Homework Strategies

We are living in a time where most students, as young as kindergarten, have homework every night, so what is a parent to do? I often have parents ask me about homework tips. Here are some simple guidelines:

1. Reading should be the MOST important “homework” a child does every evening. Depending on age, children should read a minimum of 20 minutes per evening up to 30 minutes (or more). If your child is a struggling reader, this time can include mom or dad reading a page aloud and the child reading a page. The goal is to instill a love for learning, so seek out books that are interesting and not overwhelming.

2. Keep homework stress free by establishing consistency. Have your child complete his/her homework in the same designated spot each day. Having a good work space stocked with necessary supplies helps children stay focused while working.

3. Establish a consistent time for homework. After a short snack/play break, homework should be the first thing completed at home. If homework is left until after dinner or right before bedtime, it can be a struggle due to fatigue and lack of interest. Many children have sports or other activities right after school, which can make the evening a little more difficult, so plan ahead to get larger assignments out of the way, and start homework right when you get home.

4. If your child is struggling with a particular assignment that seems to be taking too long, or is causing tears/stress, write a note to the teacher at the top of the page and have your child arrive to class a few minutes early to explain the problem and ask for help. Teachers don’t want children working on assignments until all hours of the night, and want to know if a particular problem/assignment was too difficult.

Stay calm while you help your child complete homework and allow your child to do the work. Don’t allow homework to create tension at home, and if it does, don’t hesitate to contact your child’s teacher.

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