Dear Sonya and Jackie:

Why do teachers give us so much homework? It interferes with volleyball, cheerleading and my social life. I don’t know how to do it all and still make good grades. Why is homework so difficult and the tests so hard?

—Overwhelmed

SR: Homework can be tedious if extra instructions are required and there is no one at home to help.

After spending at least seven hours a day focusing on instruction, it does seem unfair to have to squeeze in more study time in conjunction with sports and family time. I honestly believe “family time” is very much needed these days.

Technology seems to provide us with a means of entertainment, but our busy lifestyles keep us feeling like we are riding a rollercoaster most weeks!

Smart students learn how to multi-task. They keep books with them in order to read and finish work during any down time throughout the day. Since some teachers believe in homework and count it for a grade, it is important that it is completed and accurate.

Homework is generally given as a means of increasing knowledge and improving the abilities and skills of a student — even though, at times, it may seem as a form of busy work. It should be given to reinforce what the student has learned or might need to know for a future quiz or lesson.

I believe it is vital that students keep a planner, of some sort, and a positive attitude about finishing assignments so they do not experience “burn out” from academic overload.

If you feel your teacher is assigning too much homework, especially if it doesn’t directly apply to the week’s lesson, ask some friends to speak to her or him with you and request that shorter amounts of work are given on a weekly basis, if possible.

Life is always busy if you are an active person. Hang in there!

JPC: Homework is a teacher’s way of getting you ready for college and a career. It’s annoying, but it’s necessary.

Teachers can’t fit everything they need to teach you during the school day, which is why you need to do it at home too. While sports and spending time with your friends are important parts of life, you want good grades to be a high priority.  The only way I know to get good grades is by studying hard.

I know what it’s like to get stressed out and feel overwhelmed by it all, and nobody wants to just do homework and study for tests. Homework and studying may seem like a drag right now, especially when your time is so strained because of all your activities and having to juggle so much. Try to balance the time you spend studying and engaging in fun activities. Also, you may need to learn some better study habits, like study a small amount each night in each subject, rather than trying to cram for a test the night before (which can be really, really stressful). 

Try to spread out the work you do for each class each night, and make sure that you leave enough time for each subject. Use those extra minutes here and there in between your various activities to fit in smaller assignments. You’d be amazed at how much you can get done grabbing 10 minutes here to finish a word list, or 15 minutes there to study for a quiz.  It all adds up! Then you’ll find when you get home at 8 or 9 p.m. at night, absolutely exhausted, that you only have a few more assignments left. You might want to save your reading for bedtime, when there are fewer distractions. 

If you work out a system, you’ll find that you’ll feel a lot less overwhelmed.