Recently a friend and I had a conversation about
student learning and homework. My friend
said that her child’s teacher did not want parents to “sit and do” homework
with their child. The teacher asked the
parents to allow the child to work alone while completing the homework. I of course operating under the traditional paradigm
of parental involvement totally disagreed with this. In my mind, I felt that parents should sit
with the child and not necessarily give answers but facilitate in order to
ensure understanding. After our friendly discourse, I decided to research the
concept of homework. I must say that Google is a perfect tool when
trying to convince a person that you are right and they are wrong. After searching the internet, I realized that
the resolve of our debate lay somewhere in the middle. Most of the research and articles had the same
reoccurring themes. Here are some tips to help support your child’s
homework completion.
Understand the different types of homework.
Not all homework assignments are the same. Homework assignments can typically have one
or more purposes. Some homework
assignments are for students to practice and reinforce learning or help the
student master a specific skill. Some
homework assignments are preparation assignments, which are assigned to prepare
students for a future lesson. Some
homework assignments are extension assignments.
Extension assignments are assigned in order to have the student apply
skills they have already learned to new situations. Integration homework assignments usually
require the student to apply many different skills to a single task such as a
book report, project or writing assignment. Talk with your child’s teacher to
understand the purpose of the homework they assign.
Make
sure your child has a quiet, well-lit place to do homework.
Children need to work in a place that is free from distractions
and noise. Dedicate a space in your home
where your child can do their homework.
It is helpful to have a desk where they can store materials needed to
complete homework such as paper, pencils, calculators and dictionaries. This area should be clean and free from
clutter so that students can organize their materials. All televisions in or around the designated workspace
should be turned off so that your child can focus on their assignments. Cell phones, computers and other technology
should be put away unless they are needed to complete the homework assignments.
Help
your child with time management.
It is important that children manage their homework
time efficiently. Establish a set time
each day for doing homework. Ensure that
your child has enough time to complete assignments. Do not let your child leave homework until
late evening. It is best to do homework
immediately upon arriving home in order to ensure that they have enough time to
complete the assignment. Do not let children
wait until the last minute to prepare for test or complete projects. Children should review notes and assignments
daily in order to prepare for tests.
Reinforce
the importance of homework.
Emphasize to your child the importance of completing
homework and making good grades in school.
Your attitudes about school and grades will be reflected in your child’s
attitude. Your beliefs about schoolwork will directly influence your child’s
homework habits.
Provide
your child with guidance not the answers.
Many parents make the mistake of being hoverers. A hover is a parent that hovers over the
child while doing their homework.
Hovering hinders the child from understanding the assignment. Too much parental involvement can prevent
homework from having a positive effect as well as prevent the teacher from
knowing if the child has mastered the skill. Let your child work alone but be in
the vicinity in case your assistance is needed. When they ask for help, instead
of giving them the answer, ask guiding questions that help them find the
answers on their own. Show your child how
to use resources such as dictionaries, internet sites, computer apps, textbooks
and notes to help them complete homework assignments.
Be
the example.
Research shows that when children witness their
parents reading or studying they are more likely to pick up those habits. When your child does homework, you do homework. This shows children that the skills they are
learning are related to things that adults do in the real world. Homework time is a perfect time for parents to
balance checkbooks, read newspapers or magazines, read online sites and other
materials.
Check
homework once the child is finished.
Homework is sometimes counted as a grade. Parents should go over homework assignments once
the child has finished their homework to make sure that they have completed the
assignments correctly. Teach your child
to do a self-check of assignments before bringing them to you to check. Have the children correct errors.
Communicate
with your child’s teacher.
In order for children to be successful in school, it
is important that there is a school-home partnership. Talk with your child’s teacher in order to
know the teacher’s expectations, grading requirements and ways that you can
support learning at home. Many schools
provide parents with online websites that allow them to monitor their child’s
progress. These website are usually
linked to the teacher’s email. Check
your child’s progress daily. If you see that,
your child is struggling contact the teacher immediately.
References
Education, U. D. (2003, May). Retrieved from
www.2.ed.gov/parents/academics/involve/homework/homeworktips.pdf.
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