Holiday Homework

When the final bell rings before a long awaited school break, most students run out the doors with excitement, ready finally to relax, spend time with family, and recharge. But for many of them, that relief is quickly taken away by a stack of worksheets, textbooks, or projects assigned to be completed during the holidays. The debate about whether students should receive homework over breaks has grown in recent years, and it raises an important question: should students have to worry about school during their time away from it?

For many students, holidays are the only real chance they get to take a break from the stress that comes with school. Between tests, extracurriculars, sports, and responsibilities at home, school days can be overwhelming. Assigning homework during holidays can take away from that rest and create a lot of pressure. Instead of spending long awaited time with friends and family, students spend hours worrying about deadlines that wait for them when they return. Supporters of holiday homework argue that assignments help students stay sharp and prevent them from forgetting important material. They believe that long breaks without studying can lead to students falling behind. However, many teachers and psychologists have found that the benefits of rest often outweigh the small amount of review gained from holiday assignments. In fact, meaningful learning happens when the students aren’t burnt out or stressed.

Another issue is fairness. Not all students spend their holidays in the same way; some travel to visit relatives or have holiday programs to deal with, while others have lots of time to use for studying. When homework is assigned over break, preoccupied students can easily fall behind through no fault of their own. Teachers who assign work over holidays sometimes assume everyone has the same amount of free time, but this isn’t always true.

Many schools across the country have started doing “no homework breaks,” allowing students to fully disconnect from school during time off. These schools have reported improvements in student attitude, classroom engagement, and even academic performance. Teachers say students come back happier and look well rested as well as being more energized.

In the end, holidays are meant to be a time to rest, celebrate, and reconnect with the people and activities we love. While homework has its place during the school year, breaks should remain what they were meant to be: a chance to breathe and get rest away from the classroom. If schools truly want students to succeed, allowing students to take time to rest and recharge might be their best bet.

Even if your classes do assign homework over the holidays, however, there are ways to manage it without letting it take over your entire break:

• Plan it out early. Look at everything that’s due and break it into small parts. Doing small amounts at a time is way easier then cramming everything last minute.

• Set a timer and stick to it. Try doing just 20–30 minutes a day. When the timer ends, stop. This helps you get work done without eating up your whole day.

• Choose a “homework day.” Pick one or two days during break to finish everything. That way the rest of the break stays totally free. Trying doing these at the start of your break.

• Find a relaxing place to work. Do your assignments somewhere calm such as a cozy room, a library, or your favorite cafe. This can make it less stressful and not feel like school.

• Ask for help early. If something is confusing, email your teacher before break starts or ask a friend. It’s better than being stuck consfused during the holidays.

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   Reward yourself. After you finish a small homework chunk, treat yourself. Do fun activities such as hanging out with friends, watching a show, playing a sport.

• Listen to something. Whether its soft calming music or ambient sounds or even better, Quran. Many studies show that listening to something while you study greatly improves focus.