Homework assignments should reflect the subject matter covered in that grade level. It is important for parents and educators not to create assignments that are too complex or demanding for a young student. While some younger children have short attention spans, it is important for the assignments to be challenging but fair. An example of a fair assignment might be writing an essay on the history of a certain piece of technology or a film noir. When the assignment is too time consuming, students may simply become bored with it and lose interest.
The best way to begin the process of assigning homework is by making the students involved in the decision. Involve the parents in the process as well. Even if the students are older, they can still receive help and benefit from feedback from their parents. Often times, the most motivated students are those who know they have parents who are willing to work with them.
Most school systems encourage homework. Some even have homework clubs that help students meet their assignments and develop skills for homework. Students are even encouraged to download school work and performance reports on their personal home computer. However, there are some schools that actually discourage this practice. There is usually a reason why, and it has nothing to do with the student’s ability to write.
Homework is often assigned not only to students who can write but also to those who need help in the class. It is part of the academic environment. Therefore, if the school can find a way to make the assignments more interesting to students, they will generally do better in school. This doesn’t mean that it has to be worksheets and lesson plans; it can be as simple as games and real projects that involve using real equipment in the classroom.
If you feel your child may need extra help in completing homework, talk to your teacher. Perhaps she can assign them essay-based assignments instead of worksheets so that they will have something to read during class. There are many books available that can help a child in completing work that they have been assigned to do. In addition, most of the school supplies that are required for school are available at school supply stores.
Of course, it is important to note that the school year does not start the day after Halloween and school assignments and homework do not stop when summer vacation ends. You should know that homework should be completed and your child should turn it in on time. If not, they will likely dread the assignment and simply will not show up to do it. This can lead to a lack of self-esteem and can set a child up for a rough start to the new school year.
Homework should not be seen as an evil to be avoided but instead embraced. Students with a fair amount of homework completed are less likely to dread assignments and dread doing them. They are less likely to slack off and skip class or do poorly on assignments because they dread having to do homework. With this attitude, students will show up to class ready to learn and do their work.