Beating the Homework Blues

Poor Organizational Skills

Some children spend inordinate amounts of time at their desks, but the sheer amount of work being accomplished is low. These children start a task, then realize that they need the markers from the other room, or that they didn’t write down the assignment correctly and need to call a classmate, or that they’ve run out of paper and have to head to the closet to get more. Lots of time is wasted during the process and students spend a great deal of time spinning their proverbial wheels.

As an experiment, check on your child every five minutes or so. See what has been accomplished during that time. Watch to see what is actually being done during homework time. Try imposing a bit of organization on the student: provide an uncluttered workspace with all supplies right at hand. Check on the completeness of assignments and availability of materials before homework time starts. You may find that the time spent can be used far more efficiently than it has been.

Attention Problems

Some students have trouble focusing and paying attention to the task at hand. Children with ADHD have particular difficulties, but all children may have this problem when working on a task that is not intrinsically motivating. Make sure the work area is free from distractions, such as television or other children playing. Set small goals, such as five problems completed in the next fifteen minutes, and use a timer to monitor task completion. Try offering a reward for finishing homework in a timely manner.

Slow Work Pace

Most of the time, seemingly excessive homework can be related directly to a student’s work pace. A student who is not a fluent reader may take twice as long to read an assignment as one who is proficient. A student who takes just four seconds to solve a basic math fact (instead of the standard two seconds) will double the amount of time to finish arithmetic assignments. If your child is still counting on fingers to add and subtract, or hasn’t memorized those multiplication and division facts, math simply will take two to three times as long as expected. An hour long math assignment might turn into a three hour affair.

If your child is laboring over homework, consider asking his or her teacher to assess basic skills. Students who have not become proficient at reading, writing and math skills appropriate for their age level will have difficulty completing their homework quickly and accurately. Another option is to hire a private tutor to assess and build those skills.

In any case, a child who spends way too much time on homework needs help. He or she is not likely to be willfully disobeying parents and teachers. Help is needed. Don’t let the kids suffer because we fail to recognize red flags when we see them. Homework is not intended to be the only activity of childhood on a daily basis. Let the teacher know if you see a pattern like this, and he or she will have some suggestions to help your family.