Homework, Homework, Homework

by Stern Center Staff

You had it as a student and now your child has it. I have the pleasure of being a teacher, college education professor, wife of a teacher and the parent of three children. I can'’t get away from homework!

Teachers assign homework for many reasons. Simply put there are not enough hours in the school day to practice the skills to a mastery level within the day. Middle school and high school projects, papers and exam studying take up many after school hours. Students understand in order to become excellent soccer players, tuba players or public speakers, they must practice. School tasks are no different.

Below are some structures you can put in place to make homework survivable. Establishing these habits early in elementary school is best, but it is never too late to start. Please remember, even though your middle and high school students are busy exerting their independence they still need parents around for homework support.

 One Place, One Role, One Person

• Have one place in your home for homework completion. This may mean the kitchen table is sectioned off into four quadrants so each child has their own study desk. 

• This spot has one role for the time they are working: homework. When each child finishes, it's time to leave the table. Who wants to do algebra while their little sister breaks out Dragonvale on the iPad?

• You may find that having siblings near each other at homework time does not work well. Hence the one person rule. Have a place for each child out of sight and sound of a sibling. Staggering the homework times at the desk/table can also help.

 
Flybys, Check-ins and Questions

• Since the majority of middle school and high school homework requires a computer, do frequent flybys. Walk past, glance over, be lightly annoying, fold laundry nearby etc... After awhile you won'’t have to worry that your child is playing Minecraft on another screen, it won't be tried. You don'’t have to hover, just simply be around. These flybys enables your child to ask questions since you are there anyway. Otherwise your child may be hesitant to ask questions because they just want to get the homework done, don'’t want to bother you or don'’t want to clue you in that they don'’t have a clue.

• Check in on progress. Before your child starts working ask what subjects are on the list for the night, is there anything you can proof or review? This way as the night goes on you can check in on what has been ticked off the list and also plan for time to review assignments if needed.

• Asking questions is a great way to show interest in what your child is studying and to engage in a conversation about it. On one of your flybys or check-ins ask a question, such as "What were the economic reasons the Civil War started?" or "Why did you reduce that fraction and not this one?" These question may make your child more likely to be comfortable talking to you and asking you questions about homework. In addition, it will allow you to see how much your child understands about what is being studied by the answers and conversation that follow your question.

Being present and available are the key aspects to homework support. Every child is different and the level of your interactions will wax and wane as your child develops independent study habits while the core classes change each semester. Most importantly, enjoy the conversations and knowledge. It is never too late to learn something new. This may be the most important lesson of all. 

The Stern Center offers Homework Support groups for students of all ages. Please feel free to contact us for more information.