Expect that your child will have homework every night. This does not mean that s/he will have "written" work to do each and every night, but it includes reading a book and/or studying for upcoming tests. The general "rule-of-thumb" is that the amount of homework assigned averages to 10 minutes per evening per grade level (meaning, 1st Grade=10 minutes per night all the way up to 5th Grade=50 minutes per night). This is an average, so there will be evenings with more or less minutes. If you notice that your child has either NO homework on a consistent basis, or is needing TOO MUCH time to complete homework per night, contact the teacher to discuss this concern. It might be that there are issues related to work habits, or that there is an issue with understanding a concept that is getting in the way.
Here are some "tips" that you might find helpful as you support your child's efforts to develop strong work habits:
(taken from the U.S. Department of Educaiton website)
- Make sure your child has a quiet, well-lit place to do homework.
Avoid having your child do homework with the television on or in places with other distractions, such as people coming and going. - Make sure the materials your child needs, such as paper, pencils and a dictionary, are available.
Ask your child if special materials will be needed for some projects and get them in advance. - Help your child with time management.
Establish a set time each day for doing homework. Don't let your child leave homework until just before bedtime. Think about using a weekend morning or afternoon for working on big projects, especially if the project involves getting together with classmates. - Be positive about homework.
Tell your child how important school is. The attitude you express about homework will be the attitude your child acquires. - When your child does homework, you do homework.
Show your child that the skills they are learning are related to things you do as an adult. If your child is reading, you read too. If your child is doing math, balance your checkbook. - When your child asks for help, provide guidance, not answers.
Giving answers means your child will not learn the material. Too much help teaches your child that when the going gets rough, someone will do the work for him or her. - When the teacher asks that you play a role in homework, do it.
Cooperate with the teacher. It shows your child that the school and home are a team. Follow the directions given by the teacher. - If homework is meant to be done by your child alone, stay away.
Too much parent involvement can prevent homework from having some positive effects. Homework is a great way for kids to develop independent, lifelong learning skills. - Stay informed.
Talk with your child's teacher. Make sure you know the purpose of homework and what your child's class rules are. - Help your child figure out what is hard homework and what is easy homework.
Have your child do the hard work first. This will mean he will be most alert when facing the biggest challenges. Easy material will seem to go fast when fatigue begins to set in. - Watch your child for signs of failure and frustration.
Let your child take a short break if she is having trouble keeping her mind on an assignment. - Reward progress in homework.
If your child has been successful in homework completion and is working hard, celebrate that success with a special event (e.g., pizza, a walk, a trip to the park) to reinforce the positive effort.
Also.......Here is a helpful "Hotline" that offers support for Science and Math (for grades 6-12):
Rose-Hulman’s Homework Hotline
If you ever get stuck on a difficult Math or Science homework problem, help is available! In the evenings, Indiana students in grades 6-12 can turn to Rose-Hulman’s Homework Hotline for free Math and Science homework help.
The Homework Hotline is open during the months of September through May from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., Sundays through Thursdays. This service can be reached by calling toll-free at 1-877-ASK-ROSE.
Homework Hotline tutors are Rose-Hulman college students chosen and trained to work with Middle and High School students of all academic levels. Tutors have access to Math and Science textbooks used by Indiana students, computers, and the Internet. They help students work through their homework problems and guide them in learning more about a subject. Tutors do not do the work for the students nor give them the answers. Instead, they help student arrive at the correct solutions. Last year, tutors answered nearly 42,000 calls. About 76 percent of the calls were from students needing help with math homework.
Students who call the Homework Hotline will be asked to give their first name only and the name of their school. They should have the following items handy before calling:
Homework assignment
- Textbook (if available)
- Paper
- Pen or Pencil
- Calculator (if needed)
The Homework Hotline is sponsored by Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and Lilly Endowment, Inc.