The educational system is created in a form to ensure consistent and coherent pattern of instilling knowledge in a formal structure. There are some patterns that exist within this structure that were created for a purpose that has become alien to this present generation. It is quite obvious that institution for acquiring formal education is one of the oldest institution in existence, the learning patterns might be subjected to upgrades but the foundation remains. As time passes by, despite the firmness of this foundation, people have began to doubt it purpose.
People always want to know why some activities were included in the academic structure. Humans are fond of replacing structures we believe that, it doesn't have any significant purpose to play, this is why old structures have been swept away by development and civilisation. I mean in the history of mankind, how many old existing structures are still existing today, even if the activity itself has not been swept away, the way it is been done will definitely experience change.
The misconception of the educational system structure did not just begin from the doubts people have about the structure but from the lack of understanding of what education stands for. We have stopped asking ourselves simple questions such as, what does education stands for? What is the need for the formal structure of education? If we don't understand the reason for its creation, who are we to eradicate it?
When we talk about education being a means of creating enlightened populace of a country, have you ever stopped and ask yourself, how exactly does a person become enlightened in a way he/she would be able to contribute to the society? It is said that every human is a sum of their experiences, the more knowledge you are exposed to, the more knowledgeable you become. It is so obvious that we acquire knowledge from school but then it is not just that, the system is also designed to assist us in application of the knowledge acquired outside the boundaries of school.
A school is not just a place for learning numbers and grammar but a place that assist us in building our character by teaching us the necessary morals to survive outside the boundaries of the school. This is where the experience comes in, I mean you can't have experience if you don't find yourself in a situation you have to apply your knowledge based on your own discretion.
How else does a teacher ensure that a student is given the opportunity to apply their knowledge in the best way they know how? Is it not through homework? In a well structured school, before a teacher can give an homework to a student, they must have treated that subject in class. The teacher must have also tested the student in class on that subject by giving them class work but the thing with classwork is that it doesn't grant a student enough time to explore the boundaries of their minds. In class, student mostly do as they are told, like zombies.
A school structure is not built to create an enlightened populace to move in one direction like flock of sheep. Enlightened people are individuals who are capable of challenging the existing structure without cowering in fear. So when a teacher gives students homework, he/she is giving them the opportunity to apply what they are being taught outside of the school without supervision and also give the student the opportunity to analyse what is being taught and probably come up with alternative methods of their own.
All that is needed to be taught can't be taught in a class room but with the inclusion of give homework, it is like an extra time of lecture, to keep the students occupied outside the school premises. How much control does a teacher have over a student outside school? but with homework, it extends a teacher's reach and allows the student to remain focus. Students will definitely graduate at some point, leaving the school but that attitude of getting their assignments done, the attitude of expressing their own Will while performing task is something that will forever be with the student.
Have you ever tried to go through the details of your certificate? You would realise it is not only grades that were recorded but every other activities that contributes to a student success in a school. School has never been about grades only but a place you also acquire formal attitude and character. Which means doing the right things in the write way. That is why it is included in a certificate, "Having excelled in Morals and academics..........." It begs the question, why morals?
Would it be good if students were no longer given homework? It wouldn't because the purpose of giving homework to students goes beyond just going home and solving equations but it is also about the moral lesson they learn from performing the activity. It is all about cultivating positive habit, students will graduate and find themselves in a similar situation of doing assignment that are not given to them by teachers. It could be from work or personal stuff, where would they get the strength to face it?
If we were never used to getting assignments/homework done while in school, do you think it would be easy to just cultivate the habit when we find ourselves in the real world? School is not about grades but a platform that prepare us for the outside world and homework is one of the tools designed by the educational system to get us prepared.
This write-up was inspired by weekly featured content titled No more homework in hive learners community.
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