Pros And Cons of Homework

Over the years, various educational world stakeholders have voiced their concerns over the homework pros and cons. Teachers, school administrators, students, parents, and researchers in education continue to raise concerns over homework effectiveness. These have been eliminating homework in some states, while others have encouraged its application all the more.

Most elementary levels have been freed of this ‘dreadful monster’ that is ravaging students’ minds.

Nevertheless, it has been proven that students succeed academically and on standardized tests when the right type of assignment is administered.

Let’s zoom in to both sides of the divide examining the pros and cons of homework. We will then come to a more balanced perspective at the end of this discussion.

Cons of Homework

In this section, we endeavor to explore the blazing guns pointed against homework effectiveness in schools. Multiple scholars have written books critiquing the efficacy of homework by pointing out the following reasons:

1. It creates a desk-bound lifestyle.
   When a student has a pile of homework assignments on his/her table, they will not have time for extra-curricular activities. It encourages a sedentary lifestyle, which will deprive the student of social development. Such students may also end up being introverts since they get less time to interact with their peers.
2. A lot of homework can lead to health complications.
   Students who are bound to their homework all the time can develop serious health problems such as obesity. Others may end up creating stress and depression as a result of the numerous school work at hand. Statistics show that up to 3% of suicide cases among students result from pressure from a pile of homework assignments.
3. Children do not have enough time to engage in leisure activities.
   A lot of homework means dedicating all the available to complete it. It means sacrificing leisure activities and hobbies that would otherwise help in the development of the child. Such students are not good at co-curricular activities since they do not get time to practice them.
4. It creates a negative attitude towards schooling.
   Students who are bombarded with excess homework assignments may not like school at all. It is one of the homework cons as a result of the students feeling overwhelmed with school work. Instead of helping to improve a student’s academic performance, it becomes a burden on them.
5. Students are not able to engage in creative endeavors.
   Students can participate in creative activities such as singing, playing instruments, or painting during their free time. Such jogs their mind into discovering special abilities about themselves. However, excessive homework inhibits this noble course and may make some students unable to find their talents.
6. Some homes are not conducive to completing assignments.
   Some students come from humble backgrounds where they may not have all the amenities such as electricity or internet connection. Others stay in a single house with their siblings, who may be a nuisance, especially the younger ones. As a result, homework for such students becomes torture.
7. Homework does not necessarily translate to the final grades.
   Most of the proponents of the pros and cons of no homework argue that homework assignments do not have anything to do with the end semester exams. Therefore, students spend long hours completing tasks with less or no time to revise their notes.
8. It encourages cheating.
   Since there is no one to supervise, some students copy and paste content from the internet or their friends and submit it to their teachers. As the habit develops, they may cheat in exams since they do not have a sense of self-dependence.

Now, what are the pros of having homework?

Pros of Homework

The following are some of the homework pros worth noting:

1. Homework encourages better study habits.
   Students can concentrate on their studies once they get home from school. Instead of spending time on video games or movies, they develop a culture of putting their homework first. Therefore, they get rid of distracting habits that can affect them from the future learning process.
2. It bridges the existing gap between home and school.
   Homework creates a communication channel between the student, parent, and teacher. The teacher can understand the student’s deficiencies while the parent identifies the child’s strengths and weaknesses.
3. Students cultivate a sense of discipline.
   When the student completes homework every night, he/she understand concepts better. The discipline of sitting down alone and completing assignments is inculcated into them. As a result, they may seek a vocational career during the long holidays.
4. It provides the student with more time to learn.
   On top of what the student learns in class, he/she can research more and come up with findings. Some of these may never be taught in class by their tutors. It makes the student develop knowledge and expertise in a certain field of study.
5. It leads to better grades.
   Students who faithfully complete their homework stand a better chance of scoring top grades in their end year exams. It is because, during the homework sessions, they can revise and polish their weak areas.
6. It helps the tutors adjust their teaching strategies.
   Homework is an assessment tool that enables tutors to identify where students did not understand a concept well. Therefore, they can adjust accordingly to meet the student’s needs.
7. Homework encourages positivity towards school.
   As students get more involved in completing assignments, they can develop a liking for school work. They feel a sense of belonging to the school and its activities.
8. It helps students develop a plan for studying and homework.
   Homework enables students to prepare study timetables that will balance both the assignment and personal studies.

Pros And Cons of Homework: Striking A Balance

Looking at the discussions above, it is evident that the pros and cons on homework each have a solid ground. In some instances, the pros are acting as cons depending on the situation of the student.

However, we can arrive at a middle ground between the pros and cons for homework by:

• Having a positive mindset towards homework
• Seeking help from your tutor when you encounter difficulties
• Getting the parents involved in their children’s homework
• Having a study plan and committing yourself to it

With these, you can achieve the best out of your homework effortlessly.

Final Words

From the discussion, we cannot shun away from the fact that homework has its ups and downs. Some of these result from the attitude people have developed towards reading, whereas others are inevitable factors.

For those factors that can be avoided, then it is necessary to strive towards avoiding them. Homework should be a fun learning experience that makes the students love school the more. It should increase their appetite for academics rather than thirst them the more.

Students, teachers, parents, and researchers should reach a consensus on the necessity of homework. Until then, those backpacks full of take-home assignments will probably keep on raising emotions and feelings than facts.

Can you now identify where you are on this topic? Either you are on the opposing or the proposing side.

FAQs On the Pros and Cons of Homework