Homework: Why Is It Mandatory?
Every student has had an experience of staying up late to finish up some homework last minute. It can be overwhelming and stressful and can have negative impacts on a student when managed improperly.
Every student has had an experience of staying up late to finish up some homework last minute. Questions like, “why does homework exist” might pop up; and trust me, I have been there. Homework is mandatory in most schools, most students do it for good grades and not to get in any trouble. For most people, homework is something you get out of the way or do just for the sake of doing it. But, it shouldn’t be that way. Most people forget the purpose behind homework, which is the additional practice of whatever had been taught in class. It can also teach skills like responsibility and discipline. It is a pivotal part of learning itself. However, it can be overwhelming and stressful and can have negative impacts on a student when managed improperly.
I talked to one of my teachers from last year about this. In his class, he never checked for homework. At first, I thought that it meant less work for me. But, as the year went on, I found myself doing all the work in time because when I didn’t, learning new concepts was harder. Because I was doing all my homework, I was doing better in class as well. When I asked him about the importance of homework, he replied with, “Can you imagine a violinist playing Mozart’s Violin Concerto Number 3 without spending hours of practice on their own? For human beings to be successful, we need to build the "muscle memory" that comes with practice... homework is a way to build a work ethic, to make ourselves understand the world in a better way, and to build work habits that will serve us in any endeavor in the future.” We have all heard of the phrase, “practice makes perfect.” Homework is like extra practice and is only beneficial to one’s learning. In my opinion, it is comparable to playing sports. For example: after a swimming tournament, the more you practice and work hard, the more you improve. Playing sports can also teach you discipline and work ethic which are both advantageous to have.
Even with something as important as practice and homework, balance is crucial. Teachers should be mindful of the amount of work given to a student. It isn’t satiable to be doing homework all night without getting enough sleep. It is also important to manage time and have a doable schedule. Despite that, you can’t expect to be great without putting in the work. Homework should be something viewed as practice. It should be part of a learning process and not just something to stress over. After all, the people at the very top wouldn’t have gotten there without doing their ‘homework’.