by Todd Pheifer

Created on: February 03, 2009   Last Updated: February 11, 2009

Daily challenges

Convincing students that homework is a fun activity may be a definitive challenge in most settings. Sometimes parents, guardians, and teachers simply have to emphasize to students that homework is an important component of the educational process. Whether the student believes them or not is a different issue altogether, but it doesn't change the fact that homework will continue to be assigned at just about every educational level. Here are a few specific reasons why homework is important, even if it is not popular with students.

Review and reiterate

Homework is an opportunity for students to review and emphasize what they (hopefully) learned in class that day or earlier in the week. Granted, it does help if students pay attention in class, take good notes, and ask questions if they are confused. This allows homework to strengthen what was already acquired from an academic standpoint. Sometimes homework requires students to do a task over and over again because the process needs to be repeating in order for it to take hold in the mind of the student.

Building blocks

Doing homework is important because the teacher is probably going to continue on to more advanced material as the class progresses. Comprehending more complex information is often about mastering the fundamentals and the foundational knowledge that has been presented thus far. Again, this is often accomplished by repetition and review so that it becomes "cemented" in the mind. Without the basics, students run the risk of quickly becoming lost and frustrated in class.

Various mediums

Another benefit of homework is that it may be an opportunity to learn material through a different methodology. If students are unsure of what they learned, they may be able to better understand the material by reviewing the textbook and assigned homework. Sometimes reading the text helps to explain things in a different way, which can sometimes be helpful if teachers cover material quickly, or if the student is hesitant to ask questions. There are times that students do their homework and the "light bulb" of knowledge finally goes on.

Habits

Homework is also about establishing scholastic habits that will hopefully serve students in the long term. This is why teachers often ask students to work on particular subjects on a regular basis. Doing homework routinely keeps information fresh in the mind of the student and helps the teacher to develop material more extensively as the term continues. Without habits, students may be tempted to put a small amount of effort into their work, particularly in subjects that do not interest them as much.

Priorities

Doing homework is also a way to help the student establish priorities. Homework can be very time-consuming and it can be tempting for the student to procrastinate on everything from daily assignments to studying for tests. Again, educators know that reviewing material has to be a regular part of people's routine. Otherwise, people will put it off to a later time and it will not be done thoroughly or with any great intellectual depth.

Lifelong learning

Finally, homework is important because it has to potential to create a sense in the student that education is important. Granted, some people pursue education only so far because it is compulsory. However, others may find that they learn to love education and the acquisition of knowledge. Some of those people turn out to be "lifelong learners" in that they seek to expand their viewpoints and better themselves. For the educator, this is the true goal in that they want students to appreciate how much there is to learn. Homework, while annoying at times, may be a key part of this learning process.

Learn more about this author, Todd Pheifer.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.