Homework

Practice makes perfect, at least that’s how the saying goes. How much practice makes perfect, though? Even for world-class athletes, there is more to success than practice, practice, practice. Somewhere in the mix there has to be raw talent and a strong, almost obsessive, desire for success. Without talent and the desire for success, all the practice in the world generally will not make the average person a world-class athlete. Maybe better at what they do, but certainly not great enough to command a multi-million dollar salary and the admiration of adoring fans. Similarly, “practice” in the academic world will not deliver Ivy League scholars unless the talent and desire for doing so are already present.

Which is why I think that I, and every other student in the world, should be spared the pointless drudgery of doing homework. Homework is stupid, demeaning, tedious, and, unbeknownst to many educators who rely on homework as a pillar of their curriculum, downright sinister.

As a more practical way of arguing against the need for homework…let\’s think. How many occupations or professions require you to do work at home. Another reason for homework bantered about by the teaching profession is that it prepares you for college and your working life. Really? How many carpenters, plumbers, or mechanics go home and practice their craft so that they will perform their jobs better at work? There is no need to; their skills and work environment do not require nor allow them to do so. Might they need to do “homework” as part of improving job skills, such as learning the intricacies of a new engine? Certainly. But they’re adults and job preservation would mandate that they learn. Even still, the real learning in such occupations takes place hands-on, not reading books, answering questions, or taking tests.

Do I really believe what I just said? Absolutely not. I\’m just complaining about homework because I feel lazy at the moment and I have something that I would much rather do with my time. Homework is necessary, even for college students as smart and intellectual as me.