Article # 3

based on the interview with Barbara-Lynn Taylor, M.Ed. on “Raising Your Kids”

Aired on WXII-12

Wednesday, February 25, 2004

BLT's CHECKLIST FOR FIXING HOMEWORK PROBLEMS

from “Taming the Homework Monster”, Part Five of the video-based parenting program, Successful Parenting

In the previous two articles, we discussed the fact that homework is indeed a problem in the homes of many of our viewers, that it causes discord between parents and their children, and that it would be great if this tension could disappear. Last week, we mentioned that the first steps were to talk with your child, communicate with your child’s teachers, have the doctor check for hearing, vision, or medical problems, be sure that you, the parents, are conveying the idea that the homework is important, and, finally, be sure that your child receives positive consequences for completing homework and turning it in on time.

This week, we are presenting “BLT’s Checklist for Fixing Homework Problems”. It is a simple chronological checklist to get at what is really a rather complex procedure for children to execute. Parents should move down the list, checking each one off when they are sure that it is not a problem. Chances are, the culprit will jump out at you and you’ll know what needs to be tackled to help your child.

If you have checked off each item on the list and are sure that it either never was a problem, or you have fixed it and homework is still causing trouble, the problem could be motivation in the right direction. In that case, have another talk with your child. Work with the teachers to set up a contract, chart, or some other kind of system of positive and negative consequences. The kind of system you set up depends on the age of your child and the time that you and the teacher are willing to put into it.

Remember, each child is different and will go through many different stages with some back tracking from time to time. The child’s ability to be responsible for his/her education, including homework, is usually on a continuum. When children are in early elementary school, parents are very involved. In later elementary and early middle school, parents and students should be transitioning to where the students are becoming more responsible for their own work. By late middle school and early high school, parents should be keeping an eye on whether it’s done, but students are primarily responsible for it. By late high school, homework should be entirely the students’ responsibility. Note, the key word is “should”. It’s not always the way we think it ought to be. We must accept students where they are and take them to the next level as best we can. Remember, SCHOOL SUCCESS TAKES TEAMWORK between students, parents, and teachers.

So, take a moment, turn to the next page, be a detective, and see what might be the problems for your student. Work as a team to fix them! Best wishes!

By Barbara-Lynn Taylor, M.Ed

BLT’s Checklist for Fixing Homework Problems

______1. How is the teacher telling the assignments? (Verbally, writing on the board, etc.?) Does that work for your child?

______2. Is your child writing the assignments down on an assignment pad or on the planner the school provides?

______3. Is your child bringing home the needed books and papers?

______4. Does your child have time in his/her schedule to complete the homework? Is television or some other diversion getting in the way?

______5. Are you supervising the homework to the appropriate extent? Is it possible that you are overscheduled with responsibilities of home and work?

______6. Does your child have an appropriate place to work with the needed supplies?

______7. Is your child in the habit of always putting the work in a certain place like in a folder, front of a notebook, or in the subject section of his/her notebook?

______8. Does your child get the work back to school or could something be happening to it on the way?

______9. Is your child turning the work in at the right time and to the correct place?

______10. Could your child be getting more attention from you, the teacher, or his/her peers by not doing it than he/she would get by doing it?

Click the link below to download a .pdf file of the checklist for easy printing:

Checklist for Fixing Homework Problems

NOTE: Barbara-Lynn will be joining Chris and Kimberly every Wednesday morning at 6:30 on WXII-12 for “Raising Your Kids”.

If you have comments, questions, or would like to share your best parenting practices with reference to homework, please e-mail Barbara-Lynn at blt@successfulparenting.