Homework-less Guinea Pigs

The new and innovative 7th-grade math curriculum involves optional, more personalized homework, but whether this beneficial or disadvantageous is still unknown.  

After long years debating study methods and different programs, middle school math teachers have decided to change the traditional dynamics of homework by replacing the familiar worksheet approach for the virtual platform Khan Academy.

“They take quizzes and then it recommends what you need to study… Also, I can go through and assign [exercises]. So, I’ll sit here and assign students extra practice based on their test scores and how they’ve been doing,” explained 7th-grade math teacher, James Bandura when asked about how the system worked.

Thus, each student will be assigned different problems based specifically on what they individually need to master, which allows students the liberty of learning at their own pace instead of sticking with the group. However, many doubt whether the teenagers will actually practice if it’s not obligatory or impactful.

“Anything that goes home I honestly I won’t grade because I also don’t know who’s doing the work. It’s so easy for one person to do the worksheet and just share all the answers,” said Bandura “They’ll get [for the practice] part of their work ethic grade.”

However, it is important to clarify that work ethic lies as a completely different set of numbers than academical grades, which is what solely affects the GPA of the TSC students. Therefore, their grade for math class will not be impacted, neither negatively or positively, by their hard work or lack thereof. Therefore this creates skepticism whether the practice will actually be completed at all and what effect these may have on their study rhythm  

“Homework is important because it generates feedback about the topics we are learning,” said Oscar Andres Arboleda, high school pre-calculus teacher, “Study habits are needed in order to continue in the AP line.”

Even though the subsequent reaction of this method is still unknown, it will all rely upon the responsibility of the class of, which will ultimately prove whether the innovative technique is favorable or unfavorable for their and possibly forthcoming generations.

“It is trying to create more intrinsic motivation that kids want to learn to learn instead of learning just to get a good grade,” Bandura concludes.