Dear Editor:
I’m a student at John Black Public School. I think homework should be optional.
The normative idea that we are required to work at home is in my opinion inconvenient and non-logical. The idea that you are required to do school work at home puts so much pressure on a student, and they can end up putting less effort into their grades.
I think that aspiring students have effort to give, but they only have so much and it can be overwhelming for most. Home is a safe place for a lot of students and it can feel like you can’t escape school work even in your own home.
Studies have shown that if a task feels involuntary you are less keen on doing it. Studying is optional so why shouldn’t homework be? It’s just about the choice. The people that need to do homework still can. It’s not cancelled, just optional.
The point of homework is to learn on your own – but shouldn’t that be the teacher’s job? And good for travellers so they won’t have the hassle when they get back.
In conclusion, I think homework should be optional.
Arabella Macari,
Fergus