Parents and families play an important role in the homework process. They can help children develop good study habits and attitudes that lead to becoming lifelong learners.
Teachers give homework to help students better understand, review and learn more about what has been covered in class. By working on assignments, students learn how to find and use more information on a topic, how to follow instructions and complete tasks and how to be responsible and engaged in learning.
As a parent, your job is not to do the work for them. But, by providing support, encouragement and asking questions, you can help them arrive at the answers themselves.
Homework time and strategies can vary from teacher to teacher and school to school. But most educators agree:
- For children in grades K-2, homework is more effective when it does not exceed 20 minutes each school day
- Older children, in grades 3-6, can handle 30-60 minutes a day
- For kids in middle and high school, two hours of homework maybe assigned
Your child’s teacher can tell you, usually at Back-to-School Night, how much time he or she expects students to spend on homework.
Find out, too, if class assignments, grades and attendance are posted online so you can check on a regular basis. This can be an invaluable source of information that allows you to keep on top of any issues before they become problems.
Ask your principal, school site council or PTA if your school or district has a homework policy, including how to handle homework if your child needs to be absent.
Take Action:
For tips on homework help, visit the U.S. Department of Education’s parent portal
Check out practice exercises and instructional videos for students on the Khan Academy website
