Homework is an opportunity for the adhd student to learn and for families to be involved in their children’s education. However, helping the adhd student with homework isn’t always easy. At parent-teacher meetings and in conferences with parents, teachers often hear questions such as:
Before discussing ways that you can help your adhd student with homework, it is important to discuss why teachers assign homework and how it benefits your child.
Teachers assign homework for many reasons. Homework can help their adhd student(s)
Homework also can help the adhd student to develop good study habits and positive attitudes. It can
In addition, homework can help create greater understanding between families and teachers and provide opportunities for increased communication. Monitoring homework keeps families informed about what their children are learning and about the policies and programs of the teacher and the school.
Having a regular time to do homework helps children to finish assignments.
The best schedule is one that works for your child (adhd student) and your family. What works well in one household may not work in another. Of course, a good schedule depends in part on your adhd student's age as well as her specific needs.
For instance, one child may do homework best in the afternoon, completing homework first or after an hour of play and another may do it best after dinner. However, don’t let your child leave homework to do just before bedtime.
Your child’s outside activities, such as sports or music lessons, may mean that you need a flexible homework schedule. Your child may study after school on some days and after dinner on others.
If there isn’t enough time to finish homework, your child may need to drop some outside activity. Let her know that homework is a high priority.
You’ll need to work with your elementary school child to develop a schedule. An older student can probably make up a schedule independently, although you’ll want to make sure that it’s a workable one.
You may find it helpful to write out his schedule and put it in a place where you’ll see it often, such as on the refrigerator door.
Some families have a required amount of time that their children must devote to homework or some other learning activities each school night (the length of time can vary depending upon the child’s age).
For instance, if your seventh grader knows she’s expected to spend an hour doing homework, reading or visiting the library, she may be less likely to rush through assignments so that she can watch TV. A required amount of time may also discourage her from “forgetting” to bring home assignments and help her adjust to a routine.
Your child’s homework area doesn’t have to be fancy. A desk in the bedroom is nice, but for many children, the kitchen table or a corner of the living room works just fine. The area should have good lighting and it should be fairly quiet.
Your child may enjoy decorating a special area for homework. A plant, a brightly colored container to hold pencils and some favorite artwork taped to the walls can make homework time more pleasant.
Turn off the TV and discourage your child from making and receiving social telephone calls during homework time. (A call to a classmate about an assignment, however, may be helpful.)
Some children work well with quiet background music, but loud noise from the CD player, radio or TV is not OK.
One history teacher laments, “I’ve actually had a kid turn in an assignment that had written in the middle, ‘And George Washington said, “Ohhhhh, I love you.”’
The kid was so plugged into the music that he wasn’t concentrating.”
If you live in a small or noisy household, try having all family members take part in a quiet activity during homework time. You may need to take a noisy toddler outside or into another room to play.
If distractions can’t be avoided, your child may want to complete assignments in the local library.
Have available pencils, pens, erasers, writing paper and a dictionary. Other supplies that might be helpful include a stapler, paper clips, maps, a calculator, a pencil sharpener, tape, glue, paste, scissors, a ruler, a calculator, index cards, a thesaurus and an almanac.
If possible, keep these items together in one place. If you can’t provide your child with needed supplies, check with her teacher, school guidance counselor or principal about possible sources of assistance.
For books and other information resources, such as suitable computer Web sites, check with the school library or your local public library.
Some libraries have homework centers designed especially to assist children with school assignments (they may even have tutors and other kinds of individual assistance).
You may want to ask your child’s teacher to explain school policy about the use of computers for homework. Certainly, computers are great learning and homework tools.
Your child can use her computer not only for writing reports and for getting information through Internet resource sites, but for “talking” with teachers and classmates about assignments.
In many schools, teachers post information about homework assignments and class work on their own Web sites, which also may have an electronic bulletin board on which students can post questions for the teacher and others to answer assignments successfully.
Some schools may offer after-school programs that allow your child to use the school computers. And many public libraries make computers available to children.
Show your child that the skills he is learning are an important part of the things he will do as an adult. Let him see you reading books, newspapers and computer screens; writing reports, letters, e-mails and lists; using math to balance your checkbook or to measure for new carpeting; doing other things that require thought and effort.
Tell your child about what you do at work.
Help your child to use everyday routines to support the skills he is learning—for example, teach him to play word and math games
help him to look up information about things in which he is interested—singers, athletes, cars, space travel and so forth; and talk with him about what he sees and hears as the two of you walk through the neighborhood, go shopping at the mall or visit a zoo or museum.
Make time to take your child to the library to check out materials needed for homework (and for enjoyment) and read with your child as often as you can. Talk about school and learning activities in family conversations.
Ask your child what was discussed in class that day. If she doesn’t have much to say, try another approach. For example, ask her to read aloud a story she wrote or to talk about what she found out from a science experiment.
Attend school activities, such as parent-teacher conferences, plays, concerts, open houses and sports events. If you can, volunteer to help in your child’s classroom or at special events.
Getting to know some of your child’s classmates and their parents builds a support network for you and your child. It also shows your child that his home and school are a team.
Children are more likely to complete homework successfully when parents monitor their assignments. How closely you need to monitor your child depends upon her age, how independent she is and how well she does in school. Whatever the age of your child, if she is not getting assignments done satisfactorily, she requires more supervision.
Here are some ways to monitor your child’s assignments.
At the start of the school year, ask your child’s teacher about any rules or guidelines that children are expected to follow as they complete homework. Ask about the kinds of assignments that will be given and the purposes for the assignments.
Talk with the teacher about your role in helping with homework. Expectations for parent involvement vary from teacher to teacher.
Some teachers want parents to monitor homework closely, whereas others want them simply to check to make sure the assignment is completed on time.
Ask the teacher to call if any problems with homework come up. Let her know that you will do the same.
Many elementary school students often like to have someone with them to answer questions as they work on assignments. If your child is cared for by someone else, talk to that caregiver about how to deal with homework.
For an older child, if no one will be around, let him know when you want him to begin work and call to remind him if necessary.
However, if the teacher has made it known that the adhd student is to do homework on their own, limit your assistance to your child to assuring that assignments are clear and that necessary supplies are provided.
Too much parent involvement can make children dependent—and takes away from the value of homework as a way for children to become independent and responsible.
Look over Completed Assignments
It’s usually a good idea to check to see that your elementary school child has finished her assignments. If your middle-school student is having trouble finishing assignments, check his work, too.
After the teacher returns completed homework, read the comments to see if your child has done the assignment satisfactorily.
American children on average spend far more time watching TV or playing video games than they do completing homework. In many homes, more homework gets done when TV viewing and “game” time is limited.
Once you and your adhd student have worked out a homework schedule, take time to discuss how much TV and what programs she can watch. It’s worth noting that television can be a learning tool.
Look for programs that relate to what your child is studying in school, such as programs on history or science or dramatizations of children’s literature. When you can, watch shows with your child, discuss them and encourage follow-up activities such as reading or a trip to the museum.
Likewise, limit the amount of time your child spends playing video games. As with TV programs, be aware of the games she likes to play and discuss her choices with her.
How to Help: Provide Guidance
The basic rule is, “Don’t do the assignments yourself.” It’s not your homework—it’s your child’s. “I’ve had kids hand in homework that’s in their parents’ handwriting,” one eighth-grade teacher complains. Doing assignments for your child won’t help him understand and use information. And it won’t help him become confident in his own abilities.
Here are some ways that you can provide guidance without taking over your child’s homework.
Help your child to make a schedule and put it in a place where you’ll see it often. Writing out assignments will get him used to the idea of keeping track of what’s due and when.
If your child is not yet able to write, write it for him until he can do it himself.
A book bag or backpack will make it easier for your child to carry homework to and from school. Providing homework folders in which your child can tuck his assignments for safekeeping also can help him to stay organized.
Talking and asking questions can help your child to think through an assignment and break it down into small, manageable parts. Here are some questions to ask.
After your child has read the instructions, ask her to tell you in her own words what the assignment is about. (If she can’t read yet, the teacher may have sent home instructions that you can read to her.)
Some schools have homework hotlines that you can call or Web sites that you can access by computer for assignments in case your child misplaced a paper or was absent on the day it was given. If your child doesn’t understand the instructions, read them with her and talk about the assignment.
Does it have words that she doesn’t know? How can she find out what the words mean? If neither you nor your child understands an assignment, call one of her classmates or get in touch with the teacher.
Or find out if the teacher needs to explain to her again when to use different kinds of punctuation marks. If you understand the subject yourself, you may want to work through some examples with your child. However, always let her do the assignment herself.
Check with the teacher, school guidance counselor or principal for possible sources of assistance if you can’t provide the needed supplies. Check with your local library or school library for books and other information resources.
If your child shows signs of frustration, let him take a break. Encourage him and let him see that you know he can do the work.
People of all ages respond to praise. And children need encouragement from the people whose opinions they value most—their families. “Good first draft of your book report!” or “You’ve done a great job” can go a long way toward motivating your child to complete assignments.
Children also need to know when they haven’t done their best work. Make criticism constructive, however. Instead of telling a sixth grader, “You aren’t going to hand in that mess, are you?” say, “The teacher will understand your ideas better if you use your best handwriting.”
Then give praise when the child finishes a neat version.
Homework problems often can be avoided when families and caregivers value, monitor and guide their children’s (ADHD student)(s) work on assignments.
Sometimes, however, helping in these ways is not enough. If you have problems, here are some suggestions for how to deal with them.
You may want to contact the teacher if
In some cases, the school guidance counselor or principal also may be helpful in resolving problems with the ADHD student
Additional Aritlces:The difference in test scores and grades between students who do more homework in school and those who do less increases as students move up through the grades.
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