Greenwich Public Schools Pupil Personnel Services Mini-Conference

9/28/13

CONQUERING THE HOMEWORK BLUES

Sharon Pires, School Psychologist and Alina Boie, Educational Evaluator

Presentation Overview
Tips and
strategies
General
guidelines

Recommendations

HOMEWORK
COMPLETION

If you have specific questions or thoughts that related to your childs

homework or progress in school, they are better answered by speaking with
the childs teacher directly.

Communication

Persistence

Success

 Parents choose to become involved in their childrens homework because

they believe they should be involved.
Parents believe that their involvement will make a positive difference in
their childs learning.
Parents believe that their involvement is invited, expected, and valued by
school personnel.
Parents involvement has been shown to contribute to student motivation
and performance

GUIDELINES FOR THE GPS!

Kindergarten Reading 20 minutes *
1st Reading 20 minutes; Written 10 minutes
*

2nd Reading 20 minutes; Written 20 minutes

3rd Reading 20 minutes; Written 40 minutes
4th & 5th Reading 30 minutes; Written 60 minutes
Middle School 1 to 2.5 hours*
High School 1 to 3.5 hours*

Homework reinforces the information learned that day.

Repetition of the information helps the student remember it.
Homework helps prepare the student for the next class meeting.
Homework can take students beyond the work covered in class.

BE CONSISTENT
AND STICK TO THE PLAN
Set a regular family quiet time for working.
Find a good location.
Get rid of distractions.
Have resources available.
Show interest & enthusiasm about your childs homework.
Set a good example.!
Be available.

Give praise and encouragement.
Ask teachers what to expect regarding homework.
DONT DO YOUR CHILDS HOMEWORK.

It helps to have a quiet time set aside in the

afternoon or evening for study, reading & working on homework.

Even if children do not have homework that day, they should

participate in this quiet time. (w/o hw use time for reading,
writing letters, review school lessons, studying or research)

Children are less likely to lie about not having homework if they
know they will still need to participate in quiet time.

FIND A GOOD LOCATION

Make sure there is good lighting.

Some children will need more

help, so pick a location where
you can watch them easily.

TIME MANAGEMENT
CALENDARS!
PHYSICAL BREAKS
VISUAL BREAKS
SNACK BREAKS
PRIORITIZE

PRIORITIZING ACTIVITY

MATERIALS MANAGEMENT
FOLDERS

SPECIAL STORAGE PLACE

ESTABLISH ROUTINE

TASK MANAGEMENT
Break big tasks/projects in small parts

GET RID OF
DISTRACTIONS
Turn off the TV and make video games off-limits during quiet time
Although some children seem to enjoy working while
listening to music, there is some research that suggests
that music can be distracting. (If you do let children listen
to music while working, make sure that the music is quiet
and does not bother other children who are working.)
If your child has a hard time concentrating for long periods of
time, set a kitchen timer and reward the child with a break when
the timer goes off.

Make sure your child has pens, pencils, notebook

paper, or any other supplies he/she may need.
If children need information from the library or a computer,
help them to get access to what they need.
If you are not sure how your child should do the homework, that
is okay! You just need to know where to send your child to get
the information.
You may need to use a homework hotline, the portal, other
children in the class or a teachers before or after-school help.

MOTIVATORS
TIME MONITORS
HOMEWORK CONTRACTS
CHECK OFF LISTS
REWARDS

A Student/Parent Homework Contract

Student Responsibilities
I will keep track of my homework assignments every day and write them in an agenda or my binder before leaving each class.
I will bring home all books and workbooks needed to finish my homework assignments.
If I don't understand a homework assignment, I will ask my teacher for more information.
I will make sure I know when my assignment is due.
I will obey classroom and school rules, and follow along when the teacher is teaching.
I will let my parents know when I need school supplies that will help me complete assignments, such as pencils, pens, paper, graph paper, poster board, glue, markers, calculators, etc.
I will find a quiet location to finish my assignments, so that I'm not distracted by the television, computer, or my cell phone.
I will complete my assignments before I watch television, text my friends, or play on the computer.
I will let my parents know if I do not understand an assignment, or am having trouble keeping up in class.
I will allow my parents to quiz me, tutor me or help me understand material I am struggling with.
SIGNED _________________________________ (Tween's Signature)
DATE ___________________________________
Parent Responsibilities
I will provide my child with a quiet place to study that's free from distractions.
I will stay up-to-date on my child's progress in school.
I will provide a calendar for my child to keep track of assignments, projects and other school demands. We will display this calendar in a visible spot, such as the kitchen or family room.
I will make sure that my child has the supplies he needs to finish his assignments.
If my child is struggling with a homework assignment, I will offer suggestions and advice, but will not complete the assignment for him.
I will be patient with my child when he does not understand an assignment, and I will keep my emotions in check.
I will contact my child's teacher if he is struggling with a particular subject.
If necessary, I will find a tutor for my child, or enlist him in an after-school tutoring program.
I will encourage my child to read everyday.
I will encourage my child to do his homework when he's the most alert (such as in the afternoon or early evening).
I will not over-schedule my child with so many extra-curricular activities that he cannot keep up with his homework assignments.
I will monitor my child's television time, computer time, and time spent texting so that he has ample time to complete his assignments.
I will talk with my child everyday about his school experience.
I will offer my child positive encouragement and will acknowledge his efforts.
I will adjust this homework contract as necessary to meet my child's school needs.
SIGNED _______________________________ (Parents' Signatures)
DATE _________________________________

ATTENDING TO IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Use colors, highlighters, or graphics to draw attention to the relevancy
of the information.
Color coding is an effective organizing strategy.
Review a list of questions that they need to answer at the end of the reading.
Connect what they are learning to what they already known.
Stage tasks, breaking them into smaller steps.

Ask your child to repeat directions, explanations, and instructions

in their own words.
Ask your child to paraphrase, make inferences, predictions,
and to summarize the information they have read.
Teach your child to use active listening skills.

F = Focus attention
A = Ask yourself questions
C = Connect ideas
T = Try to picture important ideas

STUDENT CHECKLIST
1. VISUALIZE THE TASK.
2. CONSIDER WHAT THE COMPLETED TASK WILL LOOK LIKE.
3. READ DIRECTIONS OUT LOUD. WHAT ARE YOU BEING ASKED TO DO?
4. ORGANIZE YOUR TIME. WHAT SHOULD YOU DO FIRST, SECOND, ETC.
5. DID YOU ANSWER THE QUESTION CORRECTLY? HOW CAN YOU CHECK?
6. REVIEW WHAT YOU HAVE DONE. CHECK SPELLING?

GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS
Answer

Question

Who
What

qq

Main
Ideas

Details

Where
When
Why

Summary/Notes

Details
Notes

GENERAL TIPS FOR MEMORIZING

RECITE, REPEAT, WRITE
VISUALIZE
CHUNK
MOVE!

I before E, except after C. Or when sounded "A" as in neighbor and weigh.

The order of planets in average distance from the Sun:
(Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto)

My Very Easy Method: Just Set Up Nine Planets.

The order of operations for math is Parentheses, Exponents, Multiply, Divide,
Add, and Subtract = Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally.
Rhyme-Keys - a 2-step memory process:
Memorize key words that can be associated with numbers (one-bun);
Create an image of the items you need to remember with key words
Music! "50 Nifty United States" song

 Teachers have different rules on homework, so check in with your

childs teacher at the beginning of the school year to find out what
to expect.!
If the amount of homework seems to be too much or too little for
your child, or if your child is always struggling with homework,
make sure to talk to your childs teacher about your concerns.

SHOW INTEREST AND ENTHUSIASM ABOUT

YOUR CHILDS HOMEWORK
Ask about the assignment & show interest in the topic.
Talk to your child about how to do the assignment & what it means.
Children will be more interested & enthusiastic about their
homework if you show interest & enthusiasm!
Posting work that received good grades on the refrigerator or
keeping a folder with special work in it shows children that you
are interested and care about their work.
When your child shows you something he or she has done well,
share his/her pride and make positive comments about it.

DISPLAY YOUR CHILDS WORK

AND AVAILABLE
Make sure that you or another responsible adult is available to
monitor homework time.
Be a coach for your children, helping them if they get stuck,
checking their work when they are finished, or even helping
them test themselves on new skills.

You can also help them break big jobs down into smaller
ones, stay organized and manage their time.

GIVE PRAISE AND

ENCOURAGEMENT

Homework can be tiring and frustrating. Make sure to praise
you child for their efforts, even if they are struggling.

Give children the message that they are capable of doing

the homework and that you believe in them. !
Encourage them to take breaks after they finish
smaller tasks so that they dont get too tired or restless.

Although this may be tempting at times, it is important for

children to do the work themselves.
If you do the work for them, they will not be
learning.
Also, this gives children the
message that you think they cant
do the work, and that completing
homework is not important.

Children watch what we do. If we

model good study skills, read, and
organize our time well, our children
will learn from our examples.

GOOD
LUCK!