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3 Reasons Teachers Give Homework


Homework. 
Kids & parents alike get stressed out just thinking about it. 
It is the catalyst of fights, a source of frustration and is responsible for countless broken pencils and snapped crayons. If everyone hates it so much, why does it exist? Why are teachers so cruel as to foist homework on children when it makes everyone furious?

Don't worry...there are reasons. Homework is there for a few purposes:
  • To be a bridge between school & home: It keeps parents informed as to what their child is learning at school. It lets parents know HOW things are taught as well the level of expectation of the teacher for their child. It lets the teacher communicate with the family on a daily basis. In turn, the parents can speak to the teachers with authority.
  • Allow for reflection: Because there is no time limit for that math worksheet, children can take as long as they want. It allows them to think slowly, reflect on their work and double-check what they've written. The pressure and distraction of the classroom setting are removed.
  • Teaches life skills: Homework teaches children vital life skills. It requires them to do a variety of different things each day:
    • Organization- They have to write down and track their assignments. They have to remember to bring the right worksheets & textbooks home. Then they have to organize the finished work in a way that they can find it the next day.
    • Time Management- Having to do work at home forces kids to figure out how to budget their time wisely. If they want to watch TV, they have to do their work first. If they leave it all to the last minute, they get less sleep, etc. It teaches them how to use their time effectively.
    • Responsibility- It teaches them to take pride in their work. Homework holds children accountable for their own product. If it's sloppy...that's them. If it's not finished...that's them. If it's ripped or torn or lost...all on them. They have to take ownership for the product as it's a reflection on them.
Homework can be tough. It can be frustrating. It can be tedious. It can be so many things, but it does have a purpose!

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