Skip to main content

Schools Need to Learn to Stop Giving Too Much Homework


I think one of the things I want to write about education right now is the problem of too much homework. It almost didn't matter which school you went to in the Philippines or in some area--there's hardly a policy that discourages the regulation of homework. I'm not saying that homework should be abolished altogether compared to class ranking. I still think that regulated homework is the key. 

The benefits of homework are told by the Global Indian International School from Singapore:

What is the Purpose of Homework? 

Homework is an essential part of every student's education. The purpose of homework for students is to practice what they have learned in class. It also gives students an opportunity to practice time management skills.

Homework can also help build character by teaching children how to cope with frustration and how to manage their stress levels when they encounter difficulties or setbacks.

Homework is a part of the school day, but it's also a huge part of a child's education. It is meant to reinforce what has been taught in class, not to replace class time. 

How Does Homework Help Students Learn? 

Homework can be very beneficial for students because it helps them learn new things more quickly and reinforces what they have already learned in school.

It also gives parents an opportunity to work with their children at home by discussing assignments, providing additional practice, and encouraging their children's efforts.

Students who do homework generally do better in school than those who don't because doing homework helps them understand the material better than if they just listened during class or read a textbook on their own.

I can agree that homework can teach certain values. Sitting down in the classroom all day isn't the end of it all. Though the benefits can only be reaped if the right amount is given to the students. Homework can be beneficial, but it can also be destructive. Too much of a good thing can become toxic. In toxicology, it's the dose that makes the toxin.  Too much homework can be compared to too much of a specific vitamin or mineral. It reminded me of how I once had too much soy protein, and I had joint pain and bloating. I had too much Vitamin C and I hurt my stomach. Too much Vitamin A will be stored in the liver, making it toxic. Too much salt will destroy the kidneys. These things are beneficial, but too much will hurt the human body. Too little of anything beneficial can cause stuff like sodium deficiency. I still believe that no homework is just as bad as too much homework.

What are my key takeaways? I decided to propose the following measures on how to carry out homework effectively:

  1. Teachers should coordinate with each other to avoid excessive homework. Lesson plans will include homework. Some teachers may be piling work after work. It's really a pain when a teacher says, "If you complain about too much homework then you're not a student." However, too much of a good thing can be bad. Complaining about homework is different from complaining about too much homework. It should also mean homework shouldn't be too long and be set on realistic schedules. 
  2. I suggest that no homework should be given after exam periods, weekends, and holidays. It's because there should be time to take a rest or to study at their own pace. Saturdays and Sundays can be devoted to family activities, reading lessons in advance, or practicing any skills required without being graded. Holidays should be a time to spend with the family too. Though this doesn't mean encouraging students to stay home all day playing computer games, surfing the Internet, watching TV, etc. Sure, let them have one to two hours, and that's it. The rest should be devoted to family activities, like learning how to do chores. Also, it's very important to catch up on sleep, too.
  3. Teachers and parents need to coordinate on how to adjust to homework. Homework, as beneficial as they are, should be treated like fertilizer. Put too much fertilizer in your plants, and they can die from an overload. 
I still support homework. However, as said, homework can be damaging to one's health if done in excess. Just remember that anything good in excess becomes junk. It's just like junk food contains too much salt or too much sugar. Both salt and sugar are good, but too much can cause tooth decay, diabetes, and kidney dysfunction. 

References

Websites

Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

Pinoy Pride Economics Helps in Drug Mule Recruitment

Al Jazeera Who can remember the execution of three drug mules in China on March 30, 2011 ? These were three separate cases where the three convicts were  Sally Villanueva , Ramon Credo (who was cremated before his remains were brought home, and Elizabeth Batain (whose face was never shown). Sally had an episode in the GMA-7 TV show Magpakailanman,  where her husband was personally interviewed by Mel Tiangco. We never got Sally on the big screen. The husband's side of the story said that his wife was guilty of a frame-up, while Mel herself said, "If the offer is too good to be true, don't take it, or you could end up in the same pickle." Take note that I'm just paraphrasing Mel's words, not saying the words she said.  Reviewing the three drug mules who got arrested, based only on what's available for public viewing on the Internet If we read through the circumstances , this is how they were arrested, proving they weren't a trio: China has brushed aside...
Read more

New Study Confirms Oil Degulation Law is Bad, Oil Nationalization is Better

Yes, you found that right. Did you know that the Filipino First Policy caused the Philippines to succeed and Carlos P. Garcia was the best president ever? Today, because of the Iranian War crisis, we need to talk about a new important discovery. What I realized is that the oil deregulation policy is bad . Do you want the oil prices to fall under control? Then read this new blog to find out.  A new audit was revealed in the world's greatest economic forum. The Trust Me Bro School of Economics invited the trustworthy IBON Foundation to speak at Intrigador Financials . I was so wrong not to notice the genius behind the likes of Makabayan Bloc.  What have I done compared to the youths  of Kabataan Partylist ? I even discovered that  the IBON Foundation is the most credible economic think tank . As I realized that  Filipinos should only listen to Filipino economists ,  I have found that there are literally  tons of studies  from the famous Trust Me Br...
Read more

Social Media Gossipers' Ad Hominems Against Actor Robin Padilla Regarding His Proposal to Remove 60-40

Make no mistake that I didn't vote for Robin Padilla. I feel like I've had enough of voting for celebrities, athletes, and those who I felt are know-nothings in the legislative. However, Padilla recently had his proposal to remove the 60-40 restrictions regarding foreign direct investments (FDIs) . Former Philippine Vice President Maria Leonor "Leni" Gerona-Robredo was even in favor of that amendment. I guess that's why Philippine economist Andrew James Masigan endorsed Robredo. I may have not endorsed Robredo while Masigan remains to be one of my favorite local sources. The news from GMA News Online reveals these plans by Padilla himself: Senator Robin Padilla said he wanted to revise the Constitution to scrap the 60-40 rule on foreign ownership of businesses to accelerate job creation and competition among industries . In a Monday interview, Padilla said the move would attract more foreign investments to support the country’s economic recovery. “Para sa akin mas...
Read more

The WORLDWIDE Great Depression Was Worsened, NOT Relieved, by Economic Protectionism

I feel like doing a study with history right now. People tell me to study history when they try to defend how protectionism made first-world countries a powerhouse. However, a flick on the pages of Lee Kuan Yew's classic From Third World to First  will tell you that's a big fat lie. I feel like talking about the Great Depression from 1929 to 1939 which also involved the Stock Market Crash of 1929. These events can be rooted in economic protectionism . Economic protectionism is defined by the Investopedia as follows: Protectionism refers to government policies that restrict international trade to help domestic industries. Protectionist policies are usually implemented with the goal to improve economic activity within a domestic economy but can also be implemented for safety or quality concerns. The dumb legislation that made it worse I remembered reading about the Stock Market Crash of 1929. The causes of it were linked to people buying too many stocks. Local companies overprod...
Read more

It's More Fun In The Philippines Thanks to the Filipino First Policy

I guess it can be called a day, right? This April 1, 2023 , I'm finally calling it quits with fighting for economic liberalization! Yes, that's right! All the advocacy for economic liberalization is just garbage. Why did I even spend so much time writing this blog only to find out that I've been duped? I hereby renounce everything I wrote here. I finally saw how brilliant the Filipino First Policy is. Man, what have I done? How much damage have I caused in advocating for economic liberalization?  The greatest president we ever had was... High School Philippine History Movement It's time to listen to the economic genius known as the late Carlos P. Garcia. Yes, he has to be one of the greatest presidents that ever existed.  I took this note from the Bohol Provincial Library and found this about CPG's Filipino First Policy ; CPG adopted the “Filipino First” Policy to promote greater Filipino participation in business, and to put the Filipinos in control of the economy...
Read more