Getting Kids to Complete School Assignments

Helping Your Child with Homework

 

 You can't do it for them, but you can help your child with homework by providing a quiet study area, helping him budget his time, and being supportive.

Parents who are involved in their children’s school are taking the first step in homework help by understanding what’s going on in the classroom.

Strategies to Help Parents Enforce Homework Completion

It can often be a daunting task for parents to get their children to complete homework. However, there is a simple strategic plan that can assist in this battle. Simply put, coming to terms with the homework problem entails simple strategies:

1. Time limit

2. Environment friendly

3. Make it fun

4. Set a routine.

Time Limit for School Assignments

The first strategy for completing homework is to have a time limit. For example: the homework entails one page of math, reading for 20 minutes and one page of this or that subject.. Start with the most difficult subject for the child. Have the child work that subject for 15 minutes.

Regardless of how much work he actually produces, stop him after 15 minutes. Now move the child on to a second subject and again, put a time limit of 15 to 20 minutes. Continue until each subject has been addressed. Having the child take a short break after completion of a number of problems or questions is another way of setting a time limit.

Make the Study Environment Friendly

Does your child work better in a completely quiet atmosphere or does he need some background noise to concentrate more efficiently? Make sure that seating is comfortable, lighting is adequate, and disruptions are restricted. Is the family in chaos around him as he tries to concentrate on homework tasks? It is important to give the child every possible advantage for a favourable study environment.

Make Homework Fun

Making homework fun is something that is often overlooked. Say the child is really interested in cricket. Use the math problems and relate it to cricket to help him find the solution. Use the same approach with the other subjects. Relate it to something that the child is interested in and he will be much more willing. If the reading is required from a book that the child does not find interesting, make it so by having him use different voices for the characters; or pretend he is reading to a special group; or performing on a stage. Use creativity to make the home work more enjoyable for the child. This way parents will be spending time with the child in a creative way that will probably increase the relationship bond. Make sure that the creativity takes into consideration the maturity level and age of the child.

Set a Homework Routine

Last but not least, make sure that homework time is a routine for the child. Set a specific time that the child is expected to work on homework. Make every attempt possible to keep the routine in tact. If some event comes up, arrange an alternate time if possible. Take a look at the family’s normal schedule and pick a time for homework that usually works the best. Parents and child caregivers must use their family patterns and common sense for this strategy.

Be Consistent and Patient

 

The most important thing to remember about any strategy is the need to be consistent and patient. Don’t give up. Applied appropriately and consistently, setting time limits, providing a study-friendly environment, making homework fun, and keeping to a homework routine will work.

Keep open the lines of communication with your child’s teachers. You can help your child with homework without doing the work for him. Taking over a project or providing too many suggestions or criticisms will erode your child’s confidence and keep him from getting the benefit of the assignment.

Be generous with praise for your children’s work, and make any criticism constructive.

Offer suggestions to your child in scheduling his own deadlines for assignments. Help him avoid cramming for tests and doing big projects the night before they’re due, by dividing up the work on a calendar.

 

Oakdale management and faculty have a deep concern in solving your problems regarding the handling of assignments and homework of your child.

 

Thank you

Principal

Oakdale School