Students in school need to work just as adults do but for slightly different reasons at times. This post will examine some reasons for school and or homework for students. For teachers, understanding some of the less traditional reasons for schoolwork may be beneficial when dealing with students and even parents’ concerns.

Common Reasons
Generally, students lack the experience and or training to make a living. Therefore, studying and completing class and homework is often one of the primary functions of a child or a young person. Just as an adult may receive an income from their employment/business, a student receives a grade for their academic efforts.

Class and homework also serve a social purpose for students. School provides a place for students to meet together and talk and socialize. In addition, there is also an opportunity to collaborate on various assignments and projects. It is relatively common for students to spend more time with their friends and teachers than with their parents. Since so much time is spent together at school, this time must be channeled into positive academic endeavors.

Schoolwork can also provide social status in either a positive or negative way. Sometimes students are commended for being excellent students, primarily by teachers. However, it is generally more common for students to be praised and commended for not working hard by their peers. Either way, a certain amount of social status is attached to how a student does at school, which can be perceived positively or negatively.

Concerning the last point, work can play a role in influencing self-esteem as well among students. For strong students, the school allows an opportunity to demonstrate mastery at something. Meaningful and engaging group work allows students to believe that they are doing something that contributes to a group effort, which is highly satisfying for some people.

It is crucial to indicate the difference between schoolwork and busywork. Schoolwork should be engaging and exciting so that students do not even notice as time goes by. Busywork is work for having points to put in the grade book and does not support the student’s intellectual or skill development. Work does not always have to be pleasurable, but it should also not always be drudgery either. If the school lacks engagement, it can lead to serious behavioral challenges and boredom for students.

Conclusion
The teacher’s job is to manage the learning experiences of the students. Schoolwork is just one of the classroom’s aspects that the teacher is responsible for as the instructional leader. Therefore, it is essential to be able to communicate why students work in the classroom.