Friday, July 17, 2009

Holiday, Homework, or Me

Students. It is always the students. The teachers nag. The teachers punish. Will it work?

After the holidays, there would surely be some students who are unable to hand up their holiday assignments. Those students, would be the ones who will get nagged at and punish. Do they deserve it? Is it their fault?

If not, then whose fault is it?

Dear readers, when you have read till this part, if you are peaceful enough, you may have already formed the mindset, that it is no one's fault and that we shouldn't cry over spilt milk. Well, there is always a reason for everything, and a fault in every mistake.

What is the reason for the late submission? Where does the fault lie?
Holiday.
Homework.
Me.

Would the fault lie in the length of the holiday? Most students, would of course wish for a longer holiday, thus lying the fault in the holidays. However, have you ever considered the flaws extended holiday would bring along with it.
With extended holidays, there would be less lesson time. When there is less lesson time, the syllabus cannot be covered in class. Therefore, branching out into several alternatives that can be used to cover up for the lesser lesson time. Topics taught, would be less in-depth, and teachers would be going at a faster pace resulting in the slower students not being able to catch up. Students, may also have to carry out self learning of topics unable to be covered in class and there would be lesser chances of clarification. With more holidays, school days would also be more packed and students would also have to bring home more homework.
In the end, homework would still not be handed in on time with the packed schedule of the students.

What about the homework. Homework, are generally worksheets that are given as there is a lack of time to complete them in school. Should teachers reduced reduce students pile homework? Should the practices a student receives for a coming test be compromised? It shouldn't.
Even if you assume that you already have enough practices, isn't there a saying "the more the merrier". It is always better to have more practices, as practice makes perfect.

Now, all that is left is the student himself. Is it his fault? My answer is maybe. It may be the student's fault and it may be not.
Most people would not like fault to lie on their shoulders and if you were in the student's shoes, I guess that you would also hope that it is not your fault, and would deny responsibility if possible.
Thus, is it right to blame the student if there is no evidence nor prove to support the argument that it is his fault? I do not think so.
Therefore, if the students do not fell that they are in the wrong, will blind punishment work?

Whose fault is it?

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