Homework Help 101

Here is a tip from my "2 Hours 2 Sanity" Parent Homework Workshop.

These workshops are now held on Monday 7-9PM, Tuesday 1-3PM and Wednesday 10am-noon and private sessions at your home are available click here to register online or call (310)492-3121.

20 Minute Focus Per Subject (This works for all ages)
This suggestion will help everyone in the house in regards to homework. When a child is doing homework they should focus for 20 minutes straight on only one subject. The results of this type of focus are amazing.

You and your child will immediately see a difference. This does not mean that the parent does the homework. The parent should never do the homework.

Here is a suggested structure for the homework.

1. Both the parent and child should understand what concept is being taught in the homework. (Time: 1-3 minutes of review before starting.)
Homework is really just repetition of a specific concept. For example the concept of reducing fractions. 100% of the homework will be on that concept. Within that concept the student will have to add, subtract, multiply and divide. However, there is only one concept being taught - reducing fractions.

If the student wants to avoid the work then they will speak as if the concept was not taught. Understand that is all that was taught. It is not in the interest of the teacher to just hand out a piece of paper for homework. The homework is actually a guide to the parent of what was taught that day.

Maybe the student didn't pay attention? Maybe the teacher was awful? Maybe the student doesn't get it? This has to be understood before they start the work.

When a parent says, "the teacher didn't go over this..." then I suggest the parent contact the teacher with the child present. As you start to grab the phone an interesting change will occur. All of a sudden the child will remember. Once you get them to that point then they are ready to do the work.

Avoiding the work is really just a warm up for the child to actually do the work.

2. Give them 20 minutes to complete the work. (The parent should not be in the room during this period)
You will be amazed that they can and will do the work. Usually with about 5-10 minutes left over. If a concept is complex then they will need a break. They can then come back and do another 20 minute chunk of homework.

3. Reward them for the focus! It is the focus that generates results. Even if they only focus for a few minutes that is progress. Focus comes from practice. We are all wired to avoid work rather than to focus on it because we want to play.