Like with many children who go through school life, homework will come up as something to be prepared for. They are often additional pieces of work that your child will have to pick up in the week to improve their knowledge in a certain area. It could also be something like reading a book to prepare for the next English lesson, or analysing a piece of script for an upcoming performing arts project.
The homework will vary for students of each year group, like at this prep school in Hertfordshire where the assignments will vary from person to person. This ensures that students can build their knowledge throughout their time inside and outside of school.
Here are some top tips to help your child manage their homework, from getting a good study space up and running to navigating those troublesome science problems.
Be realistic with homework
Homework isn’t meant to be 100% correct every time, it’s more about getting into the habit of completing the homework, at least having a go at what’s been asked of you, and handing it in on time.
So if your child is realistically struggling with their work, help them through the process but don’t let it plague their day. It’s a good way of helping your child be realistic with their progress as they aren’t just achieving the best, but are doing their best in effort. Having your child look at the areas they can manage without much support. And it helps your child feel confident that they can finish the homework they’ve been given.
This also means your child shouldn’t feel pressured into doing something they don’t enjoy. Granted, for a lot of parents homework can feel like a big chore for their children, but if you are able to talk your child down about the benefits homework brings then they can at least try their best.
Break the homework down for your child
When there are difficult questions to overcome it can cause your child to feel a mental block. They struggle and won’t be able to complete their homework on time without the proper direction. If this happens, you can help your child break these difficult questions down into chunks to help them understand what they are being asked to do. It’s a good way to help children learn more about a common question that will come up in exams, and also to help them overcome future problems that will come up in school.
Move on to the next question if your child is stuck
Avoid the mental block that we all have when we come across a question that just looks too difficult. You can move on to the next question and come back to it when your child feels a bit more confident or has had time to look over the question or have a think about it. It’s a good time to look at where your child can spend their time and what they could do to manage other homework questions.
Focus on your child’s weaker areas
Having that confidence to manage difficult problems is one thing, but there is also the opportunity to focus on your child’s weak areas. As everyone has strengths and weaknesses, this is a good opportunity for your child to go over the areas they actively struggle in, especially if it comes up in their homework assignments often.
This doesn’t mean their homework sessions should feel like a chore. It’s still worth highlighting your child’s strengths as well and they will have a great time going over the equations, analyses and stories that they are good at absorbing knowledge in. Make it fun, interesting and also a time for reflection.
