Tips for Helping Kids and Teens
with Homework and Study Habit
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(http://www.childdevelopmentinfo.com/learning/homework_help_page.htm) |
Certain
key practices will make life easier for everyone in the family when it comes to
study time and study organization. However, some of them may require an
adjustment for other members of the family.
Turn
off the TV set.
Make a house rule, depending on the location of the set, that when it is study
time, it is "no TV" time. A television set that is on will draw youngsters like
bees to honey.
What
about the radio?
Should it be on or off? Contrary to what many specialists say, some youngsters
do seem to function all right with the radio turned on to a favorite music
station. (Depending on the layout of your house or apartment, maybe an
investment in earphones would be worthy of consideration.)
Certain
rules should be set about the family phone during study hours.
The more people in the household, the more restrictions on long and unnecessary
phone calls are needed. A timer, placed next to the phone, can help to control
the length of calls so that the telephone will be available if it becomes
necessary to call a schoolmate to confirm an assignment or discuss particularly
difficult homework.
Designate
specific areas for homework and studying.
Possibilities include the child's room or the kitchen or dining room table.
Eliminate as much distraction as possible.
Since
many young people will study in their own rooms, function becomes more
important than beauty. Most desks for young people really don't have sufficient
space to spread out materials. A table that allows for all necessary supplies
such as pencils, pens, paper, books, and other essentials works extremely well.
Consider
placing a bulletin board in your child's room. Your local hardware store sells
wallboard that might not look too pretty and isn't framed, but a 4 x 3'section
is inexpensive and perfect on which to post pertinent school items. You might
want to paint or cover it with burlap to improve its appearance or let your
child take on this project.
Encourage
the use of a small book or pad for writing down assignments so that there is no
confusion about when certain assignments must be turned in to the teacher.
Keeping
general supplies on hand is important. Check with your child about his needs.
In fact, make it his responsibility to be well supplied with paper, pencils,
note pads, notebook paper, et cetera.
Regularity
is a key factor in academic success.
Try to organize the household so that supper is served at a standard time, and
once it and family discussions are over, it's time to crack the books. If the
student doesn't have other commitments and gets home reasonably early from
school, some homework can be done before supper.
Consider
you child's developmental level when setting the amount of time for
homework. While high school students can focus for over an hour,
first-graders are unlikely to last more than 15 minutes on a single task.
Allow your child to take breaks, perhaps as a reward for finishing a section of
the work.
Organize
study and homework projects.
Get
a large calendar, one that allows space for jotting down things in the daily
boxes. Rip it apart so that you (and the child) can sequentially mount the
school months for the current semester. For example, you can tear off
September, October, November, December, and January and mount them from left to
right across one wall. Have the child use a bold color writing instrument (felt
tip pen) to mark exam dates in one color, reports that are coming due in a
different color, et cetera. This will serve as a reminder so that things aren't
set aside until the last dangerous moment.
Teach
your child that studying is more than just doing homework assignments.
One of the most misunderstood aspects of schoolwork is the difference between
studying and doing homework assignments. Encourage your child to do things
like:
Note-taking
is a critical skill and should be developed.
Many students don't know how to take notes in those classes that require them.
Some feel they have to write down every word the teacher says. Others have
wisely realized the value of an outline form of note-taking. Well prepared
teachers present their material in a format that lends itself to outline form
note taking..
Should
notes ever be rewritten?
In some cases, they should be, particularly if a lot of material was covered,
and the youngster had to write quickly but lacks speed and organization.
Rewriting notes takes time, but it can be an excellent review of the subject
matter. However, rewriting notes isn't worth the time unless they are used for
review and recall of important information.
A
home dictionary is essential,
but if it is kept on a shelf to gather dust, it won't do anyone any good. Keep
it in an accessible place and let your child see you refer to it from time to
time. If the family dictionary is kept in the living room and the child studies
in his room, get him an inexpensive dictionary for his exclusive use.
Good
dictionary, encyclopedia and organizational skills depend on the ability to
alphabetize. See if your child's teacher practices alphabetizing in
class. Try alphabetizing spelling words, family members' names or a few
favorite toys at home as a way of practicing.
Help
your child to feel confident for tests.
Taking tests can be a traumatic experience for some students. Explain to your
child that burning the midnight oil (cramming) the night before a test is not
productive. Better to get a good night's sleep. Students also need reminding
that when taking a test, they should thoroughly and carefully read the
directions before they haphazardly start to mark their test papers. They should
be advised to skip over questions for which they don't know the answers. They
can always return to those if there's time. Good advice for any student before
taking a test: take a deep breath, relax, and dive in. Always bring an extra
pencil just in case.
During
a homework session, watch for signs of frustration.
No
learning can take place and little can be accomplished if the child is angry or
upset over an assignment that is too long or too difficult. At such times the
parent may have to step in and simply halt the homework for that night,
offering to write a note to the teacher explaining the situation and perhaps
requesting a conference to discuss the quality and length of homework
assignments.
Should
parents help with homework?
Yes-if
it is clearly productive to do so, such as calling out spelling words or
checking a math problem that won't prove. No-if it is something the child can
clearly handle him and learn from the process. And help and support should
always be calmly and cheerfully given. Grudging help is worse than no help at
all!
Read
directions, or check over math problems after your child has completed the
work. Remember to make positive comments - you don't want your child to
associate homework with fights at home.
Model
research skills by involving your child in planning a family trip. Help
your child locate your destination on a map or atlas. Use traditional
encyclopedia or a CD-ROM to find information about the place you will visit;
try the Internet or books in the library.
How
best to handle report cards?
To save shocks and upsets, gently discuss from time to time "how things are
going at school- with your child. Something casual, such as "How did the
math test go?" "How did you do on the history report?" "How's your science
project coming along? Need any help?" are questions that aren't "third degree"
but indicate interest. Find out if it is a policy at your child's school to
send out "warning notices" when work isn't going well. Generally, such notices
require the parent's signature to verify that the parent has, indeed, been
alerted. This is the time to contact the teacher of the course, along with your
child, to learn what the difficulty may be. If such notices aren't sent, then
grades on projects and reports and from tests may be the sole source of
information short of what your child wishes to share. Be tuned in to statements
such as "He's an awful teacher," "She goes too fast," etc. This may be the
child's way of indicating frustration in understanding content or lack of study
time with the subject. However, be cautious in contacting teachers without your
child's approval or interest. It may disrupt good feelings between you and make
you seem to be interfering and spying.
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