Homework! Homework! Homework!

As 2012 begins and opening of school is rapidly approaching, I thought I’d share the following article that I found on homework that might interest Papa ‘Elima Ohana.  This article by Alisa Stoudt shares tips on how to make the homework experience a pleasant one.  As you already know, homework is assigned on a daily basis M-Th and the amount assigned follows the National Homework guidelines of 50-60 mins. for 5th Graders.  Homework is not assigned over the weekend or holidays for the most part, but there could be unusual circumstances that it may.  Here’s hoping for great homework experiences in 2012!

“How to Be A Homework Helper”

By Alisa Stoudt
No matter how much homework frustrates your child or brings battles to your home, it’s a fact of life. “Homework is used for four things,” says Cathy Vatterott, Associate Professor of Education at the University of Missouri, St. Louis. “Practice, pre-learning –to prepare kids for something that’s going to happen the next day, processing—to get them to reflect on something they learned in class, and checking for understanding.”

Kids often get frustrated and lose interest in their assignments. You can help. here’s a guide to being your child’s homework coach:

Homework Help in Elementary School
Help lay the groundwork for the rest of your child’s school career by guiding him through the homework process in elementary school—but let him do assignments on his own. “Homework is supposed to be the child’s job,” notes Vatterott. “Parents have to unhook a bit and see how much independence they can give to the kids.” Some tips:

Help establish a routine. Does he need a break after school? Should he dive right into assignments? Figure out together what works best for your child, and stick with it. Consistency will help prevent battles or trouble transitioning from one activity to the next.

Find the right environment. A well lit, quiet spot may be ideal for some kids, while others work better with a little noise. As long as the work gets done, be flexible with where and how your child does it.

Get her started, and then back off. Parents can help children interpret the directions of an assignment, but then they should let them complete it independently.

Review his work. Feel free to proofread and point out errors, but Vatterott warns that the kids should be the ones to fix them.

Don’t be the teacher. Homework is never supposed to be new learning so parents shouldn’t try to teach the concepts if the child doesn’t understand them. Parents won’t know how the concept was presented in class, and it also prevents the teacher from getting valuable feedback on the child’s understanding.

Don’t feel responsible. “Parents often think: ‘It’s my fault my child’s not learning, and if he doesn’t get the homework in, then I’m going to look like a bad parent,'” says Vatterott. “We need to get over that and realize it doesn’t have anything to do with us– it’s really about whether the child understands the assignments.”