Homework has been one of those topics where it’s always a never ending debate. People debate over whether homework should be mandatory or not required. Does homework really work, or is it just another pressure? Do all classes need assigned homework? But the real question is does the specific class overall need it?.
Homework should not be mandatory unless or until the class needs it. For example, advanced classes would need it, as it’s a way to practice and for teachers to know students’ growth or if the students need attention. When a class is achieving its goal and nearly none are failing then homework is needed. Homework helps the most when learning and growth is in difficult or critical topics such as math for many students.
Now, if it is mandatory for every class, where almost everyone is paying attention and gets pretty much everything, then homework is not a concern. Teachers can know students’ performance just through the tests, quizzes and assignments they assign in school. That should be enough. Most likely, students in elementary school would be in need of homeworks as they take time to understand everything through hands-on things. It also allows parents to know their children’s performance in elementary school as it’s the age of learning the basics. Whereas middle and high schoolers are experienced. If a middle/high schooler is actually struggling with work at school and might as well be at home then maybe tutorials would work for them after school.
Homeworks is great for skill development. It teaches managing time and turning work in before the due date, critical thinking, by not only moving beyond memorization but applying knowledge, problem solving through persistence, and repetition. And all the practice skills will later help in tests.
If there are pros of homework then there will surely be cons. Homework can be a stress factor. It can cause anxiety and loss of sleep. Homeworks shouldn’t be difficult with really close due dates. It shouldn’t affect the child’s mental health anyhow. If there are homeworks which are mandatory where the class might be advanced or the homework is for a grade and a student is unable to do it because of some particular reasons then they should try discussing it with their teachers about extending the due date is mandatory where the class might be advanced or the homework is for a grade.
Many students don’t perform as well on tests and exams as they perform on assignments, homeworks and daily activities. If a student somehow ends up with a bad test grade then the daily grades can balance the student’s grades and prevent them from failing as the tests are most likely to be a major grade in the gradebook. Homeworks is a great way to not only learn skills and upper your grade as students might struggle with tests but not homeworks.
Homeworks is meant to be used for students’ growth, not downfall, as it should focus on quality over quantity, making it relevant and personalized. If it becomes a mental health risk factor then it is a problem.
Homeworks can be a great way to keep up with school life, skills and grades but not all classes need it as it causes excessive amounts of stress, many students even lack resources such as the internet, quiet space or parental help. It also cuts the time of having solitude or vital growth as homeworks can also lead to a decrease in student’s interest and enthusiasm. Homeworks can be offered as a choice for those who want extra growth or reinforcement rather than “for a grade-work”. It can be offered as a bonus grade (can even help the students failing!) if teachers really want some students to do homeworks and students are willing to do extra grades.
