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Is there a better way to do homework?
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Posted on Dec 05 2000
Part II
An important task before parents and teachers is to teach the child to learn quickly and efficiently, coupled with understanding of how we learn. Studying is a skill that can and must be developed just like any other skill. Studying can be compared to playing basketball or tying your shoe laces. Each skill requires practice to perfect it. The better you master the skill the more proficient you become.
Homework is the responsibility of the student, but it is the parent’s responsibility to see that it is done. Concerned parents must question if the teacher has taught the child how to study. Failure to understand how to study and how we learn may be the reason homework is a disaster in many homes and the root of many student’s desire to drop out of school.
There are several ways that students can improve their attitude towards and quality of homework. Check with your child if he fully understands what his homework requires. Does he understand how the homework fits into the day’s classroom discussion? How does the teacher view homework–as busywork, or as an extension of classroom study? Is it an integral part of the grade; is it checked and discussed in class the following day; is there a penalty for not doing it? What is the teacher’s viewpoint?
Discuss with your child if he understands how to study. Does he understand how to paraphrase and summarize information? Does he know how to organize information? Has he mastered techniques for
