23 luglio 2021
On 23 th July 2021 we read the new article by Dott. Nappo in the weekly column in the newspaper “ Il Giorno”.
During his regular Friday appointment, the Legal Representative of the Freud School expresses his considerations for the old question “School on holiday: Is homerwork beneficial or not? It's an endless debate”.
According to Dott. Nappo, homework should be enjoyable and should stimulate curiosity. Differently, it becomes Diversamente diventa an unnecessary committment: students copy their homework and teachers don't correct them.
“School on holiday: Is homework beneficial or not? It's an endless debate”
It's one of the most pressing topics of all time, a classic in the summertime: homework. Is it really useful? Does it give its contribution to the cultural enrichment of the students, by improving their background and by training their minds? Or on the contrary does homework ruin their holiday?
Teachers often think they should give homework during the summer holiday in order not to interrupt the learning acrtivity for three months, otherwise it would be possible to forget the competences acquired with a great effort. Undoubtedly, homework should be apply to a modern approach of study, by putting aside the traditional methods that don't arouse the intereset of the students.
Who is in favour of homework, often compares the school as a business: an agency can't interrupt its activity for a long time, because it would risk to decrease its “profits”. At the same time, the School can't leave a learning void for three months, but should create a connection able to join the end of the lessons with the beginning of the new school year through a system of light and balanced study, possible to do even wothout the support of the teachers(...)
Boys and girls during their summer holiday want to be free to enjoy of their leisure activities, hobbys and they want to relax. Homework should stimulate their curiosity, especially to arouse new interests: otherwise homework can be seen as a school obligation.
Parents also risk to play the role of‘supervisors’. Undoubtedly, an obligation is detrimental and damaging: on the contrary doing homework should be an enjoyable activity. Yet, the matter is not so simple.
Among the ‘contrary-current' support is given to the thesis concerning that homework is useless because there are no advantages in doing exercises mechanically and even copied from other students and the most of teachers doesn't correct them.
It must also remember that Italian students have more homework to do on holiday. In the Usa, for example, homework fit the age age of the students. In addition, even though in Italy there is the " tradition" of homework to do on holiday, we mustn't forget that Italian students present rates of practical illiteracy. It makes no sense within a civil country. These are the statistics. The best schools in the world don't give homework on summer holiday. In conclusion, the debate has no resolution and the consolidation of a common-ground hasn't been found yet.
Dott. Daniele Nappo
Legal Representative Scuola Paritaria S. Freud
