Homework is not only a tool to help kids learn the material presented in school, but also one of the ways we teach them the all-important lesson of responsibility and time management. Being able to follow directions independently, prioritize assignments, and follow through with their plans by sitting down and completing their work to the best of their ability are skills that every child needs to succeed in school and in life. Though the topic of homework can be somewhat of a problematic issue in households across the world, changing its connotation from a negative one to a positive one can ultimately benefit a child’s school and home life.
Here are some quick tips on how to turn homework from a chore to a good habit:
Work Together!
Lead by example and you will see that your child will be more willing to sit down and work if you do too. Whether you do this by helping them with homework questions or with understanding certain concepts or by just focusing on your own work by their side, creating a shared work environment and modeling focused work is an ideal way to spend time together while they complete their homework.
Help Them Organize!
Is it play time or work time? By creating a calendar, you can avoid that question and ensure your child doesn’t miss an assignment. This can also help your child visualize what they have to do each day and check off each homework like a ‘To Do’ list. Additionally, kids can also learn to make their own schedules and figure out when they like to do homework versus when they don’t (probably when their favorite TV show is on). Giving them the freedom to make their own schedule will feed into a sense of ownership and equip them with time management skills.
Offer Some Rewards and Incentives
Incentivizing certain behaviors are a great way to get your children to follow household rules – the same goes for homework. Things as simple as a sticker received for each completed task or a reward system like gaining play time for older children can boost a child’s motivation to get down to business.
Teacher for a Day
Create your own mini-classroom and let your child step into the shoes of a teacher. Assuming the role of the student, have your child explain a concept or what they learned that day or week to you or other household members. After all, show-and-tell day is always the most exciting day. Additionally, this type of role-playing works particularly well with improving their understanding of concepts and may lead to homework becoming an easier task.
Try a Learning App
There are some great online programs and apps that make learning a fun activity. Twin’s flagship product, Twing, is such a mobile app which offers rich STEAM content through educational quizzes, immersive adventures, animations, mini-games, DIY challenges and more! Your child can play and find that their knowledge and skills grow enough to make doing homework easier, and thus more enjoyable!
Check out the Twing app here: https://www.twinscience.com/en-gb/twingapp/
