Homework Doesn't Help

[/DG/]

Homework may or may not help. Listening to professors probably helps you earn a high grade in a class. Please never forget though, that these are both mere smokescreens, and you create your education yourself, on a day to day basis, in whatever subjects you choose, on your own terms.

This is what I wish we could all do. While school is useful, why can't we just learn the basics (after all, that's all you to remember when school is finished) and then learn what interests us?

 

[nightning]

This is what I wish we could all do. While school is useful, why can't we just learn the basics (after all, that's all you to remember when school is finished) and then learn what interests us?

But that's all they teach you in elementary and high school... the bare basics.

Even in 1st, 2nd year in college they're foundation courses. And at that point you have some freedom to choose already.

 

[/DG/]

Well, I guess it really depends on how you define the "basics."

 

[Take Five]

I think the usefulness of homework depends on the assignment. I think a lot of math especially needs to be practiced, as well as foreign languages. Even the mundane, seemingly pointless homework assignments can contribute to learning discipline if nothing else.

 

[/DG/]

An ISTJ would say that.

 

[Haphazard]

In elementary school, I agree that it's pretty much useless. The only reason they do it is to 'get you ready for middle school' when you have 'homg so much homework'.

There are certain things that make sense to practice, Fiver, yeah, but there's nothing that I hate more than busy work. I mean, why do we need to do so many fucking crossword puzzles? Why are we graded on such useless things?

 

[Take Five]

In elementary school, I agree that it's pretty much useless. The only reason they do it is to 'get you ready for middle school' when you have 'homg so much homework'.

There are certain things that make sense to practice, Fiver, yeah, but there's nothing that I hate more than busy work. I mean, why do we need to do so many fucking crossword puzzles? Why are we graded on such useless things?

Like I said, to some extent the usefulness depends on the particular assignment. But having to get something done right and on time, no matter how dull or unstimulating, generates discipline. You have to take what is in education, not just the subject material, and try to make it apply to other aspects of life.

 

[Cenomite]

Math homework helps.

That's about it I've found. Everything else has been borderline useless.

 

[BlackCat]

I will say that doing math homework and foreign language homework helps. Everything else is useless for me.

EDIT: I swear me and Cenomite aren't the same guy!

 

[Bubbles]

Hm, I dunno. Homework helps until high school. Once you get there it's a matter of effort. You either will do it or you won't. And if you won't, it drags down your grade a ton. Which is annoying, and leads to BSing it at the very last minute.

Unfortunately, this leaks into every subject, including math, so math grades get shot in the face doubly so because their homework actually helps. The more subjects I get homework in, the less likely I'll do any of it until five minutes before class.

 

[Litvyak]

I remember, in the first few years I was terribly studious and hard-working, I've done as much homework as I could, I've got the best grades possible, always scoring higher than 90%. As I grew older, I've started to notice what an utter crap our educational system is: highly unqualified teachers, boredom and stress in 35 hours a week. I refused to do my homework, and learned some really interesting stuff instead. Results: I still scored higher than my peers, and I had a lot of free time with less stress.

So yeah, homework doesn't help at all ~ but this is far from the biggest problems concerning education imo.

 

[Trefle]

I think some homework (math, physics, chemistry esp) are pretty useful; but not as a homework by itself, instead of simply a practice. One who studied long enough and listened and understood what the teacher had taught at school wouldn't need to do homeworks. Of course, the teacher themselves had to be good too for the students to understand.

Unfortunately those type were also the ones who usually do homeworks diligently. The ones who don't are usually the ones who don't listen to the teacher either. >_>;

Add that, and in my country, the students RARELY listened to the teachers, unless they act like an army instructor; aside from the top 10-15 sometimes, and even they slip out sometimes (a confession from one; prefers to sketch and draw and sleep and daydream, fortunately still able to understand)

So I think it goes back to the students and the teachers and the education system themselves. >_>;

Agreed on how assignment is better than homework, though.

 

[ptgatsby]

Math homework helps.

That's about it I've found. Everything else has been borderline useless.

Math helps you do math. Writing helps you do writing... The same goes for a lot of smaller things, like reading, critical analysis and so forth. Do more, get better. Course, there needs to be a feedback mechanism for a lot of them, but there it is. The only problem is that school doesn't really teach these things very well. Homework is just randomly assigned. It isn't progressive, adaptive or tailored for students. That makes it ineffective and... for all intents and purposes... useless.

 

[millerm277]

I am strongly against mandatory homework. The only homework I've actually done in the past 3 years, is Math/science, on rare occasions when I feel I need the practice. (This is maybe 1-2 out of every 5 classes). I'm a junior in high school. I just got a 2070 on my first attempt at the SATs, and have a 3.5gpa. (out of 4.0). I literally refuse to do ANY homework outside of school besides what I said above. Result? I have better grades than most of my peers, do better on tests, have very little stress, and plenty of free time to do productive things. (Stage crew, robotics, working at my job, various things around my home).

If you work during the class, you don't need the homework. By work during the class, I mean actually pay attention to what you're being taught. If the teacher's a moron/useless, I take out the book and teach myself the material during the class and ignore them.

*Note - Assigned readings of material for a class are a different matter, as are long-term assignments.

*Note 2 - I am still in favor of teachers making the practice work available to students.

 

[CJ99]

Like I said, to some extent the usefulness depends on the particular assignment. But having to get something done right and on time, no matter how dull or unstimulating, generates discipline. You have to take what is in education, not just the subject material, and try to make it apply to other aspects of life.

It may generate discipline but that sort of discipline is not good for learning i think.

 

[Take Five]

I do. Plus even if you "get" something without practice, doing the practice anyway helps you retain it.

 

[deepthought]

I do. Plus even if you "get" something without practice, doing the practice anyway helps you retain it.

Not for me, I can do a math problem or science formula once and never have to do it again. But whenever i need it i can still very easily do it, and i don't need to practice it to "retain it". I know you said that it helps but it dosen't make a difference for me.

 

[ed111]

I considered myself to be stupid because I'd get beaten in exams. However, I've since realised that the reason for this was that I didn't do any homework and instead chose to socialise etc. whereas those that were academically successful spent many an hour studying at home. It seems quite obvious when you think about it.

Whether the homework needs to be set by the teacher or not is another matter. It is preferable that a student organises their own self-study, however this is probably only possible for older students. For example, I benefitted immensely during my undergraduate degree course from designing and implementing my own programming projects as well as completing the assignments that were set by lecturers. It gave me a deeper understanding and forced me to learn methods that were beyond the scope of the course.