Homework: busywork or beneficial?
February 22, 2016
In the everyday life of a student, one task is always present: homework. Whether you like it or not, it is an unavoidable task that must be completed each day. The intent of homework is to help students to learn their material outside of school. However, it often leads to busy days and very long nights. Homework greatly affects the lives of students in many different ways.
The amount of homework students get varies per day. However, most students would agree that homework consumes a large amount of time in their daily life. “I would say I probably spend three to four hours each night doing homework. Sometimes, doing homework honestly feels like I’m dying a slow death,” sophomore Maddie Schafer said.
Besides classes, like math, that get consistent homework, history and English classes are often singled out for assigning the most homework. “The classes that give out the most homework is probably World History and Honors English. Whenever I get an assignment in those classes, it usually is super long and often requires a lot of time and attention in order to be done correctly,” Schafer said.
Although an extensive amount of homework is assigned each year, most upperclassmen would agree that junior year is the busiest year when it comes to homework. “The amount of homework given junior year almost felt like too much. I feel like a huge load is lifted now that I’m done with junior year,” senior Natasha Wagner said.
For students participating in activities, homework often creates problems within their daily schedule. “The activities I do outside of school tend to push back how late I begin my homework, often extending the process longer than it needs to be. Also, because I have to do it at night, it takes me a lot longer to complete it,” Schafer said.
Another part of homework is the effect it has on a student’s social life. “Sometimes I may want to do something with a friend, but homework gets in the way. Instead of having fun, I have to stay home and complete the dreadful task that is homework. It’s unfortunate, but you can’t really do anything about it,” freshman Brad Shibley. Although it is supposed to help a student improve on certain skills, homework can sometimes be seen as unnecessary or irrelevant. “If I’m being completely honest, I just feel like teachers give out homework just so it can keep me busy. Sometimes the assignments just don’t seem necessary,” Shibley said.
However, most teachers would disagree, stating that all homework assigned is only meant to benefit the student. “Teachers don’t give out homework just to punish students. Much like practice or rehearsals, it is meant to help tune the understanding and technique for the large, meaningful work experiences later in life,” Ms. Anne Marie Dominguez, a senior high English teacher, said.
Although homework tends to cause trouble within a student’s life, there are a few tips that can help students complete their homework in a timely fashion. The first tip is to prioritize which homework needs to get done first. “I usually make a list on a sticky note that helps me differentiate what should get done tonight and what can wait until later on. By doing so, it can help with focusing on what should be done first,” Schafer said.
The next tip is to utilize the BSM hour to get as much homework done as possible. “Try to get as much homework done in the BSM hour as possible. Some students probably don’t use it well, but if you do as much homework as you can, it will help so much when you get home and realize that there is one less assignment to worry about,” Wagner said.
Finally, the last tip is to remain calm and stay focused on the task ahead. “Try to go somewhere that you won’t be distracted. Remain focused and don’t worry about time. As long as you relax and stay calm, your homework can get done. It might be tough at times, but just know that you can do it,” Shibley said.