When you review your child’s report card, do you believe that the grades you see do not reflect the true talent of your child? Do you wish you could do more to support your child but feel overwhelmed by the reality of juggling work and a multitude of other commitments? You are not alone. For many families homework time is met with fear and anxious anticipation. Your already tired child does not look forward to doing more of the same at home, and you would like to relax after a long day at work or managing a household.
Do you exhale a sigh of relief when your child tells you that no homework is due? Most of us cherish the nights when homework does not loom over us.
The reality, however, is that homework is necessary for two very important reasons. First, homework provides an opportunity for students to practice what they have learned, and research supports that students need more practice, not less, in order to become fluent at key concepts. Second, teachers record separate grades for homework and each missed or incomplete assignment adds up very quickly to hurt the child’s grade and hinder overall understanding of these building blocks of learning. Here is a tip to make life easier.
Place a reminder or reward chart in a highly visible place in your home. List out daily expectations and accompany them with daily homework rewards to help everyone to stay on track. Recognition and praise for hard work is not a natural or guaranteed part of a student’s day. What we can do at home is help our students to accept homework as a part of every school night and set up a clear structured plan to make it a successful venture followed by boatloads of praise and recognition. Set aside time each night for homework, whether it be for actual exercises that must be turned in the next day or a plan to tackle one piece of a long-term project or prepare study guides or flashcards for a test that is upcoming. If the expectation is that every night involves some type of homework with an accompanying reward of your praise and recognition, it makes it easier for a pattern for good study habits to be developed and maintained.
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For more information, please call 661-219-5335 and visit www.santaclaritatutoring.com.