Homework has long been a controversial issue among parents and teachers alike. When it comes to a child's academic success, some believe it is crucial to maintain a healthy school and life balance - while others believe it necessary for students to invest most of their time into their education.
In an increasingly challenging and competitive work environment, parents are often seeking outside opinions as to what is the right thing to do for their children. Everyone seems to have a different perspective on the topic and it can be difficult to filter the noise. Over the past 15+ years, I have encountered all type of students, parents and educators and I know firsthand how important it is to provide the relevant educational tools to our younger generations to ensure their success once they get out into the real world.
Homework should be considered a tool that some students may need in order to succeed. When a child is self-promoting and self-propelling, homework might not be necessary.
On the other hand, children who are less self-efficient might need additional schoolwork in order to succeed. Each student is different and it is crucial to adapt to students' needs and lifestyles.
Learning comes in various forms. For example, some people learn audibly, others visually. The key to make sure the educational system fits students' needs is to help schools and educators better understand what those needs are.
Technology presents many tools to the educational sphere and both schools and students should learn how to use them. Online learning, for example, is a great way to provide customized materials for everyone and ensure students can learn at their own pace, in and out of the classroom.
Many parents believe homework is detrimental to children's social life as they feel it forces them to focus mainly on their academic success instead of using their free time to socialize with friends and family. Teachers and parents need to re-think the type of homework given to children instead of ruling the concept out altogether.
Incorporating schoolwork into social life is a simple way to teach our kids necessary skills while ensuring they get to spend time with friends and see the world. A child learning about art history would probably benefit more from going to the museum with their classmates than sitting at their desk after school to do homework. Incorporating lifestyle into the classroom and vice versa is crucial to making schoolwork enjoyable, especially for younger children.
Homework can also teach students how to manage their time efficiently, which is a crucial skill in the workplace. For that reason, children should be given the opportunity to ease into their workload as opposed to having various after school tasks to complete on day 1 of back to school.
Ultimately, students should treat their classwork duties like they treat spending time with their friends, their system of priorities need to hold their schooling and their relationships at the same level. Students need to treat their classes and school in general as a part of their lifestyle, just as they brush their teeth, schoolwork and classwork should be a part of their lifestyle and everyday lives.
About Todd Rothman:
Todd Rothman is 15+ year education expert and passionate higher education enthusiast, that includes tutoring over 30,000 students directly and indirectly with products he has brought to market; and founding his own tutoring company Todd’s Test Prep. Todd is a trusted source and veteran who’s knowledge has changed the lives of many seeking excellence in higher education. He is currently the Co-founder of global test prep platform, wyzPREP.
