This year at Ponte Vedra High School, a policy of optional homework was implemented. Students are able to decide if they need extra practice with a specific subject. The high school also began using a system in which there are two versions of every test: a “pre” test and a “post” test. All the students take the pre test, but some are offered the option of the post test if they don’t do well on the pre test. How do they earn this opportunity? The students that do all the homework assigned in a unit get to retake the corresponding unit’s test.
Camryn Koziarski, a junior at Ponte Vedra High, reported that she was, “very stressed last year.” Though she makes a habit of doing her homework every night, she says, “So far this year I have not been nearly as stressed.” Camryn believes her lowered workload this year plays a major role in her lowered stress levels.
Susan Gelb, front desk receptionist and parent to a teen at Ponte Vedra, reports that her daughter is much happier, even when she has a tough night of homework, because of the stress lifted with the new policy. She believes her daughter is still learning the material covered in class as well as she was with the required homework policy, however Gelb says she can’t know for certain considering, “We haven’t gotten our kids’ report cards yet.”
Many students at Bolles would love to see a similar change in our own policies regarding homework. Freshman Logan Smith said, “Sign me up for that! Send my transcript to Ponte Vedra!”
Bolles Freshman Trisha Chakravarty said, “Wow. I want that life. It would give me a chance to actually make my sleeping schedule normal again,” In addition, Chakravarty could, she said, “have a real social life again.”
In addition to students that feel homework has a negative impact on the mental state of the student body, faculty and staff at Bolles, such as Head Librarian Mrs. Lange feel the same way.
Mrs. Lange said, “We have so many students that want to enjoy other aspects of their lives and join sports, clubs, art programs, etc. and just don’t have time.”
Mrs. Lange added that, “It’s assumed that faculty has a life outside of work, but we don’t assume the same about students.” Mrs. Lange believes that the students deserve to be treated similarly to the staff, at least in this respect.
She added that she feels Bolles differs from Ponte Vedra in one respect, “I don’t think we need the reward. We don’t need to let kids retake tests. Few would actually take advantage of the situation. What we really need is an analysis of how they spend their time.”
She suggested lowering the amount of homework, but not getting rid of it entirely. After all, we do still need some practice. Mrs. Lange believes that if we lessen the students’ load, we’ll see, “brighter, well-slept, and more creative kids.”
Student stress levels seem to be a major concern of many Bolles teachers. History teacher, Mrs. Chandler, said, “We need to have a conversation about how the amount of collective homework kids have each night affects them and can cause them to have no opportunity to have a life outside of school.”
Some teachers defend homework, stating it does have its purpose.
Math teacher, Mrs. Quesada, stated implementing a policy similar to Ponte Vedra High’s would be a step in the wrong direction. She said the homework load is beneficial to students and helps to strengthen their skills, and that taking away homework entirely would likely result in a drop in Bolles’ academic success rates. She says, “We look at our current policy’s results, then we change the policy to fit the problem at hand. Bolles teachers are committed to making homework necessary and helpful.”
If nobody did English homework, the reading would have to be done in class, which would be incredibly boring for teachers and students alike. Teachers would never be given the opportunity to truly teach and students would never have the opportunity to truly learn.