Practical Ways to Help
1. Provide a quiet environment
Provide a quiet, well lit study area. Avoid distractions such as the television and
loud music. Encourage other family members to be quiet, especially youngsters.
2. Have a Regular Homework Routine
Obviously household routines differ. Late at night is rarely a good time to study,
as children are tired. You may need to be flexible if your child attends outside activities.
Try to get a balance, but homework is a priority. If it is being rushed then consider
reducing after school commitments or television viewing. Having a routine helps to
avoid excuses such as "I'll do it after this programme" or "I forgot." It is important
that a child learns to take responsibility rather than having to rely on reminders.
Also do not expect your child to work on an empty stomach. No-one works well when
they are hungry.
3. Praise Effort and Achievement
It is vital to praise a child for his or her efforts and achievements. Positive
comments are more effective than critical ones. A child can become disaffected
if continually reminded of shortcomings. Building self-esteem is very important
if a child is to try with school work.
4. Show an Interest
Make time to talk about school in daily conversations. Take your child to the
library if he or she needs to access reference materials such as books and CD-Roms.
Librarians can also guide your child where to look for information. You can give
your child a good start if you read with your child and discuss current reading
books, at least up to the age of eleven.
5. Provide Equipment
Ensure your child has basic equipment such as pens, pencils, a ruler, erasers,
a dictionary and writing paper. Other useful items could include paper clips, a
calculator, scissors, glue, a thesaurus and sticky tape. These should be kept
together. Homework bags are a good idea because books can be carried to and
from school safely.
Personal computers are not vital to successful home study, they obviously have
great benefits in terms of being able to access information quickly from CD Roms
or Internet.
6. Set a Good Example
Children's attitudes to homework are mainly influenced by their parents' guidance
and examples. They are more likely to want to study if they see you reading and
writing. Remember that educational visits can also support learning.
7. Monitor Homework
Obviously how closely children need to be monitored is dependent on several factors:
- the age of the child
- how able your child is academically
- how independently your child is able to work
It is a good idea to check homework over. It is important to remember that the
homework is not yours, but your child's. If you do the assignments you are not
helping him or her to become an independent learner. Discuss with your child's
teacher what support is expected from you.