Denis Xhixhi
2nd Hour
Honors English III
10/12/12
Homework’s Effects on Students
When in school, if people really think about it, the amount of curriculum that gets covered is astonishing. One day the topic, for example, might be finding the value of ‘x’ in certain algebraic scenarios, while just 24 hours later, the focus of that period becomes graphing different types of functions. Overall, with changes in subjects that happen so frequently, students must learn and master skills extremely quickly in order to be successful. But is the method being used to do this flawed? Homework is a learning tool that has been used by teachers for ages in order to help students learn, but in recent years, this method of learning has turned into a rigorous and pointless practice that contains more negatives than it does positives.
Homework is practice. It is used to stabilize the foundation of knowledge that the student receives in class. The only problem of this age-old method is the way it is being used in current times. Homework is no longer a method of reinforcing what has already been taught, but has been introduced as a method of teaching students new curriculum that they have not effectively yet learned in class or a tool to just take up a student’s time. In a hypothetical scenario, student A goes to class and understands the curriculum and receives a worksheet of 50 math problems. Student B goes to class and although exhausting much effort in trying to learn the material, comes out of class with a worksheet and no idea how to complete it. Student A solves all of the problems on the worksheet wasting much more time than he needed to considering that he already had a grasp on what to do. Student B has no clue on what to do and simply stresses over the homework and how he will have no way of completing all of the problems. The problem with that homework is the sheer quantity of the problems. What could be easily done with 5 or even 20 problems was dragged out into 50 problems that after a while simply become time-consuming and unbearable. Student A didn’t need 50 problems worth of practice, while Student B couldn’t even deal with 50 problems. That homework consumed time that could have been spent doing something productive for student A and simply just added stress to the student who didn’t know what to do. Homework is great when used right, but when used in the form of a long rigorous worksheet, it simply doesn’t accomplish anything other than making students begin to hate school and learning.
Homework is known as a tool used by teachers that help students get better grades on standardized tests. Contrary to popular belief, homework does not help students get better grades. According to Richard Walker, “Data shows that in countries where more time is spent on homework, students score lower on a standardized test called the Program for International Student Assessment, or PISA” (Too Much Homework Is Bad for Kids).This quote shows the result of a study that was used to see the link between homework and test scores. As stated in the quote, homework didn’t improve test scores in those areas where homework was given, but instead dropped them. This same trend was shown in other studies that were held before this on the same topic (Too Much Homework Is Bad for Kids). A great example is Finland. Finland doesn’t give much homework to their students, but has the highest average score on the science portion on a standardized test (Bartros, Judeen). Although outside factors could have contributed to these scores, a pattern between homework and scores on standardized tests is irrefutable. Homework doesn’t help students in terms of standardized tests, or for that matter, their overall lives.
One of the largest effects that homework has is on students psychologically. When homework is given in large quantities it wastes time, stress’ students and deprives students of the ability to gain social skills that people need to survive in the real world. Stress from homework can result in depression, perfectionism, headaches, and possibly even the cutting of one’s self (Feature). In addition, homework has also “been found to contribute to emotional and physical exhaustion” (FAMILY SCHOOL) and has reduced the amount of time that students are able to spend with their family and friends and the amount of time that students have to just relax (FAMILY SCHOOL). Homework is taking away time from people’s lives in which they can take part in activities that are more important than just a piece of paper filled with meaningless busywork. By doing this, homework is negatively affecting people psychologically, while actually helping them in no way.
Although many reasons against homework exist, some still believe that homework is more helpful than harmful. They may argue that homework teaches responsibility, time-management, and organization (Why Homework Is Actually Good For Kids). These are all good points, but they contain flaws when considering how much time is spent on homework. In terms of responsibility, doing chores is something that could teach the exact same lesson in just a somewhat different way that doesn’t produce stress. In terms of time-management, large amounts of homework don’t help all that much. For example, if a student has 5 hours of time in which they can do homework and have 5 hours of homework a day, time-management doesn’t play a great role. They’re either going to use up all of their available time doing homework, or stay up longer.That in turn will hinder their learning the next day. In terms of organization, homework will help unless they have, too much. If they have too much, there will be no organization involved. They will do homework all day or just decide to leave it undone.
Homework’s benefits are greatly outweighed by its negatives in modern times. Homework is being used as a way to teach material that has been insufficiently taught in class through a rigorous and ineffective manner, has been used to try to raise student’s test scores to no avail, and is also hurting students through stress and by depriving them of social lives. These are the effects that homework in large quantities provides, and for those reasons, the practice of homework should either be stopped or limited so as to let people grow in more ways than just academics. "When I talk to parents … they want their kids to be well-rounded, creative, happy individuals — not just kids who ace the tests." (Too Much Homework Is Bad for Kids).
Citations
Alanne, Naomi and Macgregor, Rupert. Homework: What are the upsides and
downsides?. Farmington Hills: Greenhaven Press, 2012. Print.
Bartos, Judeen. Do Students Have Too Much Homework? Detroit, MI: Greenhaven,
2012. Print.
Feature, Katherine KamWebMD. "School Stress Management: Homework, Over-
Scheduling, Sleep, and More." WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 14 Oct. 2012. <
"Too Much Homework Is Bad for Kids."LifesLittleMysteries.com. N.p.,n.d. Web. 14
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"Why Homework Is Actually Good For Kids."- Memphis Parent. N.p.,n.d. Web. 14
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