A clear routine around homework is the most important thing when
starting secondary and year 7 is the time to start it.
There will not be any homework in the first week for the new
starter, they may be asked to read something or write a small paragraph but in
the main it will start to come midway into the second week. Here are some
pointers to start as you mean to go on.
Location
Find the right location for completing homework, from my
experience their bedroom is the wrong choice as there are too many
distractions, and many children do not have a desk in their room to lay out
their books. The dining room is a good choice, away from other children and the
noise of the house, alternatively the kitchen table is an option after everybody
has eaten.
Timing
Your child/teenager ideally needs to get into the habit of
doing homework at the same time each day. Some children need a break straight
after school (and they may join after school clubs anyway), but if they can
carry on the momentum of the school day and complete it as soon as they get in,
that is great. If your child does need the break, straight after the evening
meal is also a good time. The child has had enough of a break, but it’s not too
late that they have become mentally tired.
Planning
It is a little unrealistic that you will sit down and look
at all the subjects and plan the homework for the week, but help your child out
by looking at the description of the tasks and estimate how long it will take.
Time perception is not a strong point at this age, the young person can’t help
that, it’s about brain development.
Incentives
Not everyone agrees there should be incentives, some people
believe that children should do their homework because they are required to…end
of. I get that, but if we as parents think like that, we are also saying that a
child or teenager can see the ‘long game’, IF I DO THIS NOW IT WILL BENEFIT ME
IN THIS WAY LATER. Well they don’t think like this most of the time, which is
why they do risky behaviour. Another brain development thing (if you would like
to know more, then please check out my workshops on teenage behaviour)
https://www.facebook.com/pg/TalkingToTeenagers/events/?ref=page_internal
https://www.facebook.com/pg/TalkingToTeenagers/events/?ref=page_internal
So what incentives work best. Pretty short-term ones,
something like a point system that adds up to money for the weekend or game
vouchers.
BUYING A GAME FOR YOUR CHILD BECAUSE HE WANTS ONE AND HIS
FRIEND HAS IT, BUT HE HASN’T DONE HIS HOMEWORK IS SENDING OUT THE WRONG MESSAGE.
Daily incentives such as:
a hot chocolate with marshmallows and squirty cream after 3 homework
subjects complete.
15 minutes extra on the Xbox ect
Is this bribery? Absolutely it is, it goes on in adult
exchanges as well, that’s what performance bonuses are about. You will benefit
from it because you are not called into school to talk about your daughter’s
lack of effort and your daughter will benefit because she has done her homework
and is learning new things.
If you are a house that doesn’t have loads of routine built
in, the best option is for your child/teenager to attend homework club twice a
week at school and do an hour slot at home on a Saturday morning. This way
school have some input as well, school recognise that your child is trying academically,
and if there are other issues then your child is known to teachers for good
reasons.
Lastly encourage your child to write down the task in the
planner before they stand up and leave the class…If it is not in the planner,
you probably will not get to know there is homework, or if you do the child may
be not be able to recall the important detail.
These are just a few pointers and if you would like me to
advise about a point scheme for incentives and identifying homework related
areas. Please just comment or message.
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