Students attending Hall High School speak out about the difficulties one faces when trying to balance homework and jobs, and what the teachers can do to assist those struggling. Students were asked if balancing both school and work was an easy task, and if not, what should be done to help fix this problem. In an anonymous survey given to grades 9-12 at Hall, it was clear that those who have jobs outside of school, have a more difficult time managing the two. A student response from the survey when asked, “Do you feel teachers should give less homework to people that work?”, read, “The objective [of] homework is to help teach kids time management and teach them to get work done, but if they have a job then homework is not as necessary.” With that being said, students wonder if the purpose of school is to prepare students for the real world. How can that be possible if they are constantly having to pick between doing homework and working long shifts? For some, there just isn’t enough time throughout the day.

       According to Mental Health America, a nonprofit group dedicated to helping those with mental illness, conducted a study that stated, “70% percent of college students are stressed about finances.”. When being interviewed, Kelly Fransen, an English teacher at Hall high school, stated, “I have seen kids get really frustrated and feel like school isn’t for them; I have seen kids fall asleep in class; I have seen kids drop out”. This unfortunately is the case for many students who need to work in order to support their families. Fransen went on to explain how she believes students with jobs should be given an extended amount of time for homework assignments. By doing this, it relieves the stress of many students because with a further deadline, they would be able to complete assignments on time without being so stressed out. “I think we can do more work in school and assign less homework; we can also give students longer periods of time to complete homework assignments (like a week instead of a night)”, said Kelly Fransen.

       Many students do not get the opportunity to work while in school because of the workload and sports they may be participating in, so by allowing the students who do work, more time, it can be very beneficial. Amanda Olsen, a senior counselor had this to say, when being interviewed, “Holding a job afterschool can be rewarding for students in many ways. It is important that work does not affect the ability to complete schoolwork and school performance. It is all about time management.” While some students are able to manage work and school, it is definitely not for everyone. It requires a lot of time and dedication to go right to a job after attending 7 hours at school which can be too much for a lot of students. According to Mental Health America (MHA),  “Students from all walks of life are faced with the typical adversaries that come with academia, such as lack of sleep, time and energy. However, many students struggle with the harsh reality of balancing a healthy academic life while working 30 or more hours a week.”

       A wide variety of students can agree that after working a 5-6 hour shift, doing homework may be the last thing on their mind. This is due to the fact that they might have to do the same routine the next day. Some students may be getting home around 9-10 pm which is not ideal for the amount of rest the body needs to repair itself, leaving students exhausted the following day at school.