No Homework?

Mathematics homework (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

by Kellie Olsen

As a parent, how many times have you heard, "I have no homework" only to find out the following week that there are multiple missing assignments?

How do you know when there really is homework? Here are a few tips and tricks to avoid the "No Homework" argument.

Tip 1 - Assignment Notebooks

Many schools include a calendar of some sort as part of the school handbook. This can be helpful for writing assignments down; however, there are times when kids need more room to write. Stores carry Assignment Notebooks or Homework Logs that set a space for every class, every day.

But what about those students who continually lose books and supplies? Create your own Homework Sheet. Not only is this easily replaceable, it is also easy to adapt to meet your child's needs. You simply type out what is expected for each class leaving small amounts of writing for your child to fill out.

Tip 2 - Get Assignment Notebooks Signed by Teachers

This is usually an end result, but one most teachers don't mind assisting with. Create the expectation that your child will fill out the Homework Log for each class. Then your child should approach the teacher at the end of class and ask him or her to sign off on it.

This insures that your child has the correct information written down and you know there really is "No Homework" when you see it written down.

Tip 3 - Check School Resources Online

Many schools are now moving toward an online presence. Teachers are now able to post many things online for parents and students such as a class calendar. More and more teachers find this helpful as a way of reminding students of daily expectations.

The idea being ... as a teacher if I post the homework online, students are more likely to complete it. This is great because it takes away the excuse of "I didn't know what we had to do."

Along with a classroom calendar, many teachers are now able to post grades online. This gives students and parents the opportunity to monitor class grades weekly. Missing assignments are easier to track and this provides a safety net for grades.

Teachers are not perfect and there are times when grades get entered incorrectly. By monitoring the grade book online, it is easy to verify that you have the correct grade.

Other online resources may include an option for students to take tests online. This is great for parents because you will be able to see the results immediately. There may also be valuable links to websites that offer great products.

One of my favorites is http://www.noodletools.com. Students are able to create free bibliographies without the hassle. A great place to look is the Library Resources page on your school's website.

Tip 4 - Block Out Study Time Regardless of What is Assigned

Plan a certain amount of time every night to devote to learning. research believes in the "10 Minute Rule" in which a student should spend 10 minutes per grade level. That means 6th grade students would spend about 60 minutes working on homework and studying for tests.

Using the "10 Minute Rule" figure out how much time should be spent a night on work. Then set the expectation that your child will be doing something educational for that amount of time. If there is no homework, then the idea is your child will use that time to review for a test, read a book, map out a chapter, or even create flash cards for vocabulary.

Why is this an effective strategy? It prevents kids from saying, "I have no homework, so I am going to play video games, go out with friends, etc." If kids have a routine, then they know what is expected and they are more likely to follow through with what needs to be completed.

Kellie Olsen
http://www.focusbydesign.net
Don't Let ADD / ADHD Stop You! We can provide the tools to help you attain focus, design organization, and develop confidence.

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