SAS kidz

Helping your children with their homework.

The covid epidemic has resulted in a lot of frustrated parents. For a lucky few, homework is a walk in the park whilst for the rest of us it is a series of gruelling arguments and questions. Is my child performing badly? How do I explain fractions or division? Is her reading ok? Why is ‘high’ and ‘hi’ not the same word and why is b-r-i-g-h-t bright but h-i-g-h-t is not height?

I am going to share tips to help you help your child with their homework.

1. Be involved and be positive

Take a deep breath and be present. Studies show parent involvement in their child’s education drastically affects the outcome positively. Homework, PTA meetings, sports… Breathe, show up and tackle them with an attitude you would love your child to model. Be positive. Be willing to learn, try new things, break things down and do away with all negative attitudes. You have a little human watching you and waiting to learn the correct attitudes to stuff that is ‘difficult’ or ‘unknown’. Attack that homework like your life depended on it and do away with attitudes like your teacher should have taught you this, it’s your homework not mine and I don’t know.

2. Have a routine to answering questions

Read the question twice.

What are they asking?

What do I know?

3. Research and be aware of the content

Let’s face it. We did sounds and long division eons ago. So much so we don’t even remember how we learned them. We just know that’s how it’s done. To make your life easier research. Be aware of what chapters contain what topics and instead of answering per question at homework time, which puts you on the spot, have the whole chapter brewing in your head. Just by slightly glancing through the book on Sunday, you are preparing yourself better for the week. You can ask the teacher for tips, workmates, Mr Google, or simply just prepare your brain to break down the content.

4. Model learning behaviour

The sweet spot we all try to achieve. If your kid has a problem, they can’t work out you can sit down and model, or work out how you would do it in front of your child. Then complete the next one together and then have the child have a go at the third alone.

5. Note where they have difficulties

It is important to be active and present so you can note difficult areas and discuss with their teacher. How to solve them. Is there a need for concern?

6. Understanding your role as a parent

You want your child to succeed. Homework to you reflects how well they are doing in class and inevitably how well they will do in life. That’s a lot of pressure. Instead, help your child see homework as an opportunity to learn something new. For example, if your child has to make a Christmas card, focus on the skills they develop whilst making the card rather than having the best card in the class. Say things like 'i want you to be creative as possible', 'What are we trying to learn today?' Find a way to move away from pressure points and move to making homework not a measure of how much they know but rather a task to be handled, google the unknown using the internet or index of books are good habits, tackle it better the next day! Ask 'where are we failing?'. 'How do correct that .'😊

Has this been helpfully? How are we coping with homework, online learning and the ever changing curriculums and methods.