Lesson 7: Lesson 7 - Surviving the School Years
Designing a Homework Routine
Find a place in the home that is quiet, has adequate lighting, and a large enough area to spread out papers and books. Make this the designated place to do homework. This can sometimes be a challenge with limited living spaces, and it might be in a room that is used by many people. If it is, put restrictions on the use of TV and/or sound equipment, and of course there should not be any phone calls or visits from friends or play by siblings. While this may be difficult, it stresses the importance you are putting on school and learning, and once the routine has been established, the family won’t think anything about it.
Set a regular time to do homework every day and religiously stick to it. Having a regular time establishes routine and helps to reduce arguments. Use a clock as a reminder and check periodically to see if your child is on track. Break homework into small segments, and maybe schedule brief breaks in between. In the beginning, fifteen minutes at a time may be all they can do without a break. Increase it later as study habits become more routine. If you record their study time on a chart, it can help your child see the progress he is making. While he may ask for, and you may need to give him some help, keep encouraging him. You want him to know that you have faith in his abilities to do his work. Use the “when/then” principle. When they finish study time, then they can engage in other activities.
Set some time aside to talk to your child about school. This should be a time to encourage him and find out how he feels he is doing. Eliminate any nagging, guilt trips or comparisons. Go over his homework assignments with him every day. Read over directions and be sure he understands what they say and what is expected from him. Homework assignments can be overwhelming, especially long assignments that carry over more than a day. Besides breaking assignments into manageable pieces, working the first problems with him can help identify trouble spots. Offer assistance as they go along if they need it along with lots of encouragement. Set attainable goals each day for the amount of work that needs to be accomplished. If the homework assignments are just more than he can finish, talk to his teacher about reducing the quantity while focusing on the quality.
Don’t forget to provide incentives. There is nothing wrong with rewarding work that is completed, even though homework is considered mandatory. Set goals and reward them. Rewards can be money, extra telephone time, etc.
SCHOOL WORK BETWEEN SCHOOL AND HOME
A homework report form can help reduce the forgetting of homework assignments. This form should have the child’s name at the top, the date and a place for each subject to be listed along with the assignments. The teacher should sign it at the bottom if all the assignments that are due have been copied down. When the assignments have been completed at home they can be checked off and the parents sign it at the bottom. This could be in the form of a daily assignment notebook instead of individual forms.
Get a three-ring binder that has three pocket folders. Label the pocket folders: Work to be Completed; Completed Work; and Papers to Save. All homework, work that hasn’t been completed, papers to be signed, etc. should go in the first Folder. All completed work and signed papers that need to be returned to school should go into the second one and the last folder should include any work that has been corrected and brought home to file in a more permanent place. Scotch tape weekly homework assignment sheets on the inside cover of the notebook. When your child finishes his homework help him put all the papers back in place. Ask his teacher, if she can check his notebook before he leaves for home, or if she can assign a buddy that can help remind him to have all the things he needs before leaving school.
A backpack used just for school supplies is important. When assignments are finished at home, a ritual of putting everything back in that backpack should occur immediately after homework is completed. Place the backpack by the door. Place the coat they normally wear to school beside it so in the morning it will be ready to go. Such routines can eliminate a lot of early morning hassle.
