In this podcast Miss Jones and Ms Marris discuss the article which can be found on https://www.issuesonline.co.uk (written by Tijen Butler) -> Is homework necessary or a pointless waste of time. We let you know the viewpoints of the professionals, our opinions and the thoughts of your fellow Toot Hill students.
"There’s an ongoing debate surrounding the necessity of homework for school children and young teenagers alike.
On one hand, homework can cause stress and the task may not have much substance to it, with most teachers merely setting it
because they’ve been instructed to do so daily. But on the other flip of the coin, homework is necessary because the child can
then gain a deeper understanding of a topic and they will grow up disciplined.
What are the benefits of homework?
The after-school workload is an opportunity for families to get involved in the child’s learning process, and it reinforces what has been taught that day at school, so the child can better understand and remember. It can give parents an insight into what their child is struggling and exceeding in. Then, the parent could arrange private tuition in that area, if it was needed. It also gives students various skills and life-lessons such as discipline, accountability, independence, time management and team-work. These will all be beneficial beyond school and it gives them a taste of ‘real life’.
But then why can homework be a pointless waste of time?
Firstly, homework is handed out too frequently, making it stressful and boring. Often, it’s also too difficult for the child, even with the parent’s help, increasing pressure and anxiety. As a result of this, parents often do their child’s homework instead. A survey shows that a hefty 23% of parents actually complete their child’s homework assignments without even involving them.
Another reason it could be a waste of time is the way in which teachers set it. They seem to set frivolous tasks for the sake of it. Unless the homework holds purpose, why bother doing it? It may be better to set fewer hours on assignments that are truly meaningful, instead of 5+ hours on repetitive tasks – though not all schools would do this. However, subjects such as maths will often always be beneficial because they work at practising equations… but, again, this only works if the child understands what they’re doing."
Bibliography
Butler, T. (2019). Is homework necessary of a pointless waste of time. Issues in Education, 353, pp.38-39.
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