Homework: Good or Bad?
Homework has been a controversy for decades. This especially has been shown with in students and parents. Many scientists and I have conducted research and yet the research has been frazzled. I have realized that there are a lot of variables to be taken to account: subject, intelligence, determination, different types of homework and many others.
As from my own experience I have realized that homework causes a lot of tension between teachers, students, and parents. Also between amount and type homework can be on the brain and can cause less sleep meaning more stress and illness. Also, this can affect physical and other mental points by stopping kids from going into extracurricular activities. I have tested a few experiments of my own and conducted that with most subjects homework causes stress and causes most grades to plummet. One of my experiments included the teachers my elementary school.
I talked to my teachers and fellow classmates and realized that my teacher who gave very little homework at all had one of the highest in the school (5th grade), but my friends class whose teacher got a lot of homework did not do as well. This I think is due to the load. Most full-time jobs have you work forty hours a week. This seems to be a good balance for people. When they go home they can relax they have nothing to do with there jobs (usually there are exceptions as of random projects or it’s in your job requirements and you get paid for it). Yet most teachers and parents consider school as a job.
This represents that when we get home, besides a random project or unfinished work, there should be a very little amount of homework to none at all. Also, I have realized that throughout my years I have been told that school goes up in increments and that the only thing that may really vary is the homework, and it seems that the more homework there is the harder it is for students to get the grades. They require. The hardest jump I’ve seen due to asking around going through online grade reports it showed that the jump between 8th grade and 9th grade is the hardest. It also seems that in most schools that the quantity of homework changes very drastically between these years do to the change of middle school to high school.
Another reason to believe is that the stats of some of the smartest countries. Research has shown that in countries like Japan, the Czech Republic, and Denmark (some of the top countries in the world for intelligence in students) teachers give relatively more homework. Here countries with some of the lowest averages like Thailand, Greece, and Iran have there teachers give relatively more homework. (Britt 1). There are many reason why people believe can help besides the grades. The problem is that those can also be proven wrong.
For instance some people say it will keep them out of trouble which will help them, but the problem with that is kids usually have there greatest ideas while they have unconstructive time. Also people say that it can help their organization skills, though studies have shown that the only thing it helps is to get kids to remember due dates nothing else seem to change (Ponte). These are just some of the many theories proven wrong. There are exceptions like a random project every once in a while, or bringing in supplies but these are limited. See homework is sketchy do to the many different types: essays, projects, work sheets, etc.
I see that it’s the amount and how often that affects the students and a little thing here and there is not going to hurt them. The only problem with saying that is that teachers then all want to give a little and then it turns into a lot. There can be exceptions but they need to be specific. (See last page for my suggestions.) As you can see homework may seem to be constructive but it can also hurt.
With my own personal opinion if teacher have to give homework to feel they got the topic into their brain then they are not teaching their students good enough. Homework is a very sensitive subject and needs to be taking care of. We want our students being at there best and homework just won’t cut it. Exceptions Monthly Projects-These should be allowed so teachers can see what we learned but they should not be due around the same time period. (Does not necessarily mean every month. It could even be quarterly.
) Unfinished Class Work-This should only be on rare occasions when there are only a few kids not done (not a lot). This should not be used to fill kids with class work that isn’t possible for most to finish in class. Helper Work-This is the homework given to kids who are having trouble in class. This should be a small amount just to help the kid with a study habit. Late, Absent, or Missing Work- Absent work should not be worked upon in class (unless the student is finished with their work).
They are responsible for showing up if not they will take it out of there time. Late work is when a pass is used to extend a time period do to problems unless needing assistance this should be done at home. Missing work should be completed at home if teachers rules allow making it up.
