Homework is a highly divided topic. Some love homework and feel that it is best done daily, while others feel that it’s a nuisance. What do students think and studies show about homework?
Homework is defined as schoolwork assigned to be done outside the classroom, per dictionary.com. It is assigned with the purpose to educate students and reinforce what is learned in the classroom. It helps students better prepare for upcoming quizzes and tests by going over material again and again. But the question remains; Why do most students dislike homework? When asked the question, “What is the first word that comes to mind when thinking about homework?”, many students had similar answers. Some responses that were repeated multiple times were, “annoying”, “ugh”, and “dumb.” If homework is supposed to help students on tests, then why don’t the students like it? 66.6% of students surveyed felt that homework does reinforce what is learned in school, but they still don’t like it. The true reason that homework is a nuisance is because of the excessive amount assigned.
A Metlife study found that 50% of students in grades 7-12 spend more than an hour each night on homework. It may not sound like a lot, but it can be excessive. When asked, “If you could change anything about homework, what would it be?”, 56% of responses pertained to the amount given. Each class will assign about 30 minutes to an hour of homework each night. If you have four classes, you’re looking at about 2 hours of homework per night. The worst part is that if you don’t fully understand the material and you don’t do well on the homework, it can affect your grade. You’re essentially being punished for not knowing material and trying to learn it. As the old saying goes, you can’t learn anything unless you fail at it first.
Many students choose not to complete homework due to not having enough time or because they find it pointless. Many students complete their homework, but they won’t actually learn anything because they use the internet. 87.8% of students surveyed claimed to use the internet to help them with homework. It’s a double-edged sword, you get your homework completed and can get good grades by using the internet, but, you aren’t learning much if you’re copying stuff from online.
Students lack a drive to do homework. If one goes to school from 8 to 3 and then factors in extracurricular activities, personal time, and a basic need for sleep, there isn’t a lot of time left for homework. Based off of the survey conducted by The Declaration, 78.9% of students feel that homework shouldn’t be given on a nightly basis. There simply isn’t enough time for a student who takes part in extracurricular activities to be able to complete all of their homework successfully as well as get sleep and have personal time for themselves. One of the three has to be sacrificed.
Students have come to dislike homework due to the fact that it’s tedious and excessive. Although it can help teach a student, students don’t have time for it and believe that it is pointless to complete.
