1. Learning Module 1: Homework and Study Skills Prepared by Dee Dee Harrison Coordinator, Parent Engagement Bakersfield City School District Parent Involvement Program How Parents Can Support and Monitor Academic Success

2.  Content Objective: How to support and monitor your children’s homework and study habits  Language Objective: To learn terms associated with practice, preparation and extension  Social Objective: We will exchange ideas in collaborative conversations.

3. There are three types of homework: practice, preparation, and extension.  Practice assignments reinforce newly acquired skills.  Preparation assignments help students get ready for activities that will occur in the classroom.  Extension assignments are frequently long-term continuing projects that parallel classwork. Review of Educational Research, 2006 National Education Association What Is Homework?

4.  Space: Provide a quiet, well-lit place to complete homework.  Schedule: Make studying, not homework alone, a daily habit.  Model: Model organizational techniques, work habits, and consider doing “adult homework” while your child completes his/her homework. Homework Environment

5.  Attitude: Show your child you think homework is important.  Support: Check homework and be available for assistance.  Involvement: Be in contact with your child’s teacher and do not wait until grades come out to discover there is a problem.  Praise: Praise your child for good effort, as well as good performance, which helps build self-esteem Homework Environment cont.

6. Homework Tips Homework Time typically is 10 mins. per grade level;  Break up work into small increments of time to help students stay focused; and  Use a Timer – this helps lower the barriers and creates a relaxed atmosphere. 20 minutes for reading “5 Minutes of Fury” - “Tolerable Ten”

7.  Try to review key points before bed  Distribute study times over course of week  After reading, it is helpful to write a summary or bullet notes for key points Study Skills “Effects of Learning Skills Interventions on Student Learning: A Meta Analysis.” Review of Educational Research Summer 1996 Vol. 66, No 2, pp 99-136

8. Auditory learners are those who learn best through hearing things; Visual learners retain more information when they use visual aids; and Tactile learners benefit by doing hands-on projects. Educational Leadership, v55 n1 p22-27 Sep 1997 Know Your Child’s Dominant Learning Style

9. Middle School Students “20/2” Strategy 1.Set timer for 20 minutes for uninterrupted homework practice; 2.2:00 minute break to check phone for texts, posts 3.Immediately return back to homework 4.Repeat

10. Music and Homework  Music – listening to music is okay for memorizing facts, but can be a distraction when studying for tests;  Familiar music or NO music at all; and  Homework playlist of well-known music could help with students who work better with “white noise.” Educational Psychology; Anita Woolfolk; 2006

11.  Listen  Empathize “You sound frustrated”  State their feeling “You sound angry”; and  Recognize your child’s frustration. Jeanne Shay Schumm, PhD, is the author of How to Help Your Child with Homework (Free Spirit, 2005) Goals and Expectations when Homework is Difficult

12. Home to School Communication

13. Homework Chart

14.  Organization and good study habits will help your child be prepared  Communicate with your child’s teacher if there are concerns with the level of homework  Whether its too difficult or  Whether it’s too easy Summary

15.  Please complete these sentences: 1) Today I learned that __________________________. 2) I plan to try ________________ with my child/children. 3) What are the three purposes for homework? 1. ______________ to reinforce new skills. 2. ______________ to get ready for new learning 3. ______________ to show what they’ve learned. Wrap ~ Up Activity

16. Questions?