| PARENTS
AND HOMEWORK 
 Avoiding
Homework Wars
Does
your child have a problem finishing homework within a reasonable amount of
time? Do you have to survive a battle each night? If your child has
learning or attention problems, it's likely you have faced such
challenges. Adopting these strategies for managing homework effectively
can help.
The purpose of homework
Homework gives your child a chance to practice what she's learned in
school. It's not supposed to teach new concepts or skills. But often, it's
the kids most in need of practice who find homework hard to do.
First,
make sure your child understands the assignment and the directions for
completing it. If she's having problems with this, schedule a teacher
conference to develop a communication system. It might be a homework sheet
that the teacher reviews with your child, and then sends home for you to
sign.
Where is it done—and when?
For some kids, a small desk where supplies can be stored is best. For
others, the kitchen table is perfect. Wherever your child works, check to
see that she's sticking to the task, especially if she has problems with
concentration.
Right
after school is a good time for some kids to start homework, because the
assignment is fresh in their minds. Others need a break before they can
tackle more schoolwork. Sports or a parent's work schedule can interfere
with a routine. With your child's input, develop two plans: one for the
typical day, and one for unusual events. Write the plans down.
If
your child usually resists homework, make sure it doesn't follow an
interesting activity, such as playing a computer game. Instead, transition
from fun activities to activities that are less enjoyable, and also less
difficult, than homework. For example, ask your child to bring in the
mail, and then ask her to set the table. This is called "behavioral
momentum": getting your child to do relatively easy tasks before
asking her to do something challenging. Resistance is less likely if the
momentum of compliance is built first.
How much time should it take?
If your child has problems focusing, writes slowly, or needs extra time to
understand concepts, homework can take a lot longer. No wonder she
protests or tries to delay! Be sure the time she devotes to homework is
appropriate. Some schools expect 30 to 45 minutes per night in the early
grades, one hour in late elementary school, and two hours by middle
school. If your child takes longer than the school expects, speak with her
teacher about accommodations.
How can parents help?
·
Reassure your child that everyone makes mistakes; they are
an important part of learning. Ask your child what she finds hard or
confusing, and listen to her ideas for making homework easier.
·
Break assignments into smaller parts so your child won't
feel overwhelmed. For a young child, fold worksheets in half. Have older
students highlight sections of the assignment in different colors.
·
Communicate progress with a chart. Draw a star when each
portion of the homework is finished. When it's all completed, give a high
five or a hug.
·
Let her choose a fun activity when she's finished.
By
Diana Browning Wright, M.A., a behavior analyst, school psychologist, and
trainer.
Helping
Your Student With Homework
Teaching
and learning research indicates that children who spend more time on
regularly assigned, meaningful homework, on average, do better in school,
and that the academic benefits of homework increase as children move into
the upper grades. Parents
and families play an important role in the process.
Foolproof
Homework Hints
·
Assume
that your children will have studying to do every night even if there is
not a specific assignment.
·
Ask
your children if they understand their homework. If they do not, work a
few examples together.
·
Ask
your children to show you their homework after the teacher returns it, to
learn where they're having trouble and where they're doing well. See if
your children did the work correctly.
·
Stay
in touch with your children's teachers. Ask about their classes and what
they are studying. Ask their teachers how you can support what they are
studying (flash cards, spelling, etc.).
·
Remember,
you and their teachers want the same thing—to help your children learn.
·
Don't
be afraid to get in touch with the teacher if you and your child don't
understand an assignment or if your child is having a great deal of
trouble. Almost all parents run into these problems, and teachers are glad
to help.
·
Don't
do your children's work for them. Help them learn how to do it themselves.
·
Show
your children that you think homework is important. If you are at work
during homework time, ask to see their work when you get home.
·
Praise
your children for doing well. Make praise a habit.
·
Maintain
a portfolio of "best pieces."
·
Ask
your school about tips or guides for helping your children develop good
study habits.
·
Help
your student be accountable for organizing their assignments by checking
their Planner daily and requiring them to follow up on missing or
incomplete work.
Q—Why
do teachers give homework?
A—Teachers
use homework…
·
to
help students understand, practice, and review the work that has been
covered in class
·
to
see whether students understand the lesson
Q—How
much time should my children spend each night on homework?
A—Most
educators agree that…
·
In
junior and senior high school, the amount of homework will vary by
subject. Most older students will also have homework projects, such as
research papers and oral reports that may have deadlines weeks away. They
may need help organizing assignments and planning work times to make sure
homework is ready to turn in on time.
All Mann students have a 30-minute Study Smart class at the end
of the day to begin their homework and/or practice important learning and
organizational skills.
·
Your
children's teachers can tell you how much time they expect students to
spend on homework. Place most concern on whether the homework is
meaningful and whether over a period homework is assigned in all of the
student's subjects. Mann’s
Homework Policy is described in the Student Planner. Make sure that you
and your children know and understand that policy.
Q—How
can I help with homework?
A—There
are several ways in which you can help:
-
Take
an active interest in your children's education. Ask specific
questions about what happens at school each day and how your children
feel about it. Check
and sign your student’s Planner daily, especially on the second
night of the week when they will be recording their weekly grades in
each class/
·
District
Eleven offers a
powerful online program called ParentConnect that is designed to enhance
school/home communication. ParentConnect enables
you to view your own child’s student records and progress at any time
via your password protected “read only” account.
If
you have not received your password for ParentConnect, District Eleven’s online reporting system, see the
Media Center staff. If you do
not have access to the Internet at home, you can use computers in Mann’s
Media Center, the public library, and/or an Internet café.
1.
Student
Info - records
such as address, contact information, health data, and immunization
records.
2.
Grades
-a weekly posting of assignments and grades. It also includes interim,
quarter and semester grades. (Course history is a record of all courses
taken.)
3.
Attendance
- a record of daily attendance. Posting is not “real-time” but every
24 hours.
4.
School
Info includes
contact information and announcements.
Allow
your children to study
in the way each of them learns best. For example, some children work best
when they're lying on the floor with background music playing.
Make
homework a daily activity and help your children develop good homework
habits.
Q
—Can my children do homework while listening to music or watching
television?
A
—Some students can work with a radio or stereo on, while others must
work in silence. Television can be a big problem. Many teachers ask that
the television be turned off while children are doing homework.
Research shows that American children on average spend far more time
watching television than they do completing homework. Although it's worth
noting that television can be a learning tool, it's best to leave the
television off during homework time.
Q—How
much help should I give?
A—This
depends on each child's grade level and study habits. Younger students
often need extra homework help. First, make sure the child understands the
directions. Do a few problems together, then watch your child do a few.
When your child is finished, check the work. Praise right answers, and
show how to correct mistakes.
Avoid doing your children's homework for them. Teachers need to see
what your children understand well and where they are having trouble.
One of the most helpful things you can do is to show your children that
you think homework is important. Many children today do their homework
while their parents are at work. When you are at home, ask to see your
children's homework and discuss it with them. Ask questions and be
supportive. Try not to make
homework a battleground and know when to ease up on the pressure for a
short time.
Q—What
if I don't understand my child's assignment?
A—Today's
students may have subjects that you never had or that you didn't like when
you were in school. You can still help your children by praising their
progress, getting help from a public library or
Mann’s Homework Links www.d11.org/mann/computerliteracy/homework_issues.htm
Q—Do
teachers really want me to ask them questions about homework?
A—Mann
teachers want children to learn and want parents and families to be
involved in their children's education. When you stay in touch with your
children's teachers, they can ease your worries and offer their own
homework tips and ideas on how you can help your children learn. Meet each
of your children's teachers and ask what kind of homework will be given.
This is very important, especially if you have children in junior or
senior high school.
Early in the school year and on occasion, ask teachers about your
children's subjects and about homework policies. For example, ask what
books your children will be using, what kinds of assignments will be
given, and when the teacher is available to answer questions.
Q—One
of my children tries hard but still has problems with homework. What can I
do to help?
A—There
could be a number of reasons for your child's trouble. Suggest that the
child ask the teacher for extra help before or after school. Tell your
child it's good to ask the teacher about homework or anything else he or
she doesn't understand. Set a time to meet with the teacher to discuss the
problem. You may need to meet again during the year to check on how your
child is doing.
If your child understands the work but is still having trouble, ask for a
meeting with the teacher. The two of you should work out a plan to meet
your child's needs.
Q—My
child seems bored by homework. Is this normal?
A—It's
normal for students not to want to do their homework. But if your child
always seems bored or unhappy, you need to try to find out the reason by
talking with your child. Then talk with the teacher to come up with a
solution.
Teachers
want students to learn from homework. Tell the teacher if your child
thinks the homework is too easy or too hard. This will help the
teacher match homework with student ability and maturity levels.
Q—When
I ask my children if they have homework, they say that it's finished or
that they don't have any. How do I make sure they're really doing their
work?
A—Make
studying, not just homework, a daily habit. Students can always review
lessons, read a book, or work on practice exercises during quiet time,
even if they don't have homework. Ask younger children to show you their
homework so that you can check it, sign it, and date it. Teachers like to
see that adults have checked children's homework. If your children's
school has a homework hotline, call it to check for the day's assignments.
If your children often have no homework to do, you should let their
teachers know. Don't
ask your children if they have homework each night—just assume they
always have homework or studying to do and make it a daily commitment.
Q—What
if my child still isn't turning homework in?
A—State
clearly and assertively to your child that you expect homework to be done
and turned in to the teacher. Let your child know you will not tolerate
irresponsible behavior about homework. Don't wait until grades come out to find out if the
problem has been solved. You may need weekly contact with the teacher
until the student develops new habits.
However, make your child responsible for his own success with
incentives, rewards, consequences, and loss of privileges, whatever it
takes. Refuse to work harder or worry more about his education than he does!
Q—Should
I reward or punish my children for homework and grades?
A—Some
children sit down and get right to their homework. Others drag their feet,
complain, procrastinate, throw tantrums, daydream, or rush through it in a
sloppy manner. Although these children will probably never enjoy homework,
it helps to explain to them the reasons for and benefits of it.
Ultimately, the more faithful your child is with homework, the
more he will get out of his classes and understand the material.
That said, rewards
often work considerably better than punishments.
Children like to know when they've done a good job. Your approval
means a lot. Praise your children's work more often than you criticize
their mistakes. Show pride when your children do their best, no matter
what grades they get. Be
careful about giving money or gifts as rewards. Most teachers want parents
to reward students' work in other ways like extra privileges, more
one-on-one time with you, a special family activity, preparing their
favorite meal, etc. Some
families give out TV, Internet, or videogame time in return for children
giving their best efforts.
With Thanks to: National
PTA & NEA. "Parent Involvement: Helping Your Student Get the Most
Out of Homework." The Website of the National PTA. 21
Aug. 2004. National PTA. 21 Aug. 2004 <http://www.pta.org/ parentinvolvement/helpchild/hc_gc_homework.asp>.
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Homework
Hotline Parenting Resources
http://www.homeworkhotline.com/Parenting.htm
Improving
Your Child'sLearning Ability
The
following links provide information related to assisting parents in
helping their children and teenagers to improve their learning and study
skills.
Homework
& Study Skills Tips
Math
Improvement
Geography
Study
Handwriting
Improvement
Reading
Improvement
Science
All Around Us
Spelling
Improvement
Vocabulary
Building
Flashcards
In Several Subjects
Five
Homework Strategies for Teaching
Students with Disabilities
 Tips For Helping Kids and
Teens With Homework and Study Habits
Turn off the TV set.
Make a house rule, depending on the location of the set, that when it is
study time, it is "no TV" time. A television set that is on will
draw youngsters like bees to honey.
What about the radio?
Should it be on or off? Contrary to what many specialists say, some
youngsters do seem to function all right with the radio turned on to a
favorite music station. (Depending on the layout of your house or
apartment, maybe an investment in earphones would be worthy of
consideration.)
Certain rules should be
set about the family phone during study hours. The more
people in the household, the more restrictions on long and unnecessary
phone calls are needed. A timer, placed next to the phone, can help to
control the length of calls so that the telephone will be available if it
becomes necessary to call a schoolmate to confirm an assignment or discuss
particularly difficult homework.
Designate specific areas
for homework and studying. Possibilities include the
child's room or the kitchen or dining room table. Eliminate as much
distraction as possible.
Since many young people will study in their own rooms,
function becomes more important than beauty. Most desks for young people
really don't have sufficient space to spread out materials. A table that
allows for all necessary supplies such as pencils, pens, paper, books,
and other essentials works extremely well.
Consider placing a bulletin board in your child's
room. Your local hardware store sells wallboard that might not look too
pretty and isn't framed, but a 4 x 3'section is inexpensive and perfect
on which to post pertinent school items. You might want to paint or
cover it with burlap to improve its appearance or let your child take on
this project.
Encourage the use of a small book or pad for writing
down assignments so that there is no confusion about when certain
assignments must be turned in to the teacher.
Keeping general supplies on hand is important. Check
with your child about his needs. In fact, make it his responsibility to
be well supplied with paper, pencils, note pads, notebook paper, etc.
Regularity is a key factor
in academic success. Try to organize the household so that
supper is served at a standard time, and once it and family discussions
are over, it's time to crack the books. If the student doesn't have other
commitments and gets home reasonably early from school, some homework can
be done before supper.
Consider you child's developmental level when setting
the amount of time for homework. While high school students can
focus for over an hour, first-graders are unlikely to last more than 15
minutes on a single task. Allow your child to take breaks, perhaps
as a reward for finishing a section of the work.
Organize study and
homework projects.
Get a large calendar, one that allows
space for jotting down things in the daily boxes. Rip it apart so that you
(and the child) can sequentially mount the school months for the current
semester. For example, you can tear off September, October, November,
December, and January and mount them from left to right across one wall.
Have the child use a bold color writing instrument (felt tip pen) to mark
exam dates in one color, reports that are coming due in a different color,
et cetera. This will serve as a reminder so that things aren't set aside
until the last dangerous moment.
Teach your child that
studying is more than just doing homework assignments. One
of the most misunderstood aspects of schoolwork is the difference between
studying and doing homework assignments. Encourage your child to do things
like:
-
take notes as he's reading a chapter
-
learn to skim material
-
learn to study tables and charts
-
learn to summarize what he has read
in his own words
-
learn to make his own flashcards for
quick review of dates, formulas, spelling words, et cetera
Note-taking is a critical
skill and should be developed. Many students don't know
how to take notes in those classes that require them. Some feel they have
to write down every word the teacher says. Others have wisely realized the
value of an outline form of note-taking. Well prepared teachers present
their material in a format that lends itself to outline form note taking..
Should notes ever be
rewritten?
A home dictionary is
essential, but if it is kept on a shelf to gather dust, it
won't do anyone any good. Keep it in an accessible place and let your
child see you refer to it from time to time. If the family dictionary is
kept in the living room and the child studies in his room, get him an
inexpensive dictionary for his exclusive use.
Good dictionary, encyclopedia and organizational skills
depend on the ability to alphabetize. See if your child's teacher
practices alphabetizing in class. Try alphabetizing spelling words,
family members' names or a few favorite toys at home as a way of
practicing.
Help your child to feel
confident for tests. Taking tests can be a traumatic
experience for some students. Explain to your child that burning the
midnight oil (cramming) the night before a test is not productive. Better
to get a good night's sleep. Students also need reminding that when taking
a test, they should thoroughly and carefully read the directions before
they haphazardly start to mark their test papers. They should be advised
to skip over questions for which they don't know the answers. They can
always return to those if there's time. Good advice for any student before
taking a test: take a deep breath, relax, and dive in. Always bring an
extra pencil just in case.
During a homework session,
watch for signs of frustration. No learning can take place
and little can be accomplished if the child is angry or upset over an
assignment that is too long or too difficult. At such times the parent may
have to step in and simply halt the homework for that night, offering to
write a note to the teacher explaining the situation and perhaps
requesting a conference to discuss the quality and length of homework
assignments.
Should parents help with
homework?
Read directions, or check over math problems after your
child has completed the work. Remember to make positive comments - you
don't want your child to associate homework with fights at home.
Model research skills by involving your child in
planning a family trip. Help your child locate your destination on a
map or atlas. Use traditional encyclopedia or a CD-ROM to find information
about the place you will visit; try the Internet or books in the library.
How best to handle report
cards? To save shocks and upsets, gently discuss from time
to time "how things are going at school- with your child. Something
casual, such as "How did the math test go?" "How did
you do on the history report?" "How's your science project
coming along? Need any help?" are questions that aren't "third
degree" but indicate interest. Find out if it is a policy at your
child's school to send out "warning notices" when work isn't
going well. Generally, such notices require the parent's signature to
verify that the parent has, indeed, been alerted. This is the time to
contact the teacher of the course, along with your child, to learn what
the difficulty may be. If such notices aren't sent, then grades on
projects and reports and from tests may be the sole source of information
short of what your child wishes to share. Be tuned in to statements such
as "He's an awful teacher," "She goes too fast," etc.
This may be the child's way of indicating frustration in understanding
content or lack of study time with the subject. However, be cautious in
contacting teachers without your child's approval or interest. It may
disrupt good feelings between you and make you seem to be interfering and
spying.
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