Celine Hakimianpour, staff writer
A well deserved spring day finally beams on earth’s surface as the sun shines bright, flowers bloom and the students look forward to a relaxing day outside. On a day like this there is nothing Beverly students crave more than the stress-free outdoors. Unfortunately for students, these wishes drown under heaps of never-ending homework assignments. In order for the student’s wishes to be fulfilled, it is imperative that our school decreases homework loads.
According to the National Sleep Foundation, 62 percent of high school students do not receive even eight hours of sleep. Clinical chief of the Children’s Sleep Center at Texas Children’s Hospital Dr. Daniel G. Glaze says, “Continually skimping on sleep can harm your health, mood, schoolwork, sports performance and driving ability.” Furthermore, students are becoming sleep-deprived as they try to complete assignments that keep them up past their desired bed time.
A well deserved spring day finally beams on earth’s surface as the sun shines bright, flowers bloom and the students look forward to a relaxing day outside. On a day like this there is nothing Beverly students crave more than the stress-free outdoors. Unfortunately for students, these wishes drown under heaps of never-ending homework assignments. In order for the student’s wishes to be fulfilled, it is imperative that our school decreases homework loads.
According to the National Sleep Foundation, 62 percent of high school students do not receive even eight hours of sleep. Clinical chief of the Children’s Sleep Center at Texas Children’s Hospital Dr. Daniel G. Glaze says, “Continually skimping on sleep can harm your health, mood, schoolwork, sports performance and driving ability.” Furthermore, students are becoming sleep-deprived as they try to complete assignments that keep them up past their desired bed time.
According to Ann J. Curley, CNN’s Health’s Medical Assignment Manager, studies have shown that more than two-thirds of U.S. teens report they are getting less than eight hours of sleep on school nights, which, according to Curley, is considered an insufficient amount of sleep for a teen. A better night’s sleep can result in better academic performance. According to Jason Koebler from U.S. News, “Teens ages 14 to 18 who get fewer than eight hours of sleep on school nights—some 70 percent of U.S. high school students—may be more likely to engage in risky behavior.” Some of these risky behaviors include smoking, drinking alcohol, being sexually active and using marijuana. The time that could have been spent completing homework assignments gets washed away as students engage in risky behaviors. These risks lower cases of activity, causing students to feel sad and/or helpless.
Because homework is important for the learning process, it does not have to be completely suspended. However, the tedious and repetitive homework assignments should be decreased. The district policy regarding homework states up to three hours per week per subject shall be considered a reasonable homework obligation, with the exception of the Advanced Placement classes. However, students find themselves being drowned with the excess amounts of homework. Homework should only be given to the students benefit, and not just to keep students busy. When kids arrive home from a busy day at school, they want nothing more than to relax. Instead, they must dive straight into a homework pool that keeps them up late into the night. The desire for finishing the assignment causes kids to rush through their work in an effort to complete it and get that one desired hour of free time.
Because homework is important for the learning process, it does not have to be completely suspended. However, the tedious and repetitive homework assignments should be decreased. The district policy regarding homework states up to three hours per week per subject shall be considered a reasonable homework obligation, with the exception of the Advanced Placement classes. However, students find themselves being drowned with the excess amounts of homework. Homework should only be given to the students benefit, and not just to keep students busy. When kids arrive home from a busy day at school, they want nothing more than to relax. Instead, they must dive straight into a homework pool that keeps them up late into the night. The desire for finishing the assignment causes kids to rush through their work in an effort to complete it and get that one desired hour of free time.
Students should not drown under stacks of homework assignments. Instead, they should get a good night’s sleep to prepare for the next day of school. If students received less homework, their work would excel in quality, as the students would have more time to complete it with integrity.
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