What’s on the minds of Bromfield students? The Press asks them to weigh in on a variety of topics.

This month: What is your opinion on the amount of homework assigned at Bromfield? How much time do you usually spend on homework each night, and do you consider that to be too much, just enough, or not enough?

Amanda Dexter.

Ann Chacko.

Robert Over.

Left to right: Ezra Kraus, Ben L’Ecuyer, and Emile Sternbach.

Molly O'Rourke-Friel.

Amanda Dexter, ninth grade; Littleton-Bromfield hockey
“The amount of homework varies each night at Bromfield. Sometimes there is only one hour, but on other days there can be more. There can be too much homework assigned because teachers don’t know what other teachers are giving for homework. I mostly spend my time studying for tests and quizzes and completing projects.”

Ezra Kraus, sixth grade; ski club, club soccer, HAA soccer, baseball, and basketball
“I think we have a fair amount of homework, because it never takes me more than an hour to finish. Also, the teachers seem to try not to overload us.”

Ann Chacko, ninth grade, chorus, string orchestra
“I think overall teachers here give the right amount of homework. However, the amount of time I spend on homework varies because sometimes teachers don’t balance out the amount of homework given to us….at times I spend only two hours and other times I spend over four hours. Most of that time I spend studying for tests, quizzes, and [working on] projects.”

Robert Over, 12th grade, math team, cross country, jazz band
“The homework assigned for seniors appears to be appropriate…I only work for two to three hours a day on homework now, but earlier in the school year I had to work much more. Of course all people hate homework, but the amount I have to deal with is the right amount.”

Ben L’Ecuyer, sixth grade, ski club, club soccer, HAA soccer, basketball
“I think there is a little too much homework at Bromfield. I spend about one hour on a regular night of homework…I spend the most time on science. I would change the amount of homework and make us have less.”

Liz Frothingham, 11th grade, chorus, musical, Gay-Straight Alliance, National Honor Society, peer tutoring
“A little birdie told me that Bromfield is administering adequate homework, that their students work hard but are satisfied with their workload, and that the week is bearable. That little birdie must be delusional and have an overworked mind, as a result of being overtired due to an English compare-contrast beast of an essay, irritable over a French presentation, short on sleep from the previous night’s lab report, and just all around frazzled from a lack of ‘me time.’ I am a junior at Bromfield, and this represents a typical night in my household: I come home from working for two hours at the town library, completely bushed. My day is a mental workout, with seven full courses, most of them honors. At 5 p.m. I begin my homework, typically something for most every class. I will work from 5 until 10 p.m., with breaks for supper and Facebook checks and bathroom runs. As an attendee of the most over-achieving school in America, I am preprogrammed to give my all or nothing, which is code for late nights and scrapped work and procrastination.”

Molly O’Rourke-Friel, ninth grade, drama, chorus
“I think teachers give the right amount of homework. [Our homework] is challenging and requires time management, but it can be done. It’s only too much when teachers assign homework without giving thought to our other classes. I probably spend an average of two hours…sometimes I would like more time to study than to [have to] do worksheets.”

Emile Sternbach, sixth grade, club soccer, HAA soccer
“I think in sixth grade it’s just enough because we have common time to get some of it done and then a ton of time at home. Plus it’s not that hard. I would maybe change the amount of quizzes and tests and find another method of learning.”