Who Invented Homework? Interesting Facts Students Should Know

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Who Invented Homework? Interesting Facts Students Should Know

Have you ever wondered who was that "good man" who invented a bunch of problems for students all over the world who need to do homework? Nothing appears from nowhere, so there are several versions concerning invention of this type of academic activity.

The first claim belongs to the group of people who believe that it was Roberto Nevilis, a teacher from Venice, Italy. He was disappointed in his class's performance, so he decided to punish his students in this original way. Since 1905, many students worldwide share hatred for that person. You can find many school and college-related memes online that reflect most students' attitudes towards Nevilis. However, some people name it another time in history. Some students are sure that homework would be invented anyway, so there is nothing left other than accept this sad fact.

Another popular theory in education states that homework was first invented back in 1901 in California. American people believe their country is a home for this invention as it was officially abolished over there.

Anyway, many different websites name different periods. But the only thing students have to understand is that domestic academic practice helps them with their educational process. Besides, doing academic exercises at home has a lot of other homework benefits. Let's talk about how it works and the primary goals of this part of the education system.

History of Homework Assignments in Europe and the United States


First signs of homework appeared with the first formal school. Of course, people can say that monks were the ones who invented homework in 1859 as they were asked to practice singing after their vocational lessons. Still, it's not the same kind of practice as our world knows today.

Since the Industrial Revolution, first ideas concerning homework were published. By that time, there were no long assignments. They mainly consisted of reading tasks. Students in the United States spend hours reading world literature. They mostly read plays and scientific literature. This way to process information and write down the findings was the only one to check each student's knowledge. In addition to such assignments, there were college entrance tests. There were no school examinations at all!

Homework should not be treated as punishment only. Otherwise, it would be canceled a long time ago. The fashion set by Nevilis from Venice was followed by other teachers all over the world. It helped schoolchildren in developing a more serious approach to education.

During the entire school year, children have to complete numerous assignments at home on various academic disciplines. Below, we will discuss why homework is an integral part of any educational system. We will also explain why children should think of it as development and progress rather than an obligation or punishment. 

Is Homework Beneficial?


In this part, we are going to convince young students of why is homework helpful. We will try to prove such assignments result in:

  • Complete educational system
  • Productive after-school time
  • Saved hours in class
  • Effective self-learning
  • Development of the needed academic skills
  • Efficient problem solutions


School hours are not enough to cover, for example, a particular period in history entirely. It requires more time to learn about causes and consequences of World War II. Unlike a century ago, modern homework is related to the subject learned. It does not cover questions from other fields like patriotism. Parents don't have to spend hours checking what their children have learned during the school day. Homework is the best way of learning more about a given question. The way students accomplish their studies is called a grade. The highest grade, A+, stands for best results.

What is more important, no matter whether you take history class or learn Algebra, your total grades earned per homework and tests will become your GPA by the end of school education. In the educational system, an excellent point average proves that students have learned their lessons well. Pupils may use their best results even to get a future job.

Since Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece, people had to demonstrate specific skills to get a job. Homework assignments get modern European and American students ready not only to take job responsibility but search for a better life.

What Does Doing Homework Look Like Today?


Nowadays, a homework assignment is not an obligation. Students lose points if they don't manage to complete it. It's not a punishment as it stimulates the educational process by helping students get to the core of the problem. Modern children face such tasks almost every time they return from school or college. It is an essential part of both education and self-learning. No teacher controls you at home, so it is possible to stop for a minute and dig deeper into the question or topic you don't understand. It is possible to conduct research and get complete information on any educational issue.

Today, there are many types of homework assignments. You are most likely to be assigned such tasks:

  1. Essay writing
  2. Research papers
  3. Writing movie reviews / book reports
  4. Answers to math or science questions
  5. English grammar home-taken tests
  6. Lab reports
  7. Coursework projects


The difficulty of these homework assignments depends on their academic level:

  1. High school
  2. College
  3. University
  4. Masters
  5. Ph.D.


There are times when students get stuck on the specific history or business question as they lack experience and skills. Don't forget that modern children can go online and find whatever they need to complete their homework on different educational websites. Every educational system offers assistance  on official college or university websites to help with homework. Search for websites with .edu at the end of their address to get the most accurate information on your assignments.

Modern times allow students to complete their homework using their computers and other digital devices and homework apps. They can send the results by email if they learn remotely. They may print out papers and pass them to their teacher if they attend traditional school classes.

Today's educational system allows students to spend fewer hours doing their homework and dedicate more time to their community, friends, and parents. Teachers also save their time by having no need to check every assignment manually. 

How to Do Homework Fast?


If you are not a fan of constant assignments, like most students, you may need some tips on how to do homework fast. Check these helpful pieces of advice:

  1. start early
  2. create favorable environment
  3. no social media and gadgets that distract you
  4. take breaks
  5. have healthy snack
  6. get academic assistance online

Bottom Line


Hope to have a bright future free of homework assignments? To reduce your headache, the best writers and scientists have invented places online where school, college, and university students can get immediate help with their homework of any type. If you need 100% correct answers to your homework questions or an excellent university paper in English, use our academic writing website full of experts in different subjects. Place an order online to prove that Italian teacher Roberto Nevilis could not develop an adequate punishment to leave the students without their free time!