Kim Easter and Michaela Adams of Learning Works, Inc., www.learningworksinc.org, led an interesting Parent Organization Education Series discussion about homework. Here are some notes from that session.
Homework Definition: Homework is designed to provide repetition, practice of skills already learned in class.
Goal for Parents: To have an independent, sustained, focused effort where students take responsibility for starting and completing the assigned homework.
In Jr. K – 2nd grade: Parents should help children learn organization skills.
3rd grade on: Students should be initiating and completing homework on their own.
1. How to Make Homework Time More Successful
a. Define a Homework Space
- Have a consistent and dedicated room or space w/o distractions.
- Replicate the situation the student will have at school (i.e., don’t do homework in the car)
- Make sure they have all the supplies/items they need (3 sharpened pencils, erasers, paper, crayons/colored pencils, ruler, etc.), but not things they don’t need (pencil sharpener or other distractions).
Turn on music for older kids if desired (something with a beat)
b. Define a Homework Time
- Have a consistent “homework” time each day.
- In addition to students blocking out the time in their agendas/planners, parents should mark it -ut on their own planners/family calendar so no activities are scheduled during that time.
c. Stick to a Homework Routine
- Having a routine is critical.
- Parents should not hover nearby, but go about their own activities.
- Let students come to the parents with 2-3 questions/asks only (to encourage problem solving and limit need for parental involvement).
- Encourage them to ask specific questions of you. Not “I can’t do this, I don’t know what to do, tell me what to do.”
d. Getting Your Student Started
- Help them arrange their workspace, get needed supplies
- Say “Remind me what your homework is and what you need” (so they remember, you don’t tell them)
- Teach the concept of time. “This should take you 20 minutes... come get me when you’re done.”
- Jr K – 2nd: As much as possible, let them do their homework themselves (self starting is big life lesson). Use sequential words “first”, “then”. Say “What did your teacher say to do?”
- 3rd grade and up: Let them start and do homework as independently as possible.
e. Do sporatic homework checks. Be a cheerleader for them.
- “Re-do” if quality isn’t there. Teach slow and neat is better.
- Have the students ask themselves, “Am I proud of this work, is it my best, will my teacher be happy with it?”
2. Strategies for the “Rushers” and “Stallers”
a. “Rushers” -- Kids who rush through and lack neatness or completion, or kids who are easily distracted.
- Encourage them to take their time and do nice work.
- Parents should check for neatness, completion and have them “Re-do” if not.
- If problems are not done correctly, have them find the mistakes. “I see three wrong.”
- For fidgety kids, consider having them sit on a stool or large exercise ball. (chairs with arms lead to slouching, relaxation).
- Let them take quick exercise breaks (between subjects or pages, not in the middle)
b. “Stallers” – Procrastinators (at starting or completing)
- Time management is big here.
- Use a timer to encourage quick start and effective time.
- If it takes 20 minutes for the student to start their homework, when they need help/something else, make them wait 20 minutes until you are available to help them “feel” time.
Keep Teachers Involved: If homework is difficult or takes too much time, the teacher needs to know. Maybe others in the class had difficulty too and the teacher needs to reinforce or teach the concept another way. Also, teachers want to see “effort”, not necessarily completion of homework, so have students send it in even if not done (let the teacher deal with any consequences, not the parent).
