Practical Parenting Presents Homework Help: Strategies, Time Management and Organization Skills

Practical Parenting Presents

Homework Help: Strategies, Time Management and

Organization Skills

Presented by: Melissa Seal

School Counselor: Franklinton Primary School

DO ANY OF THESE SOUND FAMILIAR? Nightly battles over when homework will be done

“Forgetting” to bring his/her homework assignments home

Your child rushes through homework assignments

Your child takes forever to finish his/her assignments

Your child insists he/she is able to do homework while watching TV, talking on the phone, etc

The first time you hear about a project is the night before it is due…and it isn’t finished

GOAL:To help make homework time with your child less challenging and more productive by sharing strategies for promoting academic success by:

1. making it a positive experience

2. motivating your child

3. teaching organization skills and time management

Learning is how we acquire new

information. Memory is the process that results in storage of learned information. Learning and memory are fundamentally

related:

.

After R. Lynch, 2004. <http://www.colorado.edu/epob/epob3730rlynch/image/figure17-4.jpg>

new information

short term memory

Practice

usually lost rapid retrieval

forgetting remembering

slower retrieval

new information

short term memory

long term memory

Practice

usually lost rapid retrieval

forgetting remembering

slower retrieval

new information

short-term memory

long-term memory

practice

usually lost rapid retrieval

forgetting remembering

slower retrieval

Many researchers believe that short-term memory lasts for less than 30 seconds, just

long enough to perform a simple task, like dialing a phone number you just looked up in

the phone book.

new information

short-term memory

long-term memory

practice

usually lost rapid retrieval

forgetting remembering

slower retrieval

Read the following sequence silently, pausing at each dash:

MT-VVC-RC-IAU-SAB-MW

Look away from the page and write down any letters

from this sequence that you can remember.

Here’s a test of your short-term memory.

Now, read the following sequence silently, again pausing at each dash:

MTV-VCR-CIA-USA-BMW

Look away from the page and write down any letters

from this sequence that you can remember.

Take another look at the two sequences:

MT-VVC-RC-IAU-SAB-MW

MTV-VCR-CIA-USA-BMW

Notice anything?

The letters are the same in each sequence.

Yet, you most likely found it a lot easier to remember the second sequence. Why?

Most people can hold about 7 meaningful pieces of information in their short-term memory. Meaningful

pieces of information could be numbers, words, faces, objects, or any other “chunks” of

information.

While short-term memory is important, it is long-term memory that really matters

when it comes to learning.

How does short-term memory become long-term memory?

Source: http://www.stanford.edu/dept/news/stanfordtoday/ed/9811/9811iti01.shtml

Practice (also called rehearsal) of information is required to convert short-term memory into long-term memory. Without practice, short-term memory is forgotten.

new information

short-term memory

long-term memory

practice

usually lost rapid retrieval

forgetting remembering

slower retrieval

Practice?

That sounds a lot like Homework

And Studying

WHY IS HOMEWORK IMPORTANT?

Homework affects achievement at school.

Homework teaches your child responsibility.

Link between home and school.

MAKE STUDY TIME A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE

Be interested: Make time to talk about school and learning in family

conversations.

Attend school activities, get to know their teacher & friends. This shows your child that his home and school are a team!

Praise your child’s efforts. Hug or Pat on the shoulder will increase impact. Give praise (do not add “but, and, or”). Children often

remember the last part of the sentence and not the beginning. Help build their self-esteem. Display good work

****Never use study time as a punishment!****

MAKE HOMEWORK TIME A POSITIVE

EXPERIENCE….HOW? Homework time=Study time

Set up a proper STUDY AREA:

Let them have a sense of control. LOCATION? Choose a well-lit location together. DO NOT DISTRUB sign HOMEWORK KIT

Homework Survival Kit*Pencils *Sharpener*Crayons *Paper*Scissors *Glue *Note cards *Hole punch*Pens *Ruler*Eraser *Timer *Tape *Stapler

POSITIVE EXPERIENCE & STUDY SKILLS:

Reading Read to your child Listen to your child read Library Build a library of their own Kid magazines Encourage your kids to write stories of their own Turn off the TV and read together Discuss questions, connections, using mental

images while reading

HOMEWORK TIME:

Grades K-3 Check your child’s backpack/homework folder

each day Check for necessary materials in kit Announce when study time begins Read directions together and help child get

started by doing first problem together Be available for help Praise and encourage

Grades 4-5 Check to see if child is doing HW during study

time Encouragement: Emphasize your confidence in

child’s ability to do the work on their own. Be available and give assistance only after

he/she makes and effort on their own. Look over completed assignments.

MOTIVATION IDEAS: Beat the Clock: “If you get your work completed with

mostly correct answers before the timer goes off, then you get….

Spinner “Each time you complete your work, you earn a spin.”

Chunking: Complete small amounts at a time with breaks in between.

MORE IDEAS: Token system (use more frequently at the beginning.)

Celebrate accomplishments: Encourage your child to have fun such as eating a snack, calling a friend, starting an activity or watching a favorite TV show when finished.

SELF-BARGANING & HOMEWORK INCENTIVES

TIME MANAGEMENT“If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” Study time must be scheduled into your child’s day.

Determine the best time to study. Select a time when you or another adult will be

available. Try to schedule the same time for all children.

ORGANIZATION SKILLS/TIME MANAGEMENT

Help child check backpack and homework folder and encourage child to get ready for the next day.

Keep notebooks organized. (Missing papers don’t earn A’s) Conduct a weekly clean-up. Lose the clutter.

Set a good example.

Keep a calendar/create to do list

ORGANIZATION/TIME MANAGMENT…

Set goals and break big tasks into smaller tasks=success=

confidence.

Set deadlines and avoid last minute cramming.

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR CHILD IS NOT DOING THEIR HOMEWORK:

COMMUNICATE CLEARLY & EFFECTIVELY

Make study time a priority.

Tell your child the choice is theirs. He/she can complete their homework appropriately or

have privileges suspended until homework is finished. *Don’t make meaningless threats*

Don’t argue, use the broken record. Calm, firm, and sit down one-on-one Keep repeating what it is you want-”I understand but I

want you to do your homework right now.” Avoid being sidetracked Use the Broken record a max of 3 times and then

follow through and “back your words with action.”

YOUR PARTNER AT SCHOOL-THE TEACHER

Do not hesitate to contact the teacher when your child is having homework problems. “Team”

If your child CANNOT DO the homework assignment… Do not step in and do the work for your child. Send a note and possibly include observations of

what happens when your child tries to do the work. If the problem continues, try to set up a conference.

If your child does NOT BRING HOME assigned work… Ask the teacher if she/he can sign and date his/her

assignments sheet or agenda, or email you assignments.

Summary1. Location: Having a set location in the house devoted to HW is a key

tip.

2. Time: Figuring our the best time to complete HW assignments.

3. Time Management skills: Teach children the proper time

management skills, PRIORITIZE

4. Understanding: Having a clear understanding of what the

assignment entails is extremely helpful.

5. Praise/Reward: Giving children something to look forward to can be

a great motivational tool.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

Consistency is the key to success! Change is gradual and learning a new

habit takes around 21 days. Thank you for your attention &

participation this evening!

Email: mseal.fps@wpsb.org