Homework or homework assignment refers to tasks assigned to students by their teachers to be completed mostly outside of class. It is called homework generally because it is supposed to be done at home. Homework assignments may include reading, writing, problems to be solved, a school project or other skills to be practised. The debate over Homework's effectiveness, between Parents and Educators, has been going on for over 100 years. The burden of studies can be gauged from the size of school bags which students today carry on their fragile shoulders. In a race to get the name of their respective institution at the top, the schools have forgotten the plight of students. The burdening nature of homework has become a cause of concern for parents as they find homework to be overwhelming, as they themselves struggle to help their kids in completing homework. The basic objectives of assigning homework to students in general are: to increase the knowledge and improve the abilities and skills of the students. However, it is more often a far cry from what's expected. Homework has become such a big issue that a growing number of schools are putting a limit on the number of homework teachers can give students and many have abolished homework altogether. Though Homework has it's fair share of negativities but it has a constructive role if it's format is more engaging and if given in moderation.
Advantages of Homework
- Homework is extremely important. Homework involves practice. While doing maths or science students know that they need to practice constantly to be able to master the subjects.
- Homework is beneficial because it stimulates the brain. Also, while busy with doing homework they don't tend to indulge in harmful activities.
- Homework is also an intellectual discipline and it serves to instil a sense of responsibility. Kids find a sense of responsibility when they know that even though the school is over, they have an assignment and it needs to be done.
- Homework offers tangible benefits. Homework reinforces what students have already learned, prepare them for upcoming (or complex or difficult) lessons, extend what they know by having them apply it to new situations, or to integrate their abilities by applying many different skills to a single task.
- Homework also provides an opportunity for parents to participate in their children's education which boosts the student's confidence. Homework is also a measure to encourage productive and healthy communication between parents and children. Many children spend the majority of their time in front of the television, homework in such a scenario has become the school's way of encouraging a more solid parent to child relationship.
- Homework is a powerful way to extend learning.homework as it results in improved student achievement. Homework also helps instil in students a sense of accountability and motivation.
- Another benefit of homework is that students develop time management. They start allotting their time to study and play thus learning to complete their scheduled tasks in the time they have. Moreover, they learn to do things on their own. They manage their time and complete their work independently. Homework encourages self-discipline in students.
- Upon completion of homework, students acquire a sense of achievement which is an essential part of personality development among students.
- Homework builds a confidence in students minds. When Teachers give positive remarks to students it boosts the children to learn. Students learn to follow instructions and complete their assignments successfully. They have to explore topics, refer to research material, and read about related topics in order to do their home assignments.
- Homework gives students a chance to amend their mistakes and improve on their weaknesses. Home assignments provide children with a platform to express and exhibit their skills.
Disadvantages of Homework
- Students especially young students have limited attention spans. Homework and it's increase burden them as they've already been working extensively in school and are fatigued, exhausted and confusion sets in.
- Homework at times tends to discriminate against poor children. Lack of access to computers or internet at home due to financial problems makes their job even more especially when they are given specific projects.
- A belief that students also learn from activities in life other than textbooks and workbooks found in classrooms makes Homework unfavourable. A whole day in class and most of the night reading school books leaves a student out of touch, without free time, without exercise and inability to pursue extracurricular activities. Talents and interest of the student often cannot be nurtured in a classroom setting with teachers focused only on specific subjects.
- According to a certain research, homework is of little educational value and for young children, especially those who are under 14 it actually has a negative effect on learning.
- A fairly common practice for teachers is to give assignments which are far beyond what students can do independently. It also becomes a problem for parents as they have a plethora of homework to make corrections
- Too much homework can also prove to be extremely counter-productive as it causes the students to Burn Out.
- Over the years Homework has gained a negative publicity because it has been traditionally viewed as a menace. A popular notion being that the teachers give homework to punish their students or to keep children busy.
- In this fast-paced life where even adults at times, find hard to organize themselves and cope with the hectic schedules, children are expected to find enough time for school work, sport, recreation and relaxation.
- Homework also brings in confusion as parents can confuse students by using teaching methods which are different from those of their teachers.
- Another feature of the homework is that it encourages cheating instead of doing the homework themselves kids indulge in copying these from their classmates with or without their permission.
What needs to be Done?
- Homework should not necessarily mean work that is supposed to be done at home. It's too much, to be asking them to go home after they've had their full afternoon of activities and all sort of things write an essay, to do a project etc. after they have had their meal. It's not the optimal time. The important work, the real important work can be done in school.
- The value of homework in primary schooling isn't so much intellectual as it is motivational. The awareness of having a piece of homework to do is introduced throughout the elementary school years. Homework, therefore, ignores the intellectual education which is a setback for homework
- Student learning improves when homework serves a clear purpose and is matched to both the skills of each individual student and to the current topics being taught in class.
- Feedback improves the effectiveness of homework, especially when given in a timely manner i.e. within 24 hours. Effective feedback improves student learning by correcting the misunderstanding, validating the process, and highlighting errors in thinking.
- Homework can be effective if it is alerted to parents by teachers. It gives parents a chance to become familiar with the material and their child's progress. This also encourages parents to become involved in the homework process. Direct communication is much more effective and prevents miscommunication and frustration all around. Methods for such communication include the phone, email, and student community web pages.
- Homework needs to be streamlined. In the United Kingdom homework ranges from 10 minutes of daily reading for 5-year-olds to up to 2.5 hours per day for the pupils in Year 11 aged 15 or 16. It is not the quantity of the work that is important, but rather, the quality of lessons that matters
- To ease the burden, parents need to take a greater interest in what their children are doing. Communication is very important between the three parties involved: parents, children and teachers. If parents share the same concerns as their children regarding the amount of homework given, it will help the young ones to realize that there is a sense of justice.
