Written by Mitch Hammer

From teachers to parents, everyone has tried to explain to us just how important homework is. But the reality is that homework should not even be assigned.

Homework is stressful, it can lead to frustration, it limits the amount of free time a student has, it affects a student’s social life, it can affect a family emotionally, and it takes away time in which more productive things can get done.

Educational work should be done at school, not at home. Pointless worksheets that many teachers frequently assign for homework don’t help students learn. It’s busy work that often only requires an answer copied straight from the book. If indeed the worksheet does actually take brain power to complete, students may be unable to get questions answered and receive the help they need. At school, however, students can seek the help and support they need from teachers and peers.

Homework can also be extremely frustrating and stressful, which can lead to a loss of interest in learning, especially to students who are involved in extracurricular activities or sports. Many students view school as an obligation instead of a good learning experience. If there was little or no homework, students may be more eager to come to school and learn.

Frustration and stress can also lead to cheating or copying. In some cases, if a student becomes extremely frustrated with their homework, they will sometimes ask a friend if they can copy the work. Copying and cheating does not help a student learn whatsoever. If there were no homework, cheating wouldn’t be a problem.

Too much homework can limit the amount of rest students get. Not enough rest can really have an impact on how much a student can learn. The brain can’t function  in order to be creative.

Homework takes up a good chunk of free time for other important and essential activities. I feel that often teachers assign homework without thinking of other commitments students may have. We’re busy; many of us are trying to balance athletics, clubs, and musical instruments, on top of any other family or spiritual obligations we may have. To add hours of homework on top of that is just too much.

An overload of homework can also affect a student’s entire family. Often when students have too much homework they can’t find time to do other activities with their family. This can create a lot of tension in a family. According to CNN.com, children who spend more time with their family by eating dinner together are less likely to get depressed, among numerous other things. Homework should not prevent a student from spending valuable time with their family, but it does.

Homework cannot be used as an excuse to do less in school. We need more direct learning in school, not at home. In classes where we really apply ourselves, there is just not a need for a huge amount of homework.

Homework helps:

Written by Nadia Spock

Let’s face it, not many people really enjoy homework. But in reality it’s a crucial part of every student’s schooling process. The daily completion of homework not only prepares you for the near future outside of high school, but also to apply your knowledge from the outermost realms of the classroom.

An average school day at South allots each student about six hours of classroom learning, leaving just 55 minutes per subject. A class that lasts less than an hour only allows a very restricted amount of material to be covered, and students simply cannot absorb all the material in that time. Assigned homework makes it possible for students to cover a lot more than class time permits and to expand on the learned concepts on they’re own time.

Many teachers chose to defend homework with the continual reminder that it will serve you well in the future. Although sometimes this reminder can be irritating, this is a valid point. Due to the fact very little material can be discussed with in the class, its critical that students can expand and further their knowledge at home. The more time available to review studied topics, the better the chances are for a student to actually understand and feel confident with what is being taught.

The completion of homework not only strengthens students abilities to be successful for further forms of education, but also provides you with skills that can be applied outside of educational purposes. For example, time management is a craft that takes a long time to truly master, and homework requires the student to be able to accomplish assignments in the time given. With the ability to manage your time with ease, life’s tasks should come at a more manageable level.

Some teachers chose to focus on what is taught in class, rather than the emphasis on homework completion. When taking part in a class without homework, I find myself being sheltered beneath the teachers thoughts and ideas, rather than those of my own. One purpose for attending school day-in and day-out is to discover your own concepts and conclusions; homework allows for students to think without the constant guidance of their teacher in order to determine how they learn best.

If students can look past the thought of homework being a burden, then the future should appear bright for those who chose to take on such simple tasks. The purpose of homework is not to exclude you from the exciting world around you, but to teach how knowledge is applied to better our existence.