A Greenfields School Article for Parents
Homework is an essential part of being at school. Not only is there not enough time in the school timetable to get everything done, but education should be taking place at home as well as at school if it is to be part of a child’s life rather than just “something we do when we are at school”.
But it’s not that easy. Some children are easily distracted from doing what they know they need to do; and some become experts at not exactly relaying an accurate picture to you when it comes to what needs to be done. Most parents are quite happy to let children get on with it, and in many cases that works just fine -but if there are difficulties, what precisely can parents do to help?
Here are five very practical “top tips” based on many years of experience in dealing with the subject of homework:
1. Create a Stable Learning Environment for Your Child
I did a quick and informal survey once years ago on a group of Senior students: I asked them whether or not they had a dedicated homework space at home. The answers were surprising -almost none of them had. Many did homework in kitchens, in living rooms, or even, in one case, on a collapsible desk on a boat which needed to be folded up whenever someone had to pass by! It was no surprise that not much homework was getting done by that class -which is why I asked the question in the first place!
If adults can be easily distracted by mess and a lack of order or by others doing things around them, then surely children can be. Ensuring that they have a desk or dedicated workspace which is tidy, with everything in its proper place, is a basic requirement. Having a well-lit space somewhere away from others so that concentration is possible is also essential.
2. Having a Regular Quiet Time for Homework
A quiet environment also helps a lot. If we had to do our work each day while also watching television or browsing the web or listening to music then we probably wouldn't get much done. Homework will progress a lot faster with the TV off and other distractions removed. If possible, have a set homework time which doesn’t vary much from day to day -a routine really helps to get through the work and gives a sense of achievement when it’s done.
Greenfields provides a free-of-charge supervised environment between 4:40 and 6:00 Monday to Thursday if this is impossible at home, but putting this much order into the home environment is part of stretching education beyond the school’s perimeter. A detailed homework assignment schedule was issued to you in the Autumn term -please contact the school if you missed out on that schedule or need to know more about homework at Greenfields.
Part of this is setting aside enough time to get the work done -GCSE students need two or three hours a night quite often. Other stages of schooling require less (detals of how much at each level of the Upper School is outlined in the schedule mentioned above) -but scheduling it nevertheless really helps.
3. Ensure Your Child has Everything They Need
Paper, correct stationery, the right text books -it’s all part of getting these basics in. There should be no need to stop half way through to find something. Maintain concentration and momentum for the daily assignments by running through a checklist right at the start of the school year and having a place for all these things.
In these technological days, a computer and a safe internet connection have become things most children will need at some point.
4. Discuss Homework in a Positive Way
Give your children a chance to talk about their homework if they wish to. And don’t be afraid to plunge in -even if you know nothing about a particular subject, you can still help just by talking and listening and helping them find their own answers. Sometimes, through explaining something to you, children really get it themselves.
Be encouraging and help your child take responsibility for organising and doing their homework and regularly praise them for their hard work or their improved concentration, handwriting or presentation. Showing your interest, commitment and respect for your child’s work indicates to them that it is something valuable and worth the effort. If you ignore or dismiss homework, a child can learn to take the same attitude, and the game can be lost.
5. Read Together
You are your child’s first teacher. Your approach to things like reading really matters. Especially with younger children, one really practical way to help is to read together, particularly when they first start school. But even as children get older they still love to be read to and to share stories. Reading together and letting your child see you and others read is a powerful way of setting your child on the right path towards a wonderful and successful education.
You will really notice a huge improvement in your child’s reading ability and confidence, and, as reading is a requirement for 90% of homework in whatever subject, you will be helping to lay enormously important groundwork for the future.
Greenfields is there to support you in accomplishing all of the above. A stable, routine, well-equipped, positive and literate approach to homework is the winning way for everyone.
And don’t forget to have fun! You can transform the word “homework” from something that some identify with difficulty and effort into a time for exploration, discovery and triumph.
Grant Hudson
Head Teacher
