Children Doing Homework

4 Tips for getting homework done in a timely manner

By Diane Alpeter

“I need help.”

“I just don’t understand.”

“Can’t you just sit with me?”

These may be familiar phrases at your home when it is time for your child to do homework. The best help a parent may be able to give, however, is assisting a child to work independently.

“I get a lot of calls from parents,” says Sharon Friedlander, guidance coordinator for Broward Country Public Schools in Florida. “There is nothing that stresses a child or a parent more than when a parent tries to become a teacher.”

Friedlander encourages parents to let their children work independently on homework. Parents should help with homework at the student’s request.

“If there is something a student says he doesn’t understand, have him mark the page, and tell him to talk to his teacher about it,” she says. “If the student says he can’t talk to the teacher, then sit down and help him.”

The National Mental Health and Education Center for Children and Families offers the following advice to make homework as stress free as possible:

• 1.Find the right place. A dining-room table where a parent can keep an eye on the student or a desk in a quiet bedroom may be an option for your student.
• 2.Gather necessary materials. To prevent time wasted on finding pencils, scissors, paper and so on, ensure that the homework area is stocked with items needed to complete assignments.
• 3.Organize homework priorities. The National Association of School Psychologists recommends beginning and ending with easier assignments, completing harder assignments in between.
• 4.Get through it. Plan for a 2-hour session with frequent 5- or 10-minute breaks.

Nothing is foolproof when it comes to completing homework assignments; however, preparing a homework area and being consistent with the help or advice given may produce more effective results for your student.

For more information on homework and families, visit www.naspweb.org.