Editor’s Note: Each composition class participated in a competition, choosing one guest editorial to be published in The Broadside. This essay was chosen to represent one of Ms. Knight’s classes.
In my opinion, I strongly believe that homework shouldn’t be required in schools.
As a junior at RHHS, two days before winter break, my chemistry teacher assigned seven packets and worksheets of work that had to be completed before we came back.Which isn’t right because break is a time to spend with family and enjoy the holidays. But instead, time was spent trying to complete my assignments so I could get them in on time. Which I feel isn’t right because with homework and trying to find time to try and complete it, it’s stressful because you want to be able to spend time with family and do something you enjoy with this time but you can’t.
Schools shouldn’t give homework because it affects life outside of school and stresses students out. According to Doug B., “I’m becoming deranged from the excess of homework given to me… no time for any interest I have, companions and sleep” (Gonchar). Doug argues that he has zero time to do the things he enjoys because of the amount of schoolwork given. He spends his nights doing his assignments then goes to sleep. This matters because with homework teenagers don’t get the chance to be teenagers and hang out with friends or experience life as much and that’s just not fair.
Furthermore, homework shouldn’t be assigned because it doesn’t help students learn. When reflecting on Holly’s research; she explains, “One-third of parents… rated the quality of their children’s homework assignments as fair or poor, and 4 in 10 said they believed that some or a great deal of homework was busywork that doesn’t help students learn” (OJALVO). Basically, Holly’s saying that homework doesn’t really help students learn. It is more of a busy work and doesn’t have much of an impact towards grades in general.
Some people, like Cognitive, believe; “Homework is important because it’s resourceful… allows for students to recap on skills… and teaches children to be independent” (Cognitive). Although I agree with Cognitive to a point, I cannot accept their overall conclusion because there could be other ways
for students to recap on what they learned, like warm-ups at the beginning of classes to refresh their
minds on the subject. Also there are other ways to learn to be resourceful in life outside of school (like thinking creatively or having confidence in yourself)and you can learn to be independent at home.
Maybe when you’re sitting working on your homework and it seems like it’s been hours, stop,take a break. Eat dinner at the table for once, or go for a bike ride to see the sunset. As students we should start a petition to convince the principal of no homework.