Homework should be optional. A reasonable solution to a complicated issue that causes many arguments. But why should it be optional? Let's take a look at the pros and cons.

Pros:

1. It can encourage the discipline of practice.

2. It can get parents involved with schoolwork.

3. It can teach students how to set priorities

4. It can teach time management.

5. It can teach problem solving.

6. It can help communication between parent, teacher, and school.

7. It can teach students how to take responsibility.

8. It can reduce screen time.

9. It can teach independence.

10. It can teach them that they may have to do things they do not like.

 

Now let's look at the cons:

 

1. It encourages an inactive lifestyle.

2. Homework isn't healthy in every home.

3. Homework can add stress to an already stressed out student. Plenty of students have jobs to help support their family or to support their needs, but when they spend 6+ hours in school and then go to work afterwards it can negatively impact the students health.

It encourages the students to prioritize work over health. Many students stay up late or get extremely stressed out over homework which can cause negative effects.

4. "Endless surveys have found that homework creates a negative attitude towards school, and homework has not been found to be linked to a higher level if academic success" -uopeople.edu

5. Homework can encourage students to spend time not socializing or exercising. This can even be seen in the family environment where the student is too busy working on homework that they do not have time to spend with their family, nor friends.

7. Homework can cause a lack of interest in hobbies. This is more of an issue than most people realize because you can not just work, you need an effective amount of time for your body to relax while you are doing something you enjoy.

8. It can cause a lack of creativity.

9. It can cause burn out which can greatly affect students' lives, especially in a school environment where it is believed that you must persevere and work even if you are tired. (sometimes we just need a break, we are only human.)

10. Finally, life can be very difficult for a student. It can be an insecure mess for many and sometimes we just need time to ourselves. Many students are handling crises in their life that have pernicious influences on them. Whether it's dealing with family inconveniences like arguing with your parents to even losing a family member, or having to support their family because they do not have enough resources. There are many more, like students trying to figure out who they are, and students who are fighting battles everyday. There are many unpredictable things that can impact a student's life, and homework can create unnecessary stress.

 

As you can see homework has both pros and cons, but how could we improve on it? Well, if homework were to be an optional extra credit assignment, it would improve homework overall. Homework should be a voluntary task that students can work on if they feel the need for extra practice, or if they are struggling in their classes they could complete the homework earning them a grade and at the same time also increasing their knowledge on the subject. It would also encourage the students to not cheat as it doesn't have any negative effects, only positives. The main goal we should desire to achieve is a non-stress environment after school. We want students to succeed and be healthy at a time where they are figuring out life, and what they want to do. Thank you for taking your time to read it and please consider signing the petition. Have a great day! 

 

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