How Can I Help My Child with Homework?

Many parents ask, "Should I help my child with their homework?" The answer is, yes but maybe not in the way you expected.Doing homework regularly is an important part of having a successful school year. The best way to help your child with their homework is by taking time now, at the beginning of the year, as a family to discuss good homework habits to help students reach that goal. Teaching good habits will set your child up for success and that's the first step to helping a child with their homework!Ask yourself and your family the following questions to start creating good homework habits.When do you do your homework? It’s important to know that everyone is not the same when it comes to doing homework, and no one plan will work for all students.• Some kids can do homework as soon as they get home from school.• Some kids might need a snack first and then do homework.• Some kids need to recharge their batteries after school, taking 30 minutes of free time before doing homework.• Not everyone can stay focused for the same period of time. While some may be able to sit down and finish their homework others will need breaks. Working for 30 minutes on homework, taking a 10 minute break, then working for 30 minutes more might be the solution.Where do you do your homework?• Having a specific place to do homework helps to establish a routine.• Having as few distractions as possible helps kids to focus. This might mean keeping the TV off or working in a quiet part of the house.Recognizing and Rewarding Good Homework HabitsIt's important that once you see a child participating in these good habits that you praise them and let them know this is the right habit to keep doing. Rewards can be words of praise or a fun activity, and not always a toy or candy. Sometimes just acknowledging that your child did a great thing is enough to confirm a good habit.At Kovar's Satori Academies, we also encourage good homework habits for a successful school year. Our star system rewards our students when they are completing homework and turning it in on time. We praise and celebrate their successes with their peers during class and reward the student with star patches for their martial arts uniform.Deciding as a family which homework habits will help your student reach their goals is a valuable step. It takes a supportive team to be successful, and we thank you for letting us work with you and your family in reaching your goals.