Homework and its effectiveness has always been an ongoing debate for years, and this school year is no exception. Administration has taken action on the persistent issue of stress amongst CHS students. In an effort to fix the situation, a voluntary survey was sent out to gather information about the amount of homework students are bringing home. Some students say after-school assignments can be extremely overwhelming.

Senior Lily Baker says, “Homework is for sure a leading cause of stress for me. Once I think about all I have to do, it stresses me out even more.”

Principal Mr. Murray commented on the positive uses of homework saying, “When purposely placed, homework is an extension of learning…it enhances future learning.”

He emphasizes, however, the importance of communication across the different departments. He wants to ensure that a student’s night is “cross-sectioned and not all taken up by a specific task,” or in other words, certain subjects are not dominating students’ time and there is a well-rounded balance.

The goal of the first voluntary survey was to find out just how much homework students were getting. However, it brought controversy, with faculty and students saying other factors lead to stress rather than just homework.  

In response to these questions, Mr. Shafer and the AP Statistics class designed a random sample survey. As of November 2nd, randomly chosen students were emailed requesting information about their personal stressors.

Mr. Murray says, “Both surveys [voluntary and random] are valid, but they are different.”

The intent of the original survey was solely to find out how much homework students were receiving. 55% of the student body responded, and the results were as expected; homework can be stressful.

Once the flaws in the design were noted by the math department, it became a larger scale concern. With new factors such as social media, home life, jobs, and extracurricular stressors being taken into consideration. The focus of the entire situation was switched from homework’s purpose to the stressors of being a high schooler. However, Mr. Murray believes the data collected from the AP Statistics’ survey will show more in depth results, and it will be useful for the rest of the year.

At the end of the day, it is vital to remember that the faculty and administration of Chardon High School want the best for students. The staff holds a common shared goal of success for every student. Every educator just works to make achievement come to fruition in their own ways.

For students planning to attend college, homework helps prepare for the rigorous course work ahead. Homework teaches students how to respond to potentially stressful situations. Even for those students not continuing schooling after graduation, homework still increases time management and organizational skills.

Senior Allie Malloy comments saying, “Homework can be easy points to boost your grade” Cameron Peters, also a senior, says, “[Homework] can be used as practice, it helps you get ready for an upcoming test.”  

Nevertheless, there are times when homework becomes more of a burden than a benefit; when the work is excessively repetitive, unrelated to the curriculum or when feedback is not given by the teachers.