Benefits of Homework Essay Example

Homework is widely regarded as a time-consuming activity that seems futile. When asking a student if they genuinely enjoy doing homework, they will always respond with a resounding, “no.” Students usually do not seem to understand that completing homework is in their best interest. Although "homework" has a negative connotation, it is actually beneficial in a variety of ways, including preparing children for the future, improving academic performance, and helping kids implement what they learned in class. 

For parents, preparing their children for the future is their biggest priority. The first main benefit of completing homework is that it prepares children for the future without parental intervention. In the article, “Does Homework Help Primary School Children Or Is It Unnecessary Stress?” Katie Russell explains, “By setting challenging work that will ‘gently push children out of their comfort zone’, you prepare them for the future, as this ‘helps towards developing independence and confidence in young children in preparation for adulthood” (Russel 1). The future is full of challenges that you somehow have to decipher. Homework exposes kids to challenging work that develops their responsibility and perseverance by putting them in situations in which they need to apply what they have learned to solve a problem. In the same article, Katie Russel elaborates, “‘homework can be a liberation of pupils’ as it allows them to ‘demonstrate their flair and their ingenuity, their creativity and their character” (Russel 1). When children receive homework and complete it to the best of their abilities, whether it is correct or not, they are learning to solve problems in their own way. Doing things their own way is very important for children's development because it creates their self-actualization.

Additionally, it is a commonly known certainty that homework improves students' academic performance. In the article, “Study: Improve Quality of Homework Assigned to Students” Maureen Downey states, “Studies vary on the value of homework. A 2006 Duke study found homework improved academic performance of older students” (Downey 1). Multiple studies have shown that completing homework helps students do better in school. Taking notes and doing assignments from class helps students learn since it challenges them to understand the topic. In the same article, Downey describes,  “...‘homework can have possible effects on learning and study habits, time management and the parent's ability to see what their child's strengths and weaknesses are’” (Downey 1). Homework may teach students valuable success skills that can help them improve their grades and general performance in school. Parents can also recognize their children's faults and work on them when helping them with homework.

Even though homework has multiple benefits, it may cause stress in teens and children. In the article, “Homework Isn't helpful in First Grade or in College” Katelyn Patterson explains, “Homework, in practice, is a chance for students to work through lessons and make sure that they comprehend what is being taught in class. However, in most situations, all it tends to do is add stress and result in resentment for learning” (Patterson 1). It's understandable that a student might be stressed if they don't comprehend the lesson they learned in class or what the assignment is about. It's frustrating and discouraging, often making someone feel dumb when they don't understand their schoolwork straight away. However, being stressed from homework can often be avoided by staying organized and asking peers or teachers questions if you are stuck on something. Homework, according to Patterson, is a method for students to understand what they learned in class. The most efficient method of accomplishing lesson comprehension is through homework. In an earlier mentioned article, “Does Homework Help Primary School Children Or Is It Unnecessary Stress?” Katie Russel claims, “As well as helping to consolidate what a child has learned in class, homework is ‘part and parcel of developing independent learning,’ according to Edward Balfour” If students do not receive homework, they are less likely to apply what they have learned in class since they have no reason to. These kids are challenged by homework to figure out the class lesson. In an article, “Study: Improve Quality of Homework Assigned to Students” Downey states, “A 2012 study out of the University of Virginia concluded time spent on math and science homework…modestly improved standardized test scores.” This group of students applied what they had learned from their homework to do well on standardized tests, demonstrating their comprehension skills. These students' standardized test scores would have been worse without exposure to homework.

In conclusion, homework should by no means be abolished because it is a necessity for students. Homework helps students prepare for the future by providing them with essential core abilities and general life skills. Homework also aids kids in improving their academic performance by providing them with tough tasks to do and by allowing them to apply what they've learned in class.