As students begin the second half of the school year, some
may find themselves
needing to raise lagging grades.
University of Georgia
specialists say developing good
homework habits can be the key to a child’s success in
school. And parents can play an
important role.
Homework important to child’s
success
S. Omahen,
UGA
CAES
HOMEWORK
HELPS students learn more
about what teachers present during the day. Helping
your child learn to do homework well
can also teach them life-long work habits.
“Homework is an extension of your child’s school day
and reinforces skills learned
in the classroom,” said Diane Bales, an extension human development
specialist with the UGA College of Family and Consumer
Sciences.
“If you want your child to be motivated to do
homework,” Bales said,
“you as a parent have to show that you think education and
homework are
important.”
Make homework time
work
One way to show you value homework is to set aside a
regular time each day for
homework. And be consistent.
“Provide a quiet, well-lit place for him to study,”
Bales said. “Make
sure your child has the right supplies on hand and is
prepared to work on homework.”
Organization is the key to getting homework done on
time. Many children don’t complete
their homework on time because they don’t remember what
they need to do.
“Teach your child how to be prepared for homework,”
Bales said.
“Encourage him to be responsible. If he has trouble
keeping track of assignments, you
can help by providing a calendar or assignment book for
organizing daily assignments and
remembering project due dates.”
Many school systems are teaching children to use daily
assignment books or agendas the
school provides. These assignment books can help children
learn to become better
organized.
Kids need parents’
help
“. . .You
as a parent have to show that
you think education and homework are
important.” — Diane
Bales, a UGA human development
specialist.
Once your child begins his homework assignments, be
available to help. Younger children
need more hands-on help from adults, while older children
can take more responsibility for
their homework.
Beginning in the fourth grade, encourage your child to
work on the homework assignments
alone before asking for help.
Help with memory work. “If your child has vocabulary
words to study, drill or
review with him by calling out the words or questions, or
by listening to him recite the
words,” Bales said.
If your child has several homework assignments on a
particular day, he may need a short
break. “Just a few minutes away can often refresh a
child’s busy mind,” Bales
said.
Varying assignments can help prevent boredom and reduce
frustration.
“If your child has reading assignments in both English
and science and practice
exercises in math, suggest that he do one reading
assignment, then the math and then the
other reading,” Bales said.
S. Omahen,
UGA
CAES
Once your child has completed his
homework, sit down with him and check
his work. Help your child identify and correct his
mistakes. But don’t dwell on incorrect
answers.
Learning for
life
On long-term projects, teach your child where to find
information. “Teach him how
to use books, newspapers and magazines as resource tools,”
Bales said. “A trip
to the local library is also a must when guiding your
child through a project.”
When planning a school project, help your child come up
with ideas. “But be
careful not to take over the project,” Bales said. “You
may need to offer
suggestions to get your child started. But always let the
final decision be his.”
Be an advocate for your child, too.
“If his homework load is overwhelming, talk to the
teacher before your child
becomes frustrated and loses interest in school work,”
Bales said. “Work with
the teacher and your child to solve the problem. Regular
communication with your child’s
teacher is essential.”
