10 Reasons Why Homework Is Important
Claudio Davey
I've studied Computer Science and my first contact with the StackExchenge's sites was StackOverflow. Later I realize that there are a lot of other useful sites on this platform and currently I'm an active user of Mathematics Stack Exchange.
Recently, I've been reading this question -the-site-being-too-lenient-in-helping-people-with-homework?cb=1, and that was the main reason I (finally) take the help tour of the site. This is an extract from the tour:
From my experience in StackOverflow that was a big issue there, mainly because (in SO) usually the people ask for her/his work to be done. Nobody wants to do the work of another person, and that in fact is not constructive at all in the computer world (and surely nowhere).
But, as the previous snippet states, Mathematics Stack Exchange is for people studying math, and the quality of the site (In my humble opinion) is measured by how well the questions, and even more the answers!, help in the fulfillment of that goal: studying math.
What I'm saying is that it is better if the questions is not contaminated with spurious intents of answering, because what you actually want is to compare if you have a similar problem, in order to continue your studies. I mean, this site is not a homework police nor is for teaching the students to study, it is for the people who actually wants to study math to found knowledge and useful posts.
Again if I compare with SO, there are useful the intents of answering a question, because (more often than what could be desired) in programming the solution comes from empirical or testing approaches. But in mathematics it is not the case (in most cases).
Another example that comes to my mind is: If I have a problem with my homework, I could ask a friend or teacher to help me solve it or I could find the solution in a book. So, can I say that the book have a poor quality because I found the solution to my problem there, regarding if it was homework or not? Of course not!
So as I look to this site as the (possible) future most complete book in mathematics (again my opinion), why we should care from where the questions come from? or what was done previous to the post? What I think is important is if the question is a good one from the mathematics point of view.
By the way, I'm not talking about context in the questions, because context could enlarge the scope of a question and that is a good fact, but sometimes the policy of adding context (mostly for users that only wants to know a solution to their problem) makes the really good part of the question more obscure or difficult to reach, and hides the true value of the answers for future users searching for knowledge.
A user submitting material from this site as their own work and using no real effort of their own is (under normal circumstances, where they are not given permission to do so) guilty of academic dishonesty.
I don't know if I would call it important, but by disclosing their post is homework, a poster is at least being forthright. It is also useful for answerers who wish to measure out a solution that isn't "giving it away." You can frequently see cases where posters in fact don't want everything given away, and only want a hint.
This is again just helpful for answerers to measure the intentions of the poster. In theory, effort shown correlates with the poster's good faith in answering the question. It's not foolproof, but it seems like one of the few good tools we have to discern questions asked in good faith from those asked in bad faith.
If you are referring in part to questions that come out of homework, then again I'll reiterate that indiscriminately answering all questions that are posted would, in all likelihood, facilitate academic dishonesty in some part of the community (whatever proportion that may be) and (hopefully you agree) that facilitating this dishonesty is wrong.
Questions should (and, practically, must) be judged by their intrinsic quality. Whether a question is homework or not definitely does not matter, and in judging or discussing the quality of a particular question, one should focus on more concrete aspects - e.g. how well does the question guide answerers to a particular issue? However, on a more global level, we must recognize that, while many people write good questions based on their homework, homework questions posted directly to this site are a large source of low quality questions and hence we may find it reasonable to discuss the particular issues regarding homework.
However, judging questions purely by their value should still lead one to believe that posting verbatim homework questions is not productive. Homework tends to consist of run-of-the-mill exercises which have well-known or formulaic solutions - it is unlikely that they carry enough mathematical interest to stand alone. The way to make these good mathematical questions is to be specific about one's difficulty with them - good answers to such questions address whatever misunderstanding the author has - and this can sometimes be entirely unrelated to the actual exercise at hand. But one cannot possibly write such good answers if the author does not help focus us on their difficulty (e.g. by trying to solve it, and explaining where they got stuck). Though context narrows the scope of the question, it leads to deeper and more substantial answers.
If you had a problem with your homework, you wouldn't take it to a teacher, tell them to do it for you, and ignore whatever questions they ask you. That happens on M.SE. Posting such questions is inherently and visibly different from genuine mathematical inquiry and leads to answers which recite common knowledge rather than elucidate nuances. If a question doesn't do its part in narrowing the discussion on an otherwise common exercise, it does not belong on the site.
The best way to approach an answer may be dependent on the rationale for asking the question. If the question is a homework question, giving them the answer defeats the point of doing homework. Accordingly, the best way to answer a question for homework purposes is to describe the process to get the answer, and let them get it.
If a question is not for homework, it is often just a sticking point in a much larger search while one studies math. In these cases, a quick answer is often the better way to go, because the OP has a reason to go research your answer on their own time afterwards.
Homework goes beyond just the task itself; it helps children take control of their workload and increase their time management skills. Homework is set with a deadline and taking ownership of this deadline helps them think independently and develop problem-solving skills. This is a prime example of why homework is important because time management is a vital life skill that helps children throughout higher education and their careers.
Some children struggle to learn outside of their comfort zone, and while classrooms are designed to be warm and welcoming, there is often no place like home. Homework is an opportunity to learn and retain information in an environment where they feel most comfortable, which can help accelerate their development.
Children learn at different paces, and the time spent in the classroom might not be enough for some students to fully grasp the key concepts of a subject. Having additional time for learning at home can help children gain a deeper understanding than they would if they were solely reliant on their time in school. Homework is important because it gives parents and children the freedom and the time to focus on subjects that they may be struggling with. This extra time can make a big difference when it comes to exams and grades.
A regular routine helps children get used to working at home. Some children work best in the morning, while others may prefer the afternoon. Work out a routine where your child is their most productive.
Children can get overwhelmed if they have a lot of work to do. On homework-heavy nights, help them make a plan and break down the work into sections. This will help make the work more manageable. If your child responds well to this, you could do this each time they sit down to do work at home.
Understanding why homework is important and oftentimes necessary helps improve both motivation and productivity in young children. It also makes parents aware of the role they can play in supporting them. At Nord Anglia Education, we focus on bringing children, parents, and teachers together in a common effort to improve student learning through homework. You can learn more about our schools and the curriculum we teach by exploring our schools.
Homework has been part of the education system for decades, and it continues to be a key aspect of school life. While some pupils, and even parents, may dislike the idea of homework, its importance to academic success cannot be understated.
The idea of time management may seem foreign to a child in Junior School, but with years of consistent practice through homework, the idea of completing an academic assignment can become second nature. This skill is an incredibly important one to have, especially in higher education and in professional settings.
It also encourages parental involvement in their children's education. If their child struggles with a certain topic, parents have the opportunity to help them to expand their subject knowledge, in the comfort of their own home, with the people they know and understand the most.
Parental involvement with homework impacts students in a positive way. One of the most important reasons for parental involvement is that it helps alleviate stress and anxiety if the students are facing challenges with specific skills or topics. Parents have experience and expertise with a variety of subject matter and life experiences to help increase relevance. Parents help their children understand content and make it more meaningful, while also helping them understand things more clearly.
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