A walk down the school memory lane- Part 8

Unanimously detested, universally disliked – the undesired work of ‘homework’

Work for all…..

         So while this walk has been full of happy moments, wonderful memories, nostalgic remembrances and colorful past, not every aspect in school was loved, enjoyed or desired! Think about your loads and loads of homework for a while and you will understand my sadness and hatred instantly. An endless struggle to be dealt at home, I always believed ‘homework’ is the first word that kids start to dread for the rest of their lives.

        As students, the dread lies in ‘completing it’ while as parents it lies in ‘getting it completed’. Either ways, this villain wishes to stay with us forever! It may not be easy for teachers too, as evaluating, rectifying and grading a wide range of interesting offerings demand lot of strength, courage and patience!

       

Impossible to escape

            When I first thought about this facet of school life, I chose to keep it at bay keeping in mind ‘not so’ interesting shades to this story, but compulsive nature and forceful approach of homework gripped me in its stride. Demanding a post in its memory, I was once again caught under the load of this work! Though there have been many years since my last encounter with school homework, writing this post brought the same feeling all over again. Writing under a deadline and completing it a perfect manner, the influence of ‘homework’ managed to reach my blog too!

         With an aim to involve students into studies and keep them in touch with their course, homework takes birth in every classroom and every grade. Though beneficial for our progress and essential for the years ahead, it is impossible to appreciate its significance while being buried deep within. By the time we understand the real reason of this self-declared 'punishment' and value of teachers’ demands, we find ourselves instructing our kids for their share of homework!

Teacher’s privilege, student’s problem

       As a kid when I listened to teachers’ instructions while filling the book with list of homework, I always admired their luck and privilege to be able to do so. Wondering about their happiness while ordering us with so much work, I waited to stand at the other end of table. With passing years and increased maturity, I realized it was always meant for our own good. Practice of spelling, handwriting, multiplication tables and question-answers did contribute in our development, but this level of understanding delays in its appearance. While engrossed in its completion and surrounded by its influence, it is nothing less than a big problem!

      Discussing the purpose of this homework, I clearly remember our words back then. “Once we are elder, what is the use of these tables?” or “Who writes so much while in office?” were our innocent queries as we viewed teachers’ strict words and parents’ disciplined instructions as ‘benefits’ of being ‘elder’! Waiting to be free from this bondage felt like a dream, as amidst words, calculations, questions and answers the prospect of no forced work at all appeared tempting by all means.

   

      It is only after we depart miles away from a wonderful school life, that we realize red marks on notebooks and shouting from teachers back then were more amazing than performance reviews and confusing instructions from our boss today! While our troubles were limited to which subject to complete first and what answers to write for the questions, we were never left alone to experiment and explore.  Independence and uncertainties of life as adults offer no such guidance or support!

 

Different students, different approaches

      Over-sincere, notorious, extra-careful, careless, honest, obedient, easy-going, hard-working, lucky, while every classroom is a blend of such different type of students, the approach of each of them towards their homework differs by many ways than one. While sincere, hard-working and obedient never disappoint their teachers, the notorious ones give them consistent opportunities for disappointment.

        From careless students forgetting their homework at home to extra-careful ones creating copies of the same, from honest students fearlessly announcing their incomplete work to lucky ones escaping punishment, from intelligent rankers with excellent efforts to photocopying types waiting to copy-paste from them; teachers witness so many diverse varieties within the walls of a classroom.

       While teachers exhaust all possible means of punishment; students ensure surplus stock of reasons, excuses and routes to escape. As one belonging to the sincere camp, I did complete my homework to avoid troubles, but not without the usual supply of complaints.

       During regular working days as this homework became one with the schedule, completing course of work on holidays, festivals, occasions or birthday felt extremely difficult. Hoping for a worldwide halt to homework, our innocent minds secretly prayed for a timely ban, allowing us to enjoy, relax and rejoice!

      Though homework was always famous for bad memories and boring stories, it sometimes offered surprising rewards. As a ticket to gifts, games, outings or entertainment, excellent behavior and perfect schedule of completion brought some good moments too. Yet, no amount of gifts or praises delivered same happiness as the golden words of ‘no homework today’ from teachers.
      So, as long as one walks in and out of school during childhood, this homework will enter and exit along!

    What was your equation with homework? Was it love-hate or only hate-hate all through your school?