Sure Start Speke

Parents have asked us why homework takes their child 2, 3 and even 4 times longer than their peers and what they can do about it. There are 3 important means on how parents can help their children. Student's key issues can include:

1- Attention is a major problem, both in class and while doing homework

2- They often have one or more vision issues - too often these student's eyes are either: not working together; skipping words or lines when reading; or they have difficulty copying off the board

3- They become tense when doing homework and often lose it

When a student has difficulty paying attention in class, they often must be re-taught the information at home. Homework time in the home should only take 45 minutes but then studying time is extended because they have trouble focusing and need to be re-taught by their parents.

Problems with vision greatly effect the studying time at home in many ways:

1- They have trouble copying the notes off the board properly and you spend time trying to understand the assignment

2- They skip words or lines when reading, further complicating life

3- When they do math problems they do not often align their work correctly, they miss minus and division signs so they make careless errors

Students often get tense when doing homework and battles often follow. What often happens is:

- Many students are afraid to ask questions and just leave it rather than inquire

- The student or parent gets upset and then - Many arguments are started with this and thus result in complications

What we advise is that parents:

- When helping your children with their assignments, it's important to always stay calm

- If your child gets stressed, give them a 1 or 3 minute break

- Hydrate them before doing homework and while doing homework

- When reading, use an index card or their finger to keep them on the right line

- If the attention is a significant issue, consider getting an ADHD diagnosis - if they have a learning disability or attention issues significantly impact their academic performance, the student could qualify for an Individualized Education Plan and they could get accommodations for homework which might include:

* Make an attempt to get other copies of notes for reference

*Seating by the teacher to improve attention *Having the teacher check to make sure the student has written the assignment correctly

*Signing for all the accomplished tasks boosts their encouragement

*Teachers may be asked to notify parents on a daily basis for the student's performance *It's best to get an eye check-up just to make sure that the vision is fine.

All these advices have helped many students and parents deal with homework stress.