by Pat Lamb (Author of: Let the Children Come; Children, Come to Me; When the Stars Fall Down; Widening the Church Doors to Teach the Narrow Way; My Thinking Book; Love is…) Books are available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, www.patlambchristianauthor.com
Train up a child…
Helping Kids with Homework
Teachers do not have enough time in the classroom to give children enough practice in skills learned to “make it stick”. Homework is a method of giving that practice and providing an opportunity to enhance the material covered in the classroom. Many parents find themselves at a loss as to how to best help their children with their homework.
Children can be helped greatly to do their homework by having a special time and place to work. Routine is important for helping a child to remember as well as helping that child feel more secure in knowing what to do. A child feels great when sensing a feeling of accomplishment and knowing that the right thing has been done.
Every child should have a special place to belong to him/her. Even if that special place is a cardboard box made into a desk, it is the child’s and the child’s alone. I knew one person who placed a desk in a closet under a stairwell. The door could be closed and complete privacy was provided. A place should be chosen by the child. Perhaps a sign saying, “My thinking place,” could be placed at this spot. If there is absolutely no private place, a portable sign could be made and put on the kitchen table while the child is doing homework to let others know to respect that place. Additional little signs could be made and posted around a desk or special place. One sign might read, “I may not make an ‘A’, but I will do my best!” The child chooses a time each day to do homework at the “Thinking place”. Since we are always trying to help children learn to make responsible decisions, the child can choose to do his/her homework in chunks or all at once. Each child is different. Some children like snacks; some do not. Some children like noise; some do not. Some educators believe that classical music enhances learning. A music player of classical music only should be allowed. TV or radio should be turned off during homework time.
When homework is finished, the child should put it in the backpack for school the next day. That should become a routine. In the event that the child does not remember to take the homework to school, unless there are special circumstances, the parent should not take it, but rather the parent should allow the student to experience the consequences of his/her actions.
One idea is to give the child a little bell to ring for help on homework. There is a danger of a parent wanting to throw that bell as far as possible. If this happens, simply take the bell away. If it isn’t overdone, the child feels a sense of self-sufficiency by determining when help is needed. At the same time, the child is being taught to think for self and not depend on someone else. By doing satisfactory work alone, self-esteem is enhanced. Under no circumstances should a parent do a child’s homework. It is good if the parent is patient and can explain things, especially if real life situations are used as examples to make the work more meaningful. If the homework is too difficult, the teacher should be informed and steps need to be taken to put the child in a class where a feeling of accomplishment can be experienced. When children are pushed into work they cannot handle, they get in deeper and deeper water and become discouraged. It is akin to adults in jobs they cannot handle and yet are expected to perform satisfactorily. When a parent signs off on work that is not done, the teacher assumes that it was done and expects the child to perform accordingly. This makes it more difficult on the child.
There is little in life more satisfying than knowing that a job is well done. When a child does homework, a clear conscience is experienced and the child is happier. When we “fudge” for the child, we are causing harm to the child even though intentions may be good.