There is no doubt that assigning homework is a good way to ensure students practice and understand what they have been taught. However, many wonder if homework is really necessary for children as young as middle schoolers. On the one hand, they are still very young and pretty new to the concept of schooling. On the other hand, do middle schoolers understand what homework is, isn’t it a waste of time?
Homework is important even to middle school students, but there is a limit. In this article, we’ll discuss the essentials of middle school homework and what you need to know. We’ve also included some middle school tips for students.
Is middle school homework necessary?
Considering how young middle school students are, it isn’t unfounded that you’re wondering if homework is necessary. However, homework has proven to help students get better at studying and achieve better grades. Even though they aren’t doing serious work now, middle schoolers also need homework. Homework is issued to ensure they practice what they were taught in school. In addition, their teachers usually don’t have enough time to teach them. As such, giving homework is the only way they can ensure the students study even when their teachers are not around.
However, too much homework middle school is not beneficial to the students. Not only does it ruin the schooling concept for them, it does more harm than good to their mental health. For example, too much homework will mean overusing the brain and, at this age, this is damaging. The brain will keep releasing cortisol, which isn’t good. Homework at this level should be aimed more at familiarizing students with school work.
What is the average amount of homework in middle school?
On average, middle school students have to do 3.2 hours of homework per week night – per subject. When we further break it down, it means one middle school student does about forty minutes of homework per subject daily. If a student has five assignments to do in a day, for instance, that means they’ll be spending around 3 hours on homework daily. This data shocks many parents, even those who clamor for homework for their children. Meanwhile, teachers say there’s a good reason for assigning that much homework, which includes:
- To see how we the students understand the lessons;
- To help them develop essential problem-solving skills; and
- To show parents what their wards have been learning in school.
Furthermore, studies show that teachers who spend longer time in the classroom typically issue less homework.
Tips for middle school students
No matter how difficult the homework is, the right tips for middle school can help you surmount the mountain and solve the problems. Below are some homework tips for students to help with middle school homework:
- Choose a quiet place to do your homework, where there are no distractions, and you can think clearly;
- Do your homework on time; don’t wait till the last minute to do it. Rushing your homework on the day you’re to submit it is not a good idea;
- Break down the homework into sections and steps where necessary; then, take it one step at a time;
- Put away items that can distract you, like your phone, iPad, iPod, laptop, and others;
- Take advantage of learning tools and educational apps to gather resources for your homework.
Where to get middle school homework help
Getting homework help is recommended, especially if the subject is a difficult one. You can get help from online educational platforms; there are many of them. If you type “where can I get middle school homework help” online, you’ll see many recommendations.
Meanwhile, you can also ask people around you who are older and have gone beyond your educational level. A tutor can also help you with middle school homework help, but choose with caution – there are both good and not-so-good ones.
In conclusion, homework is good for middle school students, too, as long as it isn’t giving them sleepless nights. Otherwise, the purpose of homework will be defeated; what’s meant to be good then turns sour. When given homework, you should ensure you give it your best to get good grades.
