How parents could manage homework Homework Seminar How parents could manage homework

Why Do Teachers Assign Homework? review and practice what they've learned; get ready for the next day's class; learn to use resources such as libraries, reference materials, and encyclopedias; and explore subjects more fully than time permits in the classroom. I didn't do it because I didn't want to add to my teacher's heavy workload. My mom's whooping cough vaccination wore off and we had to go to the hospital. I accidentally divided by zero and my paper burst into flames. PUPIL: Teacher, would you punish me for something I didn't do? TEACHER: Of course not. PUPIL: Good, because I didn't do my homework. TEACHER: Did you do your homework? PUPIL: No teacher. TEACHER: Do you have an excuse? PUPIL: Yes, it's all my mother's fault. TEACHER: She kept you from doing it? PUPIL: No, she didn't nag me enough! TEACHER: This homework looks like your mothers writing. PUPIL: Of course, I used her pen! SON: Dad, I'm tired of doing homework. FATHER: Now, son, hard work never killed anyone. SON: I know, but I don't want to be the first.

What’s in it for the student? Develop good habits and attitudes. Encourage self-discipline and responsibility “And if we are lotto win lucky,” a love of learning. Achievement Bring parents and educators closer together.

Show You Think Education and Homework Are Important How To Help: Show You Think Education and Homework Are Important

Set a Regular Time. Work it in with your family lifestyle But set a schedule Special nights should be just that … special. A knee jerk statistic Hours in a week = 7 x 24 = 168 Hours spent in class = 5 x 6.5 = 32.5 Balance 135.5 hours 56 hours for sleep still leaves 79.5 Talk about the trip to the movies because it’s the next door neighbour’s birthday. Hours in a week:

Pick a Place. A study area should have lots of light, supplies close by (pens, ruler, calculator etc), and be fairly quiet. A study area doesn't have to be fancy. A desk in the bedroom is nice, but for many youngsters the kitchen table or a corner of the living room works just fine.

Private Study Your teen may prefer to retreat to a private space to work rather than study surrounded by parents and siblings. Grant that independence, but check in from time to time to make sure that your teen hasn't become distracted. A subtle offer of a hot drink works well. Computer placement Find a common space. Save the private computer for the senior years … with strings attached.

Remove Distractions. Television - off TXT – no! Homework gets done faster without it. 20 minute bursts with a 5 min txt reward! Music? An ipod could block out distractions. Household noise? Library may be an alternative choice.

Set a Good Example. Children are more likely to study if they see you reading, writing, computing household accounts and doing things that require thought and effort on your part. Talk with your child about what you're reading and writing even if it's something as simple as making the grocery list.

Show an Interest. Talk about school and learning activities in family conversations. Look for common points – share music. The homework diary gives a good overview of the day. Attend school activities, parent-teacher meetings, shows, sports events. Getting to know some classmates and other parents not only shows you're interested but helps build a network of support for you and your child.

Golden Rule It's not your homework--it's your child's. Don’t do it for him! It won’t help your child understand and use information. It won't help him become confident in his own abilities. A day in detention … so what! That’s a day. What about a lifetime of unfulfilled potential?

Help Your Child Get Organized. Plan ahead. Translate long term entries from the diary to a wall calendar Allocate time estimates to the homework tasks of the day

The Homework Diary Check entries

Encourage independent learning. Explain how to look up information or find a word in a dictionary rather than simply giving an answer in order to get the task finished. Discourage your child from copying when he’s asked to do research tasks. Talk about the information together, work out the key facts and help your child to write these down as brief notes.

Reading is always a homework task. Read the books your son is reading Help find desirable books Discuss these books A wide reader needs very little from a teacher. Mathematics and Science are dead without language.

Reading is always a homework task. High achieving student read about 65 minutes daily. 4.4 million words per annum Mid achievers – 12 minutes daily 888 000 words annually Low achieving students – 1 minute daily 60 000 words per annum.

Review the assignment Review your son’s work from time to time Don’t correct it! (Within reason!) Follow up on the assignment – ask to view the teacher’s comments. Contact the teacher when assistance is required.

The Sciences

Identify and use family strengths Who is best positioned to assist in these subjects? Consider one hour a week of supervised homework in this area. Read the text book or notes. Become familiar with the methods. Endless web resources http://library.thinkquest.org/20991/prealg/eq.html

Keys to mathematics and science problem solving. Read Re-read Identify what information is given Identify what is being asked for Plan the response Links between given information Sequencing Formulas Diagrams

Science question example.

The misunderstood blank page! “I don’t understand,” is no excuse for the absence of any attempt. Edison made over 1000 unsuccessful light bulbs. Help find a strategy to solving a maths problem. Don’t solve it. Perfection is the goal … success is achieved through steps of improvement.

Examination success … … is determined by the first night’s homework effort.

Future pitfalls Relationships Substances Financial commitments Disconnection

Some helpful resources! http://www.studyit.org.nz/ Google … using it effectively. Tutoring Networking … future developments in ICT

Apply school to the "real world." Talk about how what teens learn now applies outside the classroom, such as the importance of meeting deadlines — as they'll also have to do in the workplace — or how topics in history class relate to what's happening in today's news.

Give Praise.

Thank you.