excessive amounts of school work. 

In 2021, Tyler Brand (‘23) wrote a Match opinion piece, “ Why should students have less homework ?” He wrote about the history of homework and the negative impact it has on teens. He included teacher and student opinions about excessive homework, and many students expressed their desire for less homework. His article highlights that some teachers agree that students should have less homework, and some students strongly feel that they should be assigned less work for the sake of their mental health and stress levels. 

Similarly, I believe students should be assigned less homework to improve their mental health and stress levels. I understand that homework is assigned in order for students to learn the skill of completing work individually, which is why I don’t believe homework should be taken away completely. Homework is beneficial because it teaches students about time management and working independently, which is a crucial life skill. However, I think that students need a break from homework from time to time in order to clear their heads or deal with other things that may be going on in their lives.

One possible solution to this is the idea that students shouldn’t be assigned homework on the weekends so that students truly get a break from school and the stress that comes with it. An alternative would be only having homework due Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, so that students have a greater amount of time to manage their workload. 

Cherry Hill High School West (New Jersey) junior Jessica Amble, in an article last year on her school news site titled “ How Homework is Destroying Teens’ Mental Health ,” agreed, writing that according to a study by Stanford University , “Students in high-achieving communities who spend too much time on homework experience more stress, physical health problems, a lack of balance and even alienation from society.” 

Amble questions whether or not it makes sense to continue assigning homework if many studies have shown that it has harmful effects on students. She says, “According to The Washington Post , the estimated number of teenagers suffering from at least one mental illness is 1 in 5.” There are many different factors that can contribute to mental illness, but one of the leading factors is school and the work and pressure that comes with it. 

In 2021, USA Today’s Sara Moniuszko wrote an article related to homework affecting mental health in teens titled “ Is it time to get rid of homework ?” She writes about how homework “ takes away time from friends, family,  and extracurricular activities; which are all very important things for a person’s mental and emotional health.” In order to maintain satisfactory mental health, teens require time to do the things they enjoy, and homework often impedes their ability to do so. 

Cynthia Catchings, a licensed clinical social worker and therapist at Talkspace , worked with students abroad, in France, whe re the students had a no-homework policy. She says, “Not having homework was something that I always admired from the French students (and) the French schools, because that was helping the students to really have the time off and really disconnect from school.”

opinion piece on homework

Two kids doing homework. Photo credit: TEK image, Science Photo Library.

Similarly, Sydney Trebus, then a senior at Boulder High School in Colorado, wrote in 2019, “ Is Excessive Homework the Cause of Many Teen Issues ?” She said, “ homework over a certain time limit can cause stress, depression, anxiety, lack of sleep, and more.” This contributes to the idea that homework can cause a variety of problems in teens and their mental health.

Trebus mentions another study done by Stanford, which shows, “56 percent of students considered homework a primary source of stress, 43 percent viewed tests as a primary stressor, while less than one percent of the students said homework was not a stressor.” Although homework may be beneficial towards students’ education, Trebus explained that it is, “detrimental to their attitude towards school, their grades, their self-confidence, their social skills, and their quality of life.” 

Since homework is a primary stressor for students, Trebus says, “ if schools keep making homework more prominent in the learning system, students will lose their passion for learning.” I think school is something that students should be passionate and excited about, but the immense amounts of work that comes with it makes it significantly less enjoyable. Sydney says, “the more time taken away from the emotional and physical health of a student, the more resentful they will be towards school.”

I find it fascinating that there are multiple students that have expressed their opinions about excessive stress due to homework, but there haven’t been many changes made to solve the problem. Students and mental health professionals agree about how homework largely affects teens’ mental health.

Collegiate students agree. Abby Rosenstock (’24), says, “I am constantly stressed out during the week and usually during the weekends too.” She also says, “It feels like I can never catch a break.” I agree with Rosenstock, which is why I propose that students deserve no homework days to relax and focus on their mental health. 

opinion piece on homework

Tired teenager falling asleep while doing homework Photo credit: David Davis.

Meredith Lanning (’24), says, “It would be nice if students had time to relax a little bit and get more sleep every once in a while.” She also says, “if we had less homework, we could get more sleep and maybe have a little bit of time to relax.” I agree; students currently aren’t getting enough sleep and have little to no time to relax. By the time students finish sports, showering, dinner, and homework, it is late and time to go to bed. 

Upper School English teacher and Match advisor Vlastik Svab says, “ I have definitely seen student stress levels rise, in general, in my 20 years teaching in high schools. I think schools like Collegiate ask a great deal of our students, and many are overwhelmed with all of their commitments. Homework can have value, but we as teachers should always be evaluating whether what we’re asking students to do has real educational value. I have found myself assigning less homework over time and having students write more in class, as that gives me the opportunity to workshop their writing with them in person.” 

I thoroughly agree with Svab’s response; I am also one of his students this semester, and I have appreciated the amount of class time he gives us to complete assignments. It definitely helps lighten the homework load and lower my stress levels. 

I hope more teachers recognize the importance of mental health and the excessive stress homework is causing on teens. I hope one day teachers start listening to students’ concerns and act on it. I hope one day students won’t see school and homework as a stressor, but instead as an exciting opportunity to learn new things. 

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The Ultimate Guide to Opinion Writing for Students and Teachers

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The Importance of Opinion Writing

Encouraging our students to express their personal opinions is an important part of the learning process; healthy even. To do this effectively, it is equally important that we help them acquire the necessary skills to express these opinions in a reasoned and coherent manner when teaching opinion writing.

Writing is one of the best possible vehicles for our students not only to express their opinions but to explore the strength and validity of those opinions.

CONSIDERATIONS BEFORE WRITING AN OPINION ESSAY

For our students to competently express their opinions in writing, they must first understand the specific requirements of the type of question they are answering. Of course, there are many types of questions and fun opinion writing prompts that are geared towards coaxing personal opinions from a student and each will require its own specific tailored response.

It’s clear that personal opinions permeate a wide range of genres and media. We find opinions everywhere from hotel reviews and infomercials to political commentary and newspaper editorials. But, despite the diversity of forms opinion writing can take, we can helpfully identify some general criteria that will assist our students in navigating the challenge of most opinion writing prompts and questions.

Let’s take a look at some of these criteria in more detail.

A COMPLETE UNIT FOR TEACHING OPINION WRITING

opinion writing | opinion writing unit 1 | The Ultimate Guide to Opinion Writing for Students and Teachers | literacyideas.com

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OPINION WRITING CRITERIA TO ADDRESS

1. identify the audience: speak clearly.

Writing is about language and language is about communication; students should understand that we do not write in a vacuum. The purpose of an essay, letter, or any other form of writing we care to name, is ultimately to be read.

This means that it is essential that consideration be given to the character of the intended audience. Also, remind students that when they are writing, the reader is not privy to the inner workings of the writer’s mind. They must make their thoughts explicit in their writing and ensure that these thoughts are expressed in a coherent manner.

The student writer should always avoid making the assumption that the reader knows things that are not expressed explicitly in the writing.

2. Take a Stance: Stand Firm

From the very outset, the student should state their position boldly. More than that, they must stand firm in that opinion throughout the entirety of the piece.

Opinion writing is not about communicating a series of pros and cons or discussing at length the various related advantages and disadvantages, the place for that is not here. The opinion piece should open with a bold statement of opinion that is clearly expressed, and that opinion should be held unwaveringly and reinforced constantly throughout the text.

As with many other writing genres , employing a hook to grab the reader’s attention is good practice too. This hook can take the form of a quotation, an anecdote, a statistic, or even a joke. Whatever form the hook takes, it should reveal the writer’s take on things too.

To summarize, whatever the topic and however the student opens their opinion piece, they should ensure they express their opinion immediately and coherently. There should be no doubt in the reader’s mind as to where the student-writer stands on the issue.

3. Choose Appropriate Evidence: Back It Up

There is no doubt that subjectivity is an important aspect of opinion writing in general. That does not mean, however, that opinions do not need to be substantiated.

Your students will need to recognize that each and every statement of opinion will need to be supported by appropriate evidence. This will also help students to develop their critical reading skills as they will be able to better recognize when unsubstantiated claims are made by other writers. Opinions backed up with evidence help lead the reader along the writer’s pathways of thought; making the writing more convincing as a whole.

This evidence can take a wide variety of forms, ranging from personal anecdotes and quotations to statistics and references to scientific studies. Students should also always be encouraged to choose evidence that is broadly suited to the subject they are writing about.

4. Draw Conclusions: Wrap It Up

In the well-organized piece of opinion writing, as with many other types of extended writing, the writing should be structured in paragraphs. Paragraphs are essential elements of good writing organization.

Generally speaking, an opening paragraph gives way to body paragraphs. These body paragraphs, or development paragraphs, describe in more detail the ideas laid out in the initial opening paragraph by further exploring, explaining, and providing supporting evidence for each point.

The final concluding paragraph serves to close the circle by restating the central points in a closing endeavor to drive home the writer’s opinion.

5. A Word on Words

Writing is an art form. Attention to detail is important. But, it isn’t only important to look at the big picture things like structure, students should be encouraged to shift their focus from the text level down to the word and sentence levels too. In an opinion piece, strong, forceful verbs should be the order of the day. There is little space for passive forms when engaged in the construction of convincing arguments.

Things should be kept interesting too. Students should vary their sentence structures grammatically and in length. Variety is key.

 As always in writing, editing should be emphasized. The editing process polishes the well-wrought opinion piece by putting the final gloss on the student’s work.

The OREO Opinion Writing Process Explained

As with all genres, there’s a lot to remember here and acronyms are a helpful way to commit these important things to memory. Luckily, few things can be easier to commit to memory than the name of a delicious cookie:

O – Opinion

R – Reasons

E – Evidence or Examples

O – Opinion (restated)

This memorable acronym will help students remember some of the main elements of opinion writing as outlined above. But, sometimes the hardest thing for students to do is to get the writing ball rolling.

opinion writing | 4 opinion writing28129 | The Ultimate Guide to Opinion Writing for Students and Teachers | literacyideas.com

Opinionated Sentence Starters

Sentence starters provide students with great ways to kick-start their writing. Reminding students of simple ways of introducing opinion sentences can be helpful. Here are a few for ‘starters’ for starters:

●     In my opinion…

●     I think that…

●     It seems to me that…

●     It appears to me…

●     I feel that…

opinion writing | 1 0001 sentence structure guide for teachers and students | The Ultimate Guide to Opinion Writing for Students and Teachers | literacyideas.com

Once the student-writer has effectively expressed their opinion on a matter, they then will need to provide the reader with the reasons for why they think what they think. In an essay, these reasons will usually be found in the body paragraphs or development paragraphs. Normally, these paragraphs will explore a single reason each.

Some helpful sentence starters for introducing these reasons include:

●     One reason I feel this way is…

●     Evidence to support this can be found in…

●     I believe this to evident in…

Opinion Writing Activities for Students

Students will certainly need practice completing sustained pieces of opinion writing, but some of the most valuable activities to help students evolve their opinion writing abilities barely require a pen to be put to paper.

While the following two activities do not require students to engage in extended pieces of writing, the activities below will assist students in grasping some essential concepts. These activities demonstrate good practice through modelling and also encourage dialogue, discussion, and debate as a means to strengthen opinion writing.

Activity 1: Opinion Writing – What Is It?

This exercise is a good follow-up to introductory work outlining the criteria of opinion writing as described above.

●     Start by passing out copies of a piece of opinion writing you have selected to read with the class. Read the text aloud as the students follow along with their copy. The opinion text chosen can come from a wide range of genres, including advertisements, letters, editorials, essays, articles, or reviews.

●     Assign students a talking partner and instruct students to take five minutes to identify the various criteria employed in the text. Encourage students to mark and annotate their copies of the text accordingly. You may even wish to supply students with a checklist compiled from the criteria mentioned previously in this article.

●     As a whole class, discuss how successfully the text fulfills the criteria. What did the writer do well? What could they have done better? You can record their responses on the whiteboard.

The aim of this exercise is for students to hone their critical faculties while internalizing the criteria. This will reap rewards when the students later engage in their own extended opinion writing.

Activity 2: The Collaborative Case

This activity employs collaboration to help students build a stronger case for their opinion on a divisive issue.

●     First, define the parameters of the exercise by presenting an either/or conundrum to the class. This doesn’t have to be overly controversial in nature, just stated in such a way that it forces the students to take one side or another. This could be stated simply as a choice, e.g. Dogs or cats? City or countryside? Beach or Mountains? Sweet or savory?

●     Students then divide into two groups according to their stated preferences. In their groups, they then discuss and compile as many supporting reasons for their choice as they can come up with. As a group, they will discuss the relative merits of each reason, before agreeing on their top five.

●     The groups then share their reasons in a debate format, using arguments and counter-arguments, leading into an open, free-ranging discussion.

The value of this exercise lies in the collaborative and ‘combative’ natures of the exercises. Just as our physical muscles can grow through resistance, so too can the strength and resilience of our opinions and arguments.

This activity can also be used as a lead-in to opinion writing as it works well as a prewriting preparation exercise. The complexity of the issue to be discussed and debated can easily be modified to suit the abilities of the students too.

A COMPLETE UNIT ON TEACHING FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

opinion writing | figurative language Unit 1 | The Ultimate Guide to Opinion Writing for Students and Teachers | literacyideas.com

❤️The use of  FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE  is like  “SPECIAL EFFECTS FOR AUTHORS.”  It is a powerful tool to create  VIVID IMAGERY  through words. This  HUGE 110 PAGE UNIT  guides you through a complete understanding of  FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE  as both a  READER  and  WRITER covering.

OPINION WRITING VIDEO TUTORIALS

These videos from teaching without frills are an excellent starting point for opinion writing. You can view the entire collection here.

  The Wrap Up

Opinion writing is a higher-level skill that makes many demands on our students. It will challenge them to move beyond parroting the facts and figures they have acquired in their learning to formulate their own thoughts on topics they have learned about in class, or in the wider world beyond the school gates.

It will make demands on their skill as writers too. Our students must learn to mold and mechanically manipulate the language on the page to express their beliefs persuasively and effectively. To do this successfully, they will need ample opportunities to practice their writing craft. Once a firm understanding of the structures involved has been established, the student can become more fluid in their expression. They will add art and flair to their craft. But first, they must build on these firm foundations.

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49 Opinion Writing Prompts for Students

  • Lesson Plans
  • Grading Students for Assessment
  • Becoming A Teacher
  • Assessments & Tests
  • Elementary Education
  • Special Education
  • Homeschooling

opinion piece on homework

One of the most common essay types is the opinion, or persuasive, essay. In an opinion essay , the writer states a point of view, then provides facts and reasoned arguments to support that viewpoint. The goal of the essay is to convince the reader to share the writer’s opinion.

Students aren't always aware of how many strong opinions they already hold. Use the following opinion writing prompts to inspire them to start thinking and writing persuasively.

Prompts About School and Sports

School- and sports-related topics often elicit strong opinions in students. Use these writing prompts to kick off the brainstorming process.

  • Ch-ch-ch-changes . What is one thing about your school that needs to change? Is bullying an issue? Do students need longer breaks or a dress code? Choose one vital issue that needs to change and convince school leaders to make it happen.
  • Special guest. Your school is trying to decide on a famous person to give a speech or presentation to students. Who do you think they should choose? Write an essay to convince your principal.
  • Oxford or bust. Is the Oxford comma essential or obsolete?
  • Scribble scrabble. Do students still need to learn cursive handwriting?
  • Co-ed conflict. Would students perform better if more schools were single-gender rather than co-ed? Why or why not?
  • Participation awards. Should there be winners and losers in sports, or is participation the ultimate goal?
  • Homework overload. Write an essay to convince your teacher to assign less homework.
  • Sports. Which sport (or team) is the best? What makes it better than the others?
  • No slacking . Write an essay persuading a fellow student to do their homework.
  • Class trip. This year, students get to vote on where to go for a class trip. Write an essay convincing your fellow students to vote for the place you’d like to go.
  • Superlatives. Which would you rather be: a top student, a talented athlete, or an accomplished artist?
  • Virtual athletes . Video games competitions are often aired on TV and treated like sports competitions. Should video games be considered sports?
  • Class debate. Should classes that students may not use or that don’t interest them (such as physical education or foreign language) be required?

Prompts About Relationships

Friendships, dating, and other relationships can be both rewarding and exasperating. These writing prompts about relationships will help students explore their feelings about both the positive and the negative moments.

  • Snitch. Your best friend tells you about his plan to cheat on a test. Should you tell an adult? Why or why not?
  • Give it a chance. Your best friend is convinced that she would hate your favorite book, even though she's never read it. Convince her to read it.
  • Friendships vs. relationships. Are friendships or romantic relationships more important in life? Why?
  • Driving age. What age do kids start driving in your state? Is that age too old, too young, or just right? Why?
  • Truth or consequences. Your best friend asks your opinion about something, but you know that a truthful answer will hurt her feelings. What do you do?
  • Who chooses? Your best friend is visiting, and you want to watch TV together, but his favorite show is at the same time as your favorite show. Convince him that your show is a better choice.
  • Fun times. What is the most fun thing you and your best friend have ever experienced together? Why does it deserve the top spot?
  • Dating. Are long-term dating relationships good or bad for teens?
  • New friends. You want to spend time with a new student at school, but your best friend is jealous. Convince your friend of the importance of including the newcomer.
  • Be mine. Is Valentine’s Day worthwhile or just a scheme for the greeting card and chocolate industry to make more money?
  • Debbie Downer. Should you cut ties with friends or relatives who are always negative?
  • He loves me not. Is it really better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all?
  • Elders. Should you respect your elders merely because they are older, or is respect something that must be earned?

Prompts About Family, Pets, and Leisure Time

The following writing prompts related to family, furry friends, and free time will help students reflect on preferences, ethics, and integrity.

  • Self-reflection. This time, you're the one who needs convincing! Write an essay to persuade yourself to start a healthy habit (or kick a bad habit).
  • Paper wars. Should toilet paper hang with the loose end resting on the top of the roll or hanging from the bottom?
  • Movie vs. book. Choose a book that has been made into a movie. Which version is better, and why?
  • Weekend wanderings . Do you prefer to stay home on the weekends or get out and do things around town? Write an essay to convince your parents to let you do what you prefer this weekend.
  • Sweepstakes. A travel agency is hosting an essay contest to give away an all-expenses-paid trip to the one place in the world you’d most love to visit. Craft a winning essay that convinces them they need to choose you.
  • Zoo debate. Is it ethical to keep animals in zoos? Why or why not?
  • Presence of pets. Should there be limits on the types of places pets can go (e.g. airplanes or restaurants)? Why or why not?
  • Inspiring stories. What is the most inspiring book you’ve ever read? Why is it so inspiring?
  • Dollar discovery. You find a $20 bill in the parking lot of a crowded store. Is it okay to keep it, or should you turn it in to customer service?
  • Vacation day. What is the very best way to spend an unexpected day off from school and why is it the best?
  • Digital or print? Is it better to read books in print or digitally? Why?

Prompts About Society and Technology

The people and technology around us have a significant impact on our lives. These writing prompts encourage students to consider the effect that society and technological advances have on our day-to-day lives.

  • Reverse technology. Pick one technological advancement that you think the world would be better off without. Explain your reasoning and persuade the reader.
  • Out of this world . Do aliens exist? Why or why not?
  • Social media. Is social media good or bad for society? Why?
  • Emoji. Has the use of emoji stunted our ability to express ourselves in writing, or does it help us identify our emotions more precisely?
  • Auto safety. Have advancements like self-driving cars, blind spot indicators, and lane departure warning systems made driving safer, or have they just made drivers less attentive?
  • Exploration Mars. Write a letter to Elon Musk convincing him that you should be part of a colony to Mars.
  • Fundraisers. Is it okay for kids to stand outside stores and ask shoppers for money for their sports teams, clubs, or band? Why or why not?
  • Inventions. What is the greatest invention ever made? Why is it the best?
  • Important cause. In your opinion, what global problem or issue deserves more attention than it currently receives? Why should more time and money be invested in this cause?
  • Minimalism. Does living a minimalist lifestyle make for a happier life? Why or why not?
  • Gaming gains. Are video games generally a positive or a negative influence? Why?
  • Rose-colored glasses. Is the current decade the best era in history? Why or why not?
  • Paper or plastic. Should plastic bags be outlawed?
  • Writing Prompts for Elementary School Students
  • January Writing Prompts
  • Writing Prompt (Composition)
  • How to Write a Persuasive Essay
  • Fun March Writing Prompts for Journaling
  • 24 Journal Prompts for Creative Writing in the Elementary Classroom
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  • May Writing Prompts
  • September Writing Prompts
  • Creative Writing Prompts for High School Students
  • December Writing Prompts
  • February Writing Prompts
  • Writing Prompts for 5th Grade
  • Should You Write Your Own Recommendation Letter for Graduate School?
  • Christmas Journal Writing Prompts
  • 40 Writing Topics for Argumentative and Persuasive Essays

opinion piece on homework

Opinion Writing: a Guide to Writing a Successful Essay Easily

opinion piece on homework

An opinion essay requires students to write their thoughts regarding a subject matter. Relevant examples and explanations back their point of view. Before starting an opinion paper, it is important to study the definition, topics, requirements, and structure. Referring to examples is also highly useful. Perhaps you need help with our admission essay writing service ? Take a look at this guide from our dissertation writing service to learn how to write an opinion essay like an expert.

What Is an Opinion Essay

A common question among students is: ‘What is an Opinion Essay?' It is an assignment that contains questions that allow students to share their point-of-view on a subject matter. Students should express their thoughts precisely while providing opinions on the issue related to the field within reasonable logic. Some opinion essays type require references to back the writer's claims.

Opinion writing involves using a student's personal point-of-view, which is segregated into a point. It is backed by examples and explanations. The paper addresses the audience directly by stating ‘Dear Readers' or the equivalent. The introduction involves a reference to a speech, book, or play. This is normally followed by a rhetorical question like ‘is the pope Catholic?' or something along those lines.

What Kind of Student Faces an Opinion Essay

Non-native English-speaking students enrolled in the International English Language Testing System by the British Council & Cambridge Assessment English are tasked with learning how to write the opinion essays. This can be high-school or college students. It is designed to enhance the level of English among students. It enables them to express their thoughts and opinions while writing good opinion essay in English.

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What Are the Requirements of an Opinion Essay?

What Are the Requirements of an Opinion Essay

Avoid Going Off-Topic: Always write an opinion essay within relevance to answer the assigned question. This is also known as ‘beating around the bush' and should not be included in any opinion paragraph as it may lower your grade.

Indent the First Paragraph: With most academic papers, opinion writing is not different. Therefore, it contains the rule of indenting the first line of the introduction.

A Well-Thought Thesis: The full thesis statement is a brief description of the opinion essay. It determines the rest of the paper. Include all the information that you wish to include in the body paragraphs

The Use of Formal Languages: Although it is okay to write informally, keep a wide range of professional and formal words. This includes: ‘Furthermore,' ‘As Stated By,' ‘However', & ‘Thus'.

Avoid Internet Slang: In the opinion paper, avoid writing using slang words. Don'tDon't include words like ‘LOL', ‘OMG', ‘LMAO', etc.

The Use of First Person Language (Optional): For the reason of providing personal thought, it is acceptable to write your personal opinion essay in the first person.

Avoid Informal Punctuation: Although the requirements allow custom essay for the first-person language, they do not permit informal punctuation. This includes dashes, exclamation marks, and emojis.

Avoid Including Contradictions: Always make sure all spelling and grammar is correct.

We also recommend reading about types of sentences with examples .

Opinion Essay Topics

Before learning about the structure, choosing from a wide range of opinion essay topics is important. Picking an essay theme is something that can be done very simply. Choosing an excellent opinion essay topic that you are interested in or have a passion for is advisable. Otherwise, you may find the writing process boring. This also ensures that your paper will be both effective and well-written.

  • Do sports differ from ordinary board games?
  • Is using animals in circus performances immoral?
  • Why should we be honest with our peers?
  • Should all humans be entitled to a 4-day workweek?
  • Should all humans become vegetarians?
  • Does a CEO earn too much?
  • Should teens be barred from having sleepovers?
  • Should everyone vote for their leader?
  • The Pros & Cons of Day-Light Saving Hours.
  • What are the most energy-efficient and safest cars of X year?

Opinion Essay Structure

When it comes to opinion paragraphs, students may struggle with the opinion essay format. The standard five-paragraph-essay structure usually works well for opinion essays. Figuring out what one is supposed to include in each section may be difficult for beginners. This is why following the opinion essay structure is something all beginners should do, for their own revision before writing the entire essay.

You might also be interested in getting more information about: 5 PARAGRAPH ESSAY

Opinion Essay Structure

Opinion essay introduction

  • Address the audience directly, and state the subject matter.
  • Reference a speech, poem, book, or play.
  • Include the author's name and date of publication in brackets.
  • 1 or 2 sentences to make up a short description.
  • 1 or 2 summarizing sentences of the entire paper.
  • 1 sentence that links to the first body paragraph.

Body Paragraph 1

  • Supporting arguments
  • Explanation
  • A linking sentence to the second body paragraph.

Body Paragraph 2

  • Supporting argument
  • A linking sentence to the third body paragraph.

Body Paragraph 3

  • A linking sentence to the conclusion.

Conclusion paragraph

  • Summary of the entire paper
  • A conclusive sentence (the bigger picture in conclusion)

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Opinion Essay Examples

Do you need something for reference? Reading opinion essay examples can expand your knowledge of this style of writing, as you get to see exactly how this form of an essay is written. Take a look at our samples to get an insight into this form of academic writing.

Over the past, American popular culture has been strong in creating racial stereotypes. Images displayed through television, music, and the internet have an impact on how individuals behave and what individuals believe. People find their identities and belief systems from popular culture. Evidently, I believe that American pop culture has created racial stereotypes that predominantly affect other ethnic minorities. Analyzing the history of America reveals that African Americans have always had a problem defining themselves as Americans ever since the era of slavery. AfricanAmericans have always had a hard time being integrated into American culture. The result is that African Americans have been subjected to ridicule and shame. American pop culture has compounded the problem by enhancing the negative stereotypes ofAfrican American. In theatre, film, and music, African Americans have been associated with vices such as murder, theft, and violence.
The family systems theory has a significant revelation on family relations. I firmly agree that to understand a particular family or a member, they should be around other family members. The emotional connection among different family members may create functional or dysfunctional coexistence, which is not easy to identify when an individual is further from the other members. Taking an example of the extended family, the relationship between the mother-in-law and her daughter-in-law may be tense, but once they are outside the family, they can pretend to have a good relationship. Therefore, I agree with the theory that the existing emotional attachment and developed culture in the family is distinctively understood when the family is together.

Opinion writing is a form of academic paper that asks students to include their thoughts on a particular topic. This is then backed by a logical explanation and examples. Becoming more knowledgeable is a practical way to successfully learn how to write an opinion paper. Before writing anything, it is essential to refer to important information. That includes the definition, topics, opinion writing examples, and requirements. This is what turns amateur writers into master writers.

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70 Opinion Writing Prompts for Engaging, Thought-Provoking Classroom Discussion

By: Author Valerie Forgeard

Posted on August 30, 2022

Categories Education , Inspiration , Writing

Do you ever struggle to get your students excited about writing? It can be tough to come up with topics that will engage them and make them want to think critically. That’s where opinion writing prompts come in handy! This blog post will provide a list of 70 prompts to help your students express their thoughts and opinions on controversial topics. These prompts are perfect for sparking engaging classroom discussion!

70 Opinion Writing Ideas

  • How would you describe your favorite toy?
  • What’s something you like to do?
  • What’s something you don’t like to do?
  • What would it be if you’d spend the rest of your life doing just one thing?
  • What’s your favorite color? And why?
  • What’s your favorite song right now? And why?
  • Who’s your best friend, and why?
  • Do you sometimes get scared at night when no one else is around? Why or why not?
  • Have you ever wanted something very much and not gotten it for some reason? How did it make you feel, and what did you do about it (if anything)?
  • If one animal lived in every home in the world, what animal would it be and why?
  • What’s your favorite season of the year? And why?
  • Do you like to read? What’re your favorite books and authors?
  • Which superhero would you like to be? And why?
  • If you could’ve one superpower, what would it be and why?
  • What’s your favorite song right now? Why do you like it so much?
  • If you could choose any place in the world to go on vacation, where would you choose it and why?
  • Name three important things in life (friends/family, school, etc.) and explain why they’re important to you!
  • What’s special about your hometown?
  • Why has that had an impact on who you’re today?
  • Do you think there should be more rules at school, and if so, what kind of rules would they be (give an example)?
  • What would it be if you could change one thing about your school?
  • Should there be a dress code at school? Why or why not?
  • What’s your favorite subject at school? And why?
  • Who’s your favorite teacher, and why?
  • Where do you like to eat lunch at school? Why is your favorite place to eat lunch?
  • What do you want to be when you grow up and why?
  • What’s your favorite TV show?
  • What’s your favorite sport, and why do you like it so much?
  • What’s your favorite way to spend your time alone?
  • What’s the most important lesson your teacher taught you this year?
  • What do you do when you’re sad or upset? And does it help you feel better?
  • What would it be and why if you could invent a new food?
  • Do you think it’s important to keep up with the latest technology? Why or why not?
  • What would it be if you could give yourself one piece of advice?
  • If you’d to live in another country for a year, where would you go and why?
  • Who’s your role model, and why?
  • Do you think kindergarten through 5th-grade children should have homework every night? Why or why not?
  • What’s more fun at school than homework?
  • Do you think students should have access to cell phones in school during class? Why or why not?
  • Should children be allowed to vote if they’re under 18? Why or why not?
  • Should there be a law against bullying in schools, and if so, what would you include?
  • What would you do if a bully harassed your best friend?
  • Are you an outdoors person, or do you prefer to stay inside? Explain why.
  • What do you like about your school and your classmates?
  • Is it okay to use only one language for all purposes?
  • Is it right to eat animals?
  • Is it better to live in a city or a small town? And why?
  • Are there too many tests in school or not enough?
  • Do you think teachers should be allowed to use technology in their classrooms, or are they better off using traditional teaching methods?
  • Is it okay for teachers to give students different grades based on their effort instead of their performance?
  • What is the best way to keep students engaged and learning in the classroom?
  • Why do you think it’s important for kids to be involved in their community?
  • What would it be if you could introduce one new subject in school?
  • If you could eliminate one subject in school, which one would you eliminate and why?
  • When are you most creative?
  • What do you like best about the school year?
  • Is it a good idea to give people more than one chance? Why or why not?
  • Should people be allowed to own pets? Why or why not?
  • Do you think cats should be able to live both inside and outside, or just one or the other?
  • Do you think it’s important to recycle? Why or why not?
  • What would it be and why if you could only eat one food for the rest of your life (but it had to be real)?
  • Should there be winners and losers in sports, or is participation the ultimate goal?
  • Should video games be considered a sport?
  • What’s your opinion on social media?
  • Do you think having a job you love is important, or is money more important?
  • Should you respect your elders just because you’re older, or do you’ve to earn respect?
  • At what age do you think you should be allowed to take a paying job, and why?
  • If you could see the world through colored glasses, what color would you choose and why?
  • Suppose you had enough money and freedom to start a business or buy a house; what would you choose?
  • If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

Why Opinion Writing Skills Are Important

Whether in 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, or higher, having students be able to write an opinion piece and express their ideas before they enter high school will improve their writing skills and critical thinking.

You can start by choosing one of the prompts above as a sentence starter and starting from there. This will give them a topic to write and think about. Start with a simple opinion writing prompt (e.g., Favorite thing…) so it’s not as difficult as persuasive writing prompts where they’ve to choose their words more carefully because they feel like it’s an argumentative writing prompt like test prep. You want them to have fun with at least the first few opinion writing prompts. Once you’ve developed an opinion writing routine with them, you can move on to a more complex topic.

Help Them Work on Their Reading Comprehension

Having their own opinion is a good reason for students to learn how to research and read words more carefully, which means improving their reading comprehension as they research. This is especially important in 4th and 5th grade when reading skills develop just like writing skills. Start with a simple rubric to get them started working on reading comprehension.

How to Encourage Children to Speak Their Minds Freely

Children need to know that they can be honest with you, and your willingness to accept their feelings as valid is critical to encouraging that honesty.

You should also tell them that it’s okay if they disagree with you. If a child feels that their opinion has no value in the family, they’ll be less willing to express it. They must understand that everyone has a different opinion and that those opinions are worth listening to.

Here are some tips:

  • Start with a question. The most important thing is that your child has a choice and is allowed to express their opinion without fear of judgment or consequences. For example, “Do you think the color of this dress looks good on me?” or “Do you like the food we’re going to eat tonight?”
  • Acknowledge what they say. This makes your child feel comfortable expressing their opinion and shows them that their feelings are important to you. For example, “Yes, I like it.” or “No, I don’t think so.”
  • Depending on their answer, ask more questions until they’ve nothing more to say or don’t want to answer (that’s fine!).
  • Don’t interrupt them, even if you disagree with what they say.
  • Don’t pressure them to agree with you or others; let them choose their opinions and beliefs.

Teach Them Boundaries, So They Don’t Cross the Line

As a parent, it’s your job to teach your children how to express their opinions and feelings freely. But everything has its time and place.

Just as important as encouraging them to express themselves is setting boundaries. Here are some tips on how to help your kids learn both:

  • Start early. Children should be encouraged to speak up from an early age. That way, they grow up knowing that their voice is important and that they can speak up when they don’t like something.
  • Teach them what’s private and what’s public. For example, it’s okay for your child to tell you about the playground fight they got into – but not in front of their friends at school!
  • Teach them when it’s appropriate to speak up. For example, it’s okay for your child to tell you he hates broccoli… But not when he or she’s a guest at a dinner party!
  • Be a role model for good behavior by saying when something isn’t right or fair – and then taking action, such as contacting an authority figure or making changes within your family.
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WRITING AN OPINION PIECE

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Due Date-26 Sep 2020

In the academy, we learn to back up opinions with evidence-based arguments . Some would go as far as saying that scholars should not disclose their own personal opinion on a topic. Social movements often focus on redressing the way in which personal everyday lived experiences of the marginal have been entangled in political issues, which are connected to a history of much deeper and broader struggles of inequality, power and justice. 

Popular opinion about marginalised social groups is often phobic, misleading and harmful, so social movement scholars often start on the back foot when engaging with public debates. This assignment asks you to rise to the challenge of using your knowledge to engage with public debate. The aim of such writing is to influence and persuade readers of a position, perhaps introduce a new or nuanced perspective on a tired argument, or even change the very terms of debate. 

The difficulty with writing an opinion piece with academic knowledge is that the language of the public sphere aligns more readily with mainstream common sense and unfortunately sometimes also with popular prejudice. The task of the opinion piece is to engage the reader and get them thinking, talking and acting. The tone is thus quite different from the supposed position of neutrality and objectivity of much academic writing. The challenge is to find your own voice in your acquired academic knowledge (with as little jargon as possible) to engage with public debate.

CHOOSING YOUR AUDIENCE AND TOPIC

Opinion pieces need to be tailored to a target audience and the topic needs to find a way of connecting to readers. Imagine you are writing for a newspaper or popular journal. The type of opinion piece could suit anything from the  Herald Sun , through to  TeenVogue, The New Yorker,  or  Overland . Also have a look at opinion writing on the ABC and SBS websites. Writing a piece for a publication that you read yourself is probably the best way of working out what you want to write about and who you want to talk to.

Like the mock tweet exercises on padlet, this assignment also asks you to find something that you are passionate about that relates to deliberation, participation, statecraft and social movements. Feel free to use the same topic you have chosen for your mock tweets, or choose a new one. Contact Carol via email or arrange a zoom meeting if you want to discuss your choice.

STRUCTURE OF OPINION PIECE

Usually around 5 paragraphs, inclusive of introduction and conclusion.

There are plenty of how to guides on the internet – a simple wikiHow high school-ish guide provides a good overview of the structure that can be applied to more complicated topics. The WritetoDone website offers a nice general guide, which is useful for thinking about voice and how to write for an average ( non-academic ) reader. 

It is also useful to look at opinion columnists whose work that you like. Search for opinion pieces by Celeste Liddle, Masha Gessen, Alana Lentin, Chelsea Bond, and Randa Abdel-Fatteh for examples of good op-ed writing.

You are assessed on the task of engagement for this assignment, not the end product. You are not expected to write like those who have been doing a couple of op-eds per week for decades. You will be assessed on getting the task done and taking the risk of engaging with a public issues

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Do Your Homework When Writing an Opinion Piece

by miked | May 1, 2013 | Career , Entrepreneur , Free Lance Writing | 0 comments

Here are some tips you can use to write a better op-ed (opinion) article:

Op-ed pieces are opinion articles that can appear in traditional print publications, such as newspapers and magazines, or in online formats such as blogs.

The most effective op-ed pieces build credibility by using factual information to support the writer’s arguments. Lack of credibility is the quickest way to eliminate any influence the writer hopes to exert on their audience.

It is critical that the subject matter of your piece is timely, or most readers will ignore your work and move on to something more interesting. For example, it wouldn’t do much good to endorse a candidate once the election is over.

Here are a few tips to make your op-ed writing more effective:

Facts tell; Stories sell It’s an age-old adage of the sales business, but it applies to op-ed writing as well. Use your own personal experience if you don’t have a better one to leverage in support of your position.

Facts remain a critical part of the op-ed piece in terms of boosting the credibility of the writer. How much credibility do you think the pundits who chose to ignore pre-election polls lost when the 2012 Presidential election turned out the way it did? By the same token, NY Times blogger Nate Silver became a media superstar for using historical trends and poll statistics to correctly predict the outcomes of virtually every major race across the U.S.

Craft an eye-catching headline Newspapers and magazines may not always use the headline you suggest – especially if it doesn’t fit in the space available in the page design – but it never hurts to help them with a suggestion. It’s also your first step in getting your op-ed piece past the first filter. If your headline makes the editor who opens your e-mail yawn, chances are they won’t even bother reading your article.

Take a look at the publication’s typical op-ed page design, and give the editor something to work with that may fit. Anything you can do to make the editor’s job easier, the better the chances they’ll cast a favorable eye on your submissions.

Check your work – That’s an order! Please (please!) make the effort to run your word processing software’s spelling and grammar program before submitting your work. Nothing sends a submission into the editor’s trash bin faster than an article filled with misspellings and grammar issues. It just screams sloppiness and unprofessionalism, while dashing your credibility with the most important person you need to have on your side. Editors don’t want to waste their time correcting mistakes you should have taken care of before ever hitting the ‘send’ button.

If possible, have a trusted friend give your piece a look, too. It’s amazing how our eyes will fail to notice even the most obvious mistakes when it’s our own work. Plus, they may give you some valuable feedback you can use to improve your article before submitting it.

Cut to the chase Get to the point of your op-ed piece quickly. Readers have shorter attention spans today than ever, so you risk losing them if you put them to work reading several paragraphs of background before ever getting to the point.

Editors typically cut from the bottom of articles first if they need to trim them to a specific length. With that in mind, make sure you hit your most important points early in your piece and save the less important ones for the end.

There’s a famous saying in the newspaper business that goes, “I would have written a shorter article, but I didn’t have time.” It’s easy to blather on about your topic; it’s more challenging to make your points and get out.

No need to re-invent the wheel There’s a reason the most effective op-ed pieces follow the tried-and-true format of introduction, hit a few key points, conclusion and perhaps a call to action. It’s because it works.

Trying to be too cute with the structure of your piece or filling it with clichés and jargon are sure tickets to the trash bin or loss of credibility.

Write in active voice There is nothing grammatically incorrect with passive voice; it just is not as pleasing to the ear as active voice. The direct noun-verb connection that exists with active voice construction creates a much smoother read than passive voice.

Get this free report for a more detailed discussion of active voice vs. passive voice.

Research the publication’s requirements Most newspapers, magazines and blog outlets post guidelines for accepting submitted work. Take the time to look them up and follow these guidelines to the letter. If they tell you they won’t open an e-mail attachment, and that they would rather you copy-paste your article into the body of your e-mail, then do that.

Pay attention to word limits. Nothing is more irritating to an editor than receiving a 1,000-word op-ed piece when the organization’s website clearly limits lengths to 500 words. Again, chances are it will go directly to the trash bin.

A final word Try not to be too disappointed if your op-ed piece doesn’t find its way into your targeted publication or website. These places received boatloads of submissions, and they just can’t run them all.

Make sure to include your contact information in case the editor needs to contact you, and research their format for closing. Many publications include detail about the author at the end of the piece, and that is something you should include without them having to ask you for it.

Good luck, and enjoy the journey! Posted by Mike Dauplaise on December 14, 2012 at 5:15 PM under Freelance writing

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Opinion: What a doctor sees when Joe Biden hesitates

President Biden, carrying a book, talks to news media.

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As a geriatrician, I discuss the effects of aging with patients every day. I wish I had a chance to give my usual talk to everyone who chortles or tears their hair out about President Biden’s fitness for his job.

First, memory. I explain to patients that there are three components to consider. One is formation. Then storage. And, finally, recall. The most common issue among seniors is slow recall. This is the familiar “tip of the tongue” phenomenon, when a word seems to hide or a name won’t come to mind. You know the name, it’s in your bank of memories, it just can’t be accessed quickly. Given time, it usually arrives.

This problem, called age-associated memory impairment, often starts for people in their 30s and gradually progresses. It’s a nuisance but not disabling. If, like me, you find yourself using the term “whatchamacallit,” you probably have it. Don’t worry, you’ll be fine.

President Joe Biden boards Air Force One at John F. Kennedy International Airport, Monday, Feb. 26, 2024, in New York, to return to the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Opinion: Dump Biden? Here’s why nominating another Democrat for president would be a mistake

Despite concerns about his age, polling against Trump and the “uncommitted” movement in the Michigan primary, the party has no other viable option in the 2024 election.

Feb. 28, 2024

Alzheimer’s disease, the most common cause of dementia, is a different story. Those affected lose the ability to store new memories. They can still access old memories in their memory bank and may recount events that occurred decades ago. But they can’t tell you what they had for breakfast because that never entered the memory bank. (I reassure my patients with age-associated memory impairment by asking whether they remember their breakfast. They do.)

Alzheimer’s is cognitively crippling. Losing the ability to form new memories freezes one in time. Those affected can’t make new friends or address new situations without fresh memories. Additionally, the disease progressively impairs other domains, including behavior and ultimately physical skills.

Fortunately, President Biden shows no signs of Alzheimer’s disease. At news conferences, he references new events and obviously creates new memories efficiently. He speaks slowly and pauses to find words like others with benign age-associated memory impairment. These issues are exacerbated by a chronic speech impediment. Biden has struggled with stuttering since childhood , and remnants of the condition have long been apparent in his speech.

El presidente Joe Biden durante un evento de campaña, el domingo 4 de febrero de 2024, en Las Vegas. (AP Foto/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Opinion: Age matters. Which is why Biden’s age is his superpower

Joe Biden was socialized in an era when governments took on big causes — think the Great Society — and its reflected in the accomplishments of his first term and the potential of a second.

Feb. 9, 2024

Unfortunately, word hesitations coupled with the mild stutter can’t help but affect his public speaking. Biden’s political opponents and the uninformed exploit it, along with stereotypes about older people, to create a false narrative about intellectual impairment.

I take care of many high-functioning seniors like President Biden in my practice. One that I know, who is not a patient of mine, has been my family’s lawyer for five decades. Melvin Spears, at 96, recently responded to an emailed legal question with succinct and well-targeted advice, as he always has. When I spoke to him, he acknowledged some concessions to his age. He speaks more slowly, and transportation is a challenge because he’s stopped driving. (He considers Uber and Lyft “a hassle.”) Like Biden, Spears focuses on his work and lets others worry about his age if they choose.

Studies show that high-functioning seniors like Mel Spears and the president compensate for slower reaction time by applying superior knowledge and judgment. The presidency is not a job that requires lightning-quick reflexes. First-hand experience with the successes and failures of U.S. foreign policy over decades, for example, combined with time-tested judgment offers far more than speed in speech or decision-making.

President Joe Biden delivers remarks on a $95 billion Ukraine Israel aid package being debated in Congress, in the State Dining Room of the White House, Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Calmes: Biden’s polls aren’t great. How much is the media’s fault?

The media’s ‘but his age’ meme is its way of evening the score with its criticisms of Donald Trump. Would Biden’s approval ratings look better without the bothsides-ism?

Feb. 14, 2024

Actuarial tables show that the 81-year-old president’s life expectancy extends nearly eight years, well beyond a second term. He gets excellent healthcare, has no major chronic illnesses, and at his recent physical at Walter Reed Military Medical Center, he was declared “healthy, active” and “fit for duty.” All that means that Biden is likely to beat the actuarial estimate. Given his overall health and the absence of current cognitive impairment, he would likely complete a second term with stable cognition.

All candidates for political office in the United States deserve to be evaluated on their accomplishments and capabilities rather than by their age. Seniors may be the last minority whose natural traits are singled out for ridicule and stereotyping. If the American people disagree with President Biden’s policies and prefer change, they should support his opponent. But in the absence of valid evidence of true cognitive impairment, their judgment should not be influenced by ageist social stereotypes. Biden and the American political process deserve better.

Daniel J. Stone is an internist and geriatrician in Beverly Hills.

More to Read

President Joe Biden arrives for the State of the Union address on Capitol Hill, Thursday, March 7, 2024, in Washington, as Vice President Kamala Harris and House Speaker Mike Johnson of La., watch. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

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US President Joe Biden, center, departs after delivering the State of the Union address at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, US, on Thursday, March 7, 2024. Election-year politics will increase the focus on Biden's remarks and lawmakers' reactions, as he's stumping to the nation just months before voters will decide control of the House, Senate, and White House. Photographer: Shawn Thew/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images

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Don't skip voting. March primary ballot chock full of candidates, issues

The primary election is Tuesday.

That means voters should do their civic duty and head to the polls to cast their ballots — if they haven't already done so through the early voting or absentee process.

The presidential primary is, understandably, not exciting in Ohio with Joe Biden and Donald Trump set for a rematch in the November general election — barring something unexpected happening.

But there are many undecided and major races being determined. There also are a slew of local issues.

Here's a reminder about key races and issues on the ballot in Stark County:

Republican voters will decide who gets to challenge incumbent U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat, in one of the country's most high-profile U.S. Senate races. The three-way primary features state Sen. Matt Dolan of Chagrin Falls, businessman Bernie Moreno and Secretary of State Frank LaRose.

If major endorsements matter to you, Trump is backing Moreno, while Gov. Mike DeWine and former U.S. Sen. Rob Portman are behind Dolan.

There also are two other congressional primaries.

Could there be a more confusing race than the Republican-leaning 6th Congressional District? Voters will get to vote twice for the same set of candidates — once to install someone immediately to finish out the term of longtime Rep. Bill Johnson, who left office to take over the presidency at Youngstown State University, and again to decide who will run for the seat in the fall for a full two-year term.

We could potentially — even if it's highly unlikely — have a situation where the candidate who wins the remainder of Johnson's term isn't the candidate on the ballot in November.

The Republican candidates are state Sen. Michael Rulli, R-Salem; state Rep. Reggie Stoltzfus, R-Paris Township; and Rick Tsai, a chiropractor who lives in East Palestine in Columbiana County.

The Democratic candidates are Rylan Finzer who operates a business that sells medicinal marijuana products; and Michael Kripchak, a former Air Force officer who works at a restaurant and advises a government contractor on finding partners to help execute the contract.

In the 13th Congressional District , Republicans Kevin Coughlin, a former state legislator turned businessman; Chris Banweg, a Hudson councilman and Marine colonel; and Richard Morckel, a former television technician for the Goodyear blimp, are seeking to get the GOP nod to run against incumbent Democratic Rep. Emilia Sykes of Akron.

Four Stark County school districts have tax issues on the ballot. Lake Local is asking voters for a third time to approve new money for the district that is facing more than $3 million deficit. Marlington is seeking new money for permanent improvements, while Tuslaw and Northwest are seeking renewals.

Jackson Township, Perry Township, Beach City and Meyers Lake are among the communities with local issues.

There also are numerous candidates running for Fifth District Court of Appeals judge and contested primaries for the Ohio House 51st District.

Whether you are a Republican, Democrat or independent, there's likely something to vote on this week — even if it's just voting on a local issue.

So do your homework and head to the polls on Tuesday.

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Diane Abbott looks on during PMQs.

Frank Hester’s ugly words about me are a reminder: all parties, including Labour, must stand against racism

Diane Abbott

Hester may be the Tories’ biggest donor, but this is not only an issue for one party as the Forde inquiry showed

  • Diane Abbott accuses Tories of aiming to play ‘race card’ before election

A s we move even closer to the general election, race, whether explicitly or implicitly, is at the heart of the debate in British politics. And the issue is not just about a particular political party, but all of our institutions.

I was in the chamber of the House of Commons on Wednesday afternoon for prime minister’s questions. I wanted to put a question to the prime minister about Frank Hester and his racist comments . Over the nearly 40 years that I have been an MP, under any speaker of the House of Commons that I can remember, I would have been called. I thought, in particular, that I would’ve been called on Wednesday, because Hester’s abusive comments about me had led the news bulletins that day, and I was referred to several times in PMQs itself. I cannot say why Lindsay Hoyle would not call me. He claimed there wasn’t enough time after going through those listed on the order paper. But I’m not convinced – and, the truth is, he can call on whoever he likes.

There have been days of discussion about the Conservative party’s biggest donor, Hester, saying in 2019: “It’s like trying not to be racist but you see Diane Abbott on the TV and you’re just like, I hate, you just want to hate all black women because she’s there, and I don’t hate all black women at all, but I think she should be shot.”

Reading his remarks, I was upset but not surprised. This is partly because I am hardened to racist abuse. I receive hundreds of abusive emails, phone calls and letters monthly, and the numbers shoot up whenever I am in the media.

Most of this correspondence targets my appearance, questions my intelligence and features classic racist lines such as: “Go back to where you come from.” Recently, the abuse has taken an even darker turn, with accusations of child abuse. For instance: “If you and your child want to fuck children, go back to one of your sick third-world shitholes and bury yourself, sicko.”

But as the election draws nearer, and Labour stays 20 points ahead in the polls , the Tories are desperate. Their political trump card has always been low taxes and the sound management of the economy. But Liz Truss blew out of the water any claim the Tories had to superior economic competence, and taxation is now at its highest sustained level on record . So the only card the Tories have left to play is the race card, and they are going to play it ruthlessly.

We see this in Rishi Sunak’s attachment to the Rwanda scheme, in which would-be asylum seekers would be dumped there. Even Tories are attacking the scheme. Ken Clarke, the former Conservative chancellor and a former Lord Chancellor, said earlier this year that he cannot support the legislation because overruling a Supreme Court judgment would be a “very dangerous constitutional provision”. Sunak clings to the Rwanda scheme not because it is workable, but because it proves to a certain sort of voter how tough he is prepared to be on asylum – seekers.

For months now, the Tories have been talking about “extremists”. This is about the left, but it is also a code word for Muslims. Ever since the atrocities of 7 October, the right have complained bitterly about the ceasefire marches in Britain, saying that they are “hate” marches and complaining (implicitly) that the police are not arresting enough people. The Metropolitan police are not bleeding-heart liberals, but they cannot arrest people (under the eye of the world’s media) if no actual crime has been committed. But the Tories’ underlying Islamophobic narrative demands that they continue to complain about the forces of law and order. It’s an unusual position for Conservative politicians.

But, sadly, racism in politics is not just a matter for any one political party. In 2022, the Forde Report – commissioned by Keir Starmer – into allegations of racism, sexism and bullying in the Labour party was finally published. Martin Forde himself is a distinguished King’s counsel. His report set out how abusive senior Labour party officials were about me in their WhatsApp groups. Among other things, they said that “[Diane Abbott] literally makes me sick” and that I was “truly repulsive”.

The report went on to point out that the criticisms of me by these senior Labour staff were “not simply a harsh response to perceived poor performance – they are expressions of visceral disgust, drawing (consciously or otherwise) on racist tropes, and they bear little resemblance to the criticisms of white male MPs elsewhere in the messages”. They did not actually call for me to be shot but the tenor was not dissimilar to what Hester said. However, to this day none of the individuals concerned have apologised to me, and the Labour party has not apologised to me personally.

As the general election draws near, it will be important for the Labour party to step up to challenge racism, even if it costs us a few points in the polls. Starmer did refer to me in PMQs but all the indications are that the people around him are digging in against any suggestion that I should have the whip restored. It will be both sad and strange if Starmer throws Britain’s first black woman MP out of the PLP because of an eight-line letter , for which I immediately apologised. But the most important thing is that the Labour party holds fast to its anti-racist tradition.

Diane Abbott is the MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington

Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here .

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Opinion NATO members must raise their defense spending to 3 percent of GDP

Andrzej Duda is president of Poland.

Twenty-five years ago, the dream of generations of Poles came true. After two centuries of struggle to maintain an independent state, followed by four decades of Soviet domination, on March 12, 1999 , in Independence, Mo., the Republic of Poland — along with the Czech Republic and Hungary — was officially admitted to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the world’s most powerful military alliance.

opinion piece on homework

We have used that time well. Poland, strategically located and the fifth-largest country of the European Union in terms of population and area , with a gross domestic product of $690 billion , is one of NATO’s most committed members. Polish armed forces are in line with the alliance’s standards in terms of training, command and equipment — purchased largely from U.S. suppliers. Our annual defense spending has reached a record-high level within NATO and stands at nearly 4 percent of GDP .

Poland’s military has either participated or still participates in a number of NATO and U.N.-led peacekeeping missions, including in Kosovo, Lebanon, Iraq, Afghanistan and African countries. Those missions and regular joint exercises have fostered trust and respect between Polish and U.S. soldiers as they risk their lives in carrying out challenging tasks.

The world’s rules-based order, which Poland has helped shape, was shaken on Feb. 24, 2022, when Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Combat in Ukraine, beyond our eastern border, was waged with an intensity comparable to World War II battles. Since the very beginning of the conflict, Poland has been involved, to the greatest possible extent, in providing diplomatic, military and logistical assistance, as well as humanitarian aid, for our attacked neighbor.

Poland has been warning against such a scenario for a long time. Now, while following the conflict from proximity, we state the following: A return to the status quo ante is not possible. Russia’s imperialistic ambitions and aggressive revisionism are pushing Moscow toward a direct confrontation with NATO, with the West and, ultimately, with the whole free world. The Russian Federation has switched its economy to war mode. It is allocating close to 30 percent of its annual budget to arm itself. This figure and other data coming out of Russia are alarming. Vladimir Putin’s regime poses the biggest threat to global peace since the end of the Cold War.

Therefore, during my visit to Washington on Tuesday, I will propose a response from NATO that is adequate to meet the threat. Ten years ago, at the NATO summit in Newport, Wales, all allies pledged to spend at least 2 percent of their annual GDP on defense. I believe that, because of growing threats, the time has come to increase that number to 3 percent of GDP. I intend to persuade our allies to do so, in both America and Europe. I am glad that, having already well-surpassed that minimum, the United States and Poland can lead by example and provide an inspiration for others.

When recalling Poland’s accession to NATO, it is worth noting the visionary approach of leaders at the time. The fourth enlargement of the alliance in 1999 was a landmark event, comparable to West Germany joining NATO in 1955 . In both cases, Moscow opposed the decision; however, the alliance’s leaders remained steadfast in their resolve. In both cases, a long-term stabilization of the European security architecture followed.

Today, NATO has to be equally bold and uncompromising in its actions, as it was 25 years ago. I am delighted that the alliance has welcomed Sweden and Finland as its members — states that had kept their neutral status for decades. But NATO must remain open for further enlargement. A disappointing lack of unity at the NATO summit in April 2008 rendered futile the efforts of Poland, other countries in our region and U.S. diplomacy: Ukraine and Georgia were not granted a clear path to membership. That left those two nations vulnerable to Russian aggression: Russia invaded Georgia only months after the summit and attacked the Ukrainian Crimean Peninsula and Donbas in 2014.

That is a regrettable chapter in NATO’s history and offers an important lesson for the future. What the alliance needs today is unity, unity and more unity. NATO members must work together on the alliance’s future, their security investments and a common strategy of support for Ukraine. I believe that the July summit in Washington marking NATO’s 75th anniversary will produce significant decisions in this regard.

Poland believes that NATO is the main global pillar of security, a community of free nations founded on universal values. We believe in the principle of solidarity: “One for all and all for one.” Poland believes that this strength, stemming from unity, cannot be matched by any aggressive power.

Simultaneously, Poland acknowledges and appreciates the U.S. leadership in the alliance — obviously based on the strongest possible foundations, including manpower and materiel, as well as adherence to NATO’s unchanged goals. I note that Poland embarked on its path to NATO membership when George H.W. Bush was president, and the process was completed during President Bill Clinton’s tenure. Also, Congress was united on this matter — for it is no secret that a strong NATO in central-eastern Europe constitutes a lasting, strategic goal of the United States as the alliance’s leader.

This remains the case today. The strategic Polish-U.S. cooperation develops, irrespective of who is in power, either in Poland or in the United States. As far as the strengthening of NATO and military cooperation with America are concerned, all politicians in Poland, regardless of their political colors, have always spoken and will continue to speak with one voice.

In the first half of 2025, Poland will hold the presidency of the European Union. Our overarching priority will be: more of the United States in Europe. That means a more active U.S. presence across the military, economic and political domains. Just as there is no strong NATO without Europe, there is no strong Europe without the United States and NATO.

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Guest Essay

Moral Hazard Has No Place in Addiction Treatment

opinion piece on homework

By Maia Szalavitz

Ms. Szalavitz is a contributing Opinion writer who covers addiction and public policy.

In 2016, Rachel Winograd began to see methadone patients who relapsed or left the treatment program where she worked start overdosing and dying at unprecedented rates. The culprit was illicitly manufactured fentanyl, which is generally 50 times as strong as heroin — with some variants an astonishing 5,000 times as potent. Fentanyl had begun to overtake heroin in Missouri.

“We were just seeing people drop like crazy,” said Dr. Winograd. But to her utter shock, staff members did not distribute naloxone, which is also known as Narcan, a nasal spray or injection that can reverse opioid overdose, to try to save their lives.

While fighting to change this policy, she discovered that many counselors, police officers, emergency medical technicians and even some doctors believed that handing out naloxone would do more harm than good. It would “enable” continued addiction and deter treatment, she was told. Or, others said, reducing fatalities would increase risk-taking among people who were already using drugs — and encourage children to try heroin.

Dr. Winograd, who is now the director of addiction science at the University of Missouri-St. Louis’s Missouri Institute of Mental Health, had encountered a concept known as moral hazard, the idea that reducing exposure to the negative consequences of a risk makes people more likely to take that risk.

While this phenomenon is a demonstrable concern for regulators of financial institutions — the 2008 crash is one infamous example — there’s little evidence it holds true in matters of health and safety. Here, moral hazard is far more of a political cudgel than a proven principle. As we face the worst overdose death crisis in American history, we can’t allow moral panic over moral hazard to drive out policies that have proved to save lives.

The University of Chicago economist Sam Peltzman introduced the idea of moral hazard to health policy in 1975. His data, he claimed, showed that seatbelt laws backfire because when drivers feel safer they take more risks, canceling out any benefit. Also known as risk compensation, the concept rapidly caught on as an argument against regulation.

But later research (as well as a continued significant decline in fatalities per mile as safety improvements continued) poured cold water on his conclusions. Researchers occasionally find a small moral hazard effect that is rarely enough to outweigh benefits. However, in most studies in areas as diverse as the influence of bicycle helmets on rider speed and the human papillomavirus vaccine on teen sexual behavior , moral hazard simply isn’t observed.

Despite the evidence, this idea continues to haunt addiction debates — specifically over harm reduction policies like drug decriminalization, programs that provide clean needles to prevent infectious disease and naloxone distribution to reverse overdose.

Some economists claim to have evidence that moral hazard eliminates most positive effects of harm reduction and increases overdose deaths. They use a method called causal inference, which, when its measures are set appropriately, can show cause and effect, unlike the observational research typical in public health.

For example, a 2018 study led by the economist Jennifer Doleac reported that naloxone distribution led to a 14 percent increase in overdose deaths in the Midwest, leading the Washington Post columnist Megan McArdle to endorse its claims of moral hazard . A 2022 study by the Vanderbilt University economist Analisa Packham used similar methods to claim that clean needle programs (which also distribute naloxone) caused a 25 percent increase in opioid-related fatalities.

These findings generated enormous controversy because they run contrary to the overwhelming majority of public health data — as well as to the recommendations of experts from the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . More recent studies should bring humility to those who rely on data to make causal claims about behavior that they do not study directly — and to those who see moral hazard in harm reduction.

Researchers who dug into Ms. Doleac’s data found that it relied on erroneous assumptions about when naloxone availability increased in states that were studied. This is a crucial error, because if naloxone availability didn’t rise when the paper claimed that it had, it could not have caused subsequent overdose deaths. The study also had other flaws that rendered its conclusions unreliable. Ms. Packham’s research exhibited similar measurement problems and could not explain why small expansions of syringe exchange programs supposedly caused harm while massive expansions did not.

Moreover, a study of over 1,300 drug injectors published in 2023 found no changes in drug risk behavior after naloxone distribution and education started. A randomized trial of co-dispensing naloxone with opioid prescriptions in Colorado pharmacies also found no moral hazard effect.

Claims that harm reduction programs encourage teenage drug use by making it less dangerous do not hold up, either. As naloxone access has boomed, misuse of heroin and prescription opioids by high school seniors has plummeted . In 2007, 0.9 percent of 12th graders reported taking heroin and 9.2 percent reported misusing prescription opioids; those figures were 0.1 percent and 1 percent in 2023.

To further understand why moral hazard is especially unlikely to affect overdose, it’s critical to know how people with addiction actually behave.

For example, one methadone patient described his periods of active addiction to Dr. Winograd this way: “Look, all the money I have that day I’m going to spend on dope. All the dope I have I’m going to use.” Hansel Tookes, who founded Florida’s first legal syringe services program, shared the same sentiments. “My patients tell me they spend every dime that they have made that day. And then they wake up and they do it again,” Dr. Tookes said.

Stories like these typify the experience of addiction. And this means that even if naloxone did make addicted people more likely to take riskier amounts, it wouldn’t matter because it doesn’t provide the money needed to obtain them. (One would think economists would consider the role of economics.)

But there’s another compelling reason that naloxone doesn’t cause moral hazard, which is evident to anyone who understands the extremely unpleasant nature of having an overdose reversed. Naloxone immediately causes a distressing withdrawal syndrome — the experience people with addiction overwhelmingly seek to avoid.

Dr. Winograd has found that the more educated people are about addiction and the more closely they work with such patients, the less likely they are to endorse moral hazard arguments. The police are more likely to have these concerns than emergency medical technicians, who in turn are more likely to worry about moral hazard than addiction medicine doctors.

While it is possible that under some circumstances, reducing harm might increase risk-taking, this concern should not stand in the way of access to medications proven to save lives. It makes sense to apply the idea of moral hazard to banking — where the data shows that bailing out investors can make financiers more likely to gamble, especially with other people’s money. It does not follow that we should use the theoretical possibility that reducing harm might increase risk-taking in some settings to gamble with people’s lives.

Maia Szalavitz (@maiasz) is a contributing Opinion writer and the author, most recently, of “Undoing Drugs: How Harm Reduction Is Changing the Future of Drugs and Addiction.”

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

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    5 Revise. Now is the time to revise, or clean it up. Make sure your essay flows logically; jumping from one topic to the next will disorient the reader. Check that all of your evidence supports your opinion. Listen to the way your essay sounds (literally, read it out loud to yourself).

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    In 2021, Tyler Brand ('23) wrote a Match opinion piece, "Why should students have less homework?". He wrote about the history of homework and the negative impact it has on teens. He included teacher and student opinions about excessive homework, and many students expressed their desire for less homework.

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    The editing process polishes the well-wrought opinion piece by putting the final gloss on the student's work. The OREO Opinion Writing Process Explained. As with all genres, there's a lot to remember here and acronyms are a helpful way to commit these important things to memory. Luckily, few things can be easier to commit to memory than the ...

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    Ms. Szalavitz is a contributing Opinion writer who covers addiction and public policy. In 2016, Rachel Winograd began to see methadone patients who relapsed or left the treatment program where she ...