The document discusses the debate topic of whether homework should be banned. The first speaker argues that homework should be banned, but teachers should emphasize extracurricular activities and independent research instead. The second speaker defends homework by stating that self-study is important for understanding materials and homework allows students to practice what they learned. However, the first speaker rebuts this by saying extracurricular activities can provide self-study and practice without homework. The debate continues with both sides providing additional arguments for and against homework.

1. ROUND 1
Homework should not be banned. Self-study is one of the most important steps in understanding
learning materials. Homework allows students to practice what they were taught in class. It also gives
them discipline and responsibility. Listening to the teacher in class is not enough, in order to achieve
your goals and become a successful person you need to practice and learn how to work on your own
1st before we begin we must define what homework is: an assignment given to a student to be
completed outside the regular class period, this is according to the merriam websters dictionary, one of
the most premier dictionaries. According to this definition studying outside of the class-room, and
extra-curricular involvement do not count as homework.
Thus my plan: Homework should be banned, but teachers should emphasis extra-curricular
involvement, and independent research.
Defense:
1. The pro's argument based on the importance of self-study is virtually moot, because students that
are motivated will still be able to get involved with activities outside of the classroom that would allow
them to understand the material.
2. Homework does allow students to practice what was done in class, however student studying can
also help with that, therefore this point is also moot.
3. "Homework teaches discipline and responsibility" This argument is non-unique yard work, and
house-hold activities can do the same thing.
4. "You need to learn to work on your own" this argument is also a flawed construct, if students have to
be assigned homework in order to learn how to work on there own, they are not truly self-motivated,
and they will not be able to succeed once students are not given homework.
1st: There is no bright-line, students are at school for nearly half of there day, if they cannot learn in
that much time, than there is teaching flaw, and not a student issue.
2nd: It limits creativity: When students are wasting time doing mindless homework they tradeoff time
they could use applying the skills they have learned at school. Instead of wasting time writing a
literature paper students could be having debates about books, or instead of people spending time on
calculus homework, they could be applying that in a construction setting.
3rd: homework prevents students from developing: students are on a permanent training wheel, and
they never fully develop, they do not learn how to study on their own, and they do not learn how to
pace themselves.
ROUND 2
st defense
1. "homework is not always a waste of time. There can be plenty of interesting assignments which
allow students to improve skills developed during the classes". This argument is virtually moot in this
debate round, teachers can assign these things but they have not, and independent study, and a push
towards extracurriculars solves all of these issues.
2. "but if your hard work is also valued it motivates you even more" This argument makes sense,
however it does not work in my opponents favor, if teachers give ribbons for students who achieve high
scores on tests, basically the same affect is achieved, and therefore students do not need to be given
homework.
3."Teachers then give constructive criticism and advice that helps students to improve their skills" This
can also be done by using in class assessments, and therefore it is non-unique, and it has no impact
to this round.
4."There are sometimes big assignments such as paperwork that require patience" The way this
argument is constructed does little for my opponents case, students can work on these assignments
during school, and even if they require patients, they do not need to be homework, students can do the
same work in class and learn the same skills.
"tasks when you need to just memorize some facts, statistics" This is in fact a moot point, because
according to the definition agreed upon this does not count as homework.

2. Extend my previous defense
Defense:
1. The pro's argument based on the importance of self-study is virtually moot, because students that
are motivated will still be able to get involved with activities outside of the classroom that would allow
them to understand the material.
2. Homework does allow students to practice what was done in class, however student studying can
also help with that, therefore this point is also moot.
3. "Homework teaches discipline and responsibility" This argument is non-unique yard work, and
house-hold activities can do the same thing.
4. "You need to learn to work on your own" this argument is also a flawed construct, if students have to
be assigned homework in order to learn how to work on there own, they are not truly self-motivated,
and they will not be able to succeed once students are not given homework.
Extend my offense
1st: There is no bright-line, students are at school for nearly half of there day, if they cannot learn in
that much time, than there is teaching flaw, and not a student issue. This argument was not refuted,
and therefore my opponent cannot win this debate, because this argument is apriori without an answer
to this argument the rest of the debate is useless.
2nd: It limits creativity: When students are wasting time doing mindless homework they tradeoff time
they could use applying the skills they have learned at school. Instead of wasting time writing a
literature paper students could be having debates about books, or instead of people spending time on
calculus homework, they could be applying that in a construction setting.
3rd: homework prevents students from developing: students are on a permanent training wheel, and
they never fully develop, they do not learn how to study on their own, and they do not learn how to
pace themselves.
ROUND 3
1.""homework is not always a waste of time. There can be plenty of interesting assignments which
allow students to improve skills developed during the classes". This argument is virtually moot in this
debate round, teachers can assign these things but they have not, and independent study, and a push
towards extracurriculars solves all of these issues." Teachers have already assigned these things. In
fact I'm debating because it was given to me as homework and I find it very interesting and educating.
If this assignment wasn't given to me by the teacher I would not have been able to learn different
opinions on big issues, controversial topics.

3. Some students are interested in one subject more than in another one so they would probably like all
those extracurriculars but only for the subjects they are interested in. Teachers can't force everyone to
come to extracurriculars but they still need objective measure of students' performances evaluation.
Homework provides this opportunity.
2.""but if your hard work is also valued it motivates you even more" This argument makes sense,
however it does not work in my opponents favor, if teachers give ribbons for students who achieve high
scores on tests, basically the same affect is achieved, and therefore students do not need to be given
homework." There can't be tests during every class but homework is something that is being checked
on everyday basis. So there's an opportunity for teachers to encourage constant improvement.
3.There is simply not enough time during every class to achieve all the goals of the course. Teachers
provide students with all relevant information but it's students' duty to search the material further.
"Practice makes perfect" but there is a difference between practicing in class and at home. Students
need to learn how to work without any guidance so they can succeed in future jobs.
4.Education is a process that never stops. We learn in class but we can't just switch off the information
we get there and forget about everything till the next class comes. If we get home, relax our minds and
then repeat the material it would only do best for us. Practicing in different atmospheres helps students
to adapt better to different circumstances.
Therefore homework is necessary and should not be banned
Defense
1st This argument is completely non-uniqe my opponent says that the homework we got assigned
showed him how to debate, but he has yet to show why this could not have happened in a classroom
setting, therefore this argument should not be a voting issue.
2. Cross Apply my testing argument to respond to, tests are more objective than homework, and they
can measure the same things.
2.My opponent says that constant checking of progress is important, this is also non-unique to
homework short 2 minute daily quizzes everyday can accomplish the same thing.
3."There is simply not enough time during every class to achieve all the goals of the course. Teachers
provide students with all relevant information but it's students' duty to search the material further.
"Practice makes perfect" but there is a difference between practicing in class and at home. Students
need to learn how to work without any guidance so they can succeed in future jobs" Extend my
extracurricular argument this it solves for this.
4."Education is a process that never stops. Practicing in different atmospheres helps students to adapt
better to different circumstances." I am not arguing that education should stop, and the adaptation
argument is void because studying does not count as homework, and students would have to do it at
home, therefore they would adapt.
Now why homework is bad (my opponent has REPEATEDLY ignored these arguments- you must vote
con)
Extend my offense
1st: There is no bright-line, students are at school for nearly half of there day, if they cannot learn in
that much time, than there is teaching flaw, and not a student issue. This argument was not refuted,
and therefore my opponent cannot win this debate, because this argument is appropriate without an
answer to this argument the rest of the debate is useless.
2nd: It limits creativity: When students are wasting time doing mindless homework they tradeoff time
they could use applying the skills they have learned at school. Instead of wasting time writing a
literature paper students could be having debates about books, or instead of people spending time on
calculus homework, they could be applying that in a construction setting.
3rd: homework prevents students from developing: students are on a permanent training wheel, and
they never fully develop, they do not learn how to study on their own, and they do not learn how to
pace themselves.