Whether your child avoids doing their homework at all costs, or jumps at the chance to get stuck in, it’s important to make the experience as positive as possible. Doing homework regularly instils in children a good work ethic, while giving them the chance to explore subjects in more depth and consolidate their learning. It can also be a great bonding experience if you help your child complete it. Here a boys’ school in Surrey offers some top tips on supporting your child to complete their homework.
Establish a solid homework routine
Making homework a regular part of home life establishes that it’s an important part of the day or week, and one which should be prioritised. Doing it at roughly the same time makes it a habit which your child will be more likely to stick to. It’s important to give children some choice and a sense of agency though so they don’t see doing their homework as too much of a chore. They could choose what time they do it and what tasks they want to attempt (if they’re given a choice). This will help your child feel more in control.
Bring subjects to life
Learning the theory is all well and good, but bringing subjects and topics to life through day trips and everyday activities can help your child absorb and retain information better. If they’re studying a history topic you could take them to a museum so they can see it in real life, or if they’re exploring science a trip to a planetarium or aquarium will help them understand the concepts they’re learning. You can also make use of everyday activities to help your child learn more about a topic or cement their existing knowledge; for example, they can practise maths concepts in real life when adding up shopping items, or explore nature and wildlife while going for a walk in the woods or on the beach. There are so many opportunities in everyday life to see how subjects apply in the real world.
Make use of resources
There are a multitude of resources available to help children with their learning, including libraries, museums, and of course technology. If your child is drawn to screens and learns visually, make use of tech like tablets and phone apps to help them learn. Your child might find it easier to understand topics when presented with information in this way, particularly if there’s an element of interactivity. TV programmes are also great for presenting information in a fun and engaging way. Your local library might also be a good resource for additional books on a topic.
Be supportive
The most important thing you can do as a parent to help your child with their homework is be supportive and let them know that you’re there for them if they want to talk about anything that’s concerning them or get some help. Of course we can’t do our children’s homework for them, but we can guide them to available resources, provide lots of encouragement, and help them stick to a homework schedule that will get them used to doing it at set times.
