Homework is not only a problem for students, but also family members. It causes great dissension in the family and has resulted in many unfruitful arguments with the parents shouting ‘You are grounded!’ Contrary to popular belief, families do play an important role in a student’s life and can certainly help the students with their homework. Thus, even the government has also agreed with it and the U.S congress has added another clause under the National Education which promotes the role of the parents in a student’s life by making them more involved. Even the Office of Educational Research and Improvement has come up with the Helping your child with Homework drive to enhance the role of the family members.
Why is homework necessary?
Before you delve into the area as to how you can help a student’s finish off their homework, it is necessary to understand why homework is so important in a child’s life. Many have argued for and against this, but have agreed to the fact that homework, in reasonable portions does help a child’s learning ability. They
- Help the students establish their academic goals.
- Help the students to lean better.
- Make the students practice.
- Help develop a positive attitude towards resolving and handling problems.
- Hone their research building skills.
- Make the students independent.
- Help with their memory.
Thus, homework is many ways is beneficial and with the correct parental support and guidance can help the students achieve better goals.
‘We can help everyone, but everyone can help someone.’
How can family members help?
There are innumerable ways in which family members can help the students to complete their homework. helping the students not only helps them complete the homework assigned by the teachers, but also develop a number of positive traits and life skills that will help them get through life smoothly. Listed below are some of the ways in which the family members can help and ensure that the students finish their homework.
Set a schedule
The first thing you need to ensure is that you make it clear that homework is of top priority. So set aside some time and develop a proper schedule based upon this. This helps the students get accustomed to the schedule and make sit a habit. However, make sure that the schedule is approved by the entire family and the student as well. Also, remember that no two households follow the same routine successfully. Also, it is based upon the student’s requirements. Like for example, a student who is active in sports might complete their homework at night, whereas some might do it right after school.
Carve out a space
The next thing that you need to ensure is that the student has the right amount of space with the appropriate resources to help them complete their assignments. It is necessary to go to a separate place, which is quiet on all fronts, to go do their assignment. This allows them to focus better on the task at hand. Also, the space should be comfortable enough for the student. Like for example, some students might need a proper table to sit down and concentrate on their homework, whereas others might just need the kitchen counter to complete their homework.
Get rid of distractions
If you want to make sure that the student completes their homework, it is necessary that you get rid of all the distractions present. Distractions don’t allow the students to focus and hamper their studies. When a student in your household works on their homework,
- Turn off the television
- Switch off phones and discourage them to answer their phone.
- Ensure there is no loud music on, or the student doesn’t have their headphones on.
- Keep the noise at your home down and ensure that everything is quiet.
- Take your relatives out, if you have them over, so that your child can complete their homework peacefully.
However, if it is beyond your control to mitigate the noise at home and get rid of the distractions then send your child to the library or some other quiet place to work on them.
Display interest
It is imperative that you display an interest in the activities and studies of the child. This can be done by asking them about school, learning more about the things they have learned, the amount of homework they have been assigned, etc. Try incorporating such conversations in between family discussions so that do not seem to be unnatural questions. Also, you can help them research on a particular topic or subject or read along with them too.
Monitor assignments
Along with taking a healthy interest in their studies, it is imperative that you observe their work as well. However, this depends upon various factors. It depends upon the students’ performance, the age group they belong to, how much help they need, their learning ability, etc. First you need to find out how much assignment the school is assigning and the time limit given. Accordingly approach them. Also, check the completed assignment. It has been noticed that students are keener to complete their homework if they are monitored.
Provide guidance
It is imperative that you do not do the homework for them, instead guide them through it. This can be done by making them more organized about their work, and by finding out how they are efficient. Create a checklist every week and make them tick out the completed ones. This will help track the assignments which are yet to be completed. Use effective study techniques to help your child’s memory and make them more efficient by completing their homework faster. Use flash cards, memory games, etc. to study.
Encourage
It is imperative that you encourage the student enough to inspire them to complete their homework encourage them to list down the number of things she needs to do per paper. Like for example, if they have an essay to write in English, ask them to write down the topic and their thoughts down on a piece of paper. Then inspire them to read enough and conduct enough research to make a stellar essay. In case they lose hope, make them take a break and approach them again.
Resolve problems
There will be a number of problems that your child might encounter while trying to complete their assignments. You need to resolve these problems. Like for example, you might not be able to comprehend the topic, or even ascertain the basic aim of being assigned such an assignment, or there is too much work assigned. In such cases, it is necessary to talk to the school and understand and explain your problems.
If the problems still persist, or you can’t make your child understand the necessity of completing the assignments or you can’t help your child out, then it imperative to seek out help. You can hire a tutor to help out your child or you can simply sign up with some online portal. Regardless, it is necessary for you to put in your sincere efforts and try help the student out in the hour of their need.
‘God helps those who are willing to help themselves. Those who are unwilling are left to contemplate the lesson.’