Set your child up to succeed with homework
With another school year starting, parents and children alike hope it will be both beneficial and enjoyable, and that children will do their best work yet.
One contentious area, however, is homework. The reason for homework will change as your children grow up. At the primary level, the main aim is to instil good habits, to help them learn how to plan and exercise self-discipline. During the secondary years, embedding and extending what was learned at school is positively correlated with academic achievement, so the content of homework becomes more important.
Here is how parents can help them do their best with homework:
Create an optimal working environment. ■ Mark out a particular place to study: if they work in the same place every day, they’ll find it easier to get down to their assignments quickly. Make sure it’s free of distractions, and somewhere near you, so you can answer questions and offer encouragement. When they’re older, allow children to work in their own room, but only if first they show you their plan and estimates of time needed.
Allow downtime beforehand. ■
They’ll be hungry and tired after school, so have tempting, wholesome snacks on hand. Make sure they drink water, and encourage them to be active before settling down to work.
Start with a plan. You’ll probably ■ have to help younger children plan their session, but it’s important that by the end of primary school it’s second nature.
When there are several different ■ assignments, make sure they begin with one they enjoy, so it seems easy to get started. It’s best to take on the most difficult task second. Then follow with anything else.