Make sure your child has a quiet, well-lit place to do homework.
Avoid having your child do homework with the television on or in places with other distractions, such as people coming and going.
Give them the means to succeed
Make sure the materials your child needs- such as paper, pencils, dictionary, Internet access- are available.
Ask your child if special materials will be needed for some projects and get them in advance.
What about time management?
Establish a set time each day for doing homework. Don't let your child leave homework until just before bedtime. Think about using a weekend morning or afternoon for working on big projects, especially if the project involves getting together with classmates.
Be Positive About Homework
Tell your child how important homework is to school performance. The attitude you express about homework will be the attitude your child acquires.
When your child does homework, you do homework
Show your kids that the skills they are learning are related to things you do as an adult. If your child is reading, you read too. If your child is doing math, balance your checkbook.
Provide Guidance, not answers
When your child asks for help, provide guidance, not answers. Giving answers means your child will not learn the material. Too much help teaches your child that when the going gets rouch, someone will do the work for him.
When the teacher asks that you play a role in homework, do it.
Cooperate with the teacher. It shows your child that the school and home are a team. Follow the directions given by the teacher.
If homework is meant to be done by your child alone, stay away.
Too much parent involvement can prevent homework from having some positive effects. Homework is a great way for kids to develop independent, lifelong learning skills.
Stay informed about your childīs school assignments.
Talk with your childīs teacher. Make sure you know the purpose of homework and what your childīs class rules are.
Hard homework, easy homework...
Help your child figure out what is hard homework and what is easy homework. Have your child do the hard work first. This will mean he will be most alert when facing the biggest challenges. Easy material will seem to go fast when fatigue begins to set in.
