Are you actually hindering your child’s personal development and academic growth by helping with homework? Read on to find out what the experts say.
It’s a dilemma
Sociologists at the University of Texas found that parental involvement, including homework help, could have a negative effect on a child’s academic achievement. And, shockingly, new research revealed that in one in six families the parents do all the homework!
However, parents who do not help with homework are becoming tired of being the “homework police” and they complain that children are snowed under with too much homework and assignments.
Dr James Dobson, parent, psychologist and author agrees and adds that excessive loads of homework have the potential of depriving youngsters of opportunities for unstructured play, interferes with family life and generates a considerable amount of stress for parents.
What’s the purpose of homework?
Understanding what the purpose of homework is may make it easier to motivate and mentor children to do it.
What’s in it for the teacher?
From the teacher’s point of view, homework is given to see if what was taught in class was understood and to give children the opportunity to return to school and ask for clarification if it wasn’t.
What’s in it for the child?
According to the experts, the right amount of homework is a great way for children to develop independent, life-long learning skills and to learn how to learn. It also teaches them life skills such as self-discipline, how to think for themselves, set goals, prioritise what they need to get done for the day, manage time, be accountable and how to handle problems and remedy mistakes. When children feel that homework has value and that doing it is their own choice and to their advantage, it will seem more interesting and leave them with a feeling of achievement.
However, if homework is not reinforcement or practise of a concept learnt in class but just “busy” work as many parents claim, the child may become frustrated and overwhelmed and then “learning for them becomes an enormous bore, instead of the exciting panorama that it should be”, says Dobson.
What’s in it for the parent?
On the positive side, helping with a child’s homework (not doing it) can be a powerful tool to keep the parent up to date with what the child is learning and doing at school and it gives teachers an opportunity to hear from parents about problems the child may be experiencing. Below are some positive ways in which a parent can help a child.
Maintain close contact with the school
The more you and your child’s teacher communicate the better. Meet school requests and suggestions related to homework, for example sign completed tasks, offer requested help, etc. Speak to the teacher if you feel your child is getting too much homework.
Schedule a specific homework time and routine
It’s best to have a scheduled time for homework. You will need to determine what you feel is a reasonable amount of study time for your child and then teach him or her to manage the time appropriately. Not only are you teaching your child how to manage time but also how to develop proper study habits. Remember to also schedule short breaks.
Create a quiet homework area at home
It’s important to create a specific homework area where children can do their work without being distracted by noise, the phone, TV or other media. Make sure everything he or she will need is close at hand. Supply as many resources such as dictionaries, encyclopaedias and other reference material, either digitally or printed, to help with assignments.
Be a helpful monitor
Help your child organise his or her personal thinking about an assignment with questions or by explaining the assignment so he or she can understand what to do. Do not do the work for the child. “Provide encouragement and support, not answers”, advises Harris Cooper, an expert on homework. Be aware of the child’s emotional state and offer positive feedback as well as positive reinforcement such as free time, or small rewards to motivate efficient completion of homework. This is especially important for children who are easily distracted.
Have realistic expectations
Some children are what Dobson calls “sloppy, disorganised and flighty underachievers”. They have a natural aversion to work and love to play and no amount of nagging gets them down. His advice is to avoid becoming angry, to institute all the abovementioned parenting protocols anyway and to go with the flow. “Approach the problem as one of temperament rather than acts of defiance. Don’t write off that disorganised, apparently lazy kid as a life-long loser. He or she may surprise you”, he says.
Sources
Copping, J. 2014. One in six parents do all the homework. Retrieved from”: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/10578136/One-in-six-parents-do-all-the-homework.html
Dobson, J. C. Parenting with confidence. Retrieved from: http://drjamesdobson.org/images/pdf/ParentingWithConfidence.pdf
Myers, R. Reduce homework hassles with these simple tips. retrieved from: http://www.empoweringparents.com/reduce-homework-hassles-with-simple-tips.php#
Parker, C. B. 2014. Stanford research shows pitfalls of homework. Retrieved from: http://news.stanford.edu/news/2014/march/too-much-homework-031014.html
Rosner, J. 2013. When help with homework Is too much. Retrieved from: http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/03/when-help-with-homework-is-too-much/?_r=0
Shellenbarger, S. 2010. Wrong answer: drawing the line on homework help. Retrieved from: http://blogs.wsj.com/juggle/2010/01/04/wrong-answer-drawing-the-line-on-homework-help/
Should parents help their children with homework? 2014. Retrieved from: http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2014/11/12/should-parents-help-their-children-with-homework
Top ten homework tips. Retrieved from: http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/learning/homework.html
Walker, J. et.al. Parental Involvement in homework: a review of current research and Its Implications for teachers, after school program staff, and parent leaders. Retrieved from: http://www.hfrp.org/publications-resources/browse-our-publications/parental-involvement-in-homework-a-review-of-current-research-and-its-implications-for-teachers-after-school-program-staff-and-parent-leaders