Homework. Something that students know very well.

The important question is, does it even help?

At the beginning of this school year, a teacher in Texas sent home a note to her student’s parents informing them about something new she was implementing in her classroom.

Second grade teacher Samantha Gallagher’s note said, “After much research this summer, I’m trying something new. Homework will only consist of work that your student did not finish during the school day. There will be no formally assigned homework this year.”

Instead of asking her students to spend their night doing homework, she asked the parents to allow their children to use those hours spending time with each other as a family.

Of course, this topic has a wide range of opinions that come along with it.

Assistant Principal Amy Walker said that she feels that homework should consist of studying.

“I feel that if a teacher utilizes all 90 minutes every day, the only thing that a student should have to do at home is study,” Walker said. “There are occasional exceptions, but there shouldn’t be many.”

Principal Ty Dawkins, however, feels as if homework is a key component in the understanding of curriculum because students need practice.

“I think one of the main purposes of homework is to help retain the information from the classroom for the next day,” Dawkins said.

Senior Stan Ashmore agrees with Dawkins but believes that it should not be used to teach.

“Homework should be given as practice and review and not as teaching material,” Ashmore said. “Students shouldn’t have to teach themselves through homework.”

Walker agrees.

“Homework should not be to teach a concept,” Walker said. “Homework should be for reinforcement.”

History teacher Teresa Caton said that homework is necessary for understanding.

“It’s exam practice and review,” Caton said. “ Homework gives them a chance to see if they understand it or not. If you can’t go home and do it on your own, you should go back the next day and ask questions.”

Math teacher Harold Gentry believes that homework is a key component to success.

“In math, you have to practice,” Gentry said. “I have over 50 years in educatio,n and I’ve tried all different ways to handle homework, but it is necessary to be successful.”

Some students feel as if homework should be in just certain classes.

Senior Ross Parris is one of those.

“I think that homework should be condensed to certain classes and only be assigned when absolutely necessary,” Parris said.

Others believe that homework should remain in all classes and if not, it’s up to the teacher.

“(Giving homework) is up to the teacher, but I don’t see how someone can get proficient in a subject area without practice,” Gentry said.

Dawkins said that assigning homework is all about progress.

“It’s up to the teacher and where you’re at in the classroom to make sure you’re progressing in the right direction,” Dawkins said.

Caton feels that homework is a way to help students know what they are doing in class.

“If the class is worth taking then you should know what you’re doing,” Caton said.

Caton feels that although homework is necessary, it should be manageable.

“Homework should never take that much time,” Caton said. “It should never be more than 15 to 20 minutes per day, per subject.”

Ashmore agrees.

“I think homework is needed, just not in extreme amounts,” Ashmore said.

Senior Macy Metcalf said that the amount of homework should depend on one thing.

“I think that homework in every class should depend on how hard the curriculum is,” Metcalf said.

With extreme amounts of homework, students get exhausted.

“(Homework) causes a lot of stress because you go to school for eight hours and then go home and do more work and your brain gets too tired,” Parris said.

A lot of the time, homework assigned in massive amounts overshadows the time students could spend doing other things including spending time with family and getting healthy amounts of sleep each night.

“The occasional super important homework should get done, but only if it is needed,” Walker said. “It should never overpower family, work, church, etc.”

Although homework is helpful in some ways, Metcalf said it has also taken up time she could have used elsewhere.

“(Homework) is helpful because it helps me understand, but I’ve also spent a lot of hours doing homework when I could have been spending time with my family,” Metcalf said. “I don’t think it should interfere with the important things in life.”

Dawkins said that it’s up to the students to learn time-management when learning to balance homework and other things in life.

“Every student has their own responsibilities,” Dawkins said. “It’s the student’s job, with resources, to manage their time wisely.”

Unlike many, Gentry feels as if homework is important because of the opportunities the reward of doing it will bring.

“I went to college so I wouldn’t have to work on a farm,” Gentry said. “Education gives you options.”

Although homework may be important, Parris feels it should never take up the time needed to remain healthy or that could be spent with family.

“I think proper sleep and family time is more important,” Parris said. “You can always return to school the next day or do the homework in the time you have free, but quality time with family and a student’s health can’t be replaced.”