WHY HOMEWORK IS IMPORTANT
The issue of homework has been discussed at length by many education professionals and it is safe to say that homework has more or less received universal acceptance at least among the informed parents and enlightened members of education fraternities. No one, I think, would seriously question the necessity of homework although many might disagree on the correct amount of homework to be given to students.
Generally speaking, the amount of homework should be minimal for elementary school pupils - especially those from Grades 1 to 3; and the homework dished out to these young children should take the form of simple and short assignments not taking not much of the pupils' time when they return home from regular classes. As they grow older, in accordance with the complexity of the course curriculum and degree of difficulty of the programs offered by schools, students have to spend much more time on homework and assignments.
I append below some of the most important and obvious reasons why homework is important:
1. Homework consolidates and reinforces learning
Students receive instruction and learn what the school teachers teach in various subject-matters - ranging from elementary arithmetic to construction of simple English sentences; and one way to consolidate classroom learning is by assigning homework to the students. After a math teacher has introduced the notion of addition and subtraction in class, it is opportune for him or her to give many examples, both from everyday, real-life examples and otherwise. And although it may not be a bad idea (especially if there is still time after the examples) to ask the class to do some simple arithmetic sums and subtractions immediately after the examples, it is also good practice to give some homework, from specified work-sheets of textbooks or other source-materials. This helps to consolidate what is learned in class.
Homework is even more important for high school students as not all students understand instantly what is being taught or what the teachers are trying to disseminate: a difficult concept, a complex formula or equation - all these take time and effort to sink in the learners' mind and one way this can be achieved is through working out assignments and homework.
2. Homework teaches students to be disciplined and responsible
This second reason is perhaps more applicable to older students - those in middle and senior high schools. As the students grow older and progress to higher grades, the subjects they study become more varied and more numerous; the course also become more and more complex and even abstract like certain math and science concepts. It does take an average student some time and effort to figure out and to have an understanding of the underlying principles and concepts in subjects as varied as chemistry, economics and history. No doubt the pro-active students will stand up in class to seek clarification from the teachers regarding certain key ideas and the students could even read up later on these after the classes. But do not forget that one of the acid tests of learning is working out problems associated with the subject matter and there is, to my mind, no better way to do so than working on the homework assigned by subject teachers. In addition, as the homework and assignments have to be completed and handed in within a time limit, the set homework therefore forces the students to become more disciplined, committed and responsible: they become in a way solely responsible for their own learning progress and this is only possible if and only if they show commitment and possess strong will and discipline. And are not these values important for the students' future - values which are essential for a successful career in life, whatever their calling?
3. Homework helps students to avert undesirable activities and eradicate bad habits
Another reason why homework is important, at least from the point of view of parents who happen to have children who, shall we say, over-active socially and are less focused on studying. We all agree that 'all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy' but some students simply do not appreciate the fact that life is not just a bed of roses and that the current comfortable situation that one enjoys may not last for long. Not all youngsters and teenagers subscribe to deferred gratification - many of them do not realize that only hard work and discipline will ensure a future not characterized by want, gloom and desolation. It may be a valid point to state that, without homework and set assignments to keep the youngsters occupied at least some of the time, many of them will just spend their precious time watching TV and playing video-games or otherwise engaging in some undesirable activities like drugs and non-stop and wild partying. Of course I am not saying that all youngsters indulge in these activities most of the time; I am just saying that it is one of the functions of homework to help draw them away from useless and hedonistic activities.
The fact that homework must be completed within a time limit means also that the student who habitually procrastinates has to shirk off this bad habit and instead develop good work-ethics.
In conclusion, I would like to point out that although it is possible to work out substitutes for homework and assignments, time has shown that homework, properly constructed, structured and well-thought out, does more good than harm, at least for the 'average' student who is trying to learn something of value, something which will make him or her a useful and educated citizen in facing the challenges of the future.