Day after day, kids bring homework home.
For parents, it can be a struggle just to get them to sit down and do it. Kelly MacPherson, a second-grade teacher at Most Blessed Sacrament Catholic School in Berlin, stops by the DelmarvaLife studio to give us some tips on how to get the most out of homework time.
- Communication – It is so important to have parent-teacher communication. Also, parent-child communication is important as well. If your child is struggling it could be academically or their environment.
- Consistency – Establishing a routine at home is important. Kelly says some students need a “brain break” when they get home which is not getting into homework right away. Instead give them a snack or have playtime. But Kelly says some students are opposite. There are some students who need to stay in the mindset of learning and do their homework as soon as they get home. Find a routine that works best for your child.
- Location – Designate a location in your home for homework time. This area should be a table of some sort and include pencils and other resources needed for your child to complete their homework. It should be the same location each day. Kelly says it’s important to eliminate distractions in this designated location also.
- Learning Style – If your child is struggling with an assignment, you should cater to their learning style. Are they a visual learner or kinaesthetic learner? Play to their strengths.
- Extrinsic Motivation – Rewarding your child for doing their homework. Examples could be a reward system such as a chart. Kelly says talk to your child’s teacher because they may already have a rewards program set up in the classroom.
