It’s time to hit the books!

Now that your kids are all settled into their back-to-school routine, it’s time to assess what is (or isn’t) working when it comes to homework habits, because no matter what their learning style, they’re going to have plenty of take-home assignments. How they handle these assignments can affect whether or not you need to look into finding a tutor or adjusting their study space. Before your kids have a full on homework meltdown, try these handy tips for helping your kids stay organized and accountable, courtesy of Dr. Emily Levy, Ed.d., from EBL Coaching.

With the new school year back in session, homework demands are quickly piling on. For many students, the process of writing down assignments, taking home the correct materials, completing assignments, and turning them in on time can be a challenge. Help your child build better homework skills with these tips.

Assignment Book
Many students think they can remember all of their assignments without writing them down. Others jot down certain assignments, but not all, often neglecting critical ones. Each of these scenarios can lead to forgotten homework and missed assignments.

To help combat this homework chaos, encourage your child to maintain and consistently use an assignment book. Even if she is convinced that she can remember all of her assignments, remind her that this task becomes increasingly challenging as she moves through school, and jotting them down will help make sure she doesn’t forget any. If she has trouble consistently doing so, create a “sign off” system where you, as the parent, sign off on each assignment in her assignment book that is done, and her teacher signs off once it’s turned in.

Rewards-Based Incentive Plan
Implementing a reward-based incentive plan can help students build stronger homework and time management skills. To set up this type of system, sit down with your child and come up with a list of rewards that he would like to earn. Such rewards might include video games, apps, Lego sets, a trip to the movies or his favorite ice cream store, or the like. In order to receive the reward, for a pre-selected number of consecutive days (5 or 10 often works), he must write down all of his assignments daily, check them off when done, and turn them in on their due date.

As an alternative, you can try using a “homework punch card.” Once your child completes and puts away all of his assignments on a given day, he receives a hole punch in his card. Ten punches (or another pre-determined number) earns a reward. This type of reward system can help students develop consistency and automaticity with completing and turning in their assignments in a timely fashion.

Homework Buddy
Establishing a homework buddy can help your child feel accountable not just to herself, but also to a friend. At the start of the year, talk to her (and ideally loop in her teacher) about selecting a homework buddy. During the school day, the students each write down the assignments given to them by their teacher. Then, at the end of each day, they check each other’s assignment books to make sure all assignments were correctly written down. If they were not, the buddies help each other correct them, or ask their teacher for clarification, if need be. Next, they perform a book check to make sure that they both have in their backpacks all books and materials needed to complete the assignments. The next morning, they check to make sure each buddy turned in all due assignments. The buddies can even use a daily sticker chart and give each other a sticker when everything is done correctly.

Consistent Homework Time
It is important for students to develop a consistent routine of completing their homework at roughly the same time each day. Some students prefer starting their homework right when they get home and are still in “school mode.” Others need a rest and a quick snack right after school, before getting started. Certain students thrive on the post-dinner energy rush. While it’s generally better to work on longer, more taxing assignments earlier in the day, there is no general ideal time for completing homework. Each child is different and works best at different times of day. They key is consistency. Once a child selects a time for completing homework, he should stick with that time, so that it becomes a built-in part of his day.

Homework demands increase rapidly as students move through school. Encourage your child to use these tips to build stronger homework skills and become a more confident and successful student.

The post How to Help Your Child Build Better Homework Skills appeared first on EBL Coaching.

As the school year gets into gear, long days at the beach are turning into late nights at a desk. You can help your child battle these nerves and start the new year with confidence by using the homework strategies detailed below.

1. Use an assignment book. Many students think they can remember all of their assignments without writing them down. Yet as they move through school and the quantity of assignments increase, accurately remembering their requirements becomes increasingly hard to do. Inevitably, books are left at school, homework is incomplete, and assignments are forgotten.‎ To avoid these hiccups, encourage your child to write down and organize his assignments using this homework management strategy:

Purchase an assignment book for your child with ample space for each day.  Have him divide each day into five columns: The first should be labeled “Assignments” and should be given the most amount of space. The next four columns should be labeled “ET” (for Estimated Time), “AT” (for Actual Time”), “O” (for Order), and “D” (for Done). At school, your child should only write down assignments in the first column (“Assignments”). When he comes home and begins his work, he should first decide how much time he thinks each assignment will take, and write the ET. Based on those times, he should decide on the order in which he wants to complete the assignments, and number them in the O column. After completing each one, he should fill in the AT, and when the assignment is done and put away in the right place to be turned in, he should place a check mark in the D column.

2. Pick a regular homework time. Some students prefer completing their homework right after school, when they are still in “work mode” and can carry over the momentum from school. ‎Others prefer a short snack break, while some thrive on the post-dinner energy surge. Any of those options work, but consistency is key. Your child should pick a time of day for doing homework and stick with it regularly.  If she has after school classes or activities on certain days, sit down with her and come up with specific time slots for completing homework. Have her write those slots into her planner so they are built into her day.

3. Have a designated homework space. Along with a consistent time of day for doing school work, it is important for students to have a designated homework spot. Ideally, this should be a desk in your child’s bedroom, but a table in the kitchen or another room can work as well. If he plans to use a desk, make sure all of the supplies he may need for completing his work are on his desk–pencils, pens, tape, scissors, a ruler, protractor, etc. If he plans to work on a table in another room, create a “homework supplies box” with all of the necessary supplies that he can keep in his room but bring to his homework spot when he is ready to start his work. Just make sure the supplies are always well stocked to avoid any distractions.

4. Implement a filing system. We all know students who continuously overload their binders with papers from school until the sheets literally start to spew out in all directions. ‎Help your child avoid this organizational fiasco with a three-tier organizational system, structured as follows: Tier 1 is a working notebook, or the notebook your child takes with her to school on a regular basis. Tier 2 is an accordion file that she leaves at home for filing, divided into three sections per class – homework, notes, and tests/quizzes (ex. math homework, math notes, math tests/quizzes, etc). She should designate one day per week to be her “clean out my working notebook” day, where she removes any papers she doesn’t absolutely need to be carrying with her to school, and files them into the appropriate section of her acoordion file. Tier 3 is a long-term filing cabinet, where she files away any tests, essays, or projects that she wants to keep for the long-run.

5. Take “fun breaks.” The idea of completing several homework assignments and studying for multiple exams in one night can be daunting for many students. Help your child feel less overwhelmed and more empowered by building in “fun breaks” after every 30-45 minutes of work (or whatever time increment works for your child). During these breaks, your child can eat a quick snack, go for a walk, check her email, or the like. It should be short (about 5-10 minutes) but refreshing.

The post Homework Strategies For Kick-Starting The School Year appeared first on EBL Coaching.