9/24/19
Now that your student has a written planner, both he and you know what needs to be done each day. However, that does not guarantee success. The next step is to make a plan to complete the assignments he’s worked so hard to track. As with any task, it’s important to make a plan for when to work on it. Designating a specific time for homework each day will help your student get in a routine. I realize that students are super busy so they most likely they won’t be able to say “I am going to do my homework from 7-9 pm each night.” They can, however, with your help, come up with a plan at the beginning of the week for when they will do their homework each night that week. As you look ahead at their week and the activities written in their planner, you can help them block out time for homework each day. Planning ahead for work time will relieve stress and help them make the most of their time.
Not only is scheduling time to do homework important, but choosing a specific location is equally important. Students should do their homework at the kitchen table or in an open space in your house. They should not do it in their room. Why? Because they need to be focused and chances are pretty good if they go to their room to do homework, they will come back hours later with not very much accomplished. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule, but for the most part, when a kid says they have been doing homework in their room for three hours, they were actually texting, watching Netflix, Snapping and maybe mixing a little homework in here and there. Choosing a location where you can see your student working will help keep her focused and accountable for using her time wisely.
Next week we will talk about specific strategies to help students maximize their time as they do homework. After all, the purpose of these strategies is to help your students be more efficient to free them up to do what they want to do.
Challenge: Sit down with your student and plan when and where they will do homework.
Check out previous issues of The Thunder Connection
Thunder Connection 9/10/19
Thunder Connection 9/17/19
