Should Parents Help with Homework?

Parents may need some help in drawing the line between providing guidance for their child's homework assignments and actually doing the work. If you expect parents to play a part in their child's success in your classroom, then you may want to pass along these guidelines to help them.

Homework-How Can Parents Help?

• Provide a study area.

• Set aside a specific time to do homework.

• Show an interest.

• Monitor homework.

• Give positive support.

• Check your child's work habits.

• Let your child understand that it's his/her responsibility to ask for help.

• Make sure your child understands that you will answer questions if you can but you will not do the work.

• Your child should expect your support but not necessarily your protection from the consequences of not completing homework assignments.

• Talk with teachers early in the school year to find out what their policy is on homework.

• Contact the teacher as soon as possible if you suspect your child has a homework problem.

• Find out what extra support the teacher and the school can give your child if there is a problem.

• Remember teachers assign homework for a variety of reasons--to help children practice what they have learned in school, to get ready for the next day's lesson, to use resources such as libraries and the Internet, and to learn things they don't have time to learn in school.

Updated: February 18, 2009 8:09 PM