teaching your child homework

13 Ways to Teach Children to Do Their Homework on Their Own

The role of parents in their children’s school years is very important. Communication , respect , and accompaniment are some of the concepts every parent should keep in mind during these fundamental years to be able to really help bring up a responsible adult. As children grow into teens and future adults, both the good and bad habits learned at that earlier stage will start affecting them and shaping their character one way or another. Parenting in the past was not the same as it is today, so it’s important to adapt to new ways of doing things so that children can grow up with high self-esteem and confidence.

There are many expert tips for parents who have children at different stages of schooling, and Bright Side is illustrating them for you to see how good and bad parenting attitudes work on a day-to-day basis.

1. Communicate clearly, but with affection and respect.

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Parent Involvement in Homework: Super Strategies for Encouraging Autonomy in Your Child

Table of Contents

Parent Involvement in Homework: When it comes to your child’s education, striking the right balance in homework support is a delicate task. Parental involvement is crucial, but knowing how much help is helpful – and when it becomes hindering – can be challenging. The key is to assist without taking over, empowering your child to develop their own learning skills and confidence. By understanding the role you can play in encouraging autonomy and providing strategic assistance, you can set the stage for your child’s long-term academic success.

It’s important to communicate effectively with educators to ensure that you’re reinforcing the right learning strategies at home. This alignment supports your child’s educational journey, making homework an opportunity for growth rather than a point of contention. According to educational consultant Michelle Connolly, a founder of LearningMole with 16 years of classroom experience, “Involvement in homework should be more about guidance and less about answers, nurturing a space where children can explore their capabilities.”

Key Takeaways

• Support your child’s homework by guiding, not giving answers, fostering independent learning.
• Communicate with educators to align home support with classroom strategies.
• Understand when to step in with assistance, balancing help with promoting self-reliance.

The Role of Parents in Homework Support

Parent involvement in homework is key to fostering both academic achievement and the motivation needed for students to thrive. Your role as a parent is not to do the work for your child but to support and guide their learning journey.

Understanding Parental Involvement

When it comes to parental involvement in homework, it’s about striking the right balance. As Michelle Connolly, an educational consultant with over 16 years of classroom experience, notes, “It’s about being present, not pervasive.” This means providing your child with the resources and environment they need without taking control of the work. Research suggests that effective involvement is linked to better student outcomes .

• Setting the stage : Ensure a quiet, distraction-free area for homework.
• Availability : Be available to answer questions, but encourage independence.
• Resources : Provide the necessary materials and resources, like access to LearningMole, for assistance and enrichment in various subjects.

Improving Student Motivation

Motivation often begins with a positive attitude toward homework. As a parent, you can support your child’s motivation by:

• Encouragement : Praise effort rather than only results.
• Interest : Show genuine interest in learning topics and relate them to real-world scenarios.
• Goal setting : Help your child to set realistic and achievable goals for their homework.

Remember, your encouragement significantly impacts your child’s motivation to tackle homework challenges and to keep learning effectively.

Setting the Stage for Productive Learning at Home

Ensuring your child is productive when learning at home revolves around establishing a structured environment and managing time effectively.

Creating a Conducive Learning Environment

To support your child’s learning journey effectively, the space they use is key. Begin by identifying a quiet area in your home that is free from distractions — this will be your child’s learning zone. This space should be well-lit, with all necessary supplies close at hand. It’s important to personalise this area, making it inviting and conducive to studying. Michelle Connolly, an expert in educational methodologies, suggests, “The learning environment at home should be a mirror of the focus and organisation we expect from our children.”

Keep the following in mind:

• Comfort: Ensure that the chair and desk suit your child’s height.
• Lighting: Proper lighting reduces eye strain — daylight is best, complemented by soft artificial light.
• Supplies: Keep books, pens, paper, and other materials within easy reach.
• Distraction-Free: Remove gadgets and entertainment that could interrupt focus.

Scheduling and Time Management

Creating a routine is crucial for effective time management. Break down tasks into manageable chunks and set specific, achievable goals. Encourage the use of a planner or digital calendar to track assignments, deadlines, and study sessions. Discuss and agree upon a homework schedule together, and make sure there’s a good balance between work and breaks. Remember that consistent time slots help in establishing a strong routine.

• Routine Establishment: Aim for the same start and finish times each day.
• Prioritisation: Start with the most challenging tasks when concentration levels are highest.
• Breaks: Encourage regular short breaks to maintain concentration.
• Family Involvement: Actively participate by discussing your child’s progress and schedule.

By incorporating these strategies into your home, you pave the way for a learning environment that is both productive and enjoyable .

Effective Communication With Educators

Effective communication between you and your child’s educators is crucial for enhancing parental involvement in homework. It can establish a productive partnership, ensuring that you are well-equipped to support your child’s educational journey without encroaching on their learning independence.

Bridging the Parent-Teacher Gap

To bridge the gap between home and school, it’s important to initiate regular and constructive communication with teachers. Consider attending parent-teacher meetings and feel empowered to ask for a quick chat or send an email when you need clarity on specific aspects of your child’s homework. “Regular communication with teachers can build a strong foundation for your child’s success,” says Michelle Connolly, a veteran educator with a wealth of experience. It nurtures an environment where feedback from teachers can be seamlessly integrated into your child’s at-home learning routine.

Understanding Homework Expectations

Grasping the teacher’s expectations for homework is another key step. Understand the objectives of the assignments and the criteria for success. This could involve knowing how the homework should be completed, what resources are necessary, and when it is due. If the expectations are clear, you can better assist your child in meeting them. Michelle Connolly suggests , “Be sure to ask teachers about the purpose of homework assignments; this will allow you to guide your child effectively without doing the work for them.”

Encouraging Autonomy in Children’s Homework

Empowering your child to tackle homework independently fosters valuable life skills such as self-efficacy and responsibility. This approach not only helps build confidence but also instils a sense of ownership over their learning journey.

Promoting Self-Efficacy and Responsibility

Self-efficacy is your child’s belief in their own abilities to complete tasks and achieve goals. To cultivate this, encourage them to set realistic targets and tackle their homework in manageable chunks. For example, Michelle Connolly, founder of LearningMole with 16 years of classroom experience, suggests “breaking down tasks into smaller, achievable objectives that children can accomplish reinforces their belief in their own abilities and promotes a can-do attitude.” This not only boosts their confidence but also helps them understand the value of taking responsibility for their learning.

• Create a homework plan: Help your child develop a timetable, listing what needs to be done and by when.
• Celebrate accomplishments : Acknowledge their successes to reinforce their sense of achievement.

Autonomy Support vs. Controlling Behaviour

To support your child’s autonomy, provide guidance that encourages independence rather than directives that lead to dependence. Autonomy-supportive behaviours involve offering choices within set boundaries and enabling children to approach their homework in ways that work best for them. On the other hand, controlling behaviours may include directing every aspect of the work or taking over tasks, which can undermine their autonomy and willingness to take on challenges.

• Offer guidance, not answers: Pose questions that lead them to think critically rather than giving them the solutions.
• Encourage exploration: Allow your child to investigate different methods to find answers, which fosters problem-solving skills.

Remember, the goal is to create a supportive environment where children feel competent to handle their homework tasks with assurance while knowing that assistance is available if needed.

Strategic Help: When and How to Assist

Effective parental involvement in homework strikes a delicate balance: it’s about guiding your child while nurturing their independence . Knowing when to step in and what strategies to employ can make homework a positive experience for both of you.

Balancing Guidance with Independence

Your role in homework should be supportive without overshadowing your child’s efforts. Offer help when you sense that they’re genuinely struggling, but resist the urge to take control. Michelle Connolly , an expert with over 16 years in the classroom, says, “It’s essential to facilitate rather than dictate, allowing children to develop their problem-solving skills.”

• Identify the Task : Is it difficult because it’s new, or is it a concept they’ve encountered before?
• Judge the Timing : Intervene after they’ve attempted the task on their own.
• Encourage Review : Have them explain the task to you to confirm their understanding.

Homework Help Techniques

Once you’ve assessed when to assist, the next step is to consider how to provide that support. It’s about empowering them with techniques they can use independently next time.

• Discuss the homework – Frame it as a discussion to understand their thought process.
• Offer Examples – Show how to approach a problem rather than solving it for them.
• Break Down the Tasks – Help them divide larger tasks into manageable chunks.
• Resource Direction – Point them towards resources, like LearningMole, for additional guidance.

By employing these strategies, you can help your child embrace homework as an opportunity to learn and grow, rather than a chore to endure.

Analysing the Impact of Parental Homework Involvement

In addressing the influence of parental involvement on homework, it’s important to consider the specific effects on both academic outcomes and the psychological well-being of students .

Educational Outcomes and Academic Performance

Research indicates that parental homework involvement can have a significant impact on academic performance . By engaging with their child’s education, parents can help improve grades and overall achievement . A study on parental involvement in homework suggests that structured academic support from parents can boost a student’s performance. Michelle Connolly, founder of LearningMole and an expert with 16 years of classroom experience, points out, “While parents should avoid taking control, their engagement is a delicate balance that, when struck, can lead to tremendous academic benefits for their children.”

Understanding Psychological Effects

The psychological aspect of parental homework involvement is a critical facet, influencing not just academics but also the well-being of students. It’s not merely about the quantity but the quality of parental guidance that shapes a child’s attitude towards homework and learning. A meta-analysis of parental involvement concludes that positive psychological outcomes are linked to supportive and autonomous forms of help. Connolly emphasises, “Knowledge of learning psychology enables parents to support their children in ways that cultivate a healthy attitude towards learning and homework.”

Adapting Strategies for Different Educational Stages

As your child progresses through their educational journey, it’s important to adapt your approach to homework support. What works for a young child in primary school might not be as effective for a teenager in secondary school. Let’s explore how you can tailor your involvement to each stage of their learning.

Early Childhood and Elementary School

During early childhood and elementary school , your focus should be on fostering a love for learning and building basic study habits. At this stage, you can:

• Create a structured environment at home with a dedicated space for homework.
• Implement a routine that includes set times for homework and breaks.
• Engage in interactive activities that complement schoolwork and make learning fun.
• Use resources like LearningMole to find engaging activities that correspond to your child’s curriculum in subjects like maths and science.

Michelle Connolly, founder of LearningMole, emphasises the importance of interactive learning: “It’s about making learning tangible through activities that captivate and challenge, laying the foundations for future educational success.”

Transitioning Through Middle and High School

As your child enters middle school and high school , the workload and complexity of homework will increase. It’s pivotal to adjust your support by:

• Encouraging independence with tasks, allowing them to take the lead while you provide guidance only when needed.
• Discussing time management techniques to handle more demanding assignments.
• Helping them learn how to prioritise tasks and manage their study schedule effectively.
• Exploring LearningMole’s resources for STEM subjects , which become more intricate at this stage.

“Adolescents are striving for autonomy, making it crucial for parents to strike a balance between guidance and independence,” says Michelle Connolly, an educational consultant with extensive classroom experience.

By understanding the specific needs at each stage of your child’s education, you can support them effectively without taking over, ensuring that they develop the skills necessary for academic success and lifelong learning.

The Link Between Socioeconomic Status and Homework Support

When you seek to support your child with their homework, it’s crucial to recognise the impact your socioeconomic status may have on this process. From the availability of resources to the setting of achievement goals, socioeconomic factors play a pivotal role in how you can offer assistance.

Understanding the Challenges and Resources

For many families, socioeconomic status is a major determinant in the type and level of homework support they can provide. If you find yourself with limited time due to work commitments or face financial constraints, providing extensive homework help can be challenging. However, it’s not solely about having the financial means; it’s also about being aware of the different resources that are accessible to you. Local libraries, online platforms like LearningMole, and school programmes may bridge some gaps, offering supportive content that amplifies your child’s learning. As Michelle Connolly, an educational consultant, aptly puts it, “Resourcefulness can often outshine resources when it comes to education.”

Tailoring Support to Diverse Needs

Recognising and adapting to your child’s unique learning needs is paramount. Your level of involvement should align with their achievement goals and learning style, rather than overshadowing them. For instance, a child from a modest background might benefit from structured homework routines and the utilisation of free educational resources. On the other hand, if you have more availability or financial flexibility, you might consider additional tutoring or enrichment programmes, always keeping in mind the importance of fostering independence. Tailoring support this way ensures that regardless of socioeconomic differences, your approach to homework assistance is both effective and empowering.

Navigating Homework Challenges and Setbacks

When guiding your child through homework, understanding how to navigate challenges and manage setbacks is crucial. Effective support can make a significant difference in their educational journey.

Dealing with Procrastination and Pressure

Procrastination often stems from a range of factors, including a lack of motivation, uncertainty about the task, or fear of failure. Tackling this issue can involve setting a consistent homework routine and breaking down tasks into more manageable parts. Encourage your child to start with subjects they enjoy to build momentum.

Pressure, on the other hand, can arise from high expectations or a packed schedule. It’s important to create a balanced homework environment, ensuring that your child has time for relaxation and extracurricular activities. For every hour of study, a short break can help alleviate stress.

As Michelle Connolly, founder of LearningMole and an expert with 16 years of classroom experience, notes, “Balancing support with independence is essential in developing a child’s confidence and coping strategies.”

Responding to Low Grades and Academic Struggle

When your child encounters low grades or academic struggles, respond with encouragement rather than criticism. It’s essential to understand the root of the issue—whether it’s a specific subject difficulty or a broader learning challenge.

Strategies for improvement could include:

• Discussing the subject with your child to pinpoint where they feel stuck.
• Communicating with teachers to gain insights into your child’s learning patterns.
• Utilising resources like LearningMole for supplementary material tailored to your child’s needs, including support for SEN.

Remember, “Every setback is a setup for a comeback. It’s an opportunity to build the resilience that leads to success,” as Michelle Connolly reflects.

By utilising these strategies, you can help your child face homework challenges more effectively and turn setbacks into learning opportunities.

Evaluating Homework: Quality Over Quantity

When considering how to best support your child with their homework, it’s important to focus on the quality of the work rather than just the quantity. This ensures that time spent on homework is effective and contributes to a deeper understanding of the subject matter.

Assessing Homework Assignments

Evaluating your child’s homework assignments involves looking beyond the number of pages or problems to solve. Determine the objective of each assignment and how it relates to what your child is learning in class. Quality homework should be purposeful, promoting critical thinking and allowing students to apply concepts in meaningful ways. As Michelle Connolly, a founder and educational consultant notes, “A well-designed assignment enables children to explore the subject more deeply and reinforces classroom learning.”

The Role of Quality in Homework Design

The design of homework assignments plays a crucial role in a student’s academic development. Assignments should not only align with the curriculum but also be structured in a way that encourages students to think independently. This might include tasks that require problem-solving or applying theories to new situations, enhancing homework performance . It’s about finding a balance; as assignments that are too easy don’t challenge the student, while those that are too difficult may discourage them.

In supporting your child, encourage them to engage with assignments in a way that emphasises understanding over completion. This approach to homework aligns with the ethos of platforms like LearningMole, which prioritises enriching children’s education through interactive and thought-provoking content.

Homework Resources and Tools

Finding the right tools and resources can make homework time productive and engaging for your child. Below is a curated selection of aids and applications designed to support and enrich their learning.

Utilising Online Resources and Applications

Educational Websites: Websites such as LearningMole offer a varied range of instructional materials covering different subjects and educational levels. Michelle Connolly, founder and educational consultant, states, “Our platform presents an engaging way for children to bolster their understanding of complex subjects through interactive tutorials and activities.”

• Interactive Applications: For STEM homework, apps providing interactive simulations and experiments allow your child to explore concepts in a hands-on manner. Look for apps that offer project-based learning for subjects like coding and robotics.
• Homework Help Apps : Various applications can assist with organisational skills, such as tracking assignments and managing time effectively.

Incorporating Educational Materials and Aids

Project Kits: For hands-on projects, consider STEM kits that come with all necessary materials and instructions. These kits encourage practical application of science and technology principles.

• Education Videos: Videos that demonstrate experiments or offer visual explanations can be particularly helpful for visual learners and for subjects that are difficult to grasp through text alone.
• Printable Worksheets and Activities: Materials such as worksheets are invaluable for practice and reinforcement. Resources tailored by experts, including those with SEN, ensure inclusivity and provide a way for every child to participate successfully.

With thoughtful selection of homework resources and tools, you can create an impactful learning experience that supports your child’s educational journey without overshadowing their own efforts.

Frequently Asked Questions

When it comes to homework, the right balance of parental involvement can pave the way for a child’s academic success and independence.

What are effective strategies for parents to assist with homework without completing it for their children?

Firstly, you can create a conducive learning environment by establishing a routine and a quiet space for study. Michelle Connolly suggests, “Encourage your children to try problem-solving on their own, stepping in to guide rather than to give solutions.”

Why do some parents find it challenging to facilitate homework, and how can they overcome these difficulties?

The challenge often lies in knowing how much help is too much. Overcoming this begins with communication; talk with your child’s teachers about the expected level of involvement and utilise recommended resources tailored to your child’s needs.

What are the advantages for children when their parents are involved in the homework process?

Parental involvement in homework has been linked to improved student outcomes. When you show interest in their work, children understand the value of their education and can feel more motivated. “A parent’s support can enhance their child’s confidence in tackling assignments,” notes Michelle, with her extensive experience in the classroom.

In what ways can schools encourage increased parental involvement in educational activities?

Schools can host workshops that equip parents with the tools to support their children’s learning. Regular communication about curriculum goals and homework policies can also ensure that parents feel informed and empowered to help effectively.

How can parents balance the need to be involved in homework with the importance of fostering independence in their children?

Striking a balance involves being accessible while encouraging self-reliance. Discuss with your child how they’d like you to assist and focus on providing moral support, affirming their efforts, and celebrating their achievements.

What approaches can schools take to engage parents in supporting homework policies effectively?

Schools should aim for clear and consistent communication about homework expectations and the purpose behind assignments. Providing parents with strategies for effective support and creating opportunities for collaborative learning can foster positive engagement. Michelle Connolly recommends, “Schools should facilitate dialogue with parents, making them active partners in the educational process.”

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Smart Classroom Management

A Simple, Effective Homework Plan For Teachers: Part 1

So for the next two weeks I’m going to outline a homework plan–four strategies this week, four the next–aimed at making homework a simple yet effective process.

Let’s get started.

Homework Strategies 1-4

The key to homework success is to eliminate all the obstacles—and excuses—that get in the way of students getting it done.

Add leverage and some delicately placed peer pressure to the mix, and not getting homework back from every student will be a rare occurrence.

Here is how to do it.

1. Assign what students already know.

Most teachers struggle with homework because they misunderstand the narrow purpose of homework, which is to practice what has already been learned. Meaning, you should only assign homework your students fully understand and are able to do by themselves.

Therefore, the skills needed to complete the evening’s homework must be thoroughly taught during the school day. If your students can’t prove to you that they’re able to do the work without assistance, then you shouldn’t assign it.

It isn’t fair to your students—or their parents—to have to sit at the dinner table trying to figure out what you should have taught them during the day.

2. Don’t involve parents.

Homework is an agreement between you and your students. Parents shouldn’t be involved. If parents want to sit with their child while he or she does the homework, great. But it shouldn’t be an expectation or a requirement of them. Otherwise, you hand students a ready-made excuse for not doing it.

You should tell parents at back-to-school night, “I got it covered. If ever your child doesn’t understand the homework, it’s on me. Just send me a note and I’ll take care of it.”

Holding yourself accountable is not only a reminder that your lessons need to be spot on, but parents will love you for it and be more likely to make sure homework gets done every night. And for negligent parents? It’s best for their children in particular to make homework a teacher/student-only agreement.

3. Review and then ask one important question.

Set aside a few minutes before the end of the school day to review the assigned homework. Have your students pull out the work, allow them to ask final clarifying questions, and have them check to make sure they have the materials they need.

And then ask one important question: “Is there anyone, for any reason, who will not be able to turn in their homework in the morning? I want to know now rather than find out about it in the morning.”

There are two reasons for this question.

First, the more leverage you have with students, and the more they admire and respect you , the more they’ll hate disappointing you. This alone can be a powerful incentive for students to complete homework.

Second, it’s important to eliminate every excuse so that the only answer students can give for not doing it is that they just didn’t care. This sets up the confrontation strategy you’ll be using the next morning.

4. Confront students on the spot.

One of your key routines should be entering the classroom in the morning.

As part of this routine, ask your students to place their homework in the top left-hand (or right-hand) corner of their desk before beginning a daily independent assignment—reading, bellwork , whatever it may be.

During the next five to ten minutes, walk around the room and check homework–don’t collect it. Have a copy of the answers (if applicable) with you and glance at every assignment.

You don’t have to check every answer or read every portion of the assignment. Just enough to know that it was completed as expected. If it’s math, I like to pick out three or four problems that represent the main thrust of the lesson from the day before.

It should take just seconds to check most students.

Remember, homework is the practice of something they already know how to do. Therefore, you shouldn’t find more than a small percentage of wrong answers–if any. If you see more than this, then you know your lesson was less than effective, and you’ll have to reteach

If you find an assignment that is incomplete or not completed at all, confront that student on the spot .

Call them on it.

The day before, you presented a first-class lesson and gave your students every opportunity to buzz through their homework confidently that evening. You did your part, but they didn’t do theirs. It’s an affront to the excellence you strive for as a class, and you deserve an explanation.

It doesn’t matter what he or she says in response to your pointed questions, and there is no reason to humiliate or give the student the third degree. What is important is that you make your students accountable to you, to themselves, and to their classmates.

A gentle explanation of why they don’t have their homework is a strong motivator for even the most jaded students to get their homework completed.

The personal leverage you carry–that critical trusting rapport you have with your students–combined with the always lurking peer pressure is a powerful force. Not using it is like teaching with your hands tied behind your back.

Homework Strategies 5-8

Next week we’ll cover the final four homework strategies . They’re critical to getting homework back every day in a way that is painless for you and meaningful for your students.

I hope you’ll tune in.

If you haven’t done so already, please join us. It’s free! Click here and begin receiving classroom management articles like this one in your email box every week.

What to read next:

• A Powerful Way To Relieve Stress: Part One
• A Simple Exercise Program For Teachers
• How To Give Effective Praise: 6 Guidelines
• How To Make Your Routines More Effective
• 3 Misconceptions Of Effective Classroom Management

21 thoughts on “A Simple, Effective Homework Plan For Teachers: Part 1”

Good stuff, Michael. A lot of teachers I train and coach are surprised (and skeptical) at first when I make the same point you make about NOT involving parents. But it’s right on based on my experience as a teacher, instructional coach, and administrator the past 17 years. More important, it’s validated by Martin Haberman’s 40 years of research on what separates “star” teachers from “quitter/failure” teachers ( http://www.habermanfoundation.org/Book.aspx?sm=c1 )

I love the articles about “homework”. in the past I feel that it is difficuty for collecting homework. I will try your plan next year.

I think you’ll be happy with it, Sendy!

How do you confront students who do not have their homework completed?

You state in your book to let consequences do their job and to never confront students, only tell them the rule broken and consequence.

I want to make sure I do not go against that rule, but also hold students accountable for not completing their work. What should I say to them?

They are two different things. Homework is not part of your classroom management plan.

Hi Michael,

I’m a first-year middle school teacher at a private school with very small class sizes (eight to fourteen students per class). While I love this homework policy, I feel discouraged about confronting middle schoolers publicly regarding incomplete homework. My motive would never be to humiliate my students, yet I can name a few who would go home thinking their lives were over if I did confront them in front of their peers. Do you have any ideas of how to best go about incomplete homework confrontation with middle school students?

The idea isn’t in any way to humiliate students, but to hold them accountable for doing their homework. Parts one and two represent my best recommendation.:)

I believe that Homework is a vital part of students learning.

I’m still a student–in a classroom management class. So I have no experience with this, but I’m having to plan a procedure for my class. What about teacher sitting at desk and calling student one at a time to bring folder while everyone is doing bellwork or whatever their procedure is? That way 1) it would be a long walk for the ones who didn’t do the work :), and 2) it would be more private. What are your thoughts on that? Thanks. 🙂

I’m not sure I understand your question. Would you mind emailing me with more detail? I’m happy to help.

I think what you talked about is great. How do you feel about flipping a lesson? My school is pretty big on it, though I haven’t done it yet. Basically, for homework, the teacher assigns a video or some other kind of media of brand new instruction. Students teach themselves and take a mini quiz at the end to show they understand the new topic. Then the next day in the classroom, the teacher reinforces the lesson and the class period is spent practicing with the teacher present for clarification. I haven’t tried it yet because as a first year teacher I haven’t had enough time to make or find instructional videos and quizzes, and because I’m afraid half of my students will not do their homework and the next day in class I will have to waste the time of the students who did their homework and just reteach what the video taught.

Anyway, this year, I’m trying the “Oops, I forgot my homework” form for students to fill out every time they forget their homework. It keeps them accountable and helps me keep better track of who is missing what. Once they complete it, I cut off the bottom portion of the form and staple it to their assignment. I keep the top copy for my records and for parent/teacher conferences.

Here is an instant digital download of the form. It’s editable in case you need different fields.

Thanks again for your blog. I love the balance you strike between rapport and respect.

Your site is a godsend for a newbie teacher! Thank you for your clear, step-by-step, approach!

I G+ your articles to my PLN all the time.

You’re welcome, TeachNich! And thank you for sharing the articles.

Hi Michael, I’m going into my first year and some people have told me to try and get parents involved as much as I can – even home visits and things like that. But my gut says that negligent parents cannot be influenced by me. Still, do you see any value in having parents initial their student’s planner every night so they stay up to date on homework assignments? I could also write them notes.

Personally, no. I’ll write about this in the future, but when you hold parents accountable for what are student responsibilities, you lighten their load and miss an opportunity to improve independence.

I am teaching at a school where students constantly don’t take work home. I rarely give homework in math but when I do it is usually something small and I still have to chase at least 7 kids down to get their homework. My way of holding them accountable is to record a homework completion grade as part of their overall grade. Is this wrong to do? Do you believe homework should never be graded for a grade and just be for practice?

No, I think marking a completion grade is a good idea.

I’ve been teaching since 2014 and we need to take special care when assigning homework. If the homework assignment is too hard, is perceived as busy work, or takes too long to complete, students might tune out and resist doing it. Never send home any assignment that students cannot do. Homework should be an extension of what students have learned in class. To ensure that homework is clear and appropriate, consider the following tips for assigning homework:

Assign homework in small units. Explain the assignment clearly. Establish a routine at the beginning of the year for how homework will be assigned. Remind students of due dates periodically. And Make sure students and parents have information regarding the policy on missed and late assignments, extra credit, and available adaptations. Establish a set routine at the beginning of the year.

Thanks Nancie L Beckett

Dear Michael,

I love your approach! Do you have any ideas for homework collection for lower grades? K-3 are not so ready for independent work first thing in the morning, so I do not necessarily have time to check then; but it is vitally important to me to teach the integrity of completing work on time.

Also, I used to want parents involved in homework but my thinking has really changed, and your comments confirm it!

Hi Meredith,

I’ll be sure and write about this topic in an upcoming article (or work it into an article). 🙂

Overall, this article provides valuable insights and strategies for teachers to implement in their classrooms. I look forward to reading Part 2 and learning more about how to make homework a simple and effective process. Thanks

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10 Tips to Help Your Child with Homework

October 2, 2018 by Evan-Moor | 0 comments

1. Be Involved

Be aware of what your child is studying in school and what the teacher’s homework policies are. Attend school events, meet your child’s teacher, and read the handouts sent home with your child. If you don’t understand the homework your child is bringing home, then email your child’s teacher or schedule a meeting and ask for help.

Set up a quiet area in your home for doing homework. Provide pencils, paper, erasers, crayons, glue, and scissors. Completing assignments is always easier when the right tools are at your fingertips.

If your family is always on the go, pack a portable homework station .

Provide healthy snacks after school that will give your child the energy and brain boost needed to complete homework assignments. It is difficult for children to concentrate when they are hungry, thirsty, or tired. The most powerful brain food combines protein with a carbohydrate. Try to stay away from sugary snacks and drinks that will give your child a surge of sugar and then an energy slump. Offer water for hydration.

A few examples are:

• String cheese and apple slices
• Peanut butter toast or celery sticks
• Veggies and dip
• Quesadilla and avocado dip
• Rolled turkey and cheese slices

4. Schedule Time for Homework

Children respond well to predictable and scheduled times. Decide when the best time is to complete homework and set that time aside every day. Some children work best after school, while others need a little rest before beginning their work. Try not to push homework late into the evening when your child is tired and more likely to become irritated. Sometimes it is difficult to do this every day with activities, but try to create a weekly schedule that works for your family. It may be helpful to post a schedule in your kitchen or homework station as a visual reminder.

5. Limit Distractions

Minimize distractions by turning off the television, video games, or loud music, and putting cellphones away. Keep toys and technology (unless they need it for their assignment) away from the homework station.

6. Make a Plan

Not all homework assignments are created equal. Review the daily homework with your child and make a plan to tackle the most difficult assignments first and leave the easier ones for later.

7. Ask Questions But Don’t Do His/her Homework

Make sure that your child is the one completing the assignments and not you. Otherwise, your child won’t learn the skills and concepts necessary to learn. Help your child by guiding him/her through assignments and checking the work. Here are a few techniques to try:

• What do you think?
• How do you think you can come to the answer?
• Ask your child to try to find the mistake. Correct your child’s work but don’t give the answer.
• Recreate a problem or skill your child is struggling with and guide your child through solving it. Then have your child use those techniques on the homework.

If your child is showing signs of frustration or anger, take a five-minute break to refocus. Rather than allow your child to turn on technology, take him/her outside for a quick game of tag or a short bike ride. Physical exercise is the best method to help children focus their energies. Communicate that you are taking a short break and will resume the homework. Teaching children how to cope with difficult tasks is one of the best life skills you can teach them.

9. Seek Extra Help

Know when your child needs extra help. Although it is the teacher’s job to monitor and provide assistance to children in the classroom, it is important to be realistic with your expectations. In a class of 30 students, many teachers find it difficult to provide all the support they would like for each student. If your child is struggling in a specific subject, ask your teacher to recommend a support program online. Most teachers know which free programs work well with their curriculum. Many will even provide extra work in a specific subject area for you to work on at home with your child. You may also ask your local library if they offer homework help/ tutoring.

Keep track of the amount of time your child is spending on homework. For example, spending an hour and a half on a math assignment in elementary school is too much. If you are finding that your child is unable to complete the homework he or she is required to do, schedule a time to meet with your child’s teacher to discuss options for minimizing the work.

Typically, time spent on homework each night should follow this guideline:

• Grades 1–3 should spend no more than 20–30 minutes a night on homework.
• Grades 4–5 should spend no more than 40–50 minutes a night.
• Grades 6–8 should spend no more than two hours a night on homework or roughly one hour per class per week. (These times do not apply to advanced placement classes.)

If your child is struggling with homework, some ideas to discuss with his/her teacher include:

• Completing only even or odd problems
• Choosing one subject to work on each day
• Turning in homework on a Monday, allowing extra time to complete it over the weekend

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Teaching Trove

Making learning fun

How to Make Homework Fun for Kids

Blog , Mathematics

Homework is one of those things that you will either agree with or disagree. Agree, because you know it’s a way to help children to reinforce skills or it’s a good way to prepare them for content they will be covering or maybe you are using it for enrichment and extension. Disagree, because you are always chasing up kids who didn’t do their homework or struggling to find time to mark homework or even set homework, particularly if you are creating a worksheet for it.

We can’t dispute the fact that research shows that homework has little impact on academic success in elementary grades. There is, however, the suggestion that homework has benefits in other areas. It can teach self-responsibility.  The child needs to find time to sit down and complete their homework and then remember to pack it and hand it in. Parents can also benefit from their child’s homework. It can help them learn about and become more involved in their child’s education.

Homework, however, can be very stressful for both parents and children. After a long day at school, today’s children not only have to come home to homework but need to participate in so many extracurricular activities. It’s exhausting being a kid!

Homework Games

If you need to assign homework you can make it more interesting and less stressful for both parents and children by using homework math games. After all, games are fun!

Consolidate Basic Number Facts

I designed these games because I wanted to help my students consolidate the basic number facts – addition and subtraction. I didn’t want to be giving them worksheets but rather I wanted them to have some fun as they were really consolidating those addition and subtraction facts. Each game is designed to consolidate a single thinking strategy so if you have been focusing on teaching doubles plus one facts at school you can send home the doubles plus one game. It makes it so easy to reinforce these basic facts.

Accountability

The left-hand side of the game has the thinking strategy to prompt the child as well as the answers to each number fact. Before the child starts the game this side of the game is folded over. When the child lands on a number fact they must write it down and answer it – now you have your accountability. If they don’t know the answer they can open up the side and ‘sneak a peek’ before closing it again. My parents love them because it gives them the math language that we use in class and the strategy needed to help their child work out the answer. My kids love them because it’s a game.

There is no die needed for the game just a coin. Why a coin you may ask.  Well if you flip it and it lands on heads you move two spaces, tails you move five. Any small object can be used as a marker.

I have also included a game with mixed facts. It has a recording sheet that asks the student to not only record the equation but to say what thinking strategy they used. This really helps them gain mastery of the addition and subtraction facts.

I hadn’t considered it but one of my customers said that she also uses the games in her math journals. They’re also great for using in math rotations. I also like to print them out and give them to students that I tutor – the ones that need more time consolidating the basic facts and could do it easily with their parents. And don’t forget those kids that you know are going to forget the number facts over a break.

The Summer Slump

The summer slump is real! Kids forget so much of what they learned the year before.

One way to help reduce this ‘learning loss’ is to send home a summer pack containing games of all the strategies you’ve covered during the year. If you’ve got some kids who are already showing great fact fluency just send home the game with a mixture of strategies. Include both addition and subtraction for extra practice.

The addition strategies covered are :

• Counting on 1
• Counting on 1 and 2
• Counting on 1, 2 and 3
• Doubles + 1
• Doubles + 2
• PLUS a game that includes a mixture of strategies.

The subtraction games focus on :

• Counting back 1
• Counting back 1 or 2
• Counting back 1, 2 or 3
• Take from 10
• Doubles Takeaway
• Build on Doubles
• Subtracting 9
• Subtracting 10

You can also grab a pack of multiplication games. They cover each fact from multiplying by zero and one to multiplying by twelve. The pack also includes two mixed multiplication games.

Grab a Pack of Games

Pick up your set of homework games in the website store or the Teachers Pay Teachers shop. Just click on a pack below.

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Absolutely love this! How much more fun than addition and subtraction worksheets!

Blessings, Sarah

Thanks Sarah, I’m glad you enjoyed it.

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Helping Your Child with Homework

By Dinah Torres Castro

As the new school year begins parents often experience as much anxiety as their children when they think about homework. Sometimes we reflect on our own past experiences and wonder how we can make homework a more positive experience for our little ones.

• Start by recognizing that homework is really a contract between the child and the teacher. It serves a purpose—to reinforce what was learned in class during the day. Homework is the child’s job not the parent’s. You can help your child develop good study habits at home by approaching homework with a positive attitude. Encourage your child to do their best. Show your child you are proud of their work, praise their efforts and display it on the refrigerator or some other special place in your home.
• Set a special place where homework can be done that is well lit, quiet and free from distractions (no TV, music or other family activities including smaller siblings). Some families prefer the kitchen table because it has ample space and is close by where mom or dad can be accessible if help is needed but can also start getting dinner ready if time is short. Some children have a desk set up for homework in their bedrooms or a family room. Choose what works best for your family.
• Put together a homework help box with all kinds of school supplies. If possible at the beginning of the school year pick up extra pencils, a sharpener, ruler, glue, erasers, markers, scissors, paper, crayons and other items as suggested by your child’s teacher. I often found it helpful to add scraps of ribbon, string, and leftover pieces of wrapping paper, buttons and other odds and ends lying around the house. These items sometimes came in handy for creative projects. Homework gets done faster and easier if you have everything you need organized in one place. You can use a basket or a shoe box that your child can decorate to store these items.
• Set a regular time for homework but be flexible when unexpected events occur. Most children come home from school and get right to work while others need a snack or time to play or unwind after a long day. Plan the time that best suits your child. For example, if your child has afterschool activities it might be better to have them go to bed early and wake up and do homework in the morning.
• Take time to check over your child’s work. Turn mistakes into positive learning opportunities. If any corrections are needed, ask your child to explain how they got that answer. Most times a child will discover his or her mistake as they go through this process.
• As your child gets older it is important that you remain involved by discussing their assignments with them and sharing articles from magazines, newspapers or websites that are relevant to the topics they are studying. Take your child to a library or museum or introduce your child to people who are knowledgeable about that subject.

By following these simple steps you will help your child establish good study habits that will last throughout their years in school. For more tips on school success visit the following website: Homework Tips for Parents

Adapted from, “Good Study Habits and Homework.” Backpack Buddies Fact Sheet Ohio State Extension, November 2010. Reference Staude, S. (n.d.) Good Study Habits. University of Missouri Extension. Accessed April 9, 2010, at http://extension.missouri.edu/extensioninfonet/article.asp?id=2253 November—First Grade BB-F-3-R10

Dinah Castro is a Bilingual Family Well-Being Educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County’s Family Health and Wellness Program. She can be reached at 631-727-7850 ext. 351 or at [email protected] .

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Learning is difficult and sometimes boring too. That’s exactly the reason why your child doesn’t want to study. So, start with something easy. Make your child believe that there is nothing they can not do.

Let them revise terms they already know or study comprehensive texts of their choice. By doing so, your child feels confident and motivates them to read more. These simpler tasks give your child the strength to keep going.

Some of the benefits of starting to learn with something easy are :

• Good start: not tiresome, not confusing, not boring.
• Good warm-up to learn something new further.
• Boosts your child’s self-confidence.
• Helps in increasing a child’s adjustability.

2. Take away distractions

Your child’s productivity depends on their ability to focus and concentrate while studying. Therefore, choosing a quality study area and decreasing any internal or external distractions can help make your child’s study time even more productive, fruitful, and effective.

Few suggestions to avoid distractions are given below:

• The first and foremost suggestion is to deal with your child’s hunger.
• Do not allow the use of phones or any other electronic devices while studying.
• Keep any tempting toys,games, books, or magazines away from the study table or area.
• Divide the study time into reading and writing so your child does not feel pressured and confused about reading or writing.

3. Motivate your child to set small goals

Encourage your child to set small, winnable study goals based on what needs to be completed. Setting goals gives your child a clear view of what needs to be done and enhances confidence when completing these goals.

Make sure that your child understands why studying is important and where it can take them.  Have a talk with your child about how studying can improve their grades and motivate them. Some of the few suggestions that you might use as studying goals are:

• Make a condition and set a reward system such as telling your child if they revise or review notes for twenty minutes, they will get ice cream or something similar.
• Set a goal to finish at least five practice questions from the textbook.

4. Appreciate and praise your child more often

Appreciation is the biggest motivation, especially for children. Every child loves to be appreciated and praised by their parents and teachers. So, try to praise your child in how they do the homework, which will motivate them to do better.

Tell your children that they have done well and can do much better. Appreciate your child even at their failure, such that they feel inspired rather than sad. It’s going to help them perform better in the classroom, support their mental health , and ease their anxiety. Use some of the appreciative terms more frequently, such as “I’m proud of you,” “Good job,” well done,” ” I believe in you,” and more.

Some of the benefits of using appreciating words are:

• Motivates your children and helps develop positivity in them.
• Helps your children to do their work with dedication, interest, and joy.
• Boosts up a child’s self-esteem and belief in themselves.

5. Design a study plan together

As a responsible parent, help your child to develop a study plan. Create a calendar or get a large calendar to put on the wall together. Using the calendar, you can organize your child’s homework, exams, and extracurricular activities.

It is a good idea to ask for your child’s opinions, thoughts, feedback, and involvement while designing a study planner. Asking for their opinions in this decision-making study plan will make a difference and encourage your child to study

While designing a study plan, it is better to include the following things:

• At what time should a child start doing their homework?
• How many hours should a child spend revising their course of study after completing homework?
• How frequently can they take breaks, and for how long?
• What work should be prioritized? (i.e., homework that is due the soonest)

6. Organize a homework-friendly area

 A well-organized, quiet, peaceful, and comfortable environment is essential for your child to be focused on the study. Ensure your kids have a well-lit study area to complete their homework with all the essential things they need, like paper, pencil, books, geometry box, etc. The area must not have any disturbing materials.

Homework areas that are relaxing, light but formal keep children’s attention more effectively. Organizing homework areas help children save time looking for things, have more time on other tasks, and improve productivity.

7. Allow them to take a proper study break

Many kids get tired during homework time, as it can be hard to get all homework done in one go, and that’s when they start to make excuses. Splitting the study times into possible portions is important and allows you to refresh your child’s mind.

But don’t allow the gadgets during break-time, because it can be too distracting. Instead, make them meditate or enjoy the fresh air. Encouraging a child to take a proper break can help lessen stress, improve creativity, and maintain the child’s attention and regain motivation.

8. Help them learn from their failure

Children learning from their mistakes help build strength and raise confident, positive, capable, motivated, and successful adults. When children sometimes fail, even after struggling, they sometimes give up, so parents must show them the right path. Teach them perseverance.

In this way, children will learn what they could do for improvement and better success next time. For example, they could talk to the teacher about any problems they face before a test or study differently.

The thoughts within the children must be: Failure is an opportunity to accept and change. It’s about understanding and accepting the situation and building disappointment tolerance while also asking, ‘Can we change something in the future? Can we learn from this failure?

Some benefits of learning from mistakes:

• Children learn lessons and won’t repeat the mistakes again in future.
• Children will put in more hard work and effort every day to achieve the results they wanted.
• Teach them to see the mistakes as challenges and convert failure into opportunity.
• Helps to keep the child grounded and humble.

Final thoughts

Most children don’t enjoy studying, and it is always a battle for them to complete homework on time, while it is not the same for other children. Every child has a different personality, capabilities, and strengths.

It is the responsibility of the parents to motivate their children in every possible way to make them do homework in time. Instead of forcing and scolding them to complete their assignments, you can help your child become a more organized, positive, and proactive person.

Doing so will help you save quarrelsome between you and your child. Your child will be prevented from stress and anger. Moreover, it will encourage your child to do their work and take responsibility for completing their work on time. In other words, they learn diligence, perseverance, and punctuality.

EN101 Author

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6 Tips to Teach Children to Do Their Homework on Their Own

10 Mistakes Parents Make with Their Children’s Homework

Homework is a basic pillar of the education system. As unpopular as it might be with some kids, most parents and teachers defend homework, saying it reinforces classroom learning, helps create good work habits and discipline, and benefits concentration and memory. Homework is a child’s task and responsibility, however, parents also play a role: that of monitoring, supporting, answering questions and ensuring that their children complete their homework but never, never should parents do homework for their children .

Not doing homework for the student doesn’t mean you can’t get involved. “ The parent has to think of themselves as the coach . A coach does not run with the player nor eat the same calories and, of course, does not suffer the same injuries. A coach has two main functions: organize and advise, with the objective of improving performance,” argues psychiatrist Orlanda Varela. Many parents in all social classes dedicate several hours a day to helping their kids with homework or making sure they do it. This reality contrasts with the widespread false notion that scholastic failure is due to parents’ lack of concern about the education of their children.

Many parents get into a cycle that they feel it is difficult to escape. Each afternoon they review the agenda, organize where their children should start, and resolve each of their children’s questions, etc. This becomes an excessive burden when combined with the various other tasks that parents have to do every day. When parents try to stop doing this, they realize that their children feel lost without them and fear that the child will stop or not do their homework well, so they continue to take charge each night.

This generates a lot of tension between parents and children. Moreover, children feel increasingly insecure thinking that they are not capable of doing things on their own. As time goes on, they will ask more questions and it will be more difficult for them to take charge of their own tasks.

THE TEN ERRORS PARENTS MAKE BY DOING HOMEWORK WITH THEIR CHILDREN AND THE KEYS TO SOLVING THEM

• Doing homework anywhere , in the kitchen while preparing dinner; in the living room while others watch TV… Instead: Ensure that «homework time» is important;  in a fixed place , it is best if it is the child’s own study corner. If there is no separate space available, choose a quiet place in the house, without distractions , without TV. ..
• Parents complaining about the quantity or quality of the assigned homework.  Instead : Accept reality. Homework is what it is. If we see that homework is beyond the capability of our child, we should go to the school and let them know, but at home, you should respect the decision of the teacher whenever possible. We are preparing our children for life, and in life, there will be a lot of work and effort.
• Doing the homework ourselves.  Instead : Completing your children’s homework does not increase their work capacity or their discipline or teach them anything new. Common sense, the great tool that all parents have, although sometimes they do not pay attention to it, is already telling us this. You do not have to correct the exercises at home. The goal is not to make the child’s work perfect, but rather to get the child to try to do them in order to understand any difficulty. Teacher corrections are better; you should have your child to listen to him or her. However, it is the job of the parent to check that the student has corrected their homework in class and has learned from their mistakes.
• Understanding homework only as a way to acquire new knowledge.  Instead : Homework reinforces learning and, above all, is an opportunity to learn to work in an autonomous manner. Parents can explain the answers but it makes more sense to help kids find the answers by looking for them: in their own textbooks, on the internet…
• Convert homework into «argument time» each day.  Instead: Convert homework time into a time of peace and tranquility. If the student has difficulty, the student can and should consult with his or her teachers the next day. It is very harmful to create anxiety in a home around things related to school.
• Don’t take seriously the child’s need for your presence and support. Instead: Put down the smartphone and be available, watching and listening to them when they need it.
• Impose absolute control.  Instead : If kids want a parent to step in, ask them to say the lesson out loud to make sure they understand what they have learned. If we make them nervous, it is better to trust in their own sense of responsibility. And tell them out loud that you believe in them.
• Avoid talking to teachers.  Instead : Promote communication and collaboration with teachers. Consult them if you or your child needs any supplemental help.
• Allow them to face their homework when they are already exhausted from extracurricular tasks.  Instead: Extracurricular activities are necessary but do not need to be obsessive. Students can have too many: sports, languages, music, chess…all at the same time. It is better to adapt the activities to the personality and interests of the child. Have some quiet evenings at home in which the children only have to do homework and play.
• Be inconsistent.  Instead : Homework is, overall, about learning self-discipline and how to work autonomously. We help if we encourage kids to set a consistent start and finish time, perhaps with a minimum and maximum study period. Homework should always be done at the same time, in the same place, and always with the phone turned off. Showing that there is a time for everything is a great learning process for a child and parents should demonstrate this in their own lives.

HOW TO ORGANIZE HOMEWORK TIME

There should be a starting and ending time for homework. Putting a clock on the table helps kids monitor the time. We should remember that it is not possible to maintain an uninterrupted focus for more than 40 minutes (depending on the child’s age this time is much shorter). It is important to take small breaks for 10-15 minutes between different activities.

To facilitate homework and to make sure they do not get depressed, it is recommended to start with something brief and simple, and later do the less pleasant tasks, but leaving the easiest task or the task the child likes the most, for last. Children reach their maximum performance after 30 minutes. At an hour and a half, performance decreases, and thus they shouldn’t deal with the most difficult subjects then.

You have to adapt the homework times to the age of the age. 15 minutes is sufficient for the youngest children to read or perform math exercises. 6 to 8 years: between 30 and 40 minutes. 8 to 10 years: one hour. From that age: between 60 and 90 minutes. In high school: between 2 and 3 hours.

We recommend kids do their 15-minute Smartick sessions every day before homework, this will help children concentrate better on their tasks later.

Learn More:

• 10 Tips to Help Children Do Homework Independently
• How to Help Our Children with Their Homework
• Should Homework Be Banned?
• No More Homework? A Texas Teacher’s Letter Goes Viral
• 5 Ways to Reinforce Positive Behaviors in Your Child
• 15 fun minutes a day
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Great Blog, Thank you for sharing with us the wonderful post. I appreciate your research. It can be very helpful for parents who often make mistakes. Now, by reading your post they will take care of these things and will not make mistakes.

Kids homework can be really a difficult thing for parents to handle. Through proper tips and knowledge, parents can make it easier for their children to do the homework and understand it as well. Thanks for the above list of mistakes. These will help.

Thank you for sharing amazing post with us. I appreciate your research. It would be really helpful for parents who generally make mistakes. Now, by reading your post they will take care of these things and would not make mistakes.

Hi Aabha, thank you so much for your comment! We’re very happy to know that the Smartick blog helps you and we hope it continues to do so!

Well this post about online tutorial courses is awesome! consider yourself added to my blogroll. I have like six other blogs I read on a weekly basis, guess that number just increased to seven! Keep writing!

Thank you very much Aerabela!

Felicidades! Me gustó mucho esta página, espero que sea gratuita y que pueda apoyar y guiar a mis hijos para que sean mejores cada día, muy completa su página, informativa,didáctica… Gracias

We also have our blog in Spanish: https://www.smartick.es/blog/ The blog is free.

Smartick is an online method for learning mathematics for children beetween 4-14 years old. We provide a free trial without any commitment so you can try it and assess if it is interesting for your children. After the free trial, there is a cost that depends on the number of children and the length of time you subscribe (monthly, quarterly or yearly). If you have any further questions, please don´t hesitate to contact my colleagues at Client Services at [email protected] and they can attend to you in Spanish or English.

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As much as they may grumble about it, doing homework is something your child is going to have to get used to and, especially in the early years of school, they’re going to need your support.

In this section of the site you’ll find lots of information to help you teach your child good homework techniques , create a good homework / life balance , understand how much homework children get in each primary school year , support maths and English homework, and deal with homework headaches.

Instill good homework strategies now and it will pay dividends when your child gets to secondary school!

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Primary maths glossary and primary english glossary.

Find detailed explanations of maths methods taught in school today, literacy terms and classroom techniques in our primary-school glossaries.

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Never be stumped by maths homework again

Spelling, geography projects, sentence-writing, model-constructing... not a problem. It's maths homework that gives most parents cause for concern! That's why TheSchoolRun is packed with information on new maths techniques, strategies to try and easy explanations to help you get the numbers straight in your own head first!

• How to help with maths homework: an non-expert's guide
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Teach your child maths

Have a look at our fantastic Teach your child... series for fantastic ways to help your child grasp core primary school learning concepts.  Each Teach your child... eBook is a reference guide and home-teaching kit which will help you understand exactly what skills your child is expected to have mastered in each year of the primary school curriculum. Each guide as been compiled to ensure that you have the right information at your fingertips so you can quickly make sure your child has fully grasped and achieved each and every skill for their correct year group and using the same methods that they are taught (rather than confusing them with the one you were taught at school!). You'll be able to print off highly targeted and child-friendly fun worksheets to help them master each of the essential skills in fun, five-minute sessions.

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Helping Your Child Gain Independence with Homework

Fostering independence is accomplished by moving your child from dependence on you to dependence on homework buddies and material resources (e.g., references, lists, reminders). Remember that focusing on what is right about your child is the best way to help him or her strengthen and develop homework completion skills.

Although young children require your close observation, support, and your ability to identify their work style and preferences, eventually you must provide your child with opportunities for decision making, planning, and goal setting. This is particularly important to achieve prior to the adolescent years when there is a more delicate balance between assistance and interference. As we have written in previous columns, during the elementary years, perhaps even more important than the goal of practice and rehearsal, homework helps your child develop the skills necessary to become an independent learner. Independent learning is a critically important skill for middle, high school and college success.

By laying this important foundation you and your teen will be prepared when he or she expresses a preference to work alone and your assistance may be perceived as an intrusion. Many teenagers find parent help with homework an unwelcome offer. By the late elementary school years your involvement may be most effective when it is defined as awareness and monitoring, rather than direct assistance or physical supervision. By the middle school years homework should be completed independently. You should act as a consultant and information source rather than a task master or supervisor. Forcing your assistance on your child at any age will only result in conflict and reduced motivation.

Authors: Dr. Sam Goldstein and Dr. Sydney Zentall

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HOMEWORK HELP: Teaching students, parents the skills to succeed

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich — With a new school year underway, chances are your student is already coming home with homework.

How can parents help their children ace those assignments?

Read on to learn tips from April Ruiz, a longtime educator and founder of Mosaic Masterminds, a West Michigan-based tutoring organization.

Why is homework important?

Ruiz told FOX 17 students must practice what they are learning outside the classroom.

"There are several benefits to doing homework... for one, it allows our scholars to be able to extend their learning from the school day by applying what they've learned. It also gives them an opportunity to cement the lessons that the teachers have facilitated," Ruiz explained. "I'd say homework is exceedingly important for overall success and for confidence building, which, in our experience as teachers, is half the battle."

How can parents set their student(s) up for success?

Ruiz has several tips for parents to consider as students bring home assignments.

*Be proactive in your child's learning

Ruiz said, "It is exceedingly important to know ahead of time what's coming down the pike, so we're not caught off guard."

That leads to her next tip...

*Stay engaged

Ruiz advises staying in contact with your student's teachers.

"If our parents are clued into what's going on in the classroom, that makes such a tighter partnership in the learning process for the scholar, so, therefore, the teachers know what the students know what the parents know," she explained.

*Don't be afraid to check your student's backpack

Ruiz said this is important, no matter the age.

"Our tweens and teens are going through a lot of physiological changes as well. Their brains are a little scattered sometimes, and it's not always high priority for them to keep at the forefront of their mind an assignment or permission slip for a field trip, for example."

*Develop a routine

Ruiz said that may mean scheduling homework time

"I think it's really important to have a routine established, whether it's chores, homework, family, bonding, time, whatever the case may be, we need to schedule homework just like we schedule our extracurricular activities or other fun things we do outside of school," she explained. "They really appreciate structure. They respond well to it in most cases, and also just having that accountability."

*Take advantage of online resources

Ruiz said there's a wealth of information and learning tools online if your student needs some extra help.

"You could literally Google free math resources or free math literacy resources, free science quizzes online. And there's just a world of things out there that our parents and scholars can take advantage of for added practice. There's flash cards, there's physical flashcards, there's digital flashcards, there's games that are out there that can be played," she said.

*Know when to reach out for extra support

Groups like Mosaic Masterminds are available to help with challenges along the way.

Alicia Czarnik-Hagan has enlisted Mosaic Masterminds to help both of her students.

This summer, her 11-year-old son Harrison worked with a "Mastermind" tutor to prepare for the transition from elementary to middle school.

"My biggest thing right now is just helping to keep them organized and on track," Czarnik-Hagan. "I want [homework] to be done. Like, my expectation is that...I feel like it's important to teach kids about responsibility, organizing, planning, prioritizing, and that's really those skills that you get from homework."

Czarnik-Hagan said her biggest test is navigating the parent-child relationship while helping with assignments.

"It is the most challenging when I'm trying to teach something or explain something to my child, because I wasn't in that classroom that day, and so there's a different relationship," she explained. "Just balancing that relationship after school, of still being a parent, but not pushing too hard and like, breaking that the parent relationship and child relationship."

If there's one more tip to pass along, Ruiz said it's to "do something."

"If you don't have a school that is assigning homework regularly, be that gap filler where you can find opportunities for your scholar to extend his or her learning. Make sure that you are on guard and on duty, checking the parent view app, talking with the teacher, email, pop in and find out what's going on... just make sure that you're doing something. Something is better than nothing, and we want our scholars to win."

You can learn more about Mosaic Masterminds here .

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This Mom Says She's Opting Her Kid Out Of Homework This Year

“The only thing that you should be worried about is learning and what time snack time is.”

A new parenting trend on TikTok begs the question: is homework optional? For some parents, that seems to be the case as some moms and dads are coming forward to announce that they are not making their kids do homework when they get home from school.

After an emotional homework session , one mom decided that all the fighting and tears were not worth the trouble, noting that she emailed her son’s teacher to tell him that he would not be participating in homework this year.

“For any parents that might not know this, and I just recently learned this, is that you can actually opt out of homework for your children,” Arizona mom, @cayleyxox said in her now-viral TikTok.

For context, her son goes to a charter school so this “opt out” news might not apply to all.

“I didn't know that until recently, and I just sent my son's kindergarten teacher a cute little email saying, ‘I'm sorry, based on the stress, mental, physical anxiety it's causing my kid, we are done. We are done opting out for the rest of the year.’”

She then shared the moment when she decided to make this change.

“On the first week of school ... he got this packet. It's for August. It doesn't look like it's all that bad, but it's about 15 to 20 pages double-sided. You do the math. We have been working on it and trying to work on it to the best of our abilities, and it is causing him so much mental, physical stress,” she shared.

“This morning I had him sit down. I felt so guilty for this. We were sitting down, I told him, ‘You can't even watch a show this morning. You can't do anything. It's going to be radio silence until you sit here and eat your breakfast and finish at least one or two pages of this. Because you're way behind.’ This is so much work for him. I started crying. He started crying. It was an emotional mess.”

She attributes the stress of homework to her son’s sudden lack of interest in going to school at all.

“I felt so guilty dropping him off at school. He didn't want to be there. For the last two weeks, he's told me he doesn't even like school and doesn't want to be there anymore, which hurts my mama heart because you were five. Five. You were in kindergarten. The only thing that you should be worried about is learning and what time snack time is,” she said.

Cayley then wonders what kind of message having kids to homework actually sends, noting that she wants to teach her kids to “work to live not live to work.”

“What are we teaching kids? What are we teaching them? That, ‘Oh, yeah, here you go. You're going to go to work and you're going to be paid salary, but it doesn't matter if you don't finish your work in the eight to ten hours that you're there Monday through Friday. You're going to bring that work home and you're going to do that on your own time.’”

“No ... not up in here. We are not teaching our children that. Work to live. We don't live to work ... In this household, we're done doing homework. I want my kids to love school. I want him to love to learn. I want him to have fun. I want to enjoy it ...”

The TikTok mom was met with mixed responses. Some users agreed with her take while others argued that she’s teaching her kid to be entitled.

“I hear this, but then I think how 50% of the population has a 7th grade reading level in the USA,” one user wrote.

“I would maybe find some strategies to motivate him to get his homework done. Positive incentives, goals, make it a game. Use fun pens etc. You have to put in the work to make it fun,’ another suggested.

Another noted, “I’m gonna play devils advocate, as a teacher mama who also hates homework because we have busy extracurriculars! Sometimes it’s less about ‘they need to be doing work’ and more about ‘sit with your kids And read to/with them, study spelling words, or do some math problems? Show them you are interested in what they are learning, and I promise the benefits will multiply!!”

The OP replied, “That’s a great point I personally am just ranting to the internet I’m respectful of his teacher and her doing as she feels best and will never speak down but things will be modified as needed”

Several TikTok users wanted an update, asking how her son’s teacher responded to her email regarding the homework boycott. Things didn’t exactly go well.

During a face-to-face interaction at school pick-up, Cayley and the teacher discussed the email.

According to Cayley, her son’s teacher noted she had never received a complaint about homework to which she replied that she wasn’t complaining but rather “addressing the situation that's no longer gonna work for their family.”

They went back and forth about the amount of work with the teacher trying to negotiate how much the kid could do. The OP did not back down but opted for a reading log of 15-20 minutes of reading per night.

“No more f**king packets are happening in this house. That's for damn sure,” she concluded.

Cayley is not alone in this thinking. Besides the hundreds of moms who supported her in her comment section, another mom on TikTok also shared that her children will not be doing homework.

TikTok mom ( @phillybee12 ) also shared that if her kids are doing well in school, she will not have her kids doing homework.

“We don't do homework. Yesterday ... I get a phone call from [my daughter’s] teacher. She's calling to tell me how well my daughter's been doing in class for the last week and tells me that her grades are good. I said, ‘Well, I just want to let you know while we're on the phone, we don't do homework.’ It is at this point in time that three other women inside the viewing room turn and look at me,” she beings, imitating confused glares.

“Like I'm some kind of psycho for not doing homework. Well, as long as the grades are good, we don't do homework. They're in school for seven hours. I'm not gonna have them come home and push homework. They go to sports. They sit at home with us. They talk. They play on their phones. We watch a movie together, whatever it is, it's not homework. So until their grades are bad, we're not a homework family. Are you a homework family?”

Is homework optional? Or are parents setting their kids up for an entitlement mindset?

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These Common Phrases Said to Kids Are Actually Problematic

When it comes to talking with our kids, it's all too easy to slip into common phrases like "practice makes perfect" or "you're okay." But it turns out that not all of those go-to sayings are the most helpful. And while it might be impossible to never say these things to your child, it can be beneficial to know why those phrases aren't the most productive thing to hear.

Read on for 10 common sayings that may do more harm than good, why you should avoid saying them to your child, and what to say instead if you want to raise a happy child .

Parents / Getty Images

"Great Job."

Research has shown that tossing out a generic compliment like "Good girl" or "Way to go" every time your child masters a skill makes them dependent on your affirmation rather than their own motivation, says Parents advisor Jenn Berman, PsyD, author of The A to Z Guide to Raising Happy, Confident Kids . This is known as the self-deflation hypothesis which theorizes that excessive praise sets unrealistic standards and eventually lowers the child's self-esteem .

Instead of providing excessive and vague positive feedback whenever your child accomplishes something—save the kudos for when they're truly warranted and be as specific as you can. Being specific can help them realize For example, instead of "Super game," you can say, "That was a nice assist. I like how you looked for your teammate."

"Practice Makes Perfect."

While it's typically true that the more time your child devotes, the sharper their skills will become. The adage can also ramp up the pressure they feel to win or excel. "It sends the message that if you make mistakes, you didn't train hard enough," says Joel Fish, PhD, author of 101 Ways to Be a Terrific Sports Parent .

Instead, encourage your child to work hard because they'll improve and feel proud of their progress. They should focus on incremental milestones instead of perfection. For example, try saying " practice the piano so you can finish learning that song you love."

"You're Okay."

When your child scrapes their knee and bursts into tears, your instinct may be to reassure them that they're not badly hurt. But telling them they're fine may only make them feel worse. " Your kid is crying because they are not okay," says Dr. Berman.

In that moment you can best help your child by showing them how to understand and deal with their emotions, not discount them. Try giving them a hug and acknowledging what they're feeling by saying something like, "That was a scary fall." Then ask whether they'd like a bandage or a kiss—or both.

"Hurry Up!"

Your child dawdles over their breakfast , insists on tying their own sneakers (even though they haven't quite mastered the technique yet), and is on pace to be late for school… again. But pushing them to get a move on creates additional stress, says Linda Acredolo, PhD, coauthor of Baby Minds .

Soften your tone slightly and say, "Let's hurry," instead. This sends the message that the two of you are on the same team and both of you are trying to accomplish the same goal. You can reframe it as a task you both need to tackle, and make sure to ask if there's anything they might need help with that is preventing them from 'hurrying up.'

"I'm On a Diet."

If your child sees you stepping on the scale every day and hears you talking about food in relation to your body image, they may develop an unhealthy body image of their own, says Marc S. Jacobson, MD, professor of pediatrics and epidemiology at Nassau University Medical Center, in East Meadow, New York.

Instead, you can frame food as an essential component for energy and nutrition. Avoid using food as a reward and don't discuss food in relation to your body image. You should also stop labeling foods as "good" or "bad." This will help your child develop a healthy relationship with food and can prevent them from developing an eating disorder.

"We Can't Afford That."

It's easy to say "we can't afford that" when your child begs you for the latest toy , but doing so sends the message that you're not in control of your finances, which can be scary for kids, says Jayne Pearl, the author of Kids and Money .

Choose an alternative way to convey the same idea, such as, "We're not going to buy that because we're saving our money for more important things." If they insist on discussing it, you have a perfect window to start a conversation about how to budget and manage money. You can even help them learn budgeting by offering them money for chores and showing them how to manage their allowance.

"Don't Talk to Strangers."

This is a tough concept for a young child to grasp. Even if a person is unfamiliar, they may not think of them as a stranger if they're nice. Plus, kids may take this rule the wrong way and resist the help of emergency officials whom they don't know, says Nancy McBride, executive director for the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, Florida Regional Office, in Lake Park.

Instead of warning them about strangers, bring up scenarios, like "what would you do if a man you don't know offers you candy and a ride home?", and have them explain what they'd do. Once you know how they'd handle the situation, you can guide them to the proper course of action.

It's more important to teach your child about trusted adults or people they can reach out to when they are in trouble, such as a teacher, a neighbor, or a store clerk. It's more likely that a stranger will come to their aid than actually harm them—stranger abductions account for 1% of missing child cases.

"Be Careful."

Saying this while your child is balancing on the monkey bars actually makes them more likely to fall. "Your words distract them from what they're doing," says Deborah Carlisle Solomon, author of Baby Knows Best .

If you're feeling anxious, move close to spot them in case they take a tumble, being as still and quiet as you can. Let them maintain their focus and still provide support if needed.

"No Dessert Unless You Finish Dinner."

Avoid saying this at dinner as it increases a child's perceived value of the treat and diminishes their enjoyment of the meal itself, says Parents advisor David Ludwig, MD, PhD, director of the New Balance Foundation Obesity Prevention Center at Boston Children's Hospital and author of Ending the Food Fight. Foods should not be offered as a reward or withheld as punishment, imparting this mindset on your children sets them up for unhealthy eating habits.

Tweak your message along these lines: "First we eat our meal and then we have dessert." The wording change, though subtle, has a far more positive impact on your child.

"Let Me Help."

When your child is struggling to build a block tower or finish a puzzle , it's natural to want to give them a hand. Don't. "If you jump in too soon, that can undermine your child's independence," says Myrna Shure, PhD, professor emeritus of psychology at Drexel University in Philadelphia and author of Raising a Thinking Child .

Instead, ask guiding questions to help them solve the problem: "Do you think the big piece or the little one should go at the bottom? Why do you think that? Let's give it a try." This will not only help foster their independence but also build confidence .

Key Takeaway

There are 10 sayings parents typically use that do more harm than good. These sayings are: "great job," "practice makes perfect," "you're okay," "hurry up," "I'm on a diet," "we can't afford that," "don't talk to strangers," "be careful," no dessert unless you finish dinner," and "let me help." These common phrases are not productive for your child to hear and may lead to more complicated issues such as disordered eating, lack of confidence, and lowered self-esteem.

When Parents' Praise Inflates, Children's Self-Esteem Deflates . Child Dev . 2017.

The Truth About Child Abduction Statistics in 2024 . Safeatlast . 2024.

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Helping your child with autism thrive tip 1: Provide structure and safety

Tip 2: find nonverbal ways to connect, tip 3: create a personalized autism treatment plan, tip 4: find help and support, free u.s. government services for children with autism, caring for a child with autism when you are autistic, helping your child with autism thrive.

There are many things you can do to help a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) overcome their challenges. These parenting tips, treatments, and services can help.

Ted Hutman, Ph.D. is Assistant Clinical Professor in Psychiatry at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and a licensed clinical psychologist practicing in Santa Monica, CA.

A parent’s guide to autism treatment and support

If you’ve recently learned that your child has or might have autism spectrum disorder, you’re probably wondering and worrying about what comes next. No parent is ever prepared to hear that a child is anything other than happy and healthy, and an ASD diagnosis can be particularly frightening. You may be unsure about how to best help your child, or confused by conflicting treatment advice. Or you may have been told that ASD is an incurable, lifelong condition, leaving you concerned that nothing you do will make a difference.

While it is true that ASD is not something a person simply “grows out of,” there are many treatments that can help children acquire new skills and overcome a wide variety of developmental challenges. From free government services to in-home behavioral therapy and school-based programs, assistance is available to meet your child’s special needs and help them learn, grow, and thrive in life.

When you’re looking after an autistic child, it’s also important to take care of yourself. Being emotionally strong allows you to be the best parent you can be to your child in need. These parenting tips can help by making life with an autistic child easier.

Don’t wait for a diagnosis

As the parent of a child with ASD or related developmental delays, the best thing you can do is to start treatment right away. Seek help as soon as you suspect something’s wrong. Don’t wait to see if your child will catch up later or outgrow the problem. Don’t even wait for an official diagnosis. The earlier children with autism spectrum disorder get help, the greater their chance of treatment success. Early intervention is the most effective way to speed up your child’s development and reduce the symptoms of autism over the lifespan.

[Read: Does My Child Have Autism?]

When your child has autism

Learn about autism. The more you know about autism spectrum disorder, the better equipped you’ll be to make informed decisions for your child. Educate yourself about the treatment options, ask questions, and participate in all treatment decisions.

Become an expert on your child. Figure out what triggers your kid’s challenging or disruptive behaviors and what elicits a positive response. What does your child find stressful or frightening? Calming? Uncomfortable? Enjoyable? If you understand what affects your child, you’ll be better at troubleshooting problems and preventing or modifying situations that cause difficulties.

Accept your child, quirks and all. Rather than focusing on how your autistic child is different from other children and what he or she is “missing,” practice acceptance. Enjoy your kid’s special quirks, celebrate small successes, and stop comparing your child to others. Feeling unconditionally loved and accepted will help your child more than anything else.

Don’t give up. It’s impossible to predict the course of autism spectrum disorder. Don’t jump to conclusions about what life is going to be like for your child. Like everyone else, people with autism have an entire lifetime to grow and develop their abilities.

Learning all you can about autism and getting involved in treatment will go a long way toward helping your child. Additionally, the following tips will make daily home life easier for both you and your child with ASD:

Be consistent. Children with ASD have a hard time applying what they’ve learned in one setting (such as the therapist’s office or school) to others, including the home. For example, your child may use sign language at school to communicate, but never think to do so at home. Creating consistency in your child’s environment is the best way to reinforce learning. Find out what your child’s therapists are doing and continue their techniques at home. Explore the possibility of having therapy take place in more than one place in order to encourage your child to transfer what he or she has learned from one environment to another. It’s also important to be consistent in the way you interact with your child and deal with challenging behaviors.

Stick to a schedule. Autistic children tend to do best when they have a highly-structured schedule or routine. Again, this goes back to the consistency they both need and crave. Set up a schedule for your child, with regular times for meals, therapy, school, and bedtime. Try to keep disruptions to this routine to a minimum. If there is an unavoidable schedule change, prepare your child for it in advance.

Reward good behavior. Positive reinforcement can go a long way with children with ASD, so make an effort to “catch them doing something good.” Praise them when they act appropriately or learn a new skill, being very specific about what behavior they’re being praised for. Also look for other ways to reward them for good behavior, such as giving them a sticker or letting them play with a favorite toy.

Create a home safety zone. Carve out a private space in your home where your child can relax, feel secure, and be safe. This will involve organizing and setting boundaries in ways your child can understand. Visual cues can be helpful (colored tape marking areas that are off limits, labeling items in the house with pictures). You may also need to safety proof the house, particularly if your child is prone to tantrums or other self-injurious behaviors.

Connecting with an autistic child can be challenging, but you don’t need to talk—or even touch—in order to communicate and bond. You communicate by the way you look at your child, by the tone of your voice, your body language – and possibly the way you touch your child. Your child is also communicating with you, even if he or she never speaks. You just need to learn the language.

Look for nonverbal cues. If you are observant and aware, you can learn to pick up on the nonverbal cues that autistic children use to communicate. Pay attention to the kinds of sounds they make, their facial expressions, and the gestures they use when they’re tired, hungry, or want something.

Figure out the motivation behind the tantrum . It’s only natural to feel upset when you are misunderstood or ignored, and it’s no different for children with ASD. When children with ASD act out, it’s often because you’re not picking up on their nonverbal cues. Throwing a tantrum is their way of communicating their frustration and getting your attention.

[Read: Autism Behavior Problems]

Make time for fun. A child coping with ASD is still a child. For both autistic children and their parents, there needs to be more to life than therapy. Schedule playtime when your child is most alert and awake. Figure out ways to have fun together by thinking about the things that make your child smile, laugh, and come out of her/his shell. Your child is likely to enjoy these activities most if they don’t seem therapeutic or educational. There are tremendous benefits that result from your enjoyment of your child’s company and from your child’s enjoyment of spending unpressured time with you. Play is an essential part of learning for all children and shouldn’t feel like work.

Pay attention to your child’s sensory sensitivities. Many children with ASD are hypersensitive to light, sound, touch, taste, and smell. Some children with autism are “under-sensitive” to sensory stimuli. Figure out what sights, sounds, smells, movements, and tactile sensations trigger your kid’s “bad” or disruptive behaviors and what elicits a positive response. What does your child find stressful? Calming? Uncomfortable? Enjoyable? If you understand what affects your child, you’ll be better at troubleshooting problems, preventing situations that cause difficulties, and creating successful experiences.

With so many different treatments available , it can be tough to figure out which approach is right for your child. Making things more complicated, you may hear different or even conflicting recommendations from parents, teachers, and doctors.

When putting together a treatment plan for your child, keep in mind that there is no single treatment that works for everyone. Each person on the autism spectrum is unique, with different strengths and weaknesses.

Your child’s treatment should be tailored according to their individual needs. You know your child best, so it’s up to you to make sure those needs are being met. You can do that by asking yourself the following questions:

What are my child’s strengths – and their weaknesses?

What behaviors are causing the most problems? What important skills is my child lacking?

How does my child learn best – through seeing, listening, or doing?

What does my child enjoy – and how can those activities be used in treatment and to bolster learning?

Finally, keep in mind that no matter what treatment plan is chosen, your involvement is vital to success. You can help your child get the most out of treatment by working hand-in-hand with the treatment team and following through with the therapy at home.  (This is why your well-being is essential!)

A good treatment plan will:

• Build on your child’s interests.
• Offer a predictable schedule.
• Teach tasks as a series of simple steps.
• Actively engage your child’s attention in highly structured activities.
• Provide regular reinforcement of behavior.
• Involve the parents.

Choosing autism treatments

There are many different options and approaches to ASD treatment, including behavior therapy, speech-language therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and nutritional therapy.

While you don’t have to limit your child to just one treatment at a time, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to address everything at once. Instead, start by focusing on your child’s most severe symptoms and pressing needs.

[Read: Autism Treatments, Therapies, and Interventions]

Caring for a child with autism can demand a lot of energy and time. There may be days when you feel overwhelmed, stressed, or discouraged. Parenting isn’t ever easy, and raising a child with special needs is even more challenging. In order to be the best parent you can be, it’s essential that you take care of yourself.

Don’t try to do everything on your own. You don’t have to! There are many places that families of children with ASD can turn to for advice, a helping hand, advocacy, and support:

ADS support groups – Joining an ASD support group is a great way to meet other families dealing with the same challenges you are. Parents can share information, get advice, and lean on each other for emotional support. Just being around others in the same boat and sharing their experience can go a long way toward reducing the isolation many parents feel after receiving a child’s diagnosis.

Respite care – Every parent needs a break now and again. And for parents coping with the added stress of ASD, this is especially true. In respite care, another caregiver takes over temporarily, giving you a break for a few hours, days, or even weeks.

[Read: Respite Care]

Individual, marital, or family counseling – If stress, anxiety, or depression is getting to you, you may want to see a therapist of your own. Therapy is a safe place where you can talk honestly about everything you’re feeling—the good, the bad, and the ugly. Marriage or family therapy can also help you work out problems that the challenges of life with an autistic child are causing in your spousal relationship or with other family members.

Speak to a Licensed Therapist

BetterHelp is an online therapy service that matches you to licensed, accredited therapists who can help with depression, anxiety, relationships, and more. Take the assessment and get matched with a therapist in as little as 48 hours.

Under the U.S. federal law known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), children with disabilities—including those with ASD—are eligible for a range of free or low-cost services. Under this provision, children in need and their families may receive medical evaluations, psychological services, speech therapy, physical therapy, parent counseling and training, assisted technology devices, and other specialized services.

Children under the age of 10 do not need an autism diagnosis to receive free services under IDEA. If they are experiencing a developmental delay (including delays in communication or social development), they are automatically eligible for early intervention and special education services.

Early intervention services (birth through age two)

Infants and toddlers through the age of two receive assistance through the Early Intervention program. In order to qualify, your child must first undergo a free evaluation. If the assessment reveals a developmental problem, you will work with early intervention treatment providers to develop an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP). An IFSP describes your child’s needs and the specific services he or she will receive.

For autism, an IFSP would include a variety of behavior, physical, speech, and play therapies. It would focus on preparing autistic kids for the eventual transition to school. Early intervention services are typically conducted in the home or at a child care center.

To locate local early intervention services for your child, ask your pediatrician for a referral or use the resources listed in the “Get more help” section at the end of the article.

Special education services (age three and older)

Children over the age of three receive assistance through school-based programs. As with early intervention, special education services are tailored to your child’s individual needs. Autistic children are often placed with other developmentally delayed kids in small groups where they can receive more individual attention and specialized instruction. However, depending on their abilities, they may also spend at least part of the school day in a regular classroom. The goal is to place kids in the “least restrictive environment” possible where they are still able to learn.

If you’d like to pursue special education services, your local school system will first need to evaluate your child. Based on this assessment, an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) will be drafted. An IEP outlines the educational goals for your child for the school year. Additionally, it describes the special services or supports the school will provide your child in order to meet those goals.

Know your child’s rights

As the parent of a child with ASD, you have a legal right to:

• Be involved in developing your child’s IEP from start to finish
• Disagree with the school system’s recommendations
• Seek an outside evaluation for your child
• Invite anyone you want—from a relative to your child’s doctor—to be on the IEP team
• Request an IEP meeting at any time if you feel your child’s needs are not being met
• Free or low-cost legal representation if you can’t come to an agreement with the school

Research indicates that there is a genetic component to autism. However, many parents only discover they’re autistic when they research and obtain a formal diagnosis for their own child. If you’re autistic, you might face unique challenges when it comes to raising children who are also neurodivergent. Here are a few tips that may help:

Don’t hide your identity. Let your child get to know the real you. If you have certain quirks, such as repetitive behaviors or unusual body movements, don’t feel pressured to mask them in front of your child. By being yourself, you’re encouraging your autistic child to be themselves around you and creating an opportunity to bond over your similarities. You can also talk with your child about how neurotypical individuals may react to your behaviors and how to handle negative reactions. Aim to offer the type of guidance you could’ve used when you were young.

Remember to care for yourself. Caring for a child can be challenging if you struggle with sensory needs or require a highly structured lifestyle. For example, if you’re sensitive to sounds, a crying child may be a constant source of stress and discomfort. A child’s sudden tantrums can make it hard for you to stick to a consistent schedule, creating further frustration. To protect your own sense of well-being, it’s important for you to adopt coping habits that help reduce your stress in these types of situations.

[Read: Autism in Adults: Recognizing the Signs, Living with a Diagnosis]

If certain tasks seem overwhelming, look to other people for support. For example, if communicating with doctors and teachers poses a challenge, a parenting mentor or other parents with autism might be able to help you come up with solutions.

Build on your strengths. Everyone has specific strengths, and you’re no exception. Consider how your skills and talents can help you establish a supportive household for your child. Do you excel at visual thinking or design? Create educational posters for your child. Are you able to focus for long periods of time? Use that focus to research and study up on parenting practices and coping strategies. Are you good at problem-solving? Use your creativity and out-of-the-box thinking to overcome challenges around the house.

Be patient with yourself and your child. Be willing to accept that you both have plenty of time to grow and learn. You might experience some setbacks. Perhaps, you lose your temper and feel ashamed by your reaction. Or maybe your child has a hard time fitting in with peers when they start school. Resolve to learn from bad experiences and find solutions, even if you have to make multiple attempts. When one of you does make progress, remember to acknowledge the growth. Offer your child praise and celebrate your personal successes as well.

Hotlines and support

Call the  Autism Society  National Helpline at 1-800-328-8476.

Call the  Child Autism UK helpline  at 01344 882248 or find help and support at  The National Autistic Society .

Call the Early Intervention helpdesk in Perth at 1800 778 581 or  Get support for your child  from NDIS.

Call the  Autism Canada  Family Support Representative at 1-800-983-1795.

Find helplines and support in your area at  Autism New Zealand .

More Information

• The Autism Revolution - Whole body strategies for making life all it can be (Harvard Health Books)
• Life Journey Through Autism: A Parent's Guide to Research - Guide to choosing treatments for your children. (Organization for Autism Research)
• Parent Guide to IDEA - Guide to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in the U.S. (National Center for Learning Disabilities)
• Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) - Learn all about IEPs in the U.S. for kids with autism and other developmental issues. (KidsHealth)
• How is Autism Treated? - Therapies and treatments. (Autism Speaks)
• Neurodevelopmental Disorders. (2013). In Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders . American Psychiatric Association. Link
• Autism spectrum disorder: MedlinePlus Genetics . (n.d.). Retrieved June 16, 2022, from Link
• Autistic children may inherit DNA mutations from their fathers | Science | AAAS . (n.d.). Retrieved June 16, 2022, from Link
• Five Tips for Autistic Parents from This Autistic Parent – The Asperger / Autism Network (AANE) . (n.d.). Retrieved June 16, 2022, from Link
• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Services | CDC . (n.d.). Retrieved June 16, 2022, from Link
• Sensory differences—A guide for all audiences . (n.d.). Retrieved June 16, 2022, from Link

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Millions of readers rely on HelpGuide.org for free, evidence-based resources to understand and navigate mental health challenges. Please donate today to help us save, support, and change lives.

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Sleep training 101: How to know if it's right for you and your child

What is sleep training

Other methods, a holistic approach to sleep training, listen to the full conversation.

It is a familiar scene for most parents.

You’re laying in bed, eyes closed, a wave of drowsiness washes over you. You’re just about to drift into sleep when you hear a loud cry.

You jolt awake, look over at your partner, and eventually trudge down the hall to where your child has just awoken from their crib. You slowly rock them back to sleep, hoping you won’t be too tired the next morning to go to work.

The good news: It doesn't have to be this way, because there is something called sleep training.

The bad news: It might not work for your child, or for you.

Sleep training is an umbrella term for different methods that parents employ to get their child to fall and stay asleep. Some parents swear by it, and others find it difficult to maintain.

“Sleep training means different things to different people,” said Melisa Moore , a licensed psychologist who is board-certified in behavioral sleep medicine. She runs a pediatric sleep practice in Pasadena. Moore recently spoke to Austin Cross on LAist's daily talk show AirTalk to break down different methods of sleep training.

“To me, sleep training is really helping your child learn to fall asleep on their own and get back to sleep on their own during the night so they're not waking everybody up.”

Sleep training has garnered a negative connotation over the years, largely because one method known as “cry it out” has come to overshadow other aspects of the discipline.

With this practice, the child is put in their crib awake. If the child awakens in the night, the parents do not go into the room to help the child fall back to sleep. The child is supposed to learn to self-soothe.

Despite what the name would suggest, Moore said parents who use “cry it out” should not go the entire night without checking in on their child.

“You're always monitoring them for safety, monitoring them for illness, but you don’t get them out of bed until a certain time in the morning,” she said.

Moore said most parents come to her for help after they've tried the “cry it out” method, and are looking for ideas with a little more nuance.

For parents looking for a more gradual approach, Moore recommends the Ferber method, or the chair method.

According to Moore, with the Ferber method, named after pediatric sleep doctor Richard Ferber, parents put their child in the crib awake and leave the room — to return five minutes later to check in with the baby. The next time, they wait 10 minutes. Then 15.

The idea is to slowly get the child acclimated to the parent’s absence when they're trying to fall asleep.

The chair method works in much of the same way, but typically used for older children, with a parent sitting in a chair next to the bed.

“Gradually, every few days, you're moving the chair toward the door so that you're eventually getting yourself out of there,” said Moore.

Moore said co-sleeping is also an option, where a child and parent sleep together in the same bed.

There's a lot of controversy around that because there's a thought they might always need you to be there to go to sleep,” said Moore.

But she cited studies showing that whether or not a parent decides to co-sleep or sleep train, usually by age six the child learns how to fall and stay asleep on their own with no discernible difference to the child’s development.

“If you don't want to sleep train, you want to sleep with your baby, don't have guilt,” she said. “You do want to sleep train... don't have guilt.”

“When you look at science, there isn't really clear evidence that one way is better than another. So it really depends on the family,” Moore said.

In her practice, Moore meets with the entire family to first understand their sleeping arrangements, work schedules, and overall values to tailor the training to their specific needs.

“What most people don't know is that we all have sleep cycles, including babies older than four months. They have the same kind of sleep cycles that we do,” she said.

These include light sleep, deep sleep, dreaming sleep, and then wakefulness.

“Our brains are waking up four to six times per night, every night,” she said. “So for most parents, it's not that their child is waking up more than other kids. It's that they can't get back to sleep on their own.”

Moore said the reason why adults don’t notice that they wake up so many times, is because we are so good at getting ourselves back to sleep.

For her, the main point of sleep training is to create associations to sleep that help the child return to slumber easily and independently.

“The reason bedtime, rocking, bottle, all of that is important is that whatever you have to fall asleep in the first place, if you don't have that during those normal night wakings, your brain kind of wakes up more,” she said “Your baby's going to cry, they're going to be looking for that way that they have initially soothed themselves to sleep in the first place.”

To help create those associations without parental participation, Moore recommends tools like sound machines, night lights, and stuffed animals.

“Remember anything that you have at bedtime has to be there all night long in order for them to be able to get back to sleep from those normal night wakings.”

Moore stressed that sleep is a necessity not a luxury — not just for your child, but for you, too.

More From Forbes

Will ai be your child’s future boss.

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Could AI Be Your Child’s Future Boss?

Artificial intelligence will likely be used in the application process to decide if your child gets their dream job when they are older. But now imagine that same AI not only hires your child but also becomes your child’s boss, assigning tasks and distributing paychecks.

Crazy, right? Or so I thought until I read this post on LinkedIn by Simon Smith, the executive vice president for generative AI at Klick:

Simon Smith's Post on LinkedIn

I mentioned this during a keynote talk I was delivering in Dubai last week. A member of the audience asked if I thought this would actually happen. I chuckled, but the laughter died in my throat. Because the truth is, I don't know.

What I do know is that two startups may be about to flip the script on everything we thought we knew about the future of work.

Skyfire, a company you've probably never heard of, has created a payment network that lets AI agents spend real money. Your money, if you let it.

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“AI agents can’t do anything if they can’t make payments; it’s just a glorified search,” said Skyfire co-founder and chief product officer Craig DeWitt in an interview with TechCrunch. “Either we figure out a way where agents are actually able to do things, or they don’t do anything, and therefore, they’re not agents.”

He's not wrong. And he's not alone.

Another startup, Payman, is building what they call "Fiverr for AIs." A marketplace where AI posts jobs and humans complete them for pay. It sounds like science fiction, but over 10,000 people have already signed up for their beta.

The implications are staggering. We're not just talking about AI taking jobs anymore. We're talking about AI becoming the employer.

Do We Need To Teach Our Kids Skills AI Doesn’t Have?

The knee-jerk reaction is to double down on teaching our kids skills that AI can't replicate. Stay one step ahead of the machines, and we'll always have a place in the workforce, right?

The uncomfortable truth is that AI isn't standing still. It's evolving at a pace that makes Moore's Law look like a slow crawl.

Elon Musk—love him or hate him—predicts AI will eventually do all work . All of it. If he's right (and his track record on tech development is probably the best in the world), then frantically trying to fill the shrinking gaps in AI capabilities is like teaching your kid to be the world's best horse-drawn carriage driver in 1910.

Humans Of The Gaps

There is another way that doesn’t mean we become the humans of those shrinking gaps.

We're not just biological machines waiting to be outperformed. We're fundamentally different from AI, and it's time we started acting like it.

Instead of viewing humans and AI as competitors in a zero-sum game, we need to recognize the unique value that humans bring to the table. That value is not a skill or a set of knowledge, it’s the fact that we are humans.

This doesn't mean we should ignore the reality of AI advancements. Far from it. We need to prepare our kids for a world where AI is ubiquitous. But not by placing them in the gaps where AI can’t perform, at the moment.

We need to shift our focus from what our children can do to who they can be. Instead of asking, "What jobs will be left for humans?" we should be asking, "What kind of world do we want to create, and how can we empower our children to shape it?"

This is a call to action for parents, educators and policymakers. We need to overhaul our education systems, not to churn out more efficient workers but to cultivate more complete human beings.

The future may indeed see AI agents with the power to hire and pay humans. But it's up to us to ensure that our children enter this world not as mere gap-fillers but as confident, skilled individuals ready to work alongside AI in ways we may not yet imagine.

As Craig DeWitt, Skyfire's co-founder, puts it, AI could act "as a secure intermediary between vendors and your bank account." This future suggests a symbiotic relationship between humans and AI, rather than one of competition or subservience.

Two Species Working Together

The choice is ours. Will we prepare our children to work for AI, or will we empower them to create a future where AI works with us. Two species working alongside each other.

As I tuck my daughter into bed tonight, I'm not worried about whether she'll be working for AI. I'm excited about the world she'll help create alongside AI.

It's time to move beyond the "Humans of the gaps" mindset and embrace a future where human value is recognized independently of AI capabilities.

Our children's future isn't about competing with AI. It's about being so unapologetically human that the question of working for or against AI becomes irrelevant.

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Former Houston ISD ‘advocacy teacher’ at all-girls school charged with sexually assaulting student

Ahmed Humble , Digital Content Producer

Joel Eisenbaum , Investigative Reporter

HOUSTON – A former Houston ISD employee is behind bars, accused of having sex with a student on several occasions in the classroom.

SEE ALSO: Harris County man arrested on three counts of sexual assault of child caught while trying to meet undercover detective

Jesus Zamora, 25, made his appearance in probable cause court Friday morning, where he is charged with two counts of sexually assaulting a child between the ages of 14 and 17.

HISD officials confirmed to KPRC 2 that Zamora worked at Young Women’s College Preparatory Academy, an all-girls school in Third Ward . He has since been terminated, according to a letter to parents sent by the principal.

“A former non-teaching staff member of HISD who was once assigned to YWPCA was recently charged with a crime. Please rest assured that this individual is no longer working at our campus and has not been assigned to our campus for over a year. Our students are safe and well, and we will continue to do everything in our power to preserve the safety and well-being of our students.”

Court documents identified Zamora as an “advocacy teacher” at the school and revealed he and a student “engaged in sexual intercourse on multiple occasions on campus.” The victim told authorities they grew a “close friendship” and exchanged numbers in March 2023 to play “Game Pigeon” on their phones.

The victim told authorities, court records claim, that Zamora messaged her saying “if he won the game she would ‘owe’ him something.” It was later revealed via court documents Zamora told her that “she owed him a kiss” and after class “forced her to stay and give him a kiss inside of the close located in the back of the classroom.”

Surveillance video uncovered by detectives corroborated the victim’s claims.

SUGGESTED: Justice Department watchdog finds failures in FBI’s handling of child sex abuse cases

Arrest paperwork claims Zamora and the student would have sexual encounters on several occasions in the closet, but also took pictures of her “against her consent.” From there, the victim told investigators they mostly spoke through Snapchat. The victim also told investigators after he “was no longer employed at the school” he’d continue to press her for sex.

The 25-year-old’s bail was set at $150,000 for each charge of sexual assault.

Copyright 2024 by KPRC Click2Houston - All rights reserved.

About the Authors

Ahmed humble.

Historian, educator, writer, expert on "The Simpsons," amateur photographer, essayist, film & tv reviewer and race/religious identity scholar. Joined KPRC 2 in Spring 2024 but has been featured in various online newspapers and in the Journal of South Texas' Fall 2019 issue.

Joel Eisenbaum

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Harvard Staff Writer

Expert worried about sorry state of civics, history education in U.S. but sees progress in Mass.

American students’ scores in  U.S history  and  civics  keep plummeting, according to the latest  Nation’s Report Card , a situation that mirrors  the declining levels of civic engagement in the nation.  A 2019  survey  found that only 40 percent of American adults could name the three branches of U.S. government and that 22 percent couldn’t identify a single branch. 

Martin West , Henry Lee Shattuck Professor of Education, and academic dean of the  Harvard Graduate School of Education , sits on the National Assessment Governing Board, which oversees the Nation’s Report Card. The Gazette interviewed West about the dire state of civic education and the ways to revamp it to help future generations be better citizens. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

The results of the latest Nation’s Report Card showed students’ scores declining in U.S. history and civics. How bad were they compared to other subjects and to past scores?

Scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress tests in U.S. history and civics fell substantially in 2022 as compared to the last time they were administered, which was prior to the pandemic in 2018. Those scores, at least as judged by the proficiency levels established by the National Assessment Governing Board, are lower than we see in any other subject. 

In 2022, only 14 percent of eighth graders nationwide scored “proficient” in U.S. history, and just 22 percent reached that benchmark in civics. It is also important to acknowledge that, although scores in these subjects fell during the pandemic, they had also been in decline for the decade leading up to the pandemic, and those declines were especially large for low-achieving students. Students’ understanding of U.S. history and civics has been falling and becoming less equal.

What are the reasons for the decline in students’ understanding of U.S. history and civics?

I’m not sure that we know all the reasons why our students are struggling, but a major part of the story is that schools are spending less time on history and civics content than was typical decades ago. 

Part of that seems to be a result of school accountability systems that focus primarily, or even exclusively, on student achievement in math and reading, and most states don’t assess students’ performance in other subjects. It’s an exaggeration to say that only what gets tested is what gets taught, but it’s not too far from the truth.

Martin West.

Niles Singer/Harvard Staff Photographer

Why should we be concerned about students’ low scores in U.S. history and civics? 

One of the core purposes of education, both public and private, is to prepare students for civic life and to be effective citizens in our democracy. When students are unaware of our history and don’t have a solid grasp of our fundamental political institutions, they’re less prepared for civic life. 

There’s broad consensus that American democracy is experiencing significant challenges, and it is hard to envision us overcoming those challenges unless citizens understand our political institutions and learn how to engage as participants in our civic life. 

It’s also the case that the current moment is not the first time that American democracy has been threatened. An understanding of our nation’s history cannot just equip students for civic life, but hopefully also give them a sense of optimism that we can rise to the challenge. 

Compare your score

Four questions taken from the 2022 national assessment of educational progress eighth-grade tests in civics and history.

Step 1 of 4

See how eighth graders performed

What is the main idea of the following quotation?

“So long as we have enough people in this country willing to fight for their rights, we’ll be called a democracy.” — Roger Baldwin, founder of the American Civil Liberties Union The correct answer: B. In a democracy, citizens should protect their freedoms.

Results for students on this question

What helped farmers in the early Massachusetts Bay Colony be successful?

The correct answer: B. Farming techniques learned from local Native Americans

Which of the following is a right guaranteed by the Bill of Rights of the United States Constitution? The correct answer: C. Right to trial by a jury

According to the data, which of the following statements about the election is true?

The correct answer: B. Candidate A became president because he won the Electoral College vote.

Do you see any link between students’ low proficiency in U.S. history and civics and the level of disaffection among young people with civic life and politics?

We don’t have hard evidence establishing that connection, but in my mind, it’s almost certain that our inattention to civic content in K–12 schools has played a role in young Americans’ cynicism about politics and lack of engagement in the political process.

A 2019  survey  found that only 40 percent of American adults could name the three branches of government. Is this something that surprises you?

It’s not a surprise based on the results we see on the National Assessment of Educational Progress. One of the items we administered in 2022, for example, asked students to match each of the three branches of government to its core function. That’s a task that one in six would get right by answering at random, and just one in three students was able to do it correctly. 

That same civic deficit that you’re seeing among adults is evident among students even while they are engaging in limited ways with these subjects in school.

Let’s talk about the efforts to revamp civic education in Massachusetts. In 2018, Gov. Charlie Baker signed a law mandating that civic education be taught in eighth grade, not just in high schools. Has the law made any difference or is it too early to tell? 

The 2018 law requires that all students take a yearlong civics education course in eighth grade and complete a student-led civics project that year and again in high school.

The implementation of that requirement was obviously disrupted to some extent by the pandemic, but the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has put a lot of effort into ensuring that districts have access to strong curricular materials as they move forward. 

We also hope to roll out a new eighth-grade assessment in civics that is still in a pilot stage. 

What grade would you give Massachusetts for the state of civic education?

I would give it a grade of “needs improvement,” but I’m optimistic that things are moving in a positive direction. The law we discussed is still in the process of being implemented. 

The history and social science standards we have in Massachusetts are among the best in the nation, and soon we will have an innovative assessment that will allow us to monitor the extent to which students are developing mastery of those standards. Like other states, we have a lot of work to do, but I’m optimistic that we’re headed in the right direction. 

What’s challenging about the situation we’re in right now is that we don’t have direct measures of what students know and are able to do. The National Assessment of Educational Progress gives us data for the nation, but unlike in math and reading, we don’t get state-by-state or district-by-district results in history and civics. 

That’s why I think it’s very important for states like Massachusetts to develop their own assessments that allow them to track students’ progress and to signal to educators that their efforts in these domains are valued.

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