Margareth Dionna Chan

XII IPS-3/20

Does Homework Actually Help Students in Learning?

When people think about students’ stress, the most possible word that comes to their mind
will mostly be homework. Compared to the past, the amount of homework that schools have
assigned for students has become more and more especially during this pandemic era. A lot
of people believe that homework is beneficial for students learning, some people believe
homework is nothing but a burden. But does homework really help students in learning
more? Or instead, will it burden the students even more? This essay will discuss the positive
and negative aspects of homework.

According to a research by Duke University psychology professor Harris Cooper, homework

and students achievement have positive correlations, which means students who did they
homework tend to perform better in school. There are a lot of convenient points that make
people believe homework is beneficial for students learning. First of all, students do need a
lot of practice to thoroughly understand the material given. By giving homework to students,
students will learn how to solve problems according to the material given. This way, they will
understand not only the physical theories, but also how to solve real life problems according
to the theories they have learned. Secondly, homework makes students indirectly obligated to
review the material they have learned in school, which can help them in memorizing the
material given so they will not forget what they have learned. Thirdly, homework helps
students in starting to take responsibility. With homework, students are trained to be
responsible for something they are assessed to do. Lastly, homework helps teachers in
knowing their students’ difficulties. Teacher can monitor how far their students ability to
understand the materials. This way, teachers can help them with each of their difficulties in
learning. Furthermore, with teachers knowing the outcome of their teaching method in the
form of students’ results, teacher can know whether their teaching methods are already a
good fit for their students.

However, there are still a lot of people who don’t believe homework is beneficial. Nancy
Kalish, the author of The Case Against Homework: How Homework is Hurting Our Children
and What We Can Do About It for example, she says that many homework assignments are
“simply busy work” that makes learning “a chore rather than a positive, constructive
experience.” There are some points that support their way of seeing homework as a negative
thing. There are many teachers who give too much homework without coordinating the
quantity given, so they overburden their students. Students become so busy with homework
that they do not have time to relax, to develop their other talents, or to spend time with their
families. In addition, homework especially the ones that require technology, also intensifies
the gap between privileged and disadvantaged students. Not all students have a comfortable
environment, technology, time needed to do homework. Therefore, it would be unfair to
assign homework to all students who have different capability.

In conclusion, homework has it’s own advantages and disadvantages. On the one hand,
homework can be really useful for students in certain circumstances. However, on the other
hand, homework can be really harmful if it is given without proper consideration. That is why
the assignment of homework must be considered carefully. In my opinion, homework can be
really helpful for students if it is not given too much. I think homework should still be given
but with a proper amount. That way, students wouldn’t feel burdened by their homework.