Why should we have homework? By Kezia

 

To Mrs Healy,

I strongly believe that there should be homework at Oamaru Intermediate School. Having been an OIS student for 1 and a half years, I feel it is now my duty to tell you that homework would benefit me and my peers with our learning. I hope to convince you that this is the right thing to do for your students, and that you begin re-negotiations to change this. What better way to prepare kids for High school?

Firstly, High school has a lot of homework and we need to be prepared for it. There will be kids that go to high school, and get overwhelmed by too much of it for every subject. This can result in low grades, flunking out, or worse- not achieving their dream job. If OIS had homework, we’d have a better reputation than we already have! Surely you want us to achieve better grades and learn with purpose like our school value states? Studies show that homework improves academic achievement with tests, assessments and the likelihood to attend University. 

Secondly, we don’t have a lot of time in class. Roughly, we only get around 3 hours learning a day. That’s about 12 hours a week, excluding Fridays, because then we have modules, PE and Assembly. That’s not much time in class. But if we had homework, we would be learning more every day. For example, the teacher could send out a google slide including all of our Homework for the week, just like we had in Lockdown. There could be a bit of Maths, Reading and Writing activities that we could choose from. Another good idea would be that classrooms have a self-checking system, where the teacher puts the answers on the wall at the back of the class and students could mark their own homework, so that there isn’t any added pressure on the teacher for extra books to mark. 

 

Lastly, there are many skills that are crucial for later on in life that students are learning from this, such as independence and time management. I know our teacher really wants us to be learning independently, and this is probably the best way to do so. We aren't around friends or distractions, and we are where we are usually most comfortable- home. This will be a great way to extend our knowledge and ability to manage our time and self. We will be managing our own time by prioritizing our homework getting finished, not playing video games instead. If there is a prize for those who finish homework, the others would learn to finish their homework so they get a prize as well. 

In summary, These are all the reasons why I truly believe that Oamaru Intermediate School should have homework, as it would prepare us for high school, extend daily learning time, and teach us useful skills for later on in life. Please consider the points I have made in this letter carefully. I look forward to hearing your response. 

Sincerely,

Kezia