ow do I Help My hecklist for Helping Child Develop Good Your Child with Study Habits? Homework

· Do not do your child's homework. Doing assign- To show that you think education and homework ments for your child will not help him or her under- are important, do you: stand and use information. It may also hinder your Set a regular time everyday for homework? child's confidence in his or her abilities. Provide your child with the papers, books, · Help your child make a schedule. Writing out pencils and other items needed to do Homework assignments will get him or her used to the idea of assignments? keeping track of what is due when. Provide a well-lit, quiet place to study? Tips and · Help your child manage time to complete Set a good example by showing your child that Study assignments. If your child has a long-term the skills he or she is learning are an important project due, discuss all the steps he or she will need part of the things adult do? to take to complete it on time, including: Stay in touch with your child's teacher? Skills Know what your child's homework assignments are? A resource guide for parents. . . · Selecting a topic; See that your child starts and completes · Doing research by looking up books and other assignments? materials on the topic or taking notes; Make sure the TV is turned off while your child · Figuring out what questions to discuss; completes homework? Help your child get organized? · Drafting an outline; Encourage your child to develop good study · Writing a rough draft; habits? · Revising and completing the final draft; and Talk with your child about homework · Making a chart that shows how much time he or assignments? she expects to spend on each step.

For more information: · Help your child get started when he or she has to do research reports or other big assignments. Take · The U.S. Department of Education produces the your child to the library. If your child is using a publication Helping Your Child with Homework. computer for online references, make sure he or she Find it online at: http://www.ed.gov. Click on is getting the help needed to use the Internet prop- "Parents," then on "Helping Your Child." This erly and to find age-appropriate websites. website also has homework tips for parents. · After your child has completed the research, The National PTA and the National Education listen as he or she tells you the points he or she · Association produce Helping Your Student Get the wants to get across through the report. Most Out of Homework and Taking the Hassle Out · Give practice tests. of Homework - How To Make Homework A More · Help your child avoid last minute studying. Positive Experience For Your Child. Find them · Talk with your child about how to take a test. Be online at: http://www.pta.org. Click on "Parent Involvement,” then click on "Help your sure he or she understands how important it is to This brochure was created using a grant from the Department Child Succeed", then click on "#5" , "Parents of Education's Office of Vocational and Adult Education. read instructions carefully, keep track of time and the First Teachers - Support learning at home." avoid spending too much time on any one question. hy do Teachers ow should I Help my Assign Homework? Child with Homework? · Show your child that the skills he or she is learning are an important part of the things adults do. Homework has been a part of students' lives since Let your child see you reading, writing, formal schooling began in the United States. · Show that you think education and homework using math and doing other things that are important. require thought and effort. Talk to your If your child knows that you care about what is child about what you do at work. Homework is important because it can: happening at school, he or she will have a good · Improve your child's thinking and memory; reason to complete assignments on time. · Help your child use everyday routines to · Help your child develop positive study skills support the skills he or she is learning. and habits that will serve him or her well Teach your child to play word and math throughout life; · Set a regular time for homework. games. Help your child look up · Encourage your child to use time wisely; The best schedule for homework is what works information about something in which · Teach your child to work independently; and best for your child and your family. Your child's he or she is interested. Talk with your · Teach your child to take responsibility for his or outside activities, such as sports or music lessons child about what he or she sees and hears her work. may mean that you need a flexible homework when you are together. schedule. If there is not enough time to finish Teachers assign homework because it helps your homework, your child may need to drop an · Talk about school and learning activities child: outside activity. in family conversations. · Review and practice what has been covered in Ask your child what was discussed in class that day. class; Provide an area for your child to do homework. · Get ready for the next day's class; · Make sure the area is well lit and has minimal · Learn to use resources, such as libraries, · Attend school activities. reference materials and computer websites to distractions. If you can, volunteer to help in your find information; child's classroom or at special events. · Explore subjects more fully than classroom time · Ensure that there are no distractions. permits; Discourage your child from making and receiving Look over completed assignments before · Extend learning by applying skills to new · social telephone calls during homework time. they are turned in. situations; and Turn off the television if it is keeping your child Then, after the teacher returns completed · Integrate learning by applying many different from doing his or her homework. homework, read the comments to see if skills to a single task, such as book reports or your child has done the assignment science projects. satisfactorily. · Provide supplies and identify resources. Have pencils, pens, erasers, writing paper and a Homework benefits you as a parent. dictionary available. Other supplies that may be helpful include a stapler, paper clips, maps, a When you help your child with his or her home- calculator, a pencil sharpener, tape, glue, paste, work, you can: scissors, a ruler, index cards, a thesaurus and an · Learn more about what your child is learning in almanac. school; · Communicate with your child about what he or she is learning; and · Spark your child's enthusiasm about what he or she is learning.