Notes from the Teacher’s Desk {homework helps}

So yesterday, I share some super helpful hints from "The Teacher" on how to have a successful school year.

Today our bonafide teacher who’s working in the ‘trenches’ will be sharing some fun homework helps!

Megan lives in Raleigh, NC where is she is beginning her 10^th year of teaching elementary school. She is very involved with her church family at North Wake Church. She continues to strive towards using her singleness to the glory of God, while looking forward with hope of someday being a wife and a mommy. She’s also my beautiful sister-in-law! I know, I scored all the way around ;o) She blogs over at “Lady In Waiting”.

HOMEWORK:

I’ve heard through the grapevine how difficult getting homework completed may be after a busy day. Here a few tips that can help:

1. Set a timer to help your child stay focused on the task at hand.
2. Give them a brain break before jumping into the homework assignments can help some kids. Let them ride their bike, watch one TV show, have a snack or do their chores.
3. Do you have a child who wants to ask 5,000 questions about the work and have you nearly do it for them? Give him/her 3 post-it notes with a question mark on it representing the number of questions they're allowed to ask during a homework session. When they ask the question, a post-it note gets taken and when they are out of post-it notes they are not longer allowed to ask questions. This seems to really help them decide if the question is worth asking or if it’s a delay tactic.
4. Chunk the work: Break the homework down into small sets of work time and let them choose which item they will complete in which order and then give a short break between tasks.
5. Does your child struggle academically? If your child is becoming frustrated with homework to the point of breaking down, contact your child’s teacher quickly and discuss what you can do to help. There’s nothing that breaks my heart more than to find out a student is melting down over homework which is meant to be reinforcement and practice, not stressful.
6. Check over the homework for completion. I have had many conversations where the parents’ were unaware that their child was turning in incomplete assignments and claiming they were finished at home.
7. Help your child learn independence- have your child pack up their school materials and returning them to school daily. It will save a headache for a teacher when they go to start Math and someone doesn’t have their book or homework.

Praying for fun, save, and successful school years for all my mommies out there!
If you have questions for "The Teacher" , ask away in the comment section below. We'll find some answers ;o)

For more back to school helps, hit up these awesome blog posts:

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