Some Homework Tips

I'm taking full advantage of some of the posts from the Blogs I follow.  This one was originally published in 2017 on Understood.com

Its title (Teacher Tip: 5 Ways to Use Slow Processing Speed Accommodations at Home) could be misleading so I've distilled some of the ideas that would apply to just about every elementary student.

I have mixed feelings about homework, especially in the younger grades, but certainly daily reading at home (and being accountable for it) is a must.  And there are always those projects that need more time at home.

Here goes:

1. Avoid the timer for homework completion.  For some kids, working to the clock, totally works.  It brings out the competitor in them (and it works, as longs as 'beating the clock' does not impact the quality of the work!) For others, it adds undue anxiety to what can be an already stressful assignment. Instead, stick to a routine of x number of minutes (build in some breaks) per task.  
1. Bring your child in on this decision-making (see post about Developing Self-Determination).  Together, set a time limit of how long to stay on task for any one assignment.
2. Same old (place); same old (time). Whenever possible, stick to the routine of doing the homework in the same place and at the same time (not always possible but it's a goal). Keep to a routine of what to do first as well (should it be the Home Reading, or spelling, or Math).  Again, help your child make these decisions and then stick to them.  And if the decisions don't work, or need to be changed up, it's a chance for another discussion about decision-making!
3. Watch the time. This is where a timer works for you.  There are guidelines* for how long a student should spend on homework, depending on grade level and your school board.  When a task is taking too long, or your child is becoming too frustrated for any productive work, call it quits.  Send a note to the teacher explaining how it all went down.  That's helpful for the teacher - she/he now knows that this is a task that probably needs some more class time (it could also be that the student was having difficulty focusing during class time and therefore missed key elements in what was needed to complete the homework task but that's another post!!)
4. Keep it simple. The younger the child, the fewer number of steps in any one set of instructions.  Too many at one time, and it's overwhelming.  Give short, simple instructions, and only one or two at a time; ramp it up as your child develops that skill set of retaining multiple steps.  Rather than, "Hang your coat up, take out your agenda, and then let's get a snack." why not try, "After you hang your coat up, open up your backpack."  When that's done, add, "Now find your lunch boxes and your agenda." (And hopefully there is an agenda or Communication Log in there because you're using the End of Day Buddy System - see earlier post).  

* Homework guidelines statement from a school in York Region: Teachers will: Ensure that homework is appropriate for each age group and includes reading; as a rule, the expected time for homework shall be (10 minutes) X (the grade level)  For example, in Grade 2: 2x 10=20 minutes.

Find the complete set of guidelines for the school here.

What's worked for you?