Communicate with the Teacher

Maintaining a positive working relationship with your child's teacher will reinforce the importance of homework and education in general. It's also an invaluable way of understanding what's happening in the classroom. Juan Carlos Galvan remembers how parents were often confused by the "new math" homework that he'd send home with kids. "I'd have parents telling me that they taught their child the 'right' way to do addition with regrouping," he recalls, "instead of following the alternative methods that I was asking students to practice." Despite a family letter that detailed each homework assignment, Galvan found parents reverting to what they had learned in school years before. Fortunately, the majority of his students' parents were willing to learn. He set up a classroom meeting and had parents go through some of the alternative math lessons, with their children working as peer tutors. Parents began to understand the value of the family letters, and began informal dialogues with Galvan regarding their children's homework. Kids saw their parents' interest in the process, and felt validated in their roles as teachers. Galvan noted that he received more homework after just one meeting with parents, and that his students expressed more enthusiasm as well.

Pick Your Battles

Despite your best intentions, homework time will not always be hassle-free. While it's important to support your child, do remember that there will be setbacks. Forcing your child to complete his work can be an exasperating experience for everyone. He won't write his spelling words? Let him arrive in class unprepared and handle the consequences. Of course, this is a frustrating alternative for many parents and teachers.

Oftentimes, though, when parents and teachers work together, a solution can be found. It took Lucy Jackson's ten-year-old daughter Jessica just three missed recesses to realize that finishing her math homework the night before was a better alternative.

Sometimes removing yourself entirely from the process is best. Tyler Means acknowledges that she gets "angry when my son makes simple spelling errors in his homework." She found that having her husband help with son Ronnie's work "has made such a difference. He's just more patient, and Ronnie gets through his homework without crying, something that rarely happened when I was helping him."

Remember that homework should never be punitive, but should serve as a tool to reinforce what a child is already learning in school. If your child's handwriting is messy, having him re-write the entire page may result in a shutdown, and lead to viewing homework as punishment. Again, defer to the teacher for what's acceptable and what isn't; your standards may vary.

Homework, while important, isn't the deciding factor in your child's overall success in life. That being said, it is a significant component of her education. Developing a pattern of discipline will enable your child to navigate through years of requisite study hours, and reinforce classroom learning. Keeping the experience positive will go a long way for both parents and students!

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