I would like to ask you a question: When does school actually end? Is it in the afternoon, when the bell rings? Is it when the teacher dismisses you to go home? Or is it when you finish every school assignment at ten o’clock at night? Homework is a contributing factor in preventing students from having time for themselves and yet well-being is a topic that is frequently discussed and taught in classrooms. How to manage school work is also a relevant idea, however managing such work is getting harder and harder to do. Mental health is in a state of crisis for adolescents all around the world, and yet we still have about four assignments, in addition to club responsibilities and studying, all to do in the span of two days! So I strongly believe that it is time to tackle the continuous debate on: Should Students Get Homework?
Well, first, we need to face the facts. Through recent studies, we know that 44% of students in the US feel a sense of persistent sadness or hopelessness. South Korea, has the 4th highest rate in suicide per 100k, mainly due to acedemic pressure. In past years, the coronavirus has intruded into our lives and thrown a load of virtual learning in our faces. Though, this is why, all over the world, those in poor mental health have increased by 25%. Now, during virtual learning… Most of us were basically forced to stare at a screen for more than seven hours, but that didn’t seem to change too drastically after the return to school. Homework in addition to studying and club responsibilities are usually done on a screen. This lasts for about 4-5 hours… not to mention at night. Hence, not only is it poor for our mental health, it would be considered poor for our physical health as well.
Now that I’ve thrown a load of depressing facts at you (also a contributor to poor mental health), let us think for a moment. Are there any benefits of homework? Homework allows students to cover work that they didn’t cover in class so that they learn more overall. Additionally, the assigned work obliges students to revise the topics covered in class to grasp a better understanding. Studying lets the students achieve academic excellence and clubs introduce passions! Sounds pretty good, right? Well, you know what they say, it’s just too good to be true. Yes, we achieve academic excellence. Yes, we find our passions. Yes, we understand the topics better. But at what cost? Our free time?
I’m not saying homework should be eliminated completely. I’m only saying that it should be restricted. For the students all over the world facing depression. For the students in our country who sadly don’t make it to university. For the students at many schools, who have lost their passion for learning. For us. Our community. And everybody who surrounds us. In the end, we, as students, can only raise awareness. So teachers. I have a question for you: What are you going to do about it?
Works Cited
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "New CDC data illuminate youth mental health threats during the COVID-19 pandemic." Edited by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC Newsroom, edited by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), CDC, 21 Mar. 2022, www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2022/p0331-youth-mental-health-covid-19.html. Accessed 26 Sept. 2023.
Gaille, Louise. "20 Pros and Cons of Homework." Vittana, edited by Vittana, 24 Sept. 2017, vittana.org/20-pros-and-cons-of-homework. Accessed 26 Sept. 2023.
Rice, Andrea. "Nearly Half of U.S. Teens Report Feeling Sad and Hopeless: What Can Be Done?" Edited by Jennifer Chesak, MSJ. Psych Central, 15 Apr. 2022, psychcentral.com/news/teenage-mental-health-pandemic-cdc-report. Accessed 26 Sept. 2023.
Wood, Sarah. "Should Kids Get Homework?" US News, edited by US News, 11 Mar. 2022, www.usnews.com/education/k12/articles/should-kids-get-homework. Accessed 26 Sept. 2023.
Worldpopulationreview. "Suicide Rate by Country 2023." Edited by World Health Organisation and World Health Statistics. worldpopulationreview, edited by Worldpopulationreview, 2023, worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/suicide-rate-by-country. Accessed 26 Sept. 2023.
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