Guest Post - Making Homework Easier

"Here is a wonderful guest post for those of you who have school age children.
I hope I remember these tips when it's time for my son to start school!"

Making Homework Easier

by Jill Savage

"Mom, can you help me with my math?" "Mom, I need a binder for a project at school." "Mom, do we have any index cards? I need some to study for my test." These questions are just some of the requests that come from my kids, who are in all ages and stages of school. Whether it's elementary school, junior high, high school, or college, students need a wide array of supplies at their fingertips and an environment that encourages good study habits.

After dozens of trips to the store for a different item each week, I finally decided to change my strategy by creating a "homework center" at home. A trip to the office supply store produced a four-drawer plastic cabinet that now sits in the corner of the kitchen. Its drawers are filled with binders, folders, page protectors, index cards, loose-leaf paper, spiral notebooks, report covers, pens, pencils, and any other school supply the kids might need. A shoe box size plastic container sits on top of the cabinet. It's filled with pens, pencils, a ruler, compass, protractor, glue stick, erasers and a variety of colored pencils, markers and crayons.


The "homework station" is our own "school supply store" at home. Well stocked with school supplies they will need to replace throughout the year, it also has common supplies they will need from time to time for special projects. The small "homework box" is brought to the kitchen table each afternoon to provide easy access to the basic items they need to complete their homework.
I honestly don't know why I didn't think of this many years ago when our oldest children were in grade school. It has made our after-school routine so much easier!


Much of parenting is setting routines in place, and homework is no exception. Our kids need guidance in establishing academic routines that work and accountability to stay true to the routine. Good study habits are developed when homework routines are followed. Our kids also need an environment that encourages good study habits. They need a place to spread out their work, good lighting in the room, and the supplies they'll need to complete whatever homework assignment or project they're working on.


Kids need one more thing to be successful learners: parents who care. They need to know that we are engaged in their lives, we're connected to their learning environment, and we are committed to help make learning a priority.


As I've become much more intentional about creating a positive learning environment at home, here are some of the strategies I've come to value:


- Attend school orientation meetings at the beginning of the school year. This connects you to the teachers and your child's learning environment.


- Take advantage of online homework and textbooks the school might offer. If grades are posted online, check frequently to stay in tune with your child's progress and/or struggles.


- Communicate with teachers early in the year via e-mail. Introduce yourself and make a connection to establish a relationship. Check in occasionally to see how your child is doing.


- Communicate with the teacher(s) if your child is struggling. Work together to set strategies and establish accountability.


- Communicate with the teacher(s) if something is happening emotionally at home. If a family member is managing a long-term or critical illness or if separation or divorce are realities in the home environment, alert teachers so they can better understand why a child might be distracted from school work.


- Determine a homework routine that works for your child and your family.


- Talk with your child about where he can or cannot do homework. A desk or the kitchen table is an ideal place. Sitting in front of the television is not.


- Put limits on computer access. If your children are working on homework on the computer, can they be Instant Messaging at the same time? Establish technology boundaries that prioritize school work.


- Never do your child's homework. Learn to ask questions to help your kids get to the right answer rather than giving them the right answer.


- Become familiar with tutoring assistance that is available through the school or in the community.



Don't hesitate to get your child outside help if she consistently struggles with a subject.
Good homework habits create self-discipline and responsibility in a child.



These childhood routines will pay off someday when our children become adults who work a job, pay taxes and manage their money and resources.



About the Author:
Jill Savage is an author and speaker who is passionate about encouraging moms. She is the author of six books including Professionalizing Motherhood, My Hearts At Home, and her most recent release Real Moms...Real Jesus. Featured on Focus on the Family, Today's Christian Woman magazine, and Family Life Today, Jill is the founder and director of Hearts at Home, an organization that encourages and educates moms. Jill and her husband, Mark, have five children, three who are married. They make their home in Normal, Illinois.
To read more from Jill, visit her website.