The fight on the importance of homework has existed for decades. One thing the two antagonizing sides agree on is the quality of the homework. Quality matter a lot compared to quantity. Learners have been handling it for some time. Education stakeholders say that benefits accrued from homework are dubious. To them, a lot of work to keep learners busy isn’t a clear show of excelling in academics. Teachers still hold that homework for students to tackle at home is very important. It helps students learn while at home. Learners will have to keep books by their sides. They won’t forget the ideas they received in class. To them, few or no homework at all will end in relaxation on students’ side on academic matters. The relaxation will make them engage in other things that may result in social ills. It will affect their academics. The blame on poor performance will go back to the teachers and the school at large.
Research has revealed that homework done to the required standards is good. Students’ performance, especially at the high school level improves. It also develops life skills that are applicable in normal life routines. Skills in management and individual responsibility develop. It will deny them the opportunity to loiter around and end up in problems caused either by peer pressure.
Realizing benefits will only come if the homework given is viable. It should take the shortest time possible for learners to concentrate on the task at hand. When it takes a longer time, they lose concentration. Boredom and stress strive in there, and then it becomes wasteful. It makes them perform badly in academics. Homework should range between 10 minutes to 30 minutes, depending on age and maturity. Young ones at lower levels should get adequate time for play. It is important since it makes them fit in stature and good body organs’ growth brains included.
High ranking schools take a greater percentage of their student to colleges. Pressure in these schools is high both from curricular and extracurricular activities. The immense work on students ends with the birth of stress. Antisocial behaviors among students also rise. Students from stable homes get advantaged with more resources. They may have machines that the poor may not have. The resources help in recreation and also assist in doing the assignments. Parents to these students do also have time for their children. They have good knowledge of various issues. They assist their children in doing the assignments.
Homework should be of good quality and in low quantities. A lot of it is the number one stressor among students. Each subject giving homework ends up having a large volume of work to complete within a limited time. Certain ideas are better learned through practice. They don’t need homework, for example, vocabulary and spelling in language.
Changing homework culture isn’t a walk in the park. Teacher training centers should give techniques on how to assign homework. It will enable them to change from quantity to quality homework. It will make the school do a great job in the upbringing of learners in all spheres.
Schools should have homework talks within their premises. In it, parents, teachers, and students attend. Sensitization on the essence of homework and the type of quality homework clarified. Clear goals should be set about the homework.
Education stakeholders’ should come to an understanding of the essence of the homework. It will create an easy road for implementing a good curriculum. Beneficiaries should understand why they get it and the essence of tackling it. They will work to ensure they merit to a higher level.