Homework & You by Bill Rusin

Homework is an opportunity for children to learn and enrich their education and it can give parents a greater stake in the learning process. Parents are most important in making homework a spark that encourages a child to learn. Parents do this simply by being interested and available. However, engaging with homework can be stressful for parents. Here are some questions I am familiar with, as an educator:

• How can I get John to do his homework; all he wants to do is play on the computer and watch TV?
• Why isn’t Rachel getting more homework?
• David is involved in so many things like sport, youth group and helping at home that he doesn’t have time to do much homework.
• How can I help Amy with her Maths; even I don’t understand it?
• Does homework really do any good?

Over the next few weeks I will look at some ways in which parents can help, and not get stressed!