Mrs. Jansonius - OES Counselor: Monthly Article

September Newsletter

by Sheila Jansonius

August 31, 2007

Homework and Good Study Habits

Develop a routine.

Routines are important, especially for young kids. It is best to have your child do his/her homework at the same time every day. Meals and bedtime are at regular times, and giving homework the same consideration gives it equal importance. The time will vary from household to household. A half hour after arriving home from school gives children time for a snack, but not time to get involved in other activities. If you feel playtime is essential after being in class for the day, then set a time for children to do their homework after they have had some time to play. The difficulty here is getting the child to stop playing and start working. Work should usually come before play, especially if the child is having difficulty remembering or completing assignments. Avoid doing homework right before bedtime. Then, both parents and children may be tired and crabby.

Clarify your expectations.

Expect your child to do his or her best, but be realistic. Being overly critical can demoralize and distance children from adults and lead to low self-esteem, apathy or resentment.

Talk with teachers.

Don't wait until parent-teacher conferences. Communicate your concerns with your child's teacher. Most teachers will share ideas on ways to help your child study.

“I already did my homework.”

Sometimes children act as though they have already completed their homework when, in fact, they have not. When this happens, parents need to take a few additional steps. If the homework is something like math that can be checked, allow the child to go out to play only after the homework has been checked and approved. Reading is another matter. It is easy for children to pretend they have read an assignment. Check this by taking the child's reading material and glancing through it to find a few questions to ask him/her. If your child is not bringing work home from school, ask the teacher if work is getting done.

Find a quiet place to study.

Turn off the TV so there are no distractions. Studies have repeatedly shown that most people learn better in a quiet atmosphere. Be willing to help, but don't do your child's work. Make sure supplies are available such as paper, pencils, erasers, etc.

Sleep is important.

Proper sleep is critical to healthy functioning of mind and body.

Study habits begin at an early age.

The earlier good habits can be instilled in kids, the better. Good study habits begin with parents willing to model good habits themselves. If children see their parents reading, they'll be more likely to want to read. It's too easy for parents to say “go study” and then keep watching TV. Show an interest and let them share what they have learned.