Homework has always been something that you do after school, may it be a project, or an exercise that you weren’t able to do during class time. Sometimes it’s a problem that can be as small as not letting you hang out with your friends, or as big as putting a dent on your grades.
Homework can be helpful as it provides you more material to learn more about the topic at hand, but it shouldn’t be something that students end up resenting. Homework can help you learn more at something you are unsure of because it helps you refine your skills. It shouldn’t be seen in a bad light; it should be seen as helpful rather than harmful. Many problems can be at fault as to why homework may seem like a big wall that students have to climb, rather than a helpful guide to help you out.
One of the problems of homework is that there can be too much to do at once. Sometimes homework can pile up and cause stress to students. Having homework piled up can make it harder for students and even discourage them from even starting. It robs the student of the relieving feeling of finishing their homework, because now they have to prepare to do another one right after.
“It’s just a hassle,” said senior Taimane Mose, who said homework is unnecessary. She said she is currently working and trying to not let homework interfere with her job. She also said she lacked motivation to do homework. She said homework has unreasonable times for them to be finished, saying that there are also six other classes beside that one class, and said teachers should be aware of that.
Another problem is procrastination. Homework piling up is bad, but what makes it worse is someone procrastinating and working on a time crunch. Some students like to do their work a day or two before the deadline. I should know, because I am one of those students. I am writing this article two days before its first draft is due, so you can say this is a product of procrastination.
The last problem I’ll state is outside problems or issues, usually with friends or family. Homework is hard to do already, but it’s harder to do when the people around you at home are interfering with you doing homework. A freshman who chose to be anonymous said that they are dealing with family problems and sibling favoritism. They said they often have other problems to deal with and arguments they have to fix.
A solution to homework piling up is by having teachers spread out homework based on the student’s schedule. Teachers should communicate with each other to know if some students are already having a lot of work on their plate so that they could decide whether to give homework or not, or if they should extend the deadlines.
A solution to procrastination is more on the student’s side. Students should learn how to spread their work times evenly so that they don’t rush all their work in one day. If students spread their schedule properly, then they would have a balanced schedule of work and play. If its hard to do homework at home, you can always do it at school during 20/20 or study hall time. The main way to combat procrastination is to always just motivate yourself to do work little by little, and to take advantage of the free time they get to do it.
“Do not procrastinate. Have a set to-do list,” senior Taimane Mose said.
Lastly, a solution to outside problems is more complicated, as this is something that we rarely have control over. The anonymous freshman said schools should be more lenient and try to understand. They pointed out that it’s hard to open up to counselors as they feel like they will tell their parents about what they talked about. One thing that the freshman suggested is to do work away from distractions and problems, to have a safe space where they aren’t interrupted and bothered so that they can do their homework.
Homework should be encouraged, but not required. Homework might not be going anywhere anytime soon, but it isn’t an issue that’s black or white. It isn’t an issue that is just student versus teacher. It should be a group effort where each side helps each other so that the student may grow up and graduate and to learn so that they may live a comfortable and productive life.