Homework is a pain point for children and parents. Although frustrating, homework is assigned by teachers and schools as a teaching tool to review concepts your child has learned in class. It also teaches your child how to organize, process, plan, and develop responsible study habits. Reduce the homework frustration and help your child learn valuable study habits with these homework tips.
1. Be Involved
Be aware of what your child is studying in school and what the teacher’s homework policies are. Attend school events, meet your child’s teacher, and read the handouts sent home with your child. If you don’t understand the homework your child is bringing home, then email your child’s teacher or schedule a meeting and ask for help.
2. Set up a Homework Station
Set up a quiet area in your home for doing homework. Provide pencils, paper, erasers, crayons, glue, and scissors. Completing assignments is always easier when the right tools are at your fingertips.
If your family is always on the go, pack a portable homework station.
3. Provide Snacks
Provide healthy snacks after school that will give your child the energy and brain boost needed to complete homework assignments. It is difficult for children to concentrate when they are hungry, thirsty, or tired. The most powerful brain food combines protein with a carbohydrate. Try to stay away from sugary snacks and drinks that will give your child a surge of sugar and then an energy slump. Offer water for hydration.
A few examples are:
- String cheese and apple slices
- Peanut butter toast or celery sticks
- Veggies and dip
- Quesadilla and avocado dip
- Rolled turkey and cheese slices
4. Schedule Time for Homework
Children respond well to predictable and scheduled times. Decide when the best time is to complete homework and set that time aside every day. Some children work best after school, while others need a little rest before beginning their work. Try not to push homework late into the evening when your child is tired and more likely to become irritated. Sometimes it is difficult to do this every day with activities, but try to create a weekly schedule that works for your family. It may be helpful to post a schedule in your kitchen or homework station as a visual reminder.
5. Limit Distractions
Minimize distractions by turning off the television, video games, or loud music, and putting cellphones away. Keep toys and technology (unless they need it for their assignment) away from the homework station.
6. Make a Plan
Not all homework assignments are created equal. Review the daily homework with your child and make a plan to tackle the most difficult assignments first and leave the easier ones for later.
7. Ask Questions But Don’t Do His/her Homework
Make sure that your child is the one completing the assignments and not you. Otherwise, your child won’t learn the skills and concepts necessary to learn. Help your child by guiding him/her through assignments and checking the work. Here are a few techniques to try:
- Ask questions:
- What do you think?
- How do you think you can come to the answer?
- Ask your child to try to find the mistake. Correct your child’s work but don’t give the answer.
- Show an example
- Recreate a problem or skill your child is struggling with and guide your child through solving it. Then have your child use those techniques on the homework.
8. Take a Break
If your child is showing signs of frustration or anger, take a five-minute break to refocus. Rather than allow your child to turn on technology, take him/her outside for a quick game of tag or a short bike ride. Physical exercise is the best method to help children focus their energies. Communicate that you are taking a short break and will resume the homework. Teaching children how to cope with difficult tasks is one of the best life skills you can teach them.
9. Seek Extra Help
Know when your child needs extra help. Although it is the teacher’s job to monitor and provide assistance to children in the classroom, it is important to be realistic with your expectations. In a class of 30 students, many teachers find it difficult to provide all the support they would like for each student. If your child is struggling in a specific subject, ask your teacher to recommend a support program online. Most teachers know which free programs work well with their curriculum. Many will even provide extra work in a specific subject area for you to work on at home with your child. You may also ask your local library if they offer homework help/ tutoring.
10. Monitor Time Spent on Homework
Keep track of the amount of time your child is spending on homework. For example, spending an hour and a half on a math assignment in elementary school is too much. If you are finding that your child is unable to complete the homework he or she is required to do, schedule a time to meet with your child’s teacher to discuss options for minimizing the work.
Typically, time spent on homework each night should follow this guideline:
- Grades 1–3 should spend no more than 20–30 minutes a night on homework.
- Grades 4–5 should spend no more than 40–50 minutes a night.
- Grades 6–8 should spend no more than two hours a night on homework or roughly one hour per class per week. (These times do not apply to advanced placement classes.)
If your child is struggling with homework, some ideas to discuss with his/her teacher include:
- Completing only even or odd problems
- Choosing one subject to work on each day
- Turning in homework on a Monday, allowing extra time to complete it over the weekend
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Heather Foudy is a certified elementary teacher with over 7 years’ experience as an educator and volunteer in the classroom. She enjoys creating lessons that are meaningful and creative for students. She is currently working for Evan-Moor’s marketing and communications team and enjoys building learning opportunities that are both meaningful and creative for students and teachers alike.