Homework is a daily part of students’ academic routines whether they like it or not. Used to assess students’ understanding of the current topic being taught in class, many critics assert that homework is solely a waste of time. “Homework is not necessary,” explained junior Lizeth Posada. “Homework can commonly be stressful for students who just want to go home and relax after a full day of school. Also, if you do some homework incorrectly, most of the time it can bring down your average grade, which can be so frustrating,” added Posada.
Although, without homework, how will students know if they can apply what they are learning? Homework is beneficial to students because it boosts their confidence in the topic. If they do not know nor understand the homework for a subject like social studies, how will they understand the material on a test? Homework is critical to students’ learning and can hinder a student’s understanding of a subject if not given.
Posada asserted homework often hurts students’ grades when done incorrectly; however, without graded homework, students may lose motivation to complete assignments with full effort and ability. Homework is necessary to assess people’s knowledge and strengthen their understanding of a topic. Alternatively, homework based on completion can be a better option, serving as a student’s friend rather than his/her foe. Completing homework improves one’s ability to perform well on future quizzes of exams.
Senior Isabella Garcia also opposed the idea of homework. “When I hear the word homework, I immediately think about how I am way too busy for homework and now I’m going to fail the class. Teachers are sometimes oblivious to the fact that kids have lives outside of school. A lot of my friends have jobs and sports after school. By the time they come home, it’s super late. How can anyone even manage this busy schedule?” Like Posada, Garcia feels homework impedes on a student’s ability to manage his/her busy schedule, as well as the stress that comes with it. “On the weekends, I also find it hard to relax. There is always some test or quiz to study for or a project due Monday that is worth fifty percent of our grade! There is almost no downtime ever! There is a serious excess of homework that I really think shouldn’t exist,” added Garcia.
Homework can become unnecessary when there is too much of it. It can be stressful when there are multiple assignments from different classes all due on the same day. While some teachers may give a manageable amount of homework to complete in a fair amount of time, others may not. To combat this, teachers should be mindful of students’ occupied schedules and assign meaningful work as opposed to busy work. Additionally, students should communicate with their teachers and negotiate deadlines or due dates, that way both parties are on the same side.
In defense of homework, senior Emma Mancuso highlighted, “Though homework may be annoying, it helps reinforce things taught and class. Personally, I do better in classes with teachers who assign homework because it reaffirms the information I already know.”
Ultimately, while homework may seem like a second job to some, there is no doubt that it will not go away anytime soon. The practice is necessary for reinforcing material given in class. The key is to manage one’s time and prioritize what is more critical for academic success in the long run.
