Seven Tips for Homework Success

(Photo : Sean Gallup / Staff) Seven Tips for Homework Success

The summer vacation is almost over.  Parents are anxiously awaiting the beginning of the school year.  Children are also excited about a new school year, except for HOMEWORK.  The issue of homework is the biggest source of friction and haggling between children and their parents, but it doesn't have to be that way. With a little planning, parents can help take the anxiety out of homework hour and enable children to achieve some developmental goals at the same time.

Before we move to the tips for parents, let's take a step back. Why do kids have homework anyway? Homework helps children review, reinforce, practice concepts and skills they have learned in school.  It also helps children develop focus on a variety of learning strategies to make future learning more effective.  Homework can help develop self-discipline, concentration and time-management as well as build self-reliance skills.  Parents need to be in communication with teachers as to the types of assignments given and the purpose of each assignment.  Parents need to encourage and enable children to complete homework to the best of their ability and use learning in their daily lives.  They should make sure that the assignments are thoughtful, neat, complete and timely.  Parents should not be doing the homework for children, nor should they allow homework to become a major disruptive element in family life.

Parents of children with learning difficulties need to be aware of the modifications their child should be receiving.  They need to be in contact with teachers to determine when the child cannot complete assignments due to the learning disability as opposed to when the child does not want to do the work.  Children need to know what their parents' expectations are for academic achievement in general and when it relates to homework, specifically.

Here are several steps that all parents can take to ease the homework burden on children and families.

1. Set up a space for homework that is well-lit and away from the hub of activity. Prepare all the materials the child needs to complete work, as well as basic supplies such as pens, pencils, notebooks.  With the child, set up a homework schedule (calendar for short and long-term assignments) which is readily visible.  Have the child complete the hardest assignments first, so the child is alert for the most difficult tasks.  Do not stand on top of the child as he/she completes assignment(s); but stay close by.

2. Observe how your child does his/her homework.  What is the child's learning style?  Does she read aloud, write, use visuals, etc.?

3. Many experts advise against bribing children for completing homework.  However, parents should use praise and other intrinsic motivations.  Parents can consider creating a homework contract.  Points can be earned for excellence, neatness, independence, etc.  These points can be redeemed for collaboratively -determined rewards.  It is up to parents to decide on the type of reward system, if any, to use.  

4. While parents need to monitor homework and keep in touch with teachers, homework is the child's problem.  Let children face the consequences of not completing assignments.  Have them develop a system for remembering assignments and materials to be brought home (e.g. assignment book or electronic devices).  Parents can suggest a "homework buddy" who the child can regularly talk to about homework assignments as this may help generate ideas and allay fears.  If the child is absent, he should make his own plans to find out about the homework, either by calling his homework buddy or friends or checking the school web site.  

5. Parents can set an example for children by completing their own work-related tasks or household chores at the same time as their children.  There should be no distractions for either parent or child while work is being completed.

6. Parents should contact teachers if they feel that the child has too little homework or does not understand the assignment.  Is the child forgetting an assignment or is he disorganized?  Homework should be a reinforcement and practice of old and new learning.  If the child cannot do the homework, parents need to look for the underlying problems.  Are there learning issues that have not been diagnosed? Is the child paying attention in class? Getting enough sleep?  

7. Give children a breather between the end of the school day and the beginning of homework time.  Children need time to relax and move around to get their brains in gear.  A healthy snack, play-time and some exercise will get them in the right frame of mind to tackle the mental work.