BY VICTORIA ANORVE

Homework and the number of hours it takes to complete it vary significantly from a student to a teacher’s mind.

“The first thing I think of when I hear the word ‘homework’ is long, long hours of stress, writing, reading, math equations, and late hours,” said junior Stephanie Guzman.

This year, faculty advisors sought to understand how students are managing their homework load by having students fill out a time management table.

In reviewing these tables, teachers have worked to help students better manage their workload.

John Duvall, who teaches freshman World History and AP European History,  noted that in his AP class, “homework is not given daily; therefore, making the class less stressful.”

Even though teachers are trying to further understand their students’ busy schedules, students still feel it takes longer to complete homework assignments than teachers recognize.

“The reading is overwhelming, and at times too difficult to balance with other challenging classes,” said sophomore Claire Stanley about AP European History.

Similar trends are noticeable in other classes, particularly  upper-level courses. However, teachers point out that homework is necessary to help students develop a full comprehension of challenging topics.

“It is important to understand the assignments rather than achieve a grade. Homework should not be busy work. It needs to have a purpose and is supposed to reinforce concepts that were discussed in class,” said Tina Zapata, who teaches government, economics, and U.S. history.

In regards to how long her homework should take students to finish, Zapata said, “half hour to forty-five minutes per night.”

However, Kenna Banuelos, a senior in Economics, said, “It can take me up to two hours to finish the homework, depending on the amount Ms. Zapata gives.  [For tests] it usually takes me the entire night to study, but Ms. Zapata always does a good job on
reviewing concepts before tests, which is always helpful.”

It is difficult to understand why students tend to study significantly more than the teacher expects them to. Could it be that they do not have a thorough understanding of the concepts during class discussions, causing students to spend more hours studying for tests and quizzes then teachers intend?

“I think part of the problem is that students in extracurriculars often do not begin homework until 6 or 7 p.m. At that point, most students are cooked; the more fatigued you are, the longer it takes to complete a task. At least that’s how it is for me,” said English teacher Rachel Pringle ’04.

Whatever the cause may be for the varied approximations of homework time, it is evident that stronger communication is needed between teachers and students.