By April Sorrow
University of
Georgia
Although dreaded by most students, homework is an essential part of the learning process. University of Georgia experts say designating a time and place for homework are the keys to student success.
“Homework should reinforce a love of learning,” said Don Bower, a Cooperative Extension human development specialist with the UGA College of Family and Consumer Sciences. “Too often, it becomes a major headache for the student and parents.”
Bower recommends parents provide a place to study, give some basic guidelines and be available for questions. When selecting a student study area, choose a place that is free from distractions. Even in the early grades, Bower said, students will benefit from having a quiet, well-lit, comfortable place to study.
“An area with minimal distractions and necessary supplies should be devoted to homework,” he said. “Small homes may not have enough room for a separate space, so kitchen tables or even a quiet corner of a room can suffice.”
Background noise may help some students focus. But, noises that are distracting should be eliminated.
“The idea is to minimize distractions and to support attention to the task,” he said. “Different people find different things distracting. Some need absolute quiet. Others prefer soft background music. Some say that TV, instant messaging and MP3 players are not distracting, but they usually are.”
Enforce a study period so all students in the family can concentrate.
“Some parents establish a certain amount of time that must be devoted to homework. This eliminates students rushing through to get done and on to something more fun,” he said. “With after-school and evening activities for many kids, a standard time often does not work — but an amount of time may.”
Bower says waiting until right before bedtime is not a good choice.
If a study space is equipped with a computer, little more than paper and pen should be needed in terms of supplies. However, some organizational tools like folders, files or drawers can help the student stay organized.
Organization products “can help him see his progress on big projects, too,” Bower said. “Seeing a project take shape can give him pride in his achievement.”
Reliable online sites have largely eliminated the need for print versions of encyclopedias and dictionaries. Traditional print sources, like Merriam-Webster and Encyclopedia Britannica, maintain updated online versions. Bower said Wikipedia is popular but is not recommended as a reliable academic reference.
Setting up a study area can make studying easier. But it won’t solve all studying problems.
To help your student learn study skills, ask classroom teachers and school counselors for tips. Or consult private companies and online sources, like howtostudy.org.
While homework is necessary in some cases to aid in learning, too much homework can be detrimental to a student’s success, he said. “More is not necessarily better,” Bower said.
Ideally, homework should flow both ways with teachers assigning creative ways for students to learn outside the classroom and students bringing interesting things they have learned into class.
“Watch your child as he studies and ask him to tell you what he’s studying and learning,” he said.
Bower reminds parents of the fine line between helping a student with homework and doing the homework. “Help them, but don’t do their work for them,” he said.
(April Sorrow is a news editor with the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.)
