Faiths Together in Croydon loves families.
Today we demonstrate this (yet again!) by bringing you answers to…
Some key questions parents might ask about homework and home studying
There are many questions which parents have concerning homework and studying at home. Below is a cross-section of these plus helpful answers:
- Should I help my child with its homework? The simple answer is, yes you should. A more comprehensive answer is that you ought to help your child mainly if it is clearly productive to do so. Even so, you must be sure and careful about the kind and amount of help you give.
- What can I really do if I must help? Help can be active (e.g. showing them what to do or how to do it); help can also be passive (e.g. encouraging them to figure things out unaided). The key thing is to be there for your child. Try not to talk too much, though – but don’t be totally silent, either.
- Is it okay to go over my child’s work – or is that ‘cheating’? Going over your child’s work is always a great idea. Why? Well, it is expected of you by their school, it is good for bonding with your child – plus it helps you know your child’s academic strengths and weaknesses.
- How should I give feedback? Make your feedback as honest, direct and compassionate as possible. You may find the sandwich method of giving feedback quite helpful: the sandwich method involves giving feedback by placing the more exciting bits of information either side of the less exciting one.
- What key skills are most important for homework and study? Several of these come to mind, such as: ability to take notes, patience, concentration and communication skills. Self-regulation is also important since you should not have to be with them all the time they are doing their homework.
Coming next: What should I do to ensure my child has everything it needs during homework or study? and what are the advantages or disadvantages of doing homework?