#11: Summer assignments? How about no.

       I love summer vacation. I really do.  However, the more I progress into higher levels of education, I'm actually starting to love summer just a little less than I did before. Now what on earth could make me slowly begin to dislike summertime, you may ask? Hmm. Let's explore all the reasons as to why such a feeling could have ever possibly---oh that's right. Summer assignments. And lots of it.

       Summertime brings with it a connotation of a peaceful, serene, relaxing, stress-free environment. Add a pile of homework in with it and such a image shatters into a heartbreaking million pieces. The truth of the matter is that summer homework not only makes students miserable but it also manages to get to the tempers of parents as well. Through the supposed "vacationing" period, students are constantly stressing over summer work and their minds are so clouded with this notion that they must finish the assignments on time that they are unable to truly enjoy their vacation. This in turn causes the stress of the parent as well since it pains them to see their child frustrated in a time of relaxation, especially after their child has suffered a long, tiresome school year. In all honesty, summer homework isn't really effective in accomplishing what it so strives to do. Summer homework, in theory, is supposed to stimulate the minds of students and keep them active in a time of "inactivity." Ha. I don't think so. Studies done by Duke University which consists of a review of more than 175 experiments clearly indicate that there is little, if any, correlation between the amount of summer homework a student does and his test scores and/or his long-term achievement. This, quite clearly, should prove that such assignments are nothing but a hassle. Furthermore, summer assignments, again, in theory, are not only kept in play to keep students active but they are also supposed to help students practice skills they may lose over the summer. However, let's be real for minute. If students can't regrasp and replenish information they've learned in previous years after a brief review of them on the first few days of school, maybe, and I mean no offense when I say this, those subjects weren't taught well enough or in-depth enough in the first place. Moreover, the idea of summer homework is so repulsive to students that a certain trend is becoming very evident. Students are either rushing through the assignments at the start of summer--I would assume to get them out of the way--or cramming to get them done at the end of summer. Either way you look at it, students are still furiously speeding through them, making sure that they get done in a quick amount of time. The focus of the students during this time when they completes the work is not at all in the academic arena. Their minds are drifting to other, dare I say, "funner" things, and most of the time they are more concerned about completion rather than accuracy. Furthermore, how can such work be beneficial if students are left to do a mountain of work with no help from the teacher? It's not.

       Nevertheless, yes, I must admit that  there are certain things that summer assignments do do effectively. Summer assignments do keep students academically steered and ensures that education should still remain a part of their lives even in such times of inactivity. However, these assignments will also severely affect the way students perceive school. At the start of the school year, students will already feel tired as they were burdened with a stack of homework to finish. Thus, they will not feel joy in learning new material. Students should instead feel replenish and ready to attack a new school year. They should not already feel worn out at the beginning.

       All in all, summer assignments are not very effective. Summer assignments are not the answer to keep students "motivated" as it does everything but. It's time to reconsider the so called benefits of such a practice.

works cited

George, Donna. "Summer Often Spells No Vacation From Homework." Washington Post. N.p., 05 Aug. 2008. Web. 03 May 2013. <http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2008-08-05/news/36865169_1_summer-homework-students-work-educators>.

Kalish, Nacy. "The Crush of Summer Homework."  The New York Times. NY Times, 31 Aug. 2012. Web. 03 May 2013. <http://roomfordebate.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/30/the-crush-of-summer-homework/>.

"OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS: SUMMER ASSIGNMENTS." The Current. N.p., 17 Sept. 2012. Web. 03 May 2013. <http://www.thecurrentonline.org/opposing-viewpoints/2012/09/17/opposing-viewpoints-summer-assignments/>.