Mrs. Baird's

          Homework Hints

 

Homework is often one of the most difficult things for parents of school age children to deal with.  It can be a source of nightly battles.  Yuck!! the suggestions below are tried and true.  They may sound idealistic, but they work! Don't feel bad if you can't always set up the perfect situation.  I know that may teachers (including me!) have had their own children finishing homework at the last minute in the car.  Try some of these suggestions.

 

• Choose a study area at home.  This should meet YOUR child's needs.  Some children can work with music, others can't.  Some children need a soft chair and others need a straight chair and a desk or table.

• Schedule homework time. Be realistic. Most children don't want to miss their favorite program.  Schedule that in as well as other activities.  On Mondays, your child may start homework as soon as he gets home.  On Tuesday, study time may begin after supper.  Once your schedule is set, stick to it.  Send the message that homework is important.

• Have your child work on his own.  This is often very difficult.  Teach this skill by setting a timer.  Have your child work for ten minutes on his own.  Then you can check his work.  If he comes to a difficult problem, encourage him to skip it until the ten minutes are up.  At that time you can go back over difficult problems together.  If your child needs frequent breaks, allow him to take a break after the ten minutes while you check over his work.

• Create a "Homework Drop Spot". This should be a convenient place that is easy to "spot" on your way out the door.  Your child will always put his book bag, completed homework, notes, etc. in that spot.  This habit should eliminate forgotten work.

• Praise your child for his efforts.  Be specific.  "This paper is very neat.  It shows me that you are taking your time.  Thanks for the great effort!"  "I really like the way you've been so responsible about getting your homework done.  You're doing a terrific job!"

• If your child has continuing difficulty with homework or if it is taking too long, talk to the teacher.  The teacher can work with you to come up with individualized solutions.

 

There are many resources on the Internet.  These are links to websites that have educational games for students.

 

 

www.starfall.com                                    www.gonoodle.com                         www.coolmath4kids.com

 

www.storylineonline.net                          www.abcya.com                              www.pbskids.org                   

 

coolmathgames.com                              www.funbrain.com                           www.seussville.com

 

 

There are many educational websites available.  These are just a few sites and are not intended to reflect any affiliation or recommendation.  Internet information changes frequently.  Should you find any information on these sites that are inappropriate, please contact me.