Resources and Support

RESOURCES FROM THE COUNSELOR'S OFFICE

Helping Your Child with Homework:

·        Homework provides an opportunity for parents to be involved in their children's education. A parent's interest can spark enthusiasm in their children.

·        Teachers assign homework for review and practice, to get children ready for the next day's class, to teach children to use resources, and to provide time for students to explore subjects more fully than time permits in the classroom.

·        Homework can help children develop good habits and attitudes. It can teach independence, encourage self-discipline and responsibility, and encourage a love of learning.

Demonstrate That You Value Education:

·        Set a regular time for homework completion, which works well for your family and takes into account the child's age and grade. If there are scheduled outside activities, a flexible homework schedule may be needed. Posting a weekly schedule of activities, which includes homework, and posting it for all to see, may be helpful to all family members.

·        Pick a place for homework and study. A desk in the bedroom, a table in the kitchen, or a corner in the living room can all work fine.

·        Remove distractions. No T.V., no phone calls, no loud music, however, consider that some children may work better with soft music in the background. Little brothers and sisters might be encouraged to participate in a quiet activity at the same time to eliminate their distracting the children doing homework.

·        Set a good example. Children are more likely to study if they see you reading, writing, and doing things that require thought and effort. Talk with your children about what you are reading and writing, even if it's a grocery list.

·        Show an interest in your child's learning. Ask about the school day. Instead of, "What did you do today?” try, "What was one interesting thing you did today?"  This often gets a more thoughtful response.

·        Talk about the assignments. Some helpful questions include, "Do you understand the assignment?," "What is the assignment about?," “What do you need to complete the assignment?," "Do you have what you need to do the assignment?," "Does your answer make sense to you?"

·        Give praise to your child. Some examples of this are, "Good first draft of your book report.," "You really stuck with it to finish your work," "You used some really fancy words in your story."

·        Make criticism constructive. Instead of, " What a messy paper." try ,"The teacher will understand your ideas better if you use your best handwriting."