As any parent with school aged children knows, homework time can be met with protests, apprehension and sometimes a battle of the wills. After a long day of school, homework time can be difficult for most children, adding stress for parents.
Fortunately, there are strategies that parents can take to make homework time a more pleasant experience.
First, let’s assess the purpose behind homework. Understanding this will greatly help you and the learning success of your child. Following are three general purposes for the assigning of homework:
- To provide practice and reinforce previous instruction.
- To develop student responsibility.
- To involve parents directly in supporting their children’s learning.
With this in mind, here are some effective strategies, grouped in categories of organization, management skills and study techniques, to help your child be successful in completing his homework with minimum frustration for both the parent and child:
Organization
Make sure assignments and books come home. A daily planner can help or place a brightly colored index card with a reminder note on your child’s planner. Placing an End of the Day Reminder list on your child’s locker works, too. Other strategies for organization include using different colored folders and notebooks for each subject and having your child pack up his/her book bag every night instead of waiting until the morning.
Use a calendar with large spaces to write in assignments and due dates.
Management Skills
Learn about your school’s homework policy. Check to make sure the amount of time your child is expected to do homework is appropriate for your child’s age. Some schools, for example, expect 20-45 minutes per night in the early grades, increasing to one hour in late elementary school and two hours by middle school. Keep track of how long it really takes your child to do her homework and if the amount of time exceeds the school’s homework policy, meet with your child’s teacher to discuss what accommodations might be made to help your child succeed with homework.
Most children need a break after a long day at school. Let them have a snack, a bike ride, play outside, or do an errand before starting homework. For many children, the hours just before or after dinner are best for homework. Some children can rise early in the morning to complete and unfinished assignment.
Establish rules for reducing distractions (no friends over, no phone calls or texting during homework time, and no TV).
For some children, a homework contract works well. An example is: (Child’s Name) will complete all of my homework each night for five nights in a row. When I accomplish this, I can go to the movies.
Study Techniques
Be organized with the homework. Select a quiet environment. Help your child find a corner of his own that has good lighting. Your child should complete the homework in the same location every night. Make a homework supply/material basket at the beginning of the school year for your child’s use to eliminate extra time to gather necessary supplies for their homework.
Listening to soft radio music actually helps the young person focus better on a task.
If your older child is responsible, you might consider a study group of two or three; this can make learning more enjoyable.
Parents should ensure that their child understands what the assignment is and the directions for completing it. A parent can make their child feel secure when they work a problem or two together. Remember that homework is a form of practice, so your expectations aren’t for perfection. Reassure your child that everyone makes mistakes and that we learn from our mistakes.
If assignments seem endless, break them into smaller parts. For a young child, fold worksheets into two or three parts to reduce feelings of being overwhelmed. Older students can highlight different sections of an assignment in different colors.
In order to prevent fatigue, provide frequent, short breaks. The use of a timer to keep track of breaks and the amount of time spent on one assignment is very helpful.
Try to keep negative emotions out of interactions around homework. Provide frequent verbal (wow, good job) and non-verbal praise (hugs, pats on the back).
Parents can offer to give practice tests. In general, study cards (index cards) are easier than a study guide; have your child write thoughts or questions on one side and answers on the other. The act of writing enhances learning by reinforcing memory.
Mnemonic phrases (a short rhyme, phrase, or other mental technique for making information easier to memorize) help students learn better when they are able to attach abstract concepts to such phrases.
Let your child do a pleasurable activity immediately following homework.
In summary, children need parental assistance to learn effective homework organization skills, time management skills, and study strategies. Your support will help give your child a sense of accomplishment and progress while minimizing stress for your family.
