Should Homework be a Necessary Part of Students’ Grades?

Many students at Pennridge High School agree that homework assignments take up most of our time. A dilemma of many students is “should I finish my homework or sleep”, When you really think about it, it isn’t a dilemma because the answer is almost always “yes I should finish it”. Kayla Damm and a few other students agreed with this statement.

Many students who take advanced placement and honors classes take them because when colleges see these classes on students’ transcripts, they are more likely to gain acceptance. Students take these classes not because they are ready for the course load that comes along but because they want to get into a good college. A teacher at Pennridge high school, Stephanie Nash who teaches academic, honors, and advanced placement classes said that her academic students get little to no homework, whereas her honors students get a little more than her academic students, and her AP Students get a lot more than the rest. Nash defined the purpose of her homework saying, “it reinforces a concept and gives background information to a previously taught topic.”

Many people agree with this, but Dr. Cashman, the principal of Pennridge High school, also claims that many teachers, not only at Pennridge High School, give unnecessary homework to students not because it reinforces the topic that has been taught, but because they feel they have to. Some schools don’t have policies on homework, but some teachers still feel the need to give pointless homework. Jeff Dubin, another teacher at Pennridge High School, says he doesn’t consider homework as part of a student’s grade directly, but students doing their homework just helps them, and he says he goes over it in class the next day, which also improves understanding.

Dr. Cashman suggested an interesting solution, that Pennridge should switch to block scheduling, which is currently being considered. It would reduce the number of classes in half which will cut down the homework load, students receive every night. That would help reduce stress and it would also give each class more time each day. Homework does reinforce what was previously taught, but at what expense, the expense of our personal lives? We should stand up for a balanced school and home life and not have to bring school to the house.

Sources

“Homework.” Gale In Context Online Collection, Gale, 2022. Gale In Context: High School, link.gale.com/apps/doc/YCAZVV766964541/SUIC?u=perk75268&sid=bookmark-SUIC&xid=591fe2e6. Accessed 19 Dec. 2022.

Moniuszko, Sara M. “Heavy homework load may be detrimental to health.” USA Today, 23 Aug. 2021, p. 06D. Gale In Context: High School, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A672951237/SUIC?u=perk75268&sid=bookmark-SUIC&xid=be293036. Accessed 19 Dec. 2022.

Zalaznick, Matt. “HOMEWORK OVERHAUL: Along with reducing stress, districts seek to give more purposeful assignments based on students’ needs and interests.” District Administration, vol. 54, no. 4, Apr. 2018, pp. 32+. Gale In Context: High School, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A533697775/SUIC?u=perk75268&sid=bookmark-SUIC&xid=c42ffa22. Accessed 20 Dec. 2022.

“The Homework Debate.” NYTimes.com Video Collection, 25 Mar. 2015. Gale In Context: High School, link.gale.com/apps/doc/CT407884621/SUIC?u=perk75268&sid=bookmark-SUIC&xid=5c95de40. Accessed 20 Dec. 2022.

“Debate continues about homework.” Newcastle Herald [Newcastle, Australia], 15 May 2014, p. 34. Gale In Context: High School, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A368149311/SUIC?u=perk75268&sid=bookmark-SUIC&xid=6b6262eb. Accessed 20 Dec. 2022.

Citation guidelines follow the conventions of the Modern Language Association (MLA). Although every effort has been made to adhere to MLA rules, minor discrepancies may occur. For more information on how to cite sources using MLA style, consult the MLA Handbook , eighth edition.

Meador, Derrick. “Purposeful Homework Should Be Standard School Practice.” Gale Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, Gale, 2022. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/FHXTRU360818447/OVIC?u=perk75268&sid=bookmark-OVIC&xid=cc1263a0. Accessed 22 Dec. 2022. Originally published as “Creating a Homework Policy With Meaning and Purpose,” ThoughtCo., 22 July 2019.

Hamlin, Daniel. “Should parents help their kids with homework?” Gale Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, Gale, 2022. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/FHHJKF391309032/OVIC?u=perk75268&sid=bookmark-OVIC&xid=8273a553. Accessed 22 Dec. 2022. Originally published as “Should parents help their kids with homework?” The Conversation, 29 Aug. 2019.