Give students time for spirituality

by Kelsey Sullivan

Good morning — welcome to my typical Wednesday.  It’s 5:15 a.m. and my alarm has just rung. I’m up and going, slow as I may be. I have to make it to school by 6:30 in order to finish my page for The Arrow for the 4 p.m. printing deadline. From 8 to 3:30, my classes claim my mind. I leave school with plenty of homework and things to remember. After seventh period, I head to the Black Box for play practice until 6 p.m. I finally leave for home thinking of my homework and how to get it done and attend Bible study that night without ending up in bed sometime after midnight. I’ll have been at school for 12 hours.

I know I’m one of many students who want to be involved in extra-curricular activities. They want to do their homework well, too. And one night a week, they want to attend a Bible study or youth group. With school, extra-curricular activities and homework, it’s often difficult for those students to make it through Wednesdays and go to a youth group — and that needs to change.

Because we can’t add five more hours to the day, teachers should consider drastically cutting down homework on Wednesday nights so students can attend a youth group if they choose and not fall behind in their studies at the same time.

Many students who attend Wednesday night activities find them much more rewarding and fulfilling than sports, work or speech activities. Regardless of denomination, Bible studies instruct students to be honest, loyal, fair, loving, respectful and strong. What teacher — and for that matter, future employers and acquaintances — would not look for these qualities? 

Observe, teachers and staff,  that those who do choose to do their homework — and do it well — are usually, paradoxically, the students who are involved in many other activities that inhibit them from starting their homework until after eight in the evening — or even later.

Teachers have us all day. Our extra-curricular activities keep us after school. And homework claims us until we fall into bed. With these hectic schedules, it’s only wise and fair to give students less homework on Wednesdays. Youth groups not only give students a one-night break to face the rest of the week, but also a chance to engage in an activity that, in the future, will help students as much as their nightly homework.

If you’re a teacher who is already cutting back on homework on Wednesday nights, thank you! If not, consider that many students will use the extra time that night to engage in something that builds character, helps maintain personal goals and lends support and encouragement from like-minded peers — something that books rarely teach as well.

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