HOMEWORK: IS IT WORTH THE STRUGGLE?

Most people are convinced that it is necessary for teachers, tutors, and professors to give out homework. Like all teachers, I’ve spent many hours checking homework. Yet there is a debate over whether we should be giving homework to students or not. Increasingly, there’s a division between those who support the need for homework and those who recommend the time would be better spent with family and developing relationships.

For me, homework will help students because it is a way to practice and fully master the material that they needed to learn. A student can better understand and grasp the area of the subject. For example, if a teacher gives a student math homework such as fractions, he or she can better understand how to use fractions correctly by practicing it more often, which is exactly what is needed to achieve whilst doing homework. Moreover, if a student needs help in a certain area, he or she has the chance to ask the teacher for help. The student won't be able to inquire a teacher how to do something during a test. Furthermore, assigning student homework ensures that they don't forget how to do it, for instance solving long division. If a student doesn't use division frequently, he or she may forget how to do it. Giving review homework lets them remember how to perform it. In other words, revising the key skills learned in the classroom during homework increases the likelihood of a student remembering and being able to use those skills in different situations in the future, aiding to their overall education.

However, we, teachers, shouldn't give out too much homework. A student might be pressured due to having to do a lot of homework in a short period of time causing stress. Having too much of anything is bad. Hence, a teacher should give a rational amount of homework, but not too little, either. In conclusion, all teachers should give out a reasonable amount of homework so that the student can achieve his or her best.

--oOo— The author is Teacher I at Nuestra Seniora Del Pilar Integrated School