should i do my homework

should i do my homework

The Importance of Doing Homework

1. Benefits of Doing Homework

Stress is something that most students are familiar with, whether it is due to poor performance on a test/quiz, a pending assignment that is due, or an upcoming project. However, most of the stress is coming from the fear of the unknown. Homework helps to bridge the gap between learning at school and learning at home. It provides students the opportunity to implement the material that they have learned during the day to a deeper level of understanding. This process of connecting the new information to past knowledge assists in the maintenance of the skills and concepts which is a prospect that most students will be faced with, but will try to avoid. A student who performs poorly on a test may feel that the best way to avoid further disappointment is to give up on the subject and move on. He or she can simply ask for professional academic assistance at one of the available online sources. However, research shows that developing study skills now will be more beneficial to his or her future. Homework offers the chance to gain this experience, promoting the development of self-discipline and responsibility. Reported effects are increased ability to manage time, improved task persistence, and global self-worth. This will definitely carry over to other aspects in life. Finally, stressed out students should understand that the work-value of what they are doing is not as bad as they think. With improved comprehension of a subject that is reflected in the student’s grades, comes the enjoyment in learning it. A student who develops a positive attitude towards school and learning is willing to put in the time and effort into a more involved task, and the probability of latest attempts to avoid homework will drop.

According to Cotton (2001), “the benefits of homework have been shown and consist of better academic achievement, a more positive attitude toward school, and a greater likelihood of completing homework.” All of these gains are essential, but it might be hard to tell students that when they are stressed out about trying to finish their homework after school.

2. Developing Discipline and Time Management Skills

As homework is an important part of a student’s education, it can teach students discipline and time management. This is also good preparation for students later on in life as this is a skill that everyone should know. If a student cannot learn to manage their time when doing homework, they may find it hard to manage their time to revise for examinations. They may also find it hard to juggle between work and social or family life too. Homework can act as a little “taster” to these major time management tasks later on in life. At the start of a course, homework that is given over the duration of the course is set out by the teacher or tutor. This can help teach a student a timeline of when certain tasks need to be completed for it to be finished by the deadline. This means that the student can plan to do a set amount of work each day and not rush the task near the deadline date. A well-paced schedule of work is preferred by teachers as it should give the best results. This is good practice for when the student has coursework or a project to do, as they can use the same method of time management to get the best possible outcome. This is especially useful for project management where there may be several tasks needed to be completed.

3. Enhancing Understanding and Retention of Knowledge

Homework helps to enhance the understanding of the subject, as learning out of classrooms, lecturers provide a better understanding of the subject’s topic. It helps to improve the student’s understanding of the classroom learning. This is because when students attempt to do the work, they will refer to their textbooks or their class notes. If they come across any problems, they will refer to the notes or textbook, and this would enable them to understand and tackle similar questions in the future. If they still could not solve the problem, they could ask their friends or the teacher the next day. This will reinforce the knowledge that they have gained and this is what we call understanding. Understanding a concept is very important because without it, one will not be able to memorize the topic. There are students who often take things for granted and have a habit of mugging just before the exams. This is an unhealthy practice as one will only remember through his short-term memory. He will soon forget what he has memorized after the examinations. By doing homework, it would enable the concepts and theories to be implanted in the student’s mind and he will not forget them so easily. This is more effective than memorizing because understanding a concept will enable a student to apply the same knowledge in different questions in his exams.

4. Improving Academic Performance

Many students do not realize that the homework they are assigned is benefiting them. Homework helps students to improve their academic performance. Homework is practice, and practice makes perfect. When you are given homework on a certain subject, it is really your opportunity to learn that subject. Often times, when students go over material in class, it seems they have a good grasp of it. However, when they have to apply that information, it becomes clear that they really do not understand the material. Homework is an opportunity for you to practice the material you learned in class. If you can do the homework the minute you get home, you have clearly learned the material. If not, you will need to relearn the material because chances are it will be on a quiz or test. The time to do homework is really a studying opportunity. Studying every night is something often recommended by educators. Doing a couple of math problems in 10th grade is going to help you a lot more than studying for a math test in which you have to relearn how to do everything. The math problems you did for homework will not only help you learn the concepts but also prepare you for upcoming tests and quizzes. Another way homework helps students is by developing study and organizational skills. Often times, students are unable to effectively study for a test. Studying is more than going over the material two or three times. Effective studying includes being an active studier, as well as setting specific times for studying. This is where organizational skills come in handy. Often it is hard for students to learn, and many teachers do not review what was said in previous classes. This makes test preparation difficult. But if students make a study schedule and relearn previous material, they will understand the concepts better, both of which are great study skills that will benefit the student. Doing homework can really help a student understand the material because they are practicing what they learned. A final way homework helps students is by raising test scores. Often times, as students, your overall comprehension of material is best right after you learn it. After a month or two, that same material might be hard to understand. So what happens when you get a test on that material? If the homework was done, the student will be ready because they have been practicing. This will improve test scores. Though this is an overall good thing, the pressure on good test scores can be a disadvantage of homework. Everyone makes mistakes. Being penalized for wrong answers can be a sting for some students. However, the benefits of homework are the only productive way children learn and help improve test scores. Essentially, homework is practice and practice makes perfect.

5. Gaining a Competitive Edge in Education

In the world today, many employers look for people who are self-starters and can get the job done without constant supervision. The person who said, “Getting a job done fast doesn’t mean it’s done well!” could not have been closer to the truth. One gains much more from something by working hard at it. By completing homework, students will gain a much better understanding of the material being taught by the teacher. These are important qualities that a person will use later in life, and homework teaches them. Self-discipline is an important quality for a person to have. A self-disciplined person is one who can make a wise decision and then act on that decision. Completing homework every night also instills a work ethic that will be essential later in life. Many high-paying jobs require hard work and dedication for success, a clear price for a job “well done”. Completing homework every night will also build a responsibility, and since all important jobs require responsibility, and doing homework is an ideal ground to establish that characteristic. When the responsibilities are handled, and the job is done with self-discipline and care, the result will be a feeling of accomplishment. Homework teaches these values and it is certainly worth the time and effort. As an added bonus, a job well done most often leads to success. With a better understanding of the material, a student will be much better prepared for tests and exams. This, in turn, will result in greater academic success, a necessity for those striving for a competitive edge in education.