Does homework really suck?

[alex291190]

Homework is good if you're interested in it. My worst subject at School was English (Reading and writing, basically) ... and it was also my worst grade out of ANYTHING I've ever done - needless to say, I hated it and barely ever did anything for it, But my best subjects at School were Physics and Maths. Seriously! - No one ever believes that. but I enjoy them both immensely, No idea why. -

My Grade levels - in LIST!
Top = Advanced Highers
-Physics = Maths
Highers
Int 2
Int 1
Credit
General
Foundation
English
Failure

 

[prisonermonkeys]

There is still the fact that you need to show unnecessary work and time on something you would rather spend with friends, food, another hobby, maybe even gran turismo.

That "unnecessary work" is actually there for a reason. It's there so that you can demonstrate your understanding of concepts that you need to know.

Let me give you an example: when you started playing Gran Turismo, you did not know Grand Valley Speedway. The first lap time you set around the course was almost certainly not your fastest lap time. You'd have to do half a dozen laps just to learn where the braking points were, to find the best racing line through a sequence of corners, the performance of the car and so on. Eventually, you started setting faster and faster lap times, and you could start setting similar lap times in different cars.

It's the same with your pre-calculus. The first time you did it in class, you might have gotten the answer right - but that doesn't mean you will always be right. You need to do it over and over again to understand it, just as you had to do laps after lap of Grand Valley Speedway to understand the circuit and improve your lap times.

I've seen your attitude of "Why should I spend so much time on homework? I'd rather be with my friends." in dozens of students, and I have to say that if that is how you feel about it, you've got your priorities wrong. You're studying pre-calculus, so I think it's fairly safe to say that you are in some kind of higher education (probably late in high school). It's at this point in time where you should start thinking about your future. The planets aren't going to align and just give you whatever you want from life the way it does in the movies - it's a lot of hard work.

So, as I high school teacher, I'll do you a deal (and this is something I tell all my students): you put all your energy into studying until such time as your numbers come up and you win the lottery. When that happens, you can do whatever you like. If it doesn't happen, at least you'll have a strong starting point for your future. You've got a better shot betting on the system than you do on blind luck.

 

[Prince.M5]

I don't have any problem with homework but one thing that bothers me a lot is when you have too many of them...

I have about 6-7 subjects a day, and usually about 4-6 of those subject will have a homework and 3-4 of them must be submitted by tomorrow. I don't know if the teachers actually do realise how much time do we have with tuition etc. It's silly here in Malaysia. I just want our teachers to understand our daily life and not just doing homework and homework.

Let's say if I have a tuition last night and failed to finish my homework? The teacher will reply ''Tuition is your problem, but that doesn't mean you must neglect your homework!''. It really is frustrating...

You could end up sleeping at 2 just for the sake of doing your homework. The next morning, you will feel sleepy and the teacher will ask you why do you look sleepy? Slept very late doing homework? She WILL say ''Why didn't you complete your homework earlier? Why didn't you do your homework before tuition?'' and it goes on... We got back home late, too little rest and tuition. I now have very limited time for internet.

I just have to bare with it. Only 3 weeks left of school..

 

[ScouserInExile]

At the grand old age of 34, I'm hardly best placed to comment on homework, but I will say this:
I've done some unbelieveably stupid stuff in my life, I've done loads of things that I should really regret, but don't and the one thing I actually regret is not working harder at school.

 

[Joey D]

That "unnecessary work" is actually there for a reason. It's there so that you can demonstrate your understanding of concepts that you need to know.

Aren't you an English teacher? No offense here but English teachers are the worst at giving out assignments that are completely unnecessary. Sure the grammar, spelling and writing parts are all sound things one needs to know, however the useless novels you have to read and write papers about will never help you in life, ever.

I never understood what the point of reading some novel written in the early 1900's was and then going on to have to write several pages on what the author meant. I've asked almost every English teacher and professor I've had and not one of them can give me an answer other than it broadens your horizons and gives you critical thinking skills. If I truly want to broaden my horizons I'd pick up a non-fiction book with an actual obtainable point in it, and BS'ing 6 pages of what the teacher/professor wants to read doesn't give anyone critical thinking skills.

The only people that I've ever seen get really into reading novels from the turn of the century or later and wax on and on about why the curtains are blue instead of red in the book are hipsters to the max. Good luck using your vast knowledge at determining what the author meant by symbolism to score a job. I guess there is a reason most English degree holder I know end up being Starbucks or Barns & Noble employees.

I am really glad that my Junior and Senior years of high school I was able to get out of one of the English classes by being on the newspaper staff. I can honestly say I learned quite a bit more doing that then I ever would have in an English class. I developed writing skills, proofreading ability and the ability to be concise and to the point.

I'm not singling you out here, more just using your comments as a jumping off point for something that has always bugged me about English teachers.

 

[uMadson?]

I'm attentive during classes but I don't really like homeworks that much. I prefer doing all the learning at school and then afterwards the remaining hours would be for me to chill.

Extra-curricular stuff like Adobe Photoshop lessons is a different story for me though.

 

[Crumpet]

I've always rushed through my homework, I don't learn anything from it and never will.. My mind is obviously focused on something else.

 

[C-ZETA]

I'm into GCSE now, and at first I was expecting enough homework to take up all of my free time...no joke. Really though, it's not been as bad as I was truly expecting. It does kinda help that one of my options was Computing, so that's essentially one lesson with no homework, not to mention the fact we get compulsory Games and normal IT. Not to mention my Geography teacher doesn't give us much homework...and when I do homework it isn't so bad anyways. As annoying as it is to get it in the first place once I've started it up I just get on with it really. Doesn't necessarily stop me from rushing it though

 

[uMadson?]

I've always rushed through my homework, I don't learn anything from it and never will.. My mind is obviously focused on something else.

Lol same here.

Screw homework. Learn on lectures and seatworks.

 

[Pezzarinho17]

I think I posted something similar somewhere else about homework... It really depends on your attitude as to what you get out of doing homework. I remember some teachers setting homework 5 minutes after class was meant to finish because "they had to" and would throw something random at you. Attitude for that is poor when it clearly has no planning, so why should you waste effort on it?

In most cases though, you can get a lot more from homework than just the exercise itself... I used to leave all my homework until the last minute. Nowadays I'm getting assignments in early, managing work over its duration and only putting in extra hours when its required. If given a month to do something, odds are good that you'll struggle to make deadline if you start a week before. So its easy to see I've learnt a lot just about time management of tasks from homework, let alone the work itself.

Also, don't just follow the crowd. If you're mates haven't started their homework yet, don't feel that it means you shouldn't either just to "be in the same boat as them". Something else I used to do until recently, matching my assignment to someone else, then finding they were planning on doing an all nighter before deadline all along (for instance)!

 

[Pyle_PMG]

Everybody knows homework sucks, I should be doing my pre calculus right now. But if you think, it gives you time by yourself, which is something I value. There is still the fact that you need to show unnecessary work and time on something you would rather spend with friends, food, another hobby, maybe even gran turismo.

To make it suck less, I want to know what anyone else does to make it not as bad. As of now, I have pandora on the Witchcraft channel so I can listen to all my favorite Sabbath-inspired bands, along with a bag of beef jerky, but that isn't enough to make me enjoy it.

Does anyone know how to make this an enjoyable experience?

When I have a large assignment to do, I'll usually spend an hour doing work, then 30 minutes of Madden NFL 12, then an hour of work, then half hour tv show, etc. It works out well.

Um for little assignments, just grind through them. Procrastination just results in failed tests and angry parents.

A way to get through it quicker sometimes is to do it in parts. So do everything in the order that suits you. Try hardest to simplest/simplest to hardest. Use a spinning wheel and choose random questions, I hope some of this could help.

Also, if absolutely required get a tutor.

 

[rb26x]

I was going to qoute some of you, but the app sucks for that, so I will try to respond to what I was going to.

It is not necessarily the work, it's the fact of how it relates to the overall grade. I'm in 10th grade, and am relatively smart, especially math. I get concepts quickly in math, so doing 20 of the same time-consuming problems just becomes busy work that doesn't accomplish much. Vocab I don't mind doing for this reason; I need to practice that more because it isn't a procedure to remember as in math classes.

The main thing that bothers me is how many points teachers make homework worth. If your grade is to reflect your intelligence, one shouldn't be able to bomb tests because they don't understand important concepts, then continue to pass because they put in "effort". Because let's be honest, teachers that give homework almost every night don't check to see that it's right, they check to see that a student tried.

Awwww, you didn't grt many right. Well at least you tried, FULL CREDIT.

This isn't right. If it is meant for practice when some people don't need it, why is this effort that can be totally pointless to some worth 20-40 points? On something that isn't even checked! I just don't get it.

By the way, I did try doing homework with my girlfriend, ended up distracting me and taking wayyy longer. Could not focus one bit, and she is smart too, and started out actually contributing.

 

[terminator363]

I hate math but science and history homework has never ever bugged me. English is right in between, sometimes I hate it some times I don't really care.

 

[Max Powers]

Aren't you an English teacher? No offense here but English teachers are the worst at giving out assignments that are completely unnecessary. Sure the grammar, spelling and writing parts are all sound things one needs to know, however the useless novels you have to read and write papers about will never help you in life, ever.

I never understood what the point of reading some novel written in the early 1900's was and then going on to have to write several pages on what the author meant. I've asked almost every English teacher and professor I've had and not one of them can give me an answer other than it broadens your horizons and gives you critical thinking skills. If I truly want to broaden my horizons I'd pick up a non-fiction book with an actual obtainable point in it, and BS'ing 6 pages of what the teacher/professor wants to read doesn't give anyone critical thinking skills.

The only people that I've ever seen get really into reading novels from the turn of the century or later and wax on and on about why the curtains are blue instead of red in the book are hipsters to the max. Good luck using your vast knowledge at determining what the author meant by symbolism to score a job. I guess there is a reason most English degree holder I know end up being Starbucks or Barns & Noble employees.

I am really glad that my Junior and Senior years of high school I was able to get out of one of the English classes by being on the newspaper staff. I can honestly say I learned quite a bit more doing that then I ever would have in an English class. I developed writing skills, proofreading ability and the ability to be concise and to the point.

I'm not singling you out here, more just using your comments as a jumping off point for something that has always bugged me about English teachers.

Sounds like you just had some bad English teachers.

I'm a former English ed. major who has since moved onto IT since teaching jobs have recently disappeared in my state...but I feel it it one of the most valuable of all of the core classes.

I don't consider myself to be a genius in any regard, but the only reason that I am somewhat smart is because I read in my free time any chance I get.

I am not a fan of long winded papers or over analyzing text, but saying that the subject of language, reading, etc. is not important to one's overall education is just ridiculous.

 

[Machate-man]

You see, I'm lucky, and all of this year I've only had two teachers that give homework, and one left. So that's one class for homework. And Eugene, I mean my math's teacher doesn't really care if you don't do it. But now it's problematic because I need to focus on completing my graphics work at home, and I can't keep focused. I've always had a short attention span.

Same here; Out of 5 classes, 1 grades homework like quiz's, 2 grade it regularly, and 1 grades one out of every 8 assingments.

And somehow, I've been able to get 3 A's and 2 B's this quarter (Which ended ~2 weeks ago) without doing ANY of it!

Easy

 

[PHCharls]

When I do homework I put on music and instantly I get motivated, depending on the tone of the music. There wasn't really a time where the opposite happened, so I relied on music to help me with homework. In addition, my homework is usually just a worksheet, study for a test/quiz, or read a certain section in a student-issued textbook.

I did that too.

 

[Driving Park]

Ah, homework.

Homework CAN be useful, but 99% of the time it is not. Most of the time it is just "busy work" the teachers assign you to give you something to do every night. It doesn't accomplish anything. On rare occasions teachers will actually assign a useful bit of homework, and those I welcomed because I knew I would actually be learning something. Most of the time though, that was not the case. In high school, it actually seems like the teachers are firmly intent on making their students miserable.

On a serious note though , homework is just a small chore in life .

Not when your high school teachers assign you seven hours of it, nearly every night. That happened to me my junior year, and it was ridiculous.

Enjoy being at school as you will miss it when you leave .

Very much so. But I do not miss the homework one bit.

 

[uMadson?]

Bombarded with assignments.

On my book, answer pages 45-50, 52-57, 66 and 76. And I'm in the 3rd quarter while all these pages are on the 2nd quarter lessons.

I never asked for this. I mean seriously, what kind of homework is this?

 

[Sach]

Homework sucks? Don't go to grad. school then.

 

[Villain]

Homework doesn't suck, but attitudes can.

 

[terminator363]

Homework doesn't suck, but attitudes can.

I see what you did there

 

[Camaroyenko]

Of course it sucks, but it's all for a good reason.

 

[Crumpet]

Of course it sucks, but it's all for a good reason.

I thought the reason was for teachers to get back at you..

 

[sumbrownkid]

Never do Organic Chemistry homework alone.

 

[Joey D]

Sounds like you just had some bad English teachers.

I'm a former English ed. major who has since moved onto IT since teaching jobs have recently disappeared in my state...but I feel it it one of the most valuable of all of the core classes.

I don't consider myself to be a genius in any regard, but the only reason that I am somewhat smart is because I read in my free time any chance I get.

I am not a fan of long winded papers or over analyzing text, but saying that the subject of language, reading, etc. is not important to one's overall education is just ridiculous.

I didn't say reading was not important, I said reading books from the turn of the century is. You will learn more by reading a non-fiction book on a topic that you know very little about then some murder mystery.

And I read every chance I can get as well, I have shelves of books that I'm trying my best to get through. There are just so many subjects that I was to know about and not enough time to sit down and read about them.

 

[Camaroyenko]

I thought the reason was for teachers to get back at you..

Perhaps...

 

[CAM]

The concept of homework sucks, but the feeling of successful time management and fulfillment when you do it early and can relax later is pretty cool .

 

[Camaroyenko]

The concept of homework sucks, but the feeling of successful time management and fulfillment when you do it early and can relax later is pretty cool .

👍

 

[Starfirebird]

When i used to go to school i would always have homework.

I would listen to White Zombie the entire time i was studying.Mom would ask me "how do you study listening to that stuff?"I would say it keeps my mind at ease.She would shake her head and close the door.True story.

 

[dxm8975]

Homework was bothersome to me too and I rarely had it done while I was at high school(And I'm still there now... But I did while I was in elementary school and junior high school) as they were nothing but pointless to me, or just an intent my teachers wanted to check out whether we understood the concepts learned from their classes, and have the capacity of dealing with tasks needed in society... Students who eagerly did their own work were awarded a high grade for a subject they're immersed in, in contrast, those who hardly finished their chores were automatically awarded a lower grade compared to those who did well at their studies...

Doing your homework focusing on something else distracts your attention from what you need to put before, so it's just a waste of time for breaks, doing other things after you completed all of your schoolwork...

But I think schoolwork is important in instructing us the need of deadline as others have mentioned - they're assigned as the preparation of being recognised as one of the members in society, which tests the aptitude of individual toward jobs. Cutting off all the works doesn't mean he/she is impossible to pursue their schedule, but may make it harder to stand by the codes or adapt themselves to the rigidity of the world.