Tips for Developing Good Homework Habits with Your 3rd grader!
- In your home, foster a positive attitude towards learning and the role homework plays in your child's academic life. Ask questions about units of study and encourage your child's intellectual curiosity by visiting the library or using the computer to find out more on a topic.
- Know your child and assess his/her schedule to determine the best time for doing homework. Is your child a morning person or a night owl? Should assignments be done in one session, or divided into smaller chunks? An early riser may have time to complete some homework after breakfast before the bus arrives. A physically active child may need a break immediately after school, a characteristic that could cause homework to be best completed after dinner. Other children prefer to take care of homework immediately upon arriving home from school.
- Establish a homework area away from electronic distractions! It should be stocked with pencils (no pens for Grade 3), paper, erasers, highlighters, crayons, scissors, glue and a dictionary.
- Review your child's assignments with your child before they begin an assignment. Determine that your child understands the assignment. Ask them to explain in his or her own words what needs to be done. Avoid the "I don't know what to do" plea that usually means: "I want you to tell me so I won't have to read the directions and think about what they mean." :)
- Ask your child to work alone for a few minutes and then check in with you. You want to foster independence, but you also want to avoid the frustration of having an entire assignment done incorrectly.
- Help a child proofread and improve his or her work by saying: "I see three spelling (math etc.) errors; can you find them?
- If your child has a long term project, we suggest that you look at the calendar and make a plan for completing it comfortably. Please avoid the temptation of "helping too much" on book reports or projects. While offering help with organization and proofreading is fine, please remember that we want to see what your child is capable of.
- Allow your child to take responsibility for placing completed assignments in their HUG folder. Third graders should get into the habit of immediately placing the folder in their backpacks.
- Corrected papers and old notices should be removed from the HUG folder and backpack.
- Please resist the temptation to drive forgotten assignments or HUG folders to school. Credit will only be given for assignments handed in by your third grader upon arrival. We hope to teach the children to take responsibility for their own homework.
- Most importantly, praise often and meaningfully for excellent effort!
