subject: Homework Tips To Help Your Child Have A Great School Year [print this page] October always feels like the time of year to establish new routines. It's a month when anything seems possible. That means this is the perfect time for moms to initiate new ways of handling the inevitable demands of the new school year.
Homework
When the first homework assignments arrive, try some new approaches. Begin by setting aside uninterrupted and undistracted time for homework. Keep everything they need in one place and easy to find.
Some children want to get their assignments done as soon as they get home to free up their evenings. Others need a break before they tackle more work, so let them have a half-hour to unwind. Then help your child approach assignments efficiently. Often children have not developed the skills of prioritizing and spend far too much time bogged down in trivial parts of an assignment. Try some of these techniques:
*Look over the assignment together before they begin. Ask them to give you their understanding of what is expected and explain how they will approach the subject. Ask them to identify key words and guidelines to follow. A few moments of 'pre-talk' may let you see where they need help. It also helps them focus on exactly what is being asked.
*Help your child use textbook formats and related information wisely. Chapter titles and subheads give an overview and organize material. Key words and concepts are often in bold type or grouped together in a side bar. Graphs, pictures, and charts help clarify information and are great visual aids. Many textbooks now provide websites for further help on very specific topics. While all this can be useful, for some children it may be overwhelming. Help them sort out when to use certain features.
*If a child has a writing assignment, encourage them to discuss with you briefly what they know of the subject and what they would like to know. Think of a related current event or movie you can tie to the topic. The point is to get their creativity working and let them see they know more about the subject than they might expect. Talking before writing almost always helps.
*If students have a lot of material to memorize, there are some creative ways to do this. Use note cards and put one fact or term on each card. Review these with your children while you prepare dinner or do other routine household tasks. Take the cards with you on a short walk and work on them as you get some exercise. The relaxed atmosphere of being outdoors relieves tension, and for combining movement with cognitive processes helps retention.
*Try a mnemonic game that associates specific facts with movement from place to place. As you walk, associate items to remember with points on the walk. When it is time to recall information, the child repeats the walk in his/her mind and calls up the related piece of information.
*Or make up silly rhymes, stories or jingles that incorporate the information. After all, everyone can complete this rhyme: "In fourteen hundred and ninety-two..." Advertising uses this same technique very effectively! It's the way humans store information.
*Walks are also a good time to have children explain and review. Simply summarizing what they have learned is a great memory aid and will make test time less stressful. This is also a good time for casual discussion of upcoming assignments and activities. See how your child plans to fit everything in; ask what they might do in advance or what materials and supplies you need to purchase.
Organization
With the homework complete, the essay written, and the project done, be sure your child actually remembers to take assignments to school. As soon as everything is complete, it goes into the backpack and the backpack goes by the door. Use a planner and write reminders to your child to turn in the work! Teachers are always amazed how many missing assignments they find in the bottom of a book bag or locker.
Benefits
While it may seem like there is a lot involved, it is mostly a matter of establishing what works for your children and your family. This reduces stress and confusion now, and set your child up with good habits for life. Start new routines early in the school year and in a short while they become automatic.
