12/9/2016

Maia Daschke

Wake up at 6:00 am. Be to school by 7:00 am. Get to class by 7:20 am. Do your work. Stay at school until 1:50 pm. Work straight for 6 hours, only taking a half hour break at lunch. Get home by 2:15 pm. Eat a quick snack, try to relax. Get some homework done even though you know you won’t even make a dent in it within the two hours of spare time you have before work. Start getting ready for work at 4:00 pm. Leave your house at 4:30 pm. Get to work by 5:00 pm. Stay there until 10:00 pm. Get home by 10:20 pm. Change into pajamas. Finish all of your homework, but oh, remember to wash your face, work out, and somehow finish all of your homework without staying up all night.

This is the routine that myself and other high school students go through on weekdays, and it is clearly hectic to say the least. The fact is, this schedule actually wouldn’t be all that bad if it wasn’t for the homework part. We go to school for six hours a day, do work nonstop, and have to do homework when we get home because that six hours wasn’t enough.

Homework seems to be like something that can be done in school. If we’re learning the content all day and doing practice in school, what difference will practicing more at home have? Students are constantly stressed because of homework, which can raise stress levels and ultimately cause health issues. Honestly, I wouldn’t even be surprised if most teenagers suffered a psychotic break from reality by the time they’re 20.

Other countries, like Switzerland, don’t give homework. Subsequently, they have the highest scores on standardized testing and students learn better. They also have the best economy and communities that give back to themselves. If we did this, it could really benefit students.

Why be stressed every night when we can get everything done in school? Or, we could even have a homework block at school where students can at least get some, if not all, of their homework done.

Also, most students don’t actually do their homework because of busy schedules. Why punish a student for simply not having enough time? Our teachers basically want us to be boring people who sit at home all the time with no social life who only do homework and study. This does not create healthy individuals who lead healthy lifestyles. They won’t grow into well-rounded people.

I think that even if homework can’t be stopped, it should at least be cut down. It clearly doesn’t benefit anyone, and it serves as more of a nuisance than anything. Teachers should make more of an effort to try and get everything they want to get done in class, and maybe grades will improve and students will become healthier, better people and students.