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Homework Strategies: Using Homework to Improve Organizational Skills

Keep in mind that the primary purpose of homework is to improve learning and foster a positive work ethic. Some possible ways to do this are to:

1. Encourage your child to use an assignment book, write all assignments into the book daily, and check them off when completed. Your child should also break down long term assignments such as projects, into smaller parts and write each part into the assignment book. Many children also find it helpful to put other commitments into the assignment book as well, including music lessons, sports, and jobs.
2. Encourage your children to estimate how long it will take to complete each assignment and plan their schedule accordingly.
3. Help your children set goals regarding how well they want to do on an assignment and how much effort it will take to do that well. This will help them learn to divide study time effectively.
4. Help your children learn to plan for finishing assignments on time. They should start working on major assignments or reviewing for major tests, well ahead.
5. Help your children expand their concentration time. At first they may be able to concentrate for only 10 minutes. Parents can help their children build up this length of time gradually, so that homework takes less time. Even high school students should take a 10 to15 minute break after studying for 45 or 50 minutes. Otherwise, they lose the ability to concentrate.
6. Encourage your child to review class notes and add details, make corrections, and highlight the most important information.
7. Children can pre-read fiction by reading the front cover, back cover, and introduction, and skimming the first quarter of the book to determine setting, character, and plot.

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