School Bell: Homework Wars part 2

Last Monday we talked about a way to use a timer to organize homework into 15 minute homework sessions. This week addresses older kids who have more homework, often from several different teachers each night. [This may also be useful for younger children who have learning challenges that make 15 minute assignments take between 30-60 minutes.]

Homework Battle Weapon #2 "Put it Behind You"

Recognize that often the reason kids can't seen to settle down to work on their homework is because they are totally overwhelmed by the amount they feel they have to do. [Haven't you ever been frozen by inactivity when you have so much to do you don't know where to start? I have!] Even if they start working, they are unlikely to be able to focus effectively, due to the distraction of knowing how much they have yet to do. Try these six steps to putting it all behind them.

1. Don't let your children pile all their homework on the table or desk in front of them and start in. [All too soon their heads will be on the table and they will be whining the "I can't do t

his!" or "I'll never get this done" theme.]

2. Quickly go over with them what they have for that night and pick one thing to star

t. Put the other materials in order of priority [top to bottom] and put them behind your child, out of their sight!

3. Let your child go through 2 five-minute cycles [see weapon #1 from last Monday's post] or work independently for 10 minutes. If they finish the assignment before the 10 minutes skip to step 5.

4. After the 10 minutes they must stop working and put that assignment at the bottom of the pile behind them. Not finished?--If

there is time at the end, they can come back to it and do some more.

5. Take the next assignment [the next one in the stack behind them] and start a new 10 minute stretch.

6. Continue repeating steps 3,4, and 5 until homework time is over. If you do homework in more than one chunk, just pick up where they left off when they start the next homework session.

Advantages:

--- No more spending all the time on one subject and never even starting the others.

--- The children learn to tackle one thing at a time.

--- The teachers find out what the child can accomplish in a 10-minute chunk.

--- Every subject assignment gets at least some attention.

--- Less whining!

--- The children feel more in control of their work, not overwhelmed by the quantity.