Parent Workshop: Help With the Homework Hassle

Monday morning, October 28, the Teaching and Learning Center invited parents within the Darlington and Rome communities to a workshop titled “Help with the Homework Hassle.”  Parents were given specific strategies they could implement to support their child’s learning.  Those strategies include:

- Provide a quiet, well-lit place to do homework.
- Ensure needed materials are available.
- Help with time management.
- Provide guidance, not answers. It is important that teachers know what the student knows based on the completed assignment. We know that giving answers to assignments does not help our children learn the material.
- Stay informed.
- Watch your child for signs of failure and frustration. Let your child take short breaks if you notice fatigue. Sometimes, it only takes a few minutes of running or jumping to clear a child’s mind in order for him to attend to an academic task. 

Other strategies parents can implement to support learning include encouraging children to read nightly. As we know, we become more proficient at what we practice. Be actively involved in conversations about your child’s reading. To be wholeheartedly present in those conversations, ask your child to tell you about his book. Be aware of the moment, of the time you spend with your child. As you are reading with your child and he miscalls a word, correct him and then ask him to reread the sentence again. This will give the practice he needs to pay attention to details and to grasp the whole meaning of the text. It will also ensure he is maintaining comprehension.

Another helpful, lifelong strategy is to get in the habit of checking daily and weekly assignments. This helps children to stay organized and to plan ahead. Personally, I have always kept an agenda. In fact, my sons give me grief because my constant reply to their requests is, “Let me check my agenda.” Ask them at any moment though, who maintains order and structure in the Hicks household. Children yearn for this structure and order. By teaching them to follow the assignment page and looking ahead to plan accordingly, we are providing lifelong skills that they will carry with them into adulthood, just as I do. 

Finally, maintain open lines of communication with your child’s teacher. Teachers want our children to be successful. Through open lines of communication, there is little room for misunderstanding. Also, it is important for parents to refrain from teaching strategies and shortcuts that conflict with the approach the teacher has taught. Finally, praise your child for being responsible and conscientious when completing assignments. Nothing builds self-esteem like praise from parents.