Homework, Should it Be Mandatory?

By Marco Bell
Period: 3
Page 1
(T)Homework has always been a part of the school system for as long as I can

remember, but has it become obsolete? (B) Many classes used to assign homework

just for the sake of having it, but with today's technology, information is more easily

accessible, resulting in some homework feeling redundant .(H) I’ve even had some

classes that would even go as far as to have homework be worth ​0% of the grade, ​and

tests were ​100%​ of the grade.(S1) Due to my experience, it has become clear to me

that homework as a clear correlation with the grade in the class. (s2) Not only does

homework enable better performance in class, but in life. Homework teach students

valuable life skills like time management.(s3) On top of all this, the students do have

families and a home life. Homework gives the parents or guardians a chance to see

what their child is studying academically. (s4) Not only this, lower income families could

struggle as well, as they may not be able to afford the extra resources needed to

advance the education of the child that was formerly done with assigned homework.

(TH)Homework needs to be mandatory, but not excessive, because homework helps

students solidify their understanding of the concept they study, it also enables parents

to better see how their child is developing in their studies, and it teaches students

fundamental skill they will need in life.

(st)There has always been a reason homework has been in schools, as a result

homework has always had a correlation to one's grade.(TE) It can either be tied in to the

percentage of the grade or not be worth anything. (C) Doing homework will improve

your grade overall.(E1) In my junior and sophomore year of Highschool, I had a math
 Homework, Should it Be Mandatory?
By Marco Bell
Period: 3
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class where homework was worth nothing, instead they simply added it as 10% extra

credit if you did do the homework. (Poe) (O1) During senior next year, due to lackluster

performance and a significant number of students failing the class, the homework is

now worth 20% of the grade, and tests are 80%. (E2) If we were to look at the failures

alone, out of 149 students, 111 failed the class. (Poe) (O2) Without homework, the

students never had the extra practice needed to iron out the tough concepts, thus

resulting in failure.(Ex 3) Since the new implementation of this system, my grade has

also been higher.(Aries) (O3) In the non-mandatory system, I had a C average, for a

student of my caliber that was really bad. I felt no pressure to actually try to do the

homework and as a result I did not, because in theory, I did not need to do the

homework to pass with good grades. This year, is different If you do not do your

homework, the highest mark you can get is a B-, that's if you don't miss any test points

ever.(cs) Overall, homework has a direct connection with the student's grade, without it

the grade will suffer for the average student.

(st) Not only does homework correlate with one's grade, but it is also needed to

help achieve a better mastery of the concepts they learn.(TE) By practicing the

concepts little by little on their own time.(C) The students can iron out little mistakes by

doing so.(E1) McLeod, a former junior high school teacher made this statement about

his own son: “Through homework, we could see what he was learning and what he was

having trouble with,"(Susan Schwartz)​(O1) This is not only true for Mcleod, his family,

and his students, but also for me, your family, and if you're a teacher, most of your
 Homework, Should it Be Mandatory?
By Marco Bell
Period: 3
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students. (Ex2)”Ultimately,​ ​Callum​ ​had​ ​a​ ​very​ ​successful​ ​year​ ​at​ ​school​ ​and​ ​won​ ​a​ ​prize​

​in​ ​his​ ​class for​ ​French.​ ​"And​ ​I​ ​can​ ​thank​ ​the​ ​homework​ ​in​ ​a​ ​way,”(Susan Schwartz) (O2)

Even if you do not struggle in school, homework can help you achieve higher than one

could imagine, even getting rewards for your own academic accomplishments. (Ex3) “If​

​not​ ​for​ ​homework,​ ​said​ ​David​ ​McLeod,​ ​he​ ​and​ ​his​ ​wife​ ​would​ ​not​ ​have​ ​known​ ​how their​

​son​ ​was​ ​doing​ ​at​ ​school.” (susan Schwartz) (O3) Along with aiding one's understanding,

students also have their parents to aid them with homework. (cs) Homework helps

students achieve more than if they did not complete the homework, this statement

remains true whether or not the student struggles or excels in class.

(st )Homework is not always seen as a crucible. To some families, homework is

essential. (TE) Lower income families can’t always afford luxuries or fund educational

trips to museums which would aid in supplementing homework. Other people simply

see it as valuable family time.(C) Giving homework enables lower income families to

have an equal opportunity to educate their children. (E1)​ ​"It​[homework] ​was definitely​ ​a​

​useful​ ​and​ ​positive​ ​part​ ​of​ ​her​ ​education,​ ​and​ ​it​ ​gave​ ​me​ ​a​ ​window​ ​into what​ ​she​ ​was​

​learning."-Joseph​ ​Devlin,​ ​a​ ​father​ ​of​ ​an​ ​elementary​ ​schoolgirl”.(Mathews)(O1) Sitting

down and studying with your family is a valuable part of schooling, stopping it would not

be beneficial for all.(E2) “Ashley​ ​Sierra,​ ​an​ ​executive​ ​assistant​ ​and​ ​a​ ​single​ ​mother​ ​with​

​three​ ​children​,​ ​said​ ​that this type of ​policy​ ​had​ ​created​ ​an​ ​unwelcome​ ​burden​ ​on​ ​her​

​and​ ​other less​ ​affluent​ ​families​ ​that​ ​could​ ​not​ ​afford​ ​extra​ ​workbooks,​ ​or​ ​software

programs​ ​to​ ​supplement​ ​the​ ​new​ ​policy.”(Spencer) (O2) In the end, education is

expensive. We are lucky to be able to have access to it for free up until college, even
 Homework, Should it Be Mandatory?
By Marco Bell
Period: 3
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then not all families have the capital the fund their kids the extra mile the student might

need if homework is gone.(E3)Ms.​ ​Sierra,​ ​the​ ​P.S.​ ​11​ ​parent​ ​who​ ​opposed​ ​the​ ​change,​

​said​ ​that​ ​although​ ​the school​ ​included​ ​test​ ​prep​ ​materials​ ​on​ ​its​ ​voluntary​ ​homework​

​site,​ ​she​ ​had​ ​a hard​ ​time​ ​getting​ ​her​ ​children​ ​to​ ​do​ ​the​ ​work."Now​ ​I​ ​can't​ ​say,​ ​'Your​

​teacher wants​ ​you​ ​to​ ​do​ ​this,"'​ ​she​ ​said.​ ​"It's​ ​just​ ​me.”(Spencer) (O3) I believe that most

people have had at one point in their life, a time where they simply didn't want to to

there work. Without mandatory homework, some students will not do the work, and will

not have a good understanding of the concepts as a result.(CS) To less wealthy

families, homework is a tool that helps their children vastly. It also helps the parents see

into their children's academics whilst providing an education to the lower class.

(CTS) Even though many resent homework, it remains a necessity. (CH) For

without homework, many students will fail and never achieve academic excellence. (S1)

My personal performance, and those of my peers, clearly reflects in our grades whether

or not we did our homework. (s2) With the completion of homework, students achieve a

mastery of concepts, only resulting in more academic prowess. (s3)School is open to

everyone, whether you are poor, wealthy, or in between, homework does not

discriminate. It gives all a fair chance.(RTH) Homework is a necessity, and it needs to

stay mandatory.(BFT) Everyone is different, some people will always hate homework,

regardless it will never hurt to have some. After all, “education is the most powerful tool

you can use to change the world”-Nelson Mandela