Do schoolchildren really need homework? Do they really benefit from it? Is giving homework a waste of time? The value of homework has been debated for quite some time. There are parties who are in favor of it, while some don’t really like the idea of giving student homework to do. Why is that so? Let’s look at both sides of the argument:
List of Pros of Homework
1. It consolidates and clarifies what was learned in school.
Teachers assign homework to see whether or not a student has understood the lesson for the day. Be it math or science, giving homework gives students the opportunity to apply what they have learned.
Sometimes, teachers give homework in order to prepare for the lesson for the next meeting. For instance, a teacher may ask her students to research on the life of William Shakespeare so that the discussion will be more participative.
2. It serves as a way to make up for time.
It’s a fact that not everything can be discussed by a teacher in class. This is why they give homework to their students like special projects because doing so allows them to move on to other topics to teach.
3. It provides students with a chance to practice.
Practice is needed in order to learn, and giving homework allows students to apply what they have learned. For instance, for a student to really know how to solve a problem in algebra, they need to practice it after learning about it. In short: it’s not just enough to be handed information from a teacher, students also need to be able to think on their own.
List of Cons of Homework
1. It can become a burden.
Students attend a lot of classes in a single day. What if all of those classes gave them homework to do? How are they going to manage their time? Will they ever get it done? These are the questions that are constantly raised by those who are shocked at the amount of homework given to students. Because sometimes, let’s face it, not every homework is going to be a walk in the park.
2. It steals time away from family and friends.
Some students may opt not to join their family for dinner because they have a lot of work to do. Others may choose not to have fun during the weekends because they want to finish a project that has been assigned to them.
Those who are against homework argue that students need time to relax, and giving homework deprives them of that because that’s most likely what they’ll attend to after coming home from school. Giving homework can also deprive them from pursuing sports or a hobby because they want to focus on just one thing: getting homework done.
3. It deprives them of sleep.
It’s also not a secret that some students want to have fun before doing more serious work. But doing so usually deprives them of sleep and they wake up lacking energy or generally not feeling great the next day. Also, some students devote a lot of time to homework and want to get it done that they end up staying up all night.
Crystal Lombardo is a contributing editor for Vision Launch. Crystal is a seasoned writer and researcher with over 10 years of experience. She has been an editor of three popular blogs that each have had over 500,000 monthly readers.
