Summer holidays have come and gone; schools come back to life next week as thousands of students start the new scholastic year. The first part of this article carried two weeks ago dealt with preparing children to move out of their holiday mode in readiness for the next nine months of schooling.
This second, and final, instalment will provide some tips for helping your child cope with homework and study assignments.
If this is your child's (and yours) first experience of homework be aware that although we may all be made equal, we are definitely not made the same. You may have preferred to tackle your homework as soon as you got home from school, but your daughter might prefer to take some time to unwind first. She will study more efficiently once she establishes her own routine as opposed to fitting in to yours.
Location! location!
All students need space to study and do their homework in; some require perfect silence while others seem able to work perfectly well amid seeming chaos. Set up a dedicated space for them to work in; this need not be extensive or expensive and could be a simple table with a shelf able to accommodate school books above it.
Even if your son/daughter prefers to study at the kitchen table, by providing the space you demonstrate your commitment to his/her studies while enabling him/her to organise textbooks and study materials. A word of caution: computers with internet access should be set up in an area where you can monitor their usage. The internet is an important tool in our children's education, but it is also leaves our youngsters open to exposure to unsuitable material and contacts.
Time management
Once the initial "settling in" period is over it's time to get organised; homework and studying should not be slotted in haphazardly into the afternoon's schedule but given their due importance by having specific times set aside for them over the course of the afternoon.
Help your youngster organise a timetable so that he/she can manage time effectively. The structure depends entirely on his/her temperament and commitments but should include sufficient time for him/her to relax, do the homework, study and attend any extra curricular activities. Whether he/she opts to jump right in and complete work in one session or relax a little first and work in smaller sessions is immaterial as long as he/she is able to meet all commitments in a timely manner.
Prioritise
Having worked out a schedule, the next skill your son/daughter needs to master is that of prioritising work. Assignments that need to be handed in tomorrow should be completed first; working on the most difficult tasks first. Thus he/she will be doing his/her most complex work while his/her mind is still fresh, making the rest of the work seem that much easier to accomplish.
Faced with long-term assignments students may be tempted to procrastinate usually resulting in a last-minute job. To avoid this, teach him/her to break down a large task into smaller components setting a deadline for each. For example, a project on aspect of pre-historic Malta can be broken down into the following steps:
• Choose the specific subject of your project • Research the subject • Plan the project • Write and edit it • Hand it in by the stipulated deadline
Studying
Besides doing the homework, your son/daughter also needs to fit in some time everyday to study and revise. This time could be spent making notes, reading material related to a subject or going through past work; study methods are individual to the learner but any system that leads to a better understanding of a topic is to be encouraged.
How to help?
Taking an interest in your child's homework emphasises the importance you place on it. If the school provides a homework diary, check it regularly signing it if required to do so. If the school does not provide such a diary encourage your child to keep his/her own. Noting all the assignments down in one place makes it easier to keep track of the pending work and enables you to review it regularly.
Be available during homework time; stay close but occupy yourself with something other than the homework. Would you be able to concentrate on something with somebody intently examining your every move?
There is a fine balance between helping your child and doing his/her work. As a general rule, if you find your child's homework taking up too much of your time, you are doing too much.
Help him/her become an independent learner by teaching him/her to use the dictionary, thesaurus, encyclopaedia and the internet for research.
When the going gets tough
If you feel that your son/daughter is having difficulty completing her work, make an appointment with the school. Make a note of your concerns (e.g. it takes too long to complete the work or he/she doesn't understand what is required) and discuss them with the teacher concerned before the problem gets out of hand. Together you can find a way to help your child overcome difficulties.
Homework may never become your child's favourite activity but it need not, indeed it should not, be a dreaded nightmare either.
Enjoy the school year with your children; it will be over before you know it!
This second, and final, instalment will provide some tips for helping your child cope with homework and study assignments.
If this is your child's (and yours) first experience of homework be aware that although we may all be made equal, we are definitely not made the same. You may have preferred to tackle your homework as soon as you got home from school, but your daughter might prefer to take some time to unwind first. She will study more efficiently once she establishes her own routine as opposed to fitting in to yours.
Location! location!
All students need space to study and do their homework in; some require perfect silence while others seem able to work perfectly well amid seeming chaos. Set up a dedicated space for them to work in; this need not be extensive or expensive and could be a simple table with a shelf able to accommodate school books above it.
Even if your son/daughter prefers to study at the kitchen table, by providing the space you demonstrate your commitment to his/her studies while enabling him/her to organise textbooks and study materials. A word of caution: computers with internet access should be set up in an area where you can monitor their usage. The internet is an important tool in our children's education, but it is also leaves our youngsters open to exposure to unsuitable material and contacts.
Time management
Once the initial "settling in" period is over it's time to get organised; homework and studying should not be slotted in haphazardly into the afternoon's schedule but given their due importance by having specific times set aside for them over the course of the afternoon.
Help your youngster organise a timetable so that he/she can manage time effectively. The structure depends entirely on his/her temperament and commitments but should include sufficient time for him/her to relax, do the homework, study and attend any extra curricular activities. Whether he/she opts to jump right in and complete work in one session or relax a little first and work in smaller sessions is immaterial as long as he/she is able to meet all commitments in a timely manner.
Prioritise
Having worked out a schedule, the next skill your son/daughter needs to master is that of prioritising work. Assignments that need to be handed in tomorrow should be completed first; working on the most difficult tasks first. Thus he/she will be doing his/her most complex work while his/her mind is still fresh, making the rest of the work seem that much easier to accomplish.
Faced with long-term assignments students may be tempted to procrastinate usually resulting in a last-minute job. To avoid this, teach him/her to break down a large task into smaller components setting a deadline for each. For example, a project on aspect of pre-historic Malta can be broken down into the following steps:
• Choose the specific subject of your project • Research the subject • Plan the project • Write and edit it • Hand it in by the stipulated deadline
Studying
Besides doing the homework, your son/daughter also needs to fit in some time everyday to study and revise. This time could be spent making notes, reading material related to a subject or going through past work; study methods are individual to the learner but any system that leads to a better understanding of a topic is to be encouraged.
How to help?
Taking an interest in your child's homework emphasises the importance you place on it. If the school provides a homework diary, check it regularly signing it if required to do so. If the school does not provide such a diary encourage your child to keep his/her own. Noting all the assignments down in one place makes it easier to keep track of the pending work and enables you to review it regularly.
Be available during homework time; stay close but occupy yourself with something other than the homework. Would you be able to concentrate on something with somebody intently examining your every move?
There is a fine balance between helping your child and doing his/her work. As a general rule, if you find your child's homework taking up too much of your time, you are doing too much.
Help him/her become an independent learner by teaching him/her to use the dictionary, thesaurus, encyclopaedia and the internet for research.
When the going gets tough
If you feel that your son/daughter is having difficulty completing her work, make an appointment with the school. Make a note of your concerns (e.g. it takes too long to complete the work or he/she doesn't understand what is required) and discuss them with the teacher concerned before the problem gets out of hand. Together you can find a way to help your child overcome difficulties.
Homework may never become your child's favourite activity but it need not, indeed it should not, be a dreaded nightmare either.
Enjoy the school year with your children; it will be over before you know it!