Study Skills & Homework Tips

Web Resources

http://www.studyguidezone.com/resource_tips.htm
http://www.studytips.org

Tips for Hassle-Free Homework

1. Find ways to internally motivate your child. Find out what the child’s goals are. Once you have determined the child’s goals, ask questions to help the child determine how he can meet these goals.

Here are some ideas:

• How much time to you think you’ll need to study each day?

• What do you want your study space to look like?

• What conditions do you need to study most effectively?

• What materials do you need?

• What do you want the quality of your work to look like?

• How can I best assist you?

• What method do you want to use to monitor your daily and weekly progress?

• Where will you keep your completed homework?

2. Teach them time management skills. Help the child organize projects with a planner. Help them create a system for logging projects and checking them off upon completion.

3. Have the child create her own consequences for the following situations:

• Forgetting homework

• Not sticking to study schedule

• Careless homework

• How to get assignments when absent

• What should happen when a goal is not met?
Have the child write all agreements, consequences and schedules. Be specific. Keep all agreements in writing to avoid power struggles over the plan. Use encouragement.

4. Make learning a family value. Establish a family quiet time when all family members read or do something educational. Keep this time sacred even if your child doesn’t have any homework that night.

5. Don’t argue or bargain about homework time. Simply state, "I understand. It’s homework time." Repeat as often as necessary, stay calm.

6. Make yourself available for help, without doing it for him. When the child asks for help, have him read the directions to you.

7. Make it fun. Learning is a natural talent for children and keeping it interesting, meaningful, fun and exciting is helpful.

8. Make the teacher a part of your team for success. When you feel frustrated or unsure, meet with the child’s teacher and ask him/her for ideas to help you support your child’s learning.

9. Make sure your child is getting enough sleep.

10. If your child does not want to study ask yourself, "What is my child trying to communicate?"

• Resisting controlling parental attitudes

• Not capable of the work

• Learning disability, ADD, ADHD

• Low self-esteem

• Child’s method of learning needs are not being met

• Sibling competition

11. Do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher if you need assistance or want to clarify homework. Las Colinas now has a website and you can email teachers to communicate your concerns.

Website: www.pleasantvalleysd.org/lascolinas
 
E-mail: All email is the same… first initial last name and @pleasantvalleysd.org
example: jkline@pleasantvalleysd.org

Once the problem is identified, seek help. The earlier the problem is identified, the easier it is to work through.