Upon walking into the Media Center after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays, one may find the often still and muted room transformed into a lively, comfortable space with students and staff alike talking, eating, and most importantly, getting their homework done. Students sprawl across the expanse, some in groups at tables or on the floor, some sitting alone with headphones, and some getting academic help from teachers or peers.
Beyond it purely being a space to get things done, Homework Club also acts as a site for tutoring and academic help. One such example of this is senior Jessica Bui, who is part of Science National Honor Society. “A project we do in that club is to volunteer at homework club and help,” she said. Bui, being particularly knowledgeable about chemistry, sometimes comes to the club to help struggling chem students. “I think the reason why Science National Honor Society decided to collaborate with Homework Club was to consolidate resources. Being able to have central places where a lot of people can come together and help out each other I think is better than having separate places in which only a few students come.. In general, I think being able to be in one place kind of helps everyone work together more.”
Similarly, some RM instructors participate in the club to provide students with professional aid in their studies. English teachers Zachary Etheridge and Christian Melgar and math teachers Jeffrey Sanders and Hannah Vogel can often be found offering extra help. Additionally, IB History teacher and club sponsor Todd Stillman is there every Tuesday and Thursday to not only provide counsel in history and other adjacent subjects, but to also help keep students focused. “Have some fun and get things done is the key,” Mr. Stillman said.
One of the largest appeals of the club is its positive work environment. “Being able to be in the media center and…focus specifically on the assignments that I’m supposed to do…I think it’s an environment that can be very productive to study and just in general complete your work,” Bui said. While choosing to do work at home may seem more convenient on paper, it can present many challenges, such as familial distractions, the inviting comfort of their bed or even video games or social media, which could turn a 15 minute assignment into one that takes an hour. “A lot of kids go home and they’ve got an annoying sibling or they have chores to do, right?” Mr. Stillman said.
In contrast, an area dedicated purely to work such as Homework Club allows allows for easy focus and “flow states.” That isn’t to say the environment is cold and sterile, however: students move around the space, find places to relax and talk to each other while getting their homework done. “The atmosphere we try to have here is more casual than a classroom. There’s no judgement if you need to go to the bathroom or take a break or listen to music or anything like that,” Mr. Stillman said.
