Journal 6: Ten Reasons to Get Rid of Homework

Spencer, J. (2011, September 19). Ten reasons to get rid of homework (and five alternatives). Retrieved from http://www.educationrethink.com/2011/09/ten-reasons-to-get-rid-of-homework-and.html

This article discussed growth in NETS-T 2  and  NETS-T 5 .

In reading Ten reasons to get rid of homework (and five alternatives), I am surprised articles like this are so rare. Students are professionals at recognizing poor teaching and/or poor class conduct. Students are the clients of the educational field. For this reason, schools needs to fit the students’ needs. The article reviews the injustices served in assigning homework. Those injustices address how, if every student is supposed to have the same education, there are many areas of discrepancy outside the classroom. However, I would argue that each and every student is still provided with equal educations, it is just up to the student/family to respond responsibly. Thus, the responsibility falls on the educators to be sensitive to the needs of their classroom. If the majority of the classroom dynamic proves the students come from homes that can provide at home nurturing environments conducive to completing homework assignments, well then it would be an injustice not to do so. The problem that arises then would not complicate the classroom, but the many diverse districts across the United States. For this reason, families should responsibly plan proper provisions for their children before they are born. This is idealistic, but not always practical, nor is life predictable. The true problem is so many parents are really not responsibly planning. The United States culture has been cultivated to think from the mindset that, all people must be given equal resources for life. The complexity comes when determining how much of that responsibility should lie in the governments’ hands. However, regardless of the government’s role, students, parents, and teachers should all work together toward educational equality. As each individual works together, with all backgrounds, home environments, and expectations, the fair balance should arise.


5 Reasons to Defend Homework

1. Students need homework to build work ethic. Home environments might not be completely conducive to homework. Similarly, life does not always provide a productive atmosphere. In learning how to overcome a surrounding, students would be introduced to the reality that exists in the real world.

2. If students are not encouraged to do homework because they do not have parents to guide them in doing so, what would they be doing with their time without homework? Homework provides structure and requirements when parents cannot. This occupies the students’ time in a responsible manner.

3. Homework teaches students the reality of a personal investment. Life requires that every individual is contentious of their surroundings. To be contentious, students must understand their roles and responsibilities. The structure of homework provides students with opportunity to determine what qualities they would like to be defined by.

4. In assigning students homework, they are provided with the opportunity to become invested in their studies. When students are truly intellectually intrigued, they become determined to be successful in their educational endeavors. This is then beneficial to society as a whole.

5. Homework compliments classwork. Sense school is a government provided program, wherever free enterprise exists it is important to take advantage of it. When students do homework they are saving the government funds and responsibilities. When the government is able to save resources they are able to direct them toward various needs of the American citizens.