January, February and March are the best learning times of the year. Children are more focused after the holidays, and the opportunity for quality learning time at school and home increases with the short days and cold weather. Students are at the height of the school curriculum. Teachers often increase the homework load during this time of year.

Homework is meant to reinforce learning and help students to master specific skills.
Homework can help students develop study skills that will be of value even after they leave school. It can teach them that learning takes place anywhere, not just in the classroom. It can help develop independence, responsibility and good time management.

Parent involvement can have a positive impact on the value of homework if you follow these general homework tips:

1. Make sure your child has a quiet, well-lit place to do homework without distractions.
2. Make sure the materials your child needs such as paper, pencils, and a dictionary are available.
3. Help your child with time management. Establish a routine required homework hour whenever possible. Don’t leave homework until bedtime.
4. Be positive and encouraging about homework. The attitude you express about homework will be the attitude your child acquires.
5. When your child does homework, you do homework. Show your child that the skills he is learning are related to things you do as an adult. For example, if your child is doing math, balance your checkbook.
6. When your child asks for help, provide guidance, not answers. Too much help teaches your child that when the going gets rough, someone will do the work for him or her. Ask questions that will help your child develop good problem solving skills.
7. Help your child do the hardest subject or task first. This will mean he will be most alert when facing his biggest challenge. Once fatigue sets in, your child will not cope as well with challenging work.
8. If homework is meant to be done by your child alone, back away. Too much parent involvement can prevent homework from being a positive experience. Homework is a great way to help kids develop independent, lifelong learning skills.
9. Stay informed. Communicate with your child’s teacher so that you know the purpose of homework and to show your child that the school and home are a team.
10. Set short and long term goals with your child for learning. Incentive charts help. Earning a privilege or a one-on-one outing are great rewards.

If you have difficulty working with your child, or if either of you become repeatedly frustrated with one another, it is time to press the “pause” button and revisit homework a little later. If you do not work well together, then it might be time to seek out a qualified tutor to help your child on a regular basis. We have the answer for that!