Tips to develop good homework habits

Homework can be the bane of academic life for many students.

A Massey University survey of school teachers, parents and students has found that students overwhelmingly agree homework makes them ‘‘frustrated and tired’’ (68 per cent) and doesn’t leave enough time for other activities after school (67 per cent).

As many as 38 per cent of parents, too. said they were ‘‘increasingly doubting the value of homework’’.

However, the reality is that schools continue to assign homework and students are expected to complete them.

And if your child aims to study at tertiary level, or do an apprenticeship, study is part of the package, so good habits established young can only help them later.

Parent support charity Parenting Place is a supporter of homework, saying that any new skill requires lots of practice.

‘‘Even when the classroom teacher sets no homework, making a regular time with your child at home to practise the reading, writing, and maths skills being taught in class can help them learn those skills much easier and faster,’’ it says.

Here are some tips to help your child cope with the extra workload.

■ Create a mini home office. The older your children get, the more homework they’re going to be given. Encourage studious habits from a young age by creating a home office. They will be more likely to want to do their homework if they have a purpose-built space just for them, even if it is just a corner in their bedroom or the lounge.

■ Set a schedule with a start and finish time. Kids need to unwind before tackling homework, but doing it too close to bedtime may be difficult due to tiredness. Fridays or Saturdays are good for weekend homework; assignments are still fresh and last-minute panic is avoided.

■ Break the homework content into small chunks to complete over that evening or that week. A homework session can be as short as 10 minutes, especially when your child is learning new or difficult skills. Until a skill is mastered, practise it regularly with them and for short bursts of time.

■ Be available when your child is doing homework, so you can answer a question if there is confusion.

■ Guide, but don’t correct. If your child needs help, offer ideas but don’t give the answers.

■ Study groups with one or two classmates can be useful.

■ Recognise and reward positive change in homework behaviour, such as doing it quickly and independently. Incentives could be as simple as being allowed screen time after homework.

■ It’s a good idea to talk to your Help your child create a homework schedule with start and finish times. Kids of all ages need to unwind before tackling homework, but doing it too close to bedtime may be difficult due to tiredness.

child’s teacher if you have any concerns about homework. If your concern is due to an inability to help your child with their homework, you might be able to come to an agreement or compromise.