The basis for claims that parental help with homework can be bad for students comes from research examining national surveys. These studies find that frequent homework help from parents is associated with lower test scores.
But this finding does not necessarily mean that moms and dads do harm when they help with homework. When children are struggling in school, parents may step in to help more often. That is, frequent homework help from parents might not be the cause of problems, but rather, coincide with them.
facts about parents helping with homework
In addition, one common concern is that only affluent and highly educated parents have the time and resources to help their children with homework regularly. We find little evidence to support this presumption. On national surveys, low-income and minority families report helping their children with homework frequently. And this was also true in our study.
It is important to point out that our study looked at the frequency of homework help from parents. However, evidence suggests that the quality of homework help also matters. Parents can make a difference through warm encouragement and a positive outlook and by communicating high expectations to children.
The effectiveness of homework help also seems to increase when parents foster independent learning behaviors. When helping with homework, parents should avoid trying to control the process and should also resist the temptation to complete assignments for their kids. Instead, they should let their children figure out answers on their own while offering helpful hints and positive feedback as needed.
It seems like children bring more homework with each passing year, and if your child is struggling, it can turn the dinner table into a battleground every afternoon. It's tough to watch your children struggle through material they don't understand, and it's natural to want to jump in and help. Before doing this, however, know when helping may actually be hurting and what to do if your child is having trouble in school.
It's also important to understand that parents and homework just don't always mix. School, learning and homework have changed a lot in the past few decades, and the process is just as important as the answer. If you teach your child to solve a problem one way, it may be difficult for him to switch to the teacher's preferred method in class.
One final consideration: If you find that your child is really struggling with homework or seems to need more than just an occasional nudge or hint, talk to the teacher. Homework is one way the teacher assesses how well the material is being absorbed, and if she doesn't know there's an issue, she also can't do anything to fix it.
Your goal as a parent should be to provide assistance and guidance without being a crutch they lean on. Being helpful without allowing them to depend on you for the answers will help them learn the necessary skills from the homework they need to succeed in the classroom. Here are a few ways parents can help their children with their homework.
Lesson plans are an essential tool for both students and parents as they help everyone stay prepared and organized throughout the school year. These lesson plans are posted weekly and show the assignments, tests, projects, and homework in detail.
A great way to help your child with homework is to create a friendly area in your home that is distraction-free. Giving them they need tools to foster their own development and growth will allow for your child to develop self-motivation. Make sure the dedicated homework space is always filled with pens, pencils, paper, and other necessary supplies.
Children thrive off positive motivation, so you need to make it a regular part of your homework time with them. They will only want to withdraw from the situation if they get frustrated, so you want to stop this from happening.
The basic rule is, "Don't do the assignments yourself." It's not your homework—it's your child's. "I've had kids hand in homework that's in their parents' handwriting," one eighth-grade teacher complains. Doing assignments for your child won't help him understand and use information. And it won't help him become confident in his own abilities.
Help your child to get started when he has to do research reports or other big assignments. Encourage him to use the library. If he isn't sure where to begin, tell him to ask the librarian for suggestions. If he's using a computer for online reference resources—-whether the computer is at home, school or the library—make sure he's getting whatever help he needs to use it properly and to find age-appropriate Web sites. Many public libraries have homework centers with tutors or other kinds of one-on-one assistance. After your child has completed the research, listen as he tells you the points he wants to make in the report.
Talk with your child about how to take a test. Be sure she understands how important it is to read the instructions carefully, to keep track of the time and to avoid spending too much time on any one question. (See the Resources section for the titles of books and pamphlets that give more tips on how your child can get organized and develop good study habits.)
Do you understand what you're supposed to do? After your child has read the instructions, ask her to tell you in her own words what the assignment is about. (If she can't read yet, the teacher may have sent home instructions that you can read to her.) Some schools have homework hotlines that you can call or Web sites that you can access by computer for assignments in case your child misplaced a paper or was absent on the day it was given. If your child doesn't understand the instructions, read them with her and talk about the assignment. Does it have words that she doesn't know? How can she find out what the words mean? If neither you nor your child understands an assignment, call one of her classmates or get in touch with the teacher.
Do you need help in understanding how to do this assignment? See if your child needs to learn more, for example, about subtracting fractions before she can do her assignment. Or find out if the teacher needs to explain to her again when to use different kinds of punctuation marks. If you understand the subject yourself, you may want to work through some examples with your child. However, always let her do the assignment herself.
Our homes are filled with distractions. Televisions, cell phones, and video games just to name a few. The use of these items should not be allowed during homework time. The mind should be focused on the task at hand.
The best homework to solidify STEM teaching and learning is to apply what your children learn outside of the classroom. It takes the intentional involvement of all stakeholders to nurture a STEMtastic student. Through teaching and learning from educators, parents, community partners and businesses both in and out of the classroom, PGCPS students will be prepared to solve the problems of the 21st and 22nd Century.
Educators have debated the merits of homework since the late 19th century. In recent years, amid concerns of some parents and teachers that children are being stressed out by too much homework, things have only gotten more fraught.
I think that last question about Good help from parents is not know to all parents, we do as our parents did or how we best think it can be done, so maybe coaching parents or giving them resources on how to help with homework would be very beneficial for the parent on how to help and for the teacher to have consistency and improve homework results, and of course for the child. I do see how homework helps reaffirm the knowledge obtained in the classroom, I also have the ability to see progress and it is a time I share with my kids
I agree with hunter because homework can be so stressful especially with this whole covid thing no one has time for homework and every one just wants to get back to there normal lives it is especially stressful when you go on a 2 week vaca 3 weeks into the new school year and and then less then a week after you come back from the vaca you are out for over a month because of covid and you have no way to get the assignment done and turned in
As noted above, developmentally appropriate homework can help children cultivate positive beliefs about learning. Decades of research have established that these beliefs predict the types of tasks students choose to pursue, their persistence in the face of challenge, and their academic achievement. Broadly, learning beliefs fall under the banner of achievement motivation, which is a constellation of cognitive, behavioral, and affective factors, including: the way a person perceives his or her abilities, goal-setting skills, expectation of success, the value the individual places on learning, and self-regulating behavior such as time-management skills. Positive or adaptive beliefs about learning serve as emotional and psychological protective factors for children, especially when they encounter difficulties or failure.
Of course, learning beliefs do not develop in a vacuum. Studies have demonstrated that parents and teachers play a significant role in the development of positive beliefs and behaviors, and that homework is a key tool they can use to foster motivation and academic achievement.
Many parents provide support by establishing homework routines, eliminating distractions, communicating expectations, helping children manage their time, providing reassuring messages, and encouraging kids to be aware of the conditions under which they do their best work. These supports help foster the development of self-regulation, which is critical to school success.
Social class is another important element in the homework dynamic. What is the homework experience like for families with limited time and resources? And what of affluent families, where resources are plenty but the pressures to succeed are great? 2ff7e9595c
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