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Parents often ask “What can I do to help my
child with his/her homework?” Here are some basic guidelines that may help
parents with that task.
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Set
a regular time for homework.
This will help children finish their assignments. Choose
a schedule that works best for your child and your family. Outside
activities may mean that you will need flexibility in that schedule, but
homework must be a high priority.
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Pick
a place. A study area certainly does not
have to be fancy but needs to be fairly quiet, have lots of light, and
have supplies close by. A desk in your child’s bedroom is great, but a
corner of the kitchen table will work just fine. Your child might even
enjoy decorating a special study corner in your home.
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Remove
distractions. Turn off the
TV and discourage social phone calls during homework time. Try having all
family members participate in some quiet activity during this time. You
may want to take a noisy toddler outside or into another room to play.
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Provide
supplies and identify resources. For
starters, collect pencils, pens, erasers, writing paper, and a
dictionary. Other things that could be helpful (depending on the age of
your child) might include glue, a stapler, paper clips, maps, a
calculator, a pencil sharpener, a ruler, tape, index cards, a thesaurus,
and an almanac. Most schools these days have computers for student use.
However, you don’t have to have a computer in your home for your child to
successfully complete his/her homework.
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Set a good example.
Children are more likely to study if they see you reading, writing, and
doing things that require thought and effort on your part, even if it’s
something as simple as making a grocery list. Encourage activities that
promote learning – for example educational games, library visits, walks
through the neighborhood, trips to the zoo or the museum, and chores that
teach a sense of responsibility.
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Show an interest.
For elementary students, help your child clean out his/her backpack each
night and glance over the papers he/she has brought home. Another good
way to show your interest is to attend school activities, such as
parent-teacher conferences, shows, and sports events. If you can,
volunteer to help in your child’s classroom or at special events. Getting
to know your child’s classmates and other parents shows that you are
interested and helps to build a network of support for both you and your
child.
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Monitor assignments.
Ask about your school’s homework policy. Ask your child’s teacher:
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What kinds of assignments will be given?
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How long will children need to complete them?
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How does the teacher want you to be involved?
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Be available.
Elementary students may like to have someone else in the room as they
complete their homework. Also, for elementary students, it is
a good idea to check that they have completed their homework assignment.
If your junior high/high school student is having trouble finishing
assignments, check his/hers, too.
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Read, Read, Read
Children should read and/or be read to each night as
well – even if it is only 15-20 minutes. Even older children enjoy being
read to, and this can be a powerful time to strengthen the bond with your
child. Discuss what your child has read or what you have read with
him/her. Ask questions and take time to enjoy the experience together.
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Each year, the state of Idaho requires
each elementary school to administer the IRI (Idaho Reading Indicator) to
students in grades Kindergarten through Third. The fall test is given in
September, the winter test in January, and the spring test in April/May.
Each time the test is given, students are given a score of 1, 2, or 3
indicating below grade level, nearly at grade level, or at grade level.
This year the test has been changed, and
the skills tested are very different from the previous test. With each
test, different skills are tested as follows:
Kindergarten
Fall
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Letter naming fluency
Winter
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Letter naming fluency (both
capital and lower case)
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Letter sound fluency
·
Phoneme segmentation fluency
(breaking down words into individual sounds)
Spring
·
Letter naming fluency
·
Letter sound fluency
·
Phoneme segmentation fluency
First Grade
Fall
·
Letter naming fluency
·
Phoneme segmentation fluency
(breaking down words into individual sounds)
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Nonsense word fluency
Winter
·
Phoneme segmentation fluency
·
Nonsense word fluency
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Timed passage reading
Spring
·
Timed passage reading
Second Grade
Fall
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Timed passage reading
Winter
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Timed passage reading
Spring
·
Timed passage reading
Third Grade
Fall/Winter/Spring
·
Timed passage reading |
