Helping kids with Homework - Michael Grose

Homework causes more headaches for parents than it does for children. Some parents worry because their children don’t seem to do enough while others are concerned because they do too much.

But for many parents homework is that time of the day when they routinely harass, hassle and harangue their child to JUST DO YOUR HOMEWORK!

Okay, what to do?

The first step is to know the homework policy of your children’s school (see Curriculum Corner page) and understand what is expected of you as a parent. Most schools have parent interviews and information sessions at the start of the year. Next, make sure you get a good handle on how your children’s teacher expects you to assist your child.

It is also useful to find out what your child’s teacher will do if your child doesn’t complete set tasks. Homework is basically an agreement between a teacher and a child so it should be up to the teacher to ensure the homework is completed. That means the teacher becomes ‘the bad guy’ and puts some consequence in place if the homework is not completed. Your role as a parent is to support the school if a consequence is put in place, such as completing work in recess or whatever the school deems appropriate.

Here are practical homework tips:

1. Establish homework time and stick to it each day. If children tell you they don’t have any formal homework then they can read, revise or organise their work. My feedback tells me sticking to a routine even when no formal homework is set is extremely useful and helps avoid battles.

2. Put the onus back on your children to take responsibility for their work. Ask children at the start of a homework session to state how much homework they will do. At the end of the session check it to see if it matches with their intentions as well as yours. If you are more concerned about homework than them, your children are not the ones responsible for their homework.

3. Homework is as much a time management issue as anything else. Encourage children to work reasonably quickly and efficiently. Have a set time limit, which they should stick to. There is little point slogging away once they become frustrated or tired. Give them an egg-timer or use a clock and get them to work hard for small chunks of time. A little work each night is more productive than packing it into one weekly session.

4. Help children decide the best time to do homework and then encourage them to stick to those times. Maybe on some days homework is tackled after dinner for any number of reasons. If doing homework straight after school is important to you then consider feeding children ONLY after homework is completed. Food can be a huge motivator for some children! (As mentioned in point one, a homework routine is important but the timing can vary.)

5. Establish a good working environment for students. Make sure they have a quiet, well lit, well ventilated area away from distractions. A table or desk makes a good workspace, although don’t be surprised if they spread work all over the kitchen table. Some kids hate to be stuck away in their rooms and prefer to work at the kitchen table and can do so productively. Others are easily distracted and work in short bursts. Work out what is best for YOUR child.

6. Use the motivating factors of technology. The Internet and other forms of electronic learning are quick, convenient and give access to huge amounts of information. Nevertheless, children should still know how to access information from more traditional means such as books. Check with your child’s teacher as to their specific recommendations and preferences.

7. Encourage children to get organised. Help them think ahead to plan their homework around extra-curricular activities. A weekly planner or diary will help older students get organised. Assisting children to become organised is perhaps the best way parents can help at home.

8. If you are helping with a particular task, keep your explanation simple and practical. If you become frustrated or upset and the atmosphere becomes tense – stop helping.

9. Be realistic – don’t expect to solve all homework difficulties. When in doubt send a note to your child’s teacher letting him or her know the problem. The teacher will appreciate this good communication.

10. Communicate any concerns. If you have concerns about how much or the difficulty of homework your child is set, contact the teacher and arrange a time to discuss your worries. Such discussion is the basis of a true partnership between you and your child’s teacher.

The place of homework is routinely questioned by education authorities (now is currently one of those times in Australia) but my gut reaction is that children will always have homework. The name may change and the activities may vary but it will always be homework.

Schools generally try to make sure homework is varied, interesting, engaging and purposeful for children and parents. Parents also need to be patient with both children (if they struggle) and schools that are trying to find a balance between too little and too much.

The Homework policy at Weeden Heights PS is due to be reviewed next term so be on the look out for a survey that will come home asking for your input!

Treehouse Holiday Program (Grade 2-3)

Treehouse is a therapeutic program funded by the City of Whitehorse for primary-school aged children, who need some extra support with social skills, self-esteem, managing strong feelings and developing resilience. By being creative and learning through play, children are able to develop their relationship skills in a non-confrontational way, while also allowing them to safely think about how they might cope with their own worries.

Who: Grade 2-3 Students

Where: Mitcham Family Centre, 15 Brunswick Road, Mitcham

When: Term 3 school holidays:

Week 1 - Monday 23rd & Thurs 26th September

Week 2 – Monday 30th September & Thursday 3rd October

Time: 9:30am – 12:15pm

Cost: FREE – Morning tea also provided

*Please note only one child from each school accepted into program

Swinburne’s Mindful Parenting Group for Mothers

Swinburne University in Hawthorn have developed a mindfulness-based parenting program for mothers who have difficulties managing their emotions. This program will be conducted in a group setting of 6-8 participants. The group is for mothers who would like to improve their experience of being a mother and have a better relationship with their child. This program is facilitated Dr Roslyn Galligan, a child and family clinical psychologist, and two provisional psychologists, Ms Aida Brydon and Ms Penelope Lovegrove, who are doing their clinical training at Swinburne University.

Swinburne are looking for women who:

• Are aged 18 or over

• Have a child (or children) aged from 1- 17 years

• Are having difficulties managing their emotions and finding parenting challenging.

The program involves developing mindfulness skills of awareness, acceptance, non-judgment, non-reactivity and a compassionate orientation to help mothers reduce stress and develop more satisfying relationships and ways of parenting.

When: Weekly sessions for 10 weeks from Thursday late August - mid November, followed by monthly follow-up sessions for the first 4 months and then bi-monthly for the remaining 8 months.

Where: Swinburne University Psychology Clinic, Hawthorn (near Glenferrie Station)

Time: Thursdays at 10:30am – 12:30pm

For more information/to register: Dr Roslyn Galligan on 9214 5345 or via email: rgalligan@swin.edu.au

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