“Homework” essay
Some people believe that school children should not be given homework by their teachers, whereas
others argue that homework plays an important role in the education of children. Discuss both of
these views and give your own opinion.
People’s opinions differ as to whether or not school children should be given homework. While there are
some strong arguments against the setting of homework, I still believe that it is a necessary
aspect of
education.
There are several reasons why people might argue that homework is an unnecessary burden on children.
Firstly, there is evidence to support the idea that homework does nothing to improve educational
outcomes. Countries such
as Finland, where school children are not given homework, regularly top
international educational league tables and outperform nations where setting homework is the norm.
Secondly, many parents would agree that the school day
is already long enough, and leaves their children
too tired to do further study when they return home. Finally, it is recognised that play
time is just as
beneficial as study time from the perspective of brain development.
In spite of the above arguments, I support the view that homework has an important role to play in the
schooling of children. The main benefit of homework is that it encourages independent learning and
problem solving, as children are challenged to work through tasks alone and at their own pace. In doing
so, students must apply the knowledge that they have learnt in the classroom. For example, by doing
mathematics exercises at home, students consolidate their understanding of the concepts taught by their
teacher at school. In my view, it is important for children to develop an independent study
habit because
this prepares them to work alone as adults.
In conclusion, homework certainly
has its drawbacks, but I believe that the benefits outweigh them in the
long term.
(270 words, band 9)
