Joanne Ye, Class IV
Photo Credit: Pexels
How much is too much? Are students receiving too much homework at TBLS? Here’s what some students here at TBLS think.
Although some students think that they are receiving a reasonable amount of homework, other students' arguments differ. An average TBLS high school student attends school from 8:20-2:40, taking up at least ½ of their day. And even so, they must have other commutes and activities out of school. As different activities chip down their availability, students may feel overwhelmed by the hours of homework given to them. According to Rachel of Class IV, she reports having at least 2 hours of homework per night. This excludes all projects and time set aside to study for tests.
She states, “Sometimes we can receive a lot of homework depending on if the classes overlap.” This supports the idea that although the homework load is 2 hours, we need to take into consideration how much time is spent on studying and revising. After surveying people from Class IV, Class III, and Class II, the average amount of time spent on homework is about 4.2 hours per night. The amount, however, may differ depending on the type of classes these students take.
Furthermore, many students argue that considering how many exams are given every week, the homework load can be stressful and may alter a student’s sleep schedule. As Cindy Truong of class II states, “As a junior, I generally spend 4-5 hours of studying and doing homework per night.” This highlights the long span of time needed to complete homework, and with only around 6 hours of the day left after school, students may find it hard to balance their private life with the additional work classes assigned. According to USN, they state, “teens need between eight and 10 hours of sleep each night, but only 15 percent are even getting close to that amount.” Although practicing the knowledge we acquire from class is important, we need to stop and think, does the homework load accurately determine success? Here’s what an anonymous Class IV student said, “In classical history, students are given a packet for every unit and many of them write in a big font, allowing them to rush through it.” This shows that the homework load can affect the quality of the students present to their different classes because students may feel pressure to quickly complete the homework without really trying to learn from the material.
In contrast, some students feel that the homework load is sufficient and reasonable. For example, Angela of Class IV states that “Although we receive at least 2 hours of homework per night, we get extra practice which is beneficial to our academic skills.” Some students believe that just because others work at different speeds, it does not justify teachers needing to lessen the homework load. When taking higher-level classes, students should expect to take the initiative of completing the work they signed up for. These students think that homework could prepare students for future quizzes and tests. Angela says that “If students put more effort and thought into their homework to make sure the quality of their homework meets the standards, they’re at the same time benefiting from the knowledge being reviewed.” Some students defend the idea that completing homework is also a form of studying and that if students put effort into their homework, they wouldn’t even need to study because they are already prepared from practice.
What do you think? Is the homework load reasonable? Or is it applying more stress onto high school students and affecting their mental and physical health? Although many different students may have diverse opinions on the homework load, we can all agree that the main reason for the use of homework is to practice the knowledge obtained in class. But how much homework is too much? After all, a single day only has 24 hours.
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