How to Help Your Child With Homework

Meaningful homework can be an extremely valuable learning tool. Too often, homework becomes a battle involving the students, the parents and the teachers. To avoid this difficult situation, follow these 7 Steps to Helping Your Child With Homework.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Establish A Routine
   Beginning with your child's first day of formal schooling, establish an schedule. Set aside a portion of time each day to discuss the school day and review assignments and activities.
   
   Teachers suggest the following limits for homework each school day:
   
   Grades K-2: 20 minutes
   Grades 3-6: 30-60 minutes
   Grades 7-9: 2 hours
   Grades 10-12: 2 ½ hours
   
   Enjoy this time together. Use it to help your child set goals and celebrate his or her achievements.
2. Schedule A Time And Place For Learning
   School is a student's equivalent of a job and it should be taken as seriously. Work with your children to establish a regular time and place for them to study. Even if they do not have homework, they should honor that time by reading or reviewing work.
   
   As students get older, they should be encouraged to work with you to set their own schedule each week. This will help them gain time management skills. Remember to praise their success.
3. Discuss Your Child's Homework
   Make it a regular practice to review your child's homework each day. This will help you monitor their progress and will let them know how important their education is to you.
   
   Use this time to ask questions about what they are learning. Rather than simply checking to see if the work is done, talk with them about interesting aspects of what they are learning. Learning should be exciting. Ask questions and really listen to the answers.
4. Help Without Doing The Work
   There will be times when every student will need help with their homework. There are several pitfalls to avoid. First, consider yourself to be a coach. This means that, even if you know the answer, your job is to help your child discover the answer on their own.
   
   Next, guide your child through these basic six problem solving steps:
   
   1. Identify the Problem
   Listen to your child as they explain the assignment and the aspects they do not understand. Students can become emotional when they are frustrated, so you will want to invest some time at this point to be certain you understand what needs to be done.
   
   2. Identify What is Known
   Keep in mind that, although the assignment might be easy for you, your child is struggling. Therefore, attempting to reassure them by saying the assignment is easy may not be effective. Rather, help them gain control over the task by asking them to identify what they already know.
   
   3. Determine What Needs to be Known
   Work with your child to clearly identify what they do not understand or what resources they need in order to complete the assignment.
   
   4. Break the Problem into Smaller Tasks if Necessary
   Another way to gain control over a problem is to break it down into smaller tasks.
   
   5. Find and Use New Resources to Apply to the Problem
   Be careful not to do the work for them. The purpose of homework is to identify what a student knows. If you do the work, they will not learn. Ask leading questions that allow them to identify the resources which can help them complete their work. You might also ask them to brainstorm solutions. In these ways you are helping them learn to learn.
   
   6. Evaluate What Happened
   Evaluation is key to learning. Within a few days of completing the assignment, talk positively with your child about the problem solving process. Celebrate their achievements. Ask them what they found beneficial and what was difficult. You will want to adjust the process so that it works best for each child.
5. Remember, The Goal Is Learning
   The time may come when it is apparent that your child will not be able to complete an assignment in the time provided. Perhaps they did not manage their time properly. Perhaps they truly do not understand the content. Whatever the reason, at this time it is especially important to remember that the goal of education is learning not grades.
   
   If the student does not understand the material, have they write responses to each of the problem solving steps described above. They should provide this information to the teacher and ask for help.
   
   If the issue is time management, you will have to allow your child to learn from his or her choices. This may mean failing with this assignment. Use this as an opportunity to help your child learn better skills. Meet with your child the next day. Talk over the choices made and help your child determine ways to improve the planning process.
6. Collaborate With The Teacher And The School
   Schools may have homework policies and homework hotlines. Take time to learn the policies and check in on the hotline. The more you know about what is expected of your child, the more you will be able to reinforce the message.
   
   Meet with your child's teacher early in the year and let the teacher know that you both share the goal and the task of helping your child learn. Establish preferred methods of communication. By working together you are more likely to know how you can best help your child learn.
7. Track Progress
   Keep a portfolio of your child's work. This will provide you with a visual representation of effort and progress. Review the work at regular intervals and let your child know how proud you are of what they are accomplishing.