Homework Help
Lesson 2: Help for Teachers
Addressing Problems at School
Clearly for a homework program to be successful, teachers need to partner with parents and enlist their help in setting up good homework routines at home. The next lesson will give parents some ideas to make homework time easier for their children, and for themselves. In this section, we'll look at some ways teachers can address problems that come up at school, and hopefully avoid problems at home.
Attention to detail
When giving out homework assignments, give very clear directions and be sure that students understand the assignment. Take the time to review the assignment with the students, to perhaps do a sample problem or two with the class, and to answer questions that students may have. Don't give hastily decided last-minute homework just to give an assignment. It is better not to assign homework in a given subject than to assign some without forethought, or without giving clear instructions.
After giving out your assignment, be very sure that students have recorded it correctly in their assignment pad or planner. I found that this was perhaps the most frequent cause of homework issues at home. If students don't clearly understand the assignment and clearly write it down, it can lead to many problems at home. Students who misunderstand the assignment may do the wrong assignment, or more work than they need to. They may spend more time trying to figure out the assignment and that will lead to frustration for both the student and the parent. Being sure students are properly recording assignments can be a big step in eliminating homework problems at home.
Partner with Parents
Enlisting parents' support for your homework program is vital. Early in the year, communicate your homework policy and that of your school to parents. Take time at Back-to-School night to explain your expectations - why you give homework, how you grade it, and what parents can do to help.
Document problems that develop right away - and communicate those problems to parents early on. Don't let a homework problem "go" until parent-teacher conferences in November.
If a child is having a problem with homework, talk to the parent and investigate the cause. I've always found that if parents and teacher are on the "same page" regarding homework and assignments, there is no chance for students to manipulate that information, or try to "play" the teacher against the parent in an attempt to avoid doing the homework.
The importance of this was brought home to me on several occasions, but this one stands out in my mind. I was teaching fifth grade at the time and had given the students an assignment of doing some at-school research at the library and making report posters in class. One student, a somewhat chronic homework avoider, went home and told his mother he had "all this research to do" and created such a scene at home because he didn't have materials and needed to go to the library...you can well imagine the situation. Well, Mom, being very frustrated, wrote me a very angry note about how much homework I was giving the class, and how unfair the assignment was. As I read her note, I could easily see why she was upset - I would be, too, since her son had completely misinterpreted the assignment. I called her and she was extremely surprised to hear my explanation that the assignment was going to be done in school, and no trips to the library or extra books were needed. Her son was just attempting to divert her attention from his actual homework with his version of the in-school assignment. Happily, we resolved the situation, and she agreed to check in with me if the assignments seemed to be out of line in the future.
If a student does develop a problem with completing homework assignments, having parents sign planners, or actual homework itself is one way to get parents involved. The important part is getting the parents involved!
When contacting a parent, here are a few things to keep in mind:
1. Be clear when describing the problem.
2. Keep documentation - how many assignments were missed and what they are
3. Ask for parent input (more on this in a moment).
4. Discuss differences in your perception and the parent's.
5. Make a plan for correcting the problem. Be clear as to what you will do and what the parent will do.
6. Check back often to assess the situation.
As to getting parent input - I can't stress that enough. Here's just one more story of how miscommunication can become a real problem for teachers and parents.
I was teaching fifth grade at the time, and I was approached by a parent who was concerned about the length of time her daughter was spending on homework. She told me that just the other evening the daughter had spend four hours doing her homework. Earlier in my career, I would have begun looking at the reasons for that - perhaps the assignments were not understood, or the child had not grasped the concepts of the day's lesson - all good troubleshooting ideas. But my experience had taught me to ask the mother to describe the homework session. Here's what she said:
"My daughter began her homework around 4. She worked for about half an hour, and then her Grandmother came over. They played until dinner at 5:30, and then she went out for ice cream with Grandma. When they got back about 7:15, she continued her homework which she finished at 8 just in time for TV. That is four hours - from 4 to 8!" True story.
Of course, only about an hour and 15 minutes was actual homework time, but in this mom's mind, her daughter began at 4 and was still doing homework at 8 - so it was taking her four hours to do! Asking that question gave me a real insight into the situation, and I could offer useful suggestions like set a certain time for homework and be sure it is done before going out for ice cream with Grandma!
The more you can identify and address problems at school, the easier doing homework will be for your students.
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