The Importance of Homework: Why it Matters for Student Success

I often hear so many divided opinions from educators, parents and students about homework. Some argue that it unnecessarily adds stress to a student’s life and means that many students work late into the evening. Others advocate for its crucial role in education – after all, practice makes perfect! In this blog, I’ll explore my views on homework, and why I think the choice of homework is so important!

Lets get the obvious out of the way. No teacher should be setting homework for homework’s sake. Unfortunately, with modern-day education policies, often teachers feel compelled to issue homework because students should be receiving a certain number of hours a week. This is not productive and often detracts from what education should be about – fostering a love of learning and a joy of exploring the unknown!

That being said, I do believe that carefully considered homework, lasting a short amount of time, can be invaluable in helping students solidify their understanding of a topic, practice examination questions/techniques and revisit what they learnt in class in a different context. It is therefore of paramount importance that teachers consider the type of homework that is given to a class. As a teacher, I often only gave a few questions a week to younger students, and preselected examination questions to my older classes.

Homework encourages independent learning, and creates the conditions for students to solve problems by themselves. True mastery often comes from individual exploration and study beyond the classroom which provides a framework and foundation for understanding and comprehension. Homework assignments allow students the chance to further explore a topic, discover individual weaknesses and seek clarification on challenging topics. This autonomy and responsibility nurtures curiosity and encourages a love of learning.

Moreover, homework helps instil a sense of responsibility and discipline in students. They are required to be organised, meet deadlines and manage their workload – skills which are crucial not only in school but also in life! These important habits that they learn in school will serve them well beyond their school years.

As parents, homework also allows for a brief insight into your child’s day, and what they are learning in school. Assignments also provide clarity on a student’s progress and understanding of the material. This allows parents to monitor their child’s academic development and offer intervention when necessary, creating a collaborative approach to education.

In summary, relevant, appropriate, and purposeful homework can play an important role in student’s development and learning. In my opinion, homework plays a vital role in education, and should not be overlooked by teachers, students or parents.