How To Effectively Offer Homework Help To Children Without Doing It For Them

Your child will encounter many teachers throughout their life. However, their first and most essential teacher will be you, their parent. How well a child does in school can, in part, be improved by parent involvement. It’s not so simple, however, as you may end up doing the homework for them.

Naturally, you want to be a good role model and show support, but you don’t want to deprive your child of the chance to experience and learn on their own. What is the type of help to give as a parent?

Encouragement and Praise

Your child’s attitude towards education and homework actually correlates with yours, both positive and negative. Loving homework might not come naturally for your child, and they may further question the value of homework if you agonize over helping them with it. A positive learning environment is created through your support and proactive behavior.

Here’s an approach that has worked well in a number of situations:

When your child needs to complete their homework, sit down next to them. Encourage discussion. Ask them questions. Even if you don’t completely understand what they’re studying, you’re still playing a role by supporting and encouraging your child.

Find a Process to Do Homework Efficiently

One effective philosophy when it comes to teaching is to think about what you would like your child to do and lead by example. Show your child how you would sit down and work out a problem if they are experiencing difficulty with it. Before your child moves on to do more tasks on their own, complete the next one together.

Create a Homework Plan

Don’t force your child to do their homework if they’re becoming overly frustrated. Tackle it in a more positive manner by creating a plan together instead:

• Make sure the homework task is understood and completely gone over by both of you.
• Break up tasks into manageable steps.
• Estimate how much time it would take to complete each chunk of homework by discussing it with your child.
• Create a timeline by working backwards from the deadline.
• Post the timeline you created together on a mini notice board or computer.
• Encourage your child to mark off completed chunks of homework.

Make Time for Homework and Studies

Many people lead hectic lifestyles today – that goes for both you and your child. That’s why allocating time for positive study habits is a necessity. Let’s say, rather than playing video games and/or watching TV, your child sets aside an hour following dinner to engage in a study activity or continuing doing their homework.

To support your child’s learning process, you should create opportunities to read with them, facilitate discussions, and more.

Could Both You and Your Child Use Some Homework Help?

At JEI Learning Center, we firmly believe that every child has boundless learning potential. We can help your child develop healthy study habits regardless of the after-school educational program they choose, such as reading and writing. If homework assistance is what you and your child need, we are here for you.

Reach out to one of our experts on education via our Contact Us page. To find a learning center near you, click here.