Helping Your Child With Homework February 28, 2015

Research shows clearly that children are most likely to succeed in learning when their families actively support them…

??? How can I get ___________ to do his homework? Every night it’s a struggle to get him to turn off the TV and do his homework? Why isn’t ________ getting more homework? Why is ________ getting so much homework? When is ______supposed to do homework? She/he takes piano lessons, play basketball, do karate, study Chinese. There’s hardly any time left to study. How can I help _____ with his math homework when I don’t understand it? Do homework assignments really help my child learn?

Why Do Teachers Assign Homework? 1.Review and practice what they’ve covered in class. 2.Get ready for the next day’s class. 3.Learn to use resources, such as libraries, reference materials and computer Web sites to find information about a subject. 4.Explore subjects more fully than classroom permits. 5.Extend learning by applying skills they already have to new situation; and 6.Integrate their learning by applying many different skills to a single task, such as book reports or science projects.

Homework also can help students develop good study habits and positive attitudes. It can; * teach children to work independently; and * encourage self-discipline and responsibility * it can help create greater understanding between families and teachers * and provide opportunities for increased communication

Does homework help children learn? * Homework helps your child do better in school when the assignments are meaningful, are completed successfully and are returned to the teacher on time. 1.For early Grades- homework can help them develop the good study habits and positive attitudes. 2.From 3 rd through 6 th grades- small amounts of homework, gradually increased and this will support improved school achievement. 3.In 7 th grade and beyond- homework helps to score better on standardized tests and earn better grades.

What’s the right amount of homework? * Preschoolers -should have at least 5-10 minutes of demonstration, coloring and reading together each day. * Kindergarten through Second Grade- children can benefit from minutes of homework each school day. * Third to Sixth Grades- children can benefit from minutes homework each school day. * Seventh through Ninth Grades- students can benefit from spending more time on homework and the amount may vary from night to night. Amount of homework may vary. Reading homework might extend the time of homework.

How to help with homework? A: Show that you think education and homework are important. 1. Set a regular time for homework; a. should meet at a set time b. should be working together in one household

2. Pick a place; a. area doesn’t need to be fancy b. should have adequate light c. Should have a desk, pencil container and some art work displayed on the wall How to help with homework?

3. Remove distractions; a. Should have no televisions or CD players b. Should be quiet 4. Provide supplies and identify resources; a. should have pencils, pens, erasers, writing paper and a dictionary b. other supplies like stapler, scissors, glue, sharpener, paste, ruler may also help c. For books and other information resources, check with the school library. You are also free to ask your child’s teacher and classmates about assignments How to help with homework continuation…

5. Set a good example; a. let your child see you are reading books, newspaper, computer screens b. let your child see you balance your checkbook, or doing some measuring like new curtains or floor mats etc… c. help your child to use everyday routines to support the skills your child is learning

How to help with homework continuation… 6. Be interested and interesting; a. make time to take your child to the library to check out materials needed for homework b. ask your child about school learning activities c. ask what was discussed in class that day d. let your child read aloud a story they wrote at school

How to help with homework continuation… B. Monitor Assignments 1. Ask about the School’s Homework Policy - at the start of the school year, ask your child’s teacher about any rules and guidelines that children are expected to follow as they complete homework 2. Be Available - if your child is cared for by someone else, talk to that caregiver - for older students, if no one will be around, let them know when you want them to do homework and call to remind them if necessary

How to help with homework continuation… 3. Look over Completed Assignments - check before giving to the teacher and check after the teacher returns. Read and discuss comments with your child. 4. Monitor Time Spent Viewing TV and Playing Video Games - take time to discuss how much TV and what programs your child can watch - be aware of the games your child likes to play and discuss their choices

How to help with homework continuation… C. Provide Guidance The basic rule is “Don’t do the assignment yourself”. It’s not your homework- It’s your child’s. 1.Help Your Child Get Organized - make a time schedule and put in one place where you’ll see it often. If you’re your child can not yet write, write it for him. -Provide a folder to keep homework and keep safe in your child’s backpack.

How to help with homework continuation… 2. Encourage Good Study Habits - to reinforce good habits at home; a.Help your child manage time to complete assignments. b.Help your child to get started when he has to do research reports or other big assignments. c.Give practice test. d.Help your child avoid last minute cramming. e.Talk with your child about how to take a test.

How to help with homework continuation… 3. Talk about the Assignments - talking and asking questions can help your child to think through an assignment. Here are some questions to ask; * Do you understand what you’re supposed to do? * Do you need help in understanding how to do this assignment? * Do you have everything you need to do the assignment? * Does your answer make sense to you?

How to help with homework continuation… 4. Watch for frustration- If your child shows signs of frustration, let your child take a break. Encourage your child and let them see that you know they can do the work. 5. Give Praise- Everyone respond to praise… “You’ve done a great job” can go along way toward motivating your child to complete assignments.

How to help with homework continuation… D. Talk with Teachers to Resolve Problems Homework problems often can be avoided when families and caregivers value, monitor and guide their children’s work on assignments. If you have problems, here are some suggestions for how to deal with. 1.Tell the Teacher about Your Concerns- you may want to contact the teacher if; * your child refuses to do her assignments. * the instructions are not clear. * you can’t seem to help your child get organized to finish assignments. * you can’t provide needed supplies or materials. * the assignments are too hard or too easy. * the homework assigned is uneven amounts * your child has missed school and needs to make up assignments. ** in some cases, the school principal may also help in resolving problems.

How to help with homework continuation… 2. Work with the teacher- Continuing communication with teacher is very important in solving homework problems. As you work with your child’s teacher, you have to remember the following; -Talk with each of your child’s teachers early in the school year. -Contact the teacher as soon as you suspect your child has a homework problem. - Request a meeting with the teacher to discuss homework problems. - Approach the teacher with a cooperative spirit. - Let the teacher know weather your child finds the assignments too hard or to easy. -Work out way to solve problem and, -Make sure that communication is clear.

How to help with homework continuation… *Many teachers are making homework to be more interesting by: a.Teacher offer options for different approaches to the same topic or lesson b.Teachers gives extra assignments to students who want more challenge c.Teachers give specialized assignments to students having trouble in a particular area.

Helping your child with homework is an opportunity to improve your child’s chances of doing well in school and life. By helping your child with homework, you can help your child learn important lessons about discipline and responsibility.