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Homework is something everyone seems to be
fighting over these days. At some point, almost
every parent, teacher, or kid gets caught up in a
battle of paperwork, stress, and heartache. Kids
don’t like homework, don’t see the value in it,
and do everything they can to put it off. Parents
wonder why their kids have so much work to do at
home, aren’t sure how to help or even if they
should, and feel as though they get little support
from teachers. Teachers wonder how much homework
they should give, whether or not the homework was
done by the parent or the student, and feel as
though there's little support at home.
Opening clear lines of communication is essential.
As a teacher, I encourage students to ask me
questions about their homework if they are
confused and to communicate my responses back to
their parents as well. I also encourage parents to
contact me, especially at the beginning of a new
term, if they have questions about their role in
supporting their kids with work at home. Too
often, when my students go home to re-write their
essays or reviews, a parent gets involved and
makes broad changes that alter the work
dramatically or take away a student’s voice. This
is the not the kind of support I’m looking for.
When the teacher doesn’t clearly express the
purpose and parameters of homework of assignments,
students and parents make assumptions that often
cause undue stress. Before homework comes home,
here are a few general items you should discuss
with your child’s teacher(s):
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What is the purpose of the homework?
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What are the requirements and expectations?
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What is the teacher’s learning objective for the
assignments?
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How will homework be evaluated?
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How should you support your child at home?
When evaluating homework assignments, here are
three important things to keep in mind:
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Homework should be within your child’s range
of abilities for independent work. Is
everyone clear that your child can do the
independent work that has been assigned?
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Homework should be an extension of the
classroom, not a repetition of what was done in
the classroom. How are the assignments
connected to what your child is doing in class?
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Homework should be manageable and goal
directed. How long should the homework take?
What specific goals is the homework helping your
child reach?
If you find your child struggling consistently
with homework, contact the teacher immediately.
Tell the teacher how long homework is taking and
where the problems are occurring. Going to the
teacher with general complaints about the homework
load will not solve problems. Opening a clear and
honest dialog about specific issues will.
Teacher’s don’t intentionally pile on homework to
make life for children miserable but it can easily
become that way. Fight the urge to do the work for
your kids. Instead, encourage them to do as much
as they can, and then, if problems arise
repeatedly, contact the teacher to get specific
advice. This is the best way to avoid casualties
in the battle over homework.
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