School Family

That’s the worry in this well done Chicago Tribune article on parents and homework.

Love the anecdote about the engineer parent and the $30,000 science fair project. Wait ’til my kids get a “make your own magazine” project, right?  Maybe I can bring in our art director and editorial staff for that one.

I completely get the temptation. Who doesn’t want the project to look just right?  But — as a former teacher — I can see the downside. If we tie our kids’ shoes for them every time (or just buy them velcro), will they learn to do it on their own? No way.  Homework is meant to be practice. Most good teachers use it to assess if the school lessons are taking hold and if more review is needed.  No way for teacher to make that assessment for your child, if the homework is done by you.

Homework best practices is right up our alley here at SchoolFamily.com.  Check out our complete parents and homework article archive for a good start.

“Have you done your homework yet?” is a question asked almost daily by parents across the country. That’s changing for parents of students at St. Paul’s Hazel Park Middle School Academy.

According to this article from StarTribune.com, students have to prove they understand the concepts by doing well on tests, and if they can do so without doing the homework, that’s okay.

Some parents are skeptical, but school officials believe “standards-based grading” will teach kids to take responsibility for their learning. From the article:

“Under the new system, Hazel Park has seen fewer students get the best grades, and fewer get the worst. Students who know how to “game the system” by faithfully turning in homework and extra credit, even though they don’t understand the material, are having a harder time. Students who don’t turn in homework, but know how to do the work, are having an easier time.
As to whether it will make a difference in student achievement, it’s too early to tell because students haven’t taken the state tests yet.”

What do you think? Would you like to see more schools adopt this method of evaluation?

Spent last week in New York (as part of an Advisory Council for Symantec’s new efforts around internet safety) focusing on how technology has become such a central part of our kids’ experiences these days. My take: where there used to be two different discussions — one about internet safety and one about parenting – today it’s really just parenting.  The web and connectivity (chat, text, social media) are that integrated into our kids lives.

It’s also why I was interested in this blog post describing one mom’s experience with her daughter and how her studying and web socializing are merging.  Is that a good thing? Or a bad thing?  Or just reality? How are you keeping up with this stuff?

This is a guest post by Angela Norton Tyler, of Family Homework Answers. Angela is a teacher and parent from the Sacramento, California area. She has been a classroom teacher, an elementary school reading specialist, and has taught courses at the college level. With a special focus on helping parents help their children become better students, Angela has put her energies into teaching parents how to improve the homework and reading skills of their children. In 2005, Angela published Tutor Your Child to Reading Success, and now conducts seminars about reading and homework for parents and teachers all over the west coast of the United States. She also publishes Family Homework Answers, a site “devoted to helping parents and their children deal with homework.”

One of the great mysteries of the educational universe is why students aren’t taught how to study. I was lucky enough to be shown the Folded Paper Method in the 8th grade, and I have been using it ever since! Not only does it work for nearly any subject, it is super-easy and portable. It is one of my favorite study methods, and I share it with both my students and my two children.

1. Show your child how to fold a regular piece of lined binder paper in half the long way (hot dog style).
2. In the left column, have them write the words, theories, ideas or formulas they are studying for a test, quiz or exam.
3. In the right column, they write down definitions.
4. They study by keeping the paper folded and flipping it back and forth between each word on the left and its definition on the right. Tell your child to think of the folded paper as a bunch of attached flash cards.
5. A student can test himself by looking at the words and trying to repeat the definitions- without looking!
6. Next, they should look at the definitions and try to recall the words.
7. When they are confident that they know the words and definitions, your child should give the paper to someone (you!) and ask to be quizzed.
8. Encourage your child to start this process a few days before a test. So, after they finish their regular homework, they can study for a half an hour or so. Teach them not to wait until the last minute and try to cram everything into their heads. Put a little information in each night, and it will stick!
9. Tell your child to review their notes right before the test. It’s great to read the words and definitions out loud one last time.
10. Last tip- take a deep breath! They are ready to ace the test!

How simple (and non-tech) is the Folded Paper Method? Remember, by studying a little each night, your child will develop good study habits, feel relaxed, confident and prepared for tests, and still have time for a life outside of studying!

Feel like I’ve been reading Barbara Meltz’s advice in the Boston Globe forever. Always balanced and rational. Here, she tackles a common lament: what to do when your child (in this case a 13-year-old) just won’t take care of his homework responsibilities.

This is a guest post by Angela Norton Tyler, of Family Homework Answers. Angela is a teacher and parent from the Sacramento, California area. She has been a classroom teacher, an elementary school reading specialist, and has taught courses at the college level. With a special focus on helping parents help their children become better students, Angela has put her energies into teaching parents how to improve the homework and reading skills of their children. In 2005, Angela published Tutor Your Child to Reading Success, and now conducts seminars about reading and homework for parents and teachers all over the west coast of  the United States. She also publishes Family Homework Answers, a site “devoted to helping parents and their children deal with homework.”

Parents often wonder if they should let their kids take a break after school before starting their homework. I understand the dilemma. One the one hand, it seems reasonable to let our children have a quick snack and a few minutes of free time. On the other hand, we want those little rascals to get that homework done and out of the way! In my experience, the Do It Now! approach does work for some students (see the quiz on Homework Personality), but most children really do need a substantial break after school.

Uh-oh.

Of course you’re worried. You try to be nice and give your kids a break, and the next thing you know “a few minutes of watching TV” has turned into a few hours, a big fight and a ruined evening, right? So, what is a parent to do?

Make some Homework Sandwiches! There are only two steps:

1. Sit down with your child and discuss which activities they would like to do before and after homework. It is important to let your child come up with his own, reasonable ideas. You want him to be motivated but realistic (no, we aren’t going to the movies every night!). You might be surprised by what kids find enjoyable- and how much they really want our undivided attention. In my case, I learned that my children want to help me make dinner! Who knew that what I view as a chore- cooking dinner- was a treat to them?

2. Agree that your child will be able to do one fun activity before and one fun activity after homework. Fun-homework-fun. A homework sandwich!

Here are some Homework Sandwich ideas:

- Play a video game for 15 minutes/ homework/ shoot hoops with Dad
- Eat a favorite snack/ homework/ watch TV for an hour
- Watch one TV show/ homework/ help with dinner
- Talk on phone for 20 minutes/ homework/ talk on phone forever
- Ride bike for 30 minutes/ homework/ play cards with Mom
- Eat a snack/ homework/ take a bubble bath while Mom reads Harry Potter

Some quick words of advice:

- Put a time limit on the first activity. The easiest way to solve this problem? The kitchen timer. Set it, and when it rings- homework!

- Don’t allow your child to have the second fun “slice” if he or she does not do their homework. After all, a sandwich is not all “bread” and no “filling!”

- Keep a visual homework sandwich “reminder” posted on the fridge or family bulletin board. This way, nobody forgets that it’s only one TV show before homework and not two.

Many parents- including myself- have found great success using homework sandwiches. You will find that if your children are allowed to do something enjoyable right before and immediately after homework, they start to associate homework with those fun activities. The entire process becomes a package deal in their sweet, little minds. (Pavlov, anyone?) The best part is that your children will know exactly what they need to do after school- and how long they can do it. And, because they chose the activities themselves, they are much more invested in the entire process.

One last thing: don’t faint when your child says, “I want to hurry up and do my homework so I can…”

Very interesting message and follow-up discussion over on the Washington Post site.  The topic:  what’s the right amount of homework?  And what’s the parent’s role in that homework?  Lots of strong feelings in this debate. 

As a dad, I found this quote eye-opening:

“In two-parent households, there is a perception gap between parents regarding a father’s involvement in homework assistance. Sixty-seven percent of fathers claim to help with their children’s homework; however, mothers say fathers help approximately 36 percent of the time. Sixty-nine percent of mothers say they help with homework, and fathers tend to agree, with 56 percent of fathers noting their wives’ assistance. ”

You can also check out our entire, extensive library of family + homework content here.

What’s the state of homework at your school and in your house?

This is a guest by post by Angela Norton Tyler, of Family Homework Answers. Angela is a teacher and parent from the Sacramento, California area. She has been a classroom teacher, an elementary school reading specialist, and has taught courses at the college level. With a special focus on helping parents help their children become better students, Angela has put her energies into teaching parents how to improve the homework and reading skills of their children. In 2005, Angela published Tutor Your Child to Reading Success, and now conducts seminars about reading and homework for parents and teachers all over the west coast of  the United States. She also publishes Family Homework Answers, a site “devoted to helping parents and their children deal with homework.”

Parents often approach me at workshops, at school or through my site wanting to know the best way to solve their family homework problems. They are tired of the tears, the fighting, the never-ending homework struggles. Parents have homework questions, and they want homework answers!

They want to know:

- What is the best time to do homework?
- Where is the best place to do homework?
- Is it okay to have the TV on during homework? The radio?
- Should a child take a break during homework? How long?
- How often should parents remind their children to do their homework?

These are all legitimate questions, but before I- or anybody else- can answer them, parents must understand their child’s homework personality.

Homework personality? What?!?

Teachers and educators recognize that each student has an unique learning style. Some are visual or sight learners; others are auditory or hearing learners; and, kinesthetic learners learn best through touch. Good teachers try to incorporate all three of these learning styles into lessons so that every student has the opportunity to best grasp the material.

Your child’s homework personality suggests the unique way in which he or she best studies, learns and does homework. What gets them in the “homework groove?” Where are they most comfortable in your home? When during the day are they the most relaxed yet productive? Do they work best alone or around others? When you are able to answer these types of questions, it is easy to set up a schedule and environment that best supports your child’s homework personality.

Remember, every child is unique! What works for one of your children may not work for another! Some kids need absolute quiet in order to concentrate; others can work just fine in a noisy, crowded room. Some children should come straight home from school and get started on their homework, while others can wait a few hours- or even until the next morning. I’ve known families where one child does his homework at a desk in his bedroom, while his sister sprawls on the family room floor.

Last Sunday around 8 PM, I noticed my middle-school daughter sitting at the dining room table. She was completing a social studies assignment that wasn’t due until later in the week. Now, that’s not how I would have spent my Sunday evening, but I understand that my daughter cannot relax knowing that something (anything!) is due. Hmm. This got me to thinking…

Did my third-grade son have any homework?

He had no idea. He had forgotten his backpack at school.

Needless to say, my children have different homework personalities!  One of them likes to come in and get started on her homework, the other one does not. One needs to be reminded to do his homework, the other one does not. Giving them the same homework rules, breaks, environment, etc. would not only be a waste of my time, it would frustrate and upset them (at least one of them!)

Take the Homework Personality Quiz and figure out how to best support your child’s unique homework personality. The quiz a lot of fun, and it will really get you thinking about how your child works, learns and studies. Share your answers with your family members, make some decisions, and get ready for homework time to get a whole lot easier!

This story half-intrigued me and half cracked me up. We’ve all heard about kids staying after school to get extra help, right?  Well, here’s a twist — this Ohio district is giving parents the extra help, so that parents won’t be so flummoxed by the kids homework!

I must admit, I can see the need. My oldest is just in 4th grade, and I had to do some serious thinking last night about compound subjects and predicates while helping with homework.  I’m already a bit worried about those word problems with the trains heading in opposite directions.

Do you need this kind of help?  Are your teachers providing it?  Is it a trend?

A high school English teacher in New Jersey is making waves for requiring parents to read the same assignments as their kids and comment about them on his blog. The teacher explained to The New York Times that because parent involvement in education tends to wane as kids become teenagers, he decided to make it part of the class. Parents complain about never getting to see their kids work, he said. Now they have to.

The article has stirred up debate about just how much schools should expect from parents. (Blogger Uncertain Principles makes a good case for parent homework, while LT Strickland argues that this approach is unrealistic for many families.) What do you think? Is it unfair to ask parents to ponder Kafka after a long day at work, or is it just part of the job of being a parent?