By: Kate Sinodis and Kristina Andrews

Every teacher has their own philosophy when it comes to giving out homework. Sometimes homework is necessary, sometimes just standard practice, and sometimes the result of improper time management. Just so, it is a highly discussed topic among students and teachers, especially as it reaches a crucial point in each semester where work may seem harder than usual. Here, compiled, we have a collection of thoughts and opinions from both sides of the spectrum.

Students and teachers usually have differing opinions on homework and how much homework is enough. When talking with students around Apex High School, they all had fairly similar opinions on homework. Homework is important when it comes to trying to learn new concepts and reinforce what was learned in class, but if it is just busy work, it is pointless and can be extremely stressful. One trend that appeared when interviewing students was how much variation, and how large, there was when it came to how much homework was being assigned. Some students had a large amount, from classes like math and science, while others had little to none from classes like art and chorus. While it is understandable considering not everybody takes the same classes, there is still a much larger variety than expected, with multiple students saying they got no homework at all when they were asked. 

When talking to the German teacher here at Apex, Herr Maseman, he explained his homework policy, along with the general policy of all foreign language teachers. He explained that the homework he gives “Isn’t meant to be busy work”, a popular misconception that the work we get as students isn’t meant to be for anything. “All the work I give is given for a purpose, to help memorize concepts or to practice skills we learn in class”, furthering that his policy is there for necessity. He also added that only his German 1-3 classes get homework, and from his German 4 and up do all their work in class and only do work at home if they did not complete it in class. 

Whether you have barely any homework, or hours of it each night, nobody can argue that it isn’t present in our everyday lives. The policies of homework depend on the teacher you have, and their perspective on if it’s a necessity in that class. Whatever the amount you have, there isn’t a precedent for homework, and it is important to stay on top of what you have regardless in order to succeed in the class.