20 Main Homework Pros and Cons That Need to Be Discussed

What do an elementary school class, a high school class, and a college class share in common? A bunch of students whining about homework and how tedious it is to manage assignments with their tight schedules.

It is no lie that homework is not a cup of tea for students around the globe. This begs the question, is homework necessary or an unproductive tradition we are afraid to let go of? Many arguments have been made for and against assigning students homework. 

This article will analyze the pros and cons of homework, allowing you to make a verdict on the relevance of homework in a learner’s life. 

Pros of homework 

Why do we have homework? Although students might feel like homework is meant to torture them, it serves a crucial role in the teaching-learning process. Some of the benefits of homework include:

  1. Allows a teacher to gauge how well a concept was understood

Homework provides the teacher with a chance to gauge how well class objectives were handled. This allows a teacher to determine the areas that need to be revisited to keep each student at par with classroom encounters. 

This feedback also helps a teacher test the teaching methods that are most effective for a lot of students, improving the delivery of subsequent lessons. 

  1. Offers a chance for revision

Homework serves as a chance for students to investigate concepts they encountered during class time building a deep understanding of the subject matter. This also allows students to test the fields they have poorly mastered, helping them solidify their content mastery. 

  1. Introduces students to time management

School often provides a situation requiring an intricate balance of the tasks at hand for success in each field. Homework instills time management skills in students, a skill that they can parlay into other areas in life. 

  1. Allows students to work independently

Except for the pressure of various consequences, there is minimal pressure on students in completing assignments. Assignments thus allow students to nurture independence, helping them manage lesser supervised levels of study like college.

  1. Allows the teacher to set a base for the next lesson

Prior knowledge is essential when teaching new concepts to learners. A teacher can use homework to guide students in the exploration of content to be covered in the next lesson. 

The learner thus finds it easier to comprehend these concepts as they have an idea of what a particular topic entails. 

  1. Allows parents to get involved in a learner’s education

Tracking the progress of each student within a large class population could prove challenging for a teacher. Assignments allow a parent to monitor a child’s progress and request the teacher for assistance where necessary. 

  1. Homework reduces screen time

Separating a child from the screen is a common battle for parents around the globe. Besides inspiring laziness, screens may hinder a child’s productivity and motivate laziness. Homework helps keep your child busy on meaningful tasks, reducing their addiction to various forms of entertainment. 

Cons of homework 

  1. Encourages a sedentary lifestyle

Some arguments have been made that homework limits activity as students have to spend long durations of time working on the assignments. If this trend progresses over a long time, it could result in issues such as obesity. 

  1. Discourages free creative time

For some students, free time is used to learn guitar, play chess and pursue other talents possessed by a student. Homework infringes on their time for practice, slowing the development of their talents. 

  1. It is not proven that homework equates to better grades

Although various studies have been carried out, there’s little proof to substantiate the effectiveness of homework in ensuring good performance. As such, it narrows down to the methodology used by a teacher in designing the assignment. 

Should we have less homework?

Although multiple debates have been made for and against assigning homework to students, a consensus has been to assign a load that students can manage and have free time away from study. For various states, this equates to assigning not more than five hours of homework per week.

However, some teachers are still inclined to assign students loads of homework, thus denying them ample time for relaxation. We find it best to offer little bits of work that highlight various concepts tackled in class to enhance the student’s interaction with studied work. 

Final take

From this comparison of homework’s pros and cons, it’s clear that the benefits of homework outweigh the shortcomings. If you feel overwhelmed by the homework assigned, however, feel free to consult us for guidance and customized assistance.

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