From: curtis@WJ.COM (Curtis Otaguro)
Subject: SUMMARY: Ideas to make homework less burdensome
Summary: Summary of ideas to make homework less burdensome
Keywords: homework grades school
Organization: Watkins-Johnson Company
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1992 16:36:19 GMT


I posted this last week Friday, but I didn't see it posted today so I am post-
ing it again.

Thanks for all the responses. Comments ranged from suggesting a book or a
program that worked with their child to "I am anxiously awaiting your summary!".
I have summarized the responses to each of the points I made and developed some
conclusions.  I hope to develop a plan to cope with the homework situation with
our two kids Dereck, 11.5 (7th grade) and Justin, 10, (5th grade).

If you wish to receive a copy of the complete responses I received on the
subject, please e-mail your request to me.


>   1.  Child says he's finished with homework, but he really hasn't.  
>       This usually happens when he/she wants to go to someone's house, or
>       go to a movie, etc. on a school night.  

        This is an issue about responsibility.  At this age the child should
        be responsible for finishing his/her homework.  Lying about finished
        homework should not be tolerated.  The child should face the conse-
        quences such as the taking away of privileges. 

>   2.  Child doesn't care about doing the homework neatly and/or correctly
>       --they just want to get it done!

>       This happens frequently, even though we stress the importance of
>       getting good grades to go on to a good college and job.  Maybe
>       kids at this age don't understand this cause and effect.

        Misty suggested that having a fixed time for homework so there would
        be no benefit in finishing early.

        On my comments here, Tigger expressed that the child's emotional well
        being as they "grow up to be self assured, happy with their life
        choices" should be just as important as going to a good college and
        getting a good job. The duty of the parent to the kids, she suggested, 
        is to "help them stay involved in exploring the world, and discovering
        what they are and aren't interested in."

>   3.  Child will not start homework until parent provides help.

>       I feel that the child should be able to start and complete assign-
>       ments on their own, and a parent should intervene only when the child
>       does not understand a question or concept.  However, I can never
>       figure out whether the child really doesn't understand, or is too
>       lazy to figure it out!
        
        Trindel Maine summed it up best by "It may be a request for more
        parental attention, it may just be a procrastination device, or the
        child may really be confused in any case I think this approach addres-
        ses all three well.  Willingly sit down to help when requested but
        always attack the problem from a tangent.  Don't sit down and start
        working through the assignment and end up doing much of it for the
        child, instead peruse the assignment and figure out what its trying to
        accomplish and then head off in a related tangent."
 
        Barrie Trinkle commented that homework time could be a "sort of family
        gathering-- the children all sat together around the dinner table
        doing their homework, and the older children could help the younger
        ones."  Parents would be "nearby with their own projects, occasionally
        offering help or a snack."  This, he felt, might make it more pleasant
        for the kids.  Peggy Fieland also related about her son that "every
        year there is a certain period of `getting started' during which Mike
        wants help and moral support with his homework (often moral support
        more than help, BTW)."  She added "there's also the `interaction with
        the a parent' motivation.  If he asks for help, he not only gets his
        homework done, but he also gets to interact with us." I have found this
        to be true with Justin, where he just wanted someone to be there (this
        was also true with Dereck when he was younger).

        Jayne Ashworth described a method where the parent and child negotiate
        on homework guidelines.  This helps the child to feel more in control.
        A schedule for homework time and other activities would be made up by
        the child.  If the child fails to follow the schedule, then the conse-
        quences such as following the parents' schedule and doing an extra
        chore would kick in.  She also feels that the study environment is
        important. "Let the kids pick the best place [to do homework]" she says.

        Tigger offered "most of the public schools in this country do a dismal
        job of educating children, and a good job of unmotivating them" as the
        explanation of why kids lack the motivation of following through with
        their assignments by themseleves.  She suggests "I would definitely get
        very innovative in helping put some fun back into learning."  Elise
        Wade also expressed the same sentiment noting "I know of one school
        system in our area that believes assigning make-work homework builds
        character.  [deleted]  If you are dealing with that case, I suspect
        acknowledging the problem (the homework is basically a stupid waste of
        time re: learning) is a help.  Then institute an [sp] reward system to
        help the child deal with the problem."

>   4.  If the child does an assignment poorly (including many of his class-
>       mates) they sometimes use the excuse "But so-and-so did even worse
>       than I did."

        Trindel wrote "Not just on homework but on everything make it a policy
        that what some other kid does has no bearing on the discussion. [de-
        leted]  In disallowing his use of this tool, don't use it yourself as
        in John next door takes out the trash why can't you?"  This issue was
        also a sticking point with Jayne whose response to her child was:
        "I'm not concerned with the other students.  You are my child and I'm
        concerned about you."  She believes that receiving poor grades indi-
        cate a lack of understanding.  "Failure is a part of life" she wrote.
        "So learning that it is o.k. to get things wrong as long as you learn
        something from the experience [deleted] is an attitude I cultivate."

>   5.  Child takes 2 to 3 times the teacher suggested time to finish an
>       assignment. 

>       This is probably a combination of 3 and interruptions during homework
>       time--"I have to take a shower now"; "I'm thirsty, I need a drink";
>       eating dinner.  I think this requires teaching the child to budget
>       his/her time wisely.  Maybe the child and parent need to work up a
>       weekly schedule so things will be done in a timely manner.

        One netter (sorry I lost your mail), commented that handwriting skills
        may be a factor in completing an assignment on time.  This may also
        lead to unfinished classwork to be sent home as homework.  In our
        case, Dereck has had some problems in writing his homework assignments.
        His writing is sloppy at times and he detests rewriting anything.  I
        think his fine motor skills could use improvement.  I'm thinking of 
        devising some fun exercises to help improve in this area. 
        
>   6.  Child expresses his hate for homework. 

>       We don't know what to do with this one.  Should we try to get him/her
>       to change his/her attitude towards homework? -- try to get him to if
>       not like at least tolerate it? 

        Jayne offered "Tell them is it o.k. to hate homework.  If you hate 
        part of your job, tell them that, too. [deleted] However, sometimes
        we do what we hate because it is required.  And if we can put aside
        the hate and just do it, it won't take so long to do and the bad task
        can be completed and put aside sooner."

>   7.  Child feels that doing assignments well in school = nerd.

>       I feel that this may have been impressed on them by their peers.
>       How can you explain that doing well in school is not "uncool"?

        Karen Guthrie wrote "I think that they don't have to advertise that
        they are doing well and they don't have to dress like a nerd or act
        like one.  See if you can find some sports hero actor or someone they
        look up to that did well and use that person as an example.  Also you
        might ask them what kind of car they would like to drive or house
        they would like to live in someday and ask them how they are going to
        get there."  Jayne explained "Just keep teeling them that they are
        yours and therefore special and your standards are that they do as 
        well as they possibly can.  You both need to understand what the mini-
        mum is and agree that it is o.k. to do better than the minimum."
        Elise added "What you can do is give a child some tools for dealing
        with the peer pressure.  For example, one of my friends had thoughtful
        parents who told her things like, "You really don't have to tell X how
        well you did on that test -- she doesn't do as well as you & she might
        feel bad if you point that out."

> On a related subject, how do you impress on a child that grades are important.
> We don't expect straight-A's, but at least straight-B's.  Some parents take
> away privileges when grades are bad, and give rewards when grades are good.
> We have mixed feelings about this.  We feel that tying something they like
> to do like allowing them to play baseball with grade performance is wrong.
> We also believe that tying too many or extravagant rewards with good grade
> performance is wrong.  I feel that kids should have more enjoyment in feeling
> good about their accomplishments.  Although I wouldn't mind rewarding some
> things done well (i.e. excellent science project, honor roll) I don't want
> them to always expect a reward. 

        Trindel explained " Grade school grades really don't have much impact
        on the future, they don't start becoming significant until high school
        and kids that age are more likely to recognize it as well.  I too
        cringe at giving money for grades or telling a kid they can't go to
        some fun special event becouse of poor grades. However treating good
        school performance as an indication of increased maturity and there-
        fore meriting additional freedoms and priveledges [sp] seems quite
        valid to me, conversely poor school performance would be construed as
        evidence of immaturity and thus an indication that more parental super-
        vision is required.  Poor performance might also be construed as a
        sign that the child is over exten ded and thus as a reason for limit-
        ing involvement in outside activities.  Most kids desparately [sp] 
        want their parents to view them as responsible want their parents to
        view them as responsible and covet more adult freedoms this gives them
        a clear and constructive way to earn that respect and freedom."


Other general comments:

    From Paddy Johnson:
    "A wonderful book that answers most of your questions is *Homework 
     Without Tears* by Katz.  It worked for us."

    From Karen Guthrie:
    "Secondly I would point out that if you want to excel later you need to 
     start practicing now because this is the foundation of your education and
     you can't get these years back.  You might allow music while they study to
     make it more fun but if the complaints start or the foot dragging starts
     the music goes off.  School is too important to allow them to decide what
     is best for them at this age."

    From Toni Bachman"
    "I have experience the homework problem with my kids too - I found a nifty
     solution:

     I use a Daytimer time planner for my work, so I found in the stationary
     store something similar for my kids (actually just my oldest - 9) and have
     him budget his time with it.  He thought it was a pain at first because of
     the procrastination factor, but now its a challenge to schedule time for
     play, work, TV, grooming, etc.  He finds out by looking at the time blocks
     that if he dawdles over his homework, he won't get to play  (We did set
     one rule, homework always comes before recreational activities)."

    From Carol Hatcher:
    "Basically, homework is a responsibility.  It is not something that you do 
     because you like it, because it makes you cool or because someone is rid-
     ing herd on you and if you don't do it you will catch "heck" (8-)).  It is
     a responsibility to yourself and to society.  Just like doing ones chores
     and keeping ones room neat, brushing ones teeth and bathing regularly, put-
     ting things away after using them and being polite.  Make this clear to the
     child.  Next, tell him/her that you are going to help him/her learn this
     responsibility.  Tell them that you want to see their homework AFTER it
     has been graded.  Tell them that any part that isn't done well or isn't
     done will then have to be done again, to YOUR satisfaction, TONIGHT.
     All activities, including dinner and snacks are not available until the
     redone homework is available."


Conclusions (IMHO):

I received many interesting and insightful replies.  There are some basic tenets
that are mentioned here that will help in making the homework issue more plea-
sant for kids and parents.  That is not to say that these tenets are the only
available methods.  What works for one child/teacher/situation may not work for
another, so you probably may have to make some adjustments.  You probably will
have to make some fine adjustments throughout the school year too.  Find out
what works, and then stick to it!


The beginning of the school year seems to be the toughest time as kids begin the
routine of going to school, studying, and doing homework.  The attitude of kids
hating homework is almost universal and understandable.  The work may be repeti-
tive and boring especially as the kids do review work.  Younger aged children
may be affected more because of their shorter attention span.  Motivation to do
homework also suffers when the material is boring.  Fun activities such as play-
ing games, visiting museums, or watching videos (ore movies) which relate to the
learning subject may help.

Homework should be learned as a responsibilty such as chores. In extending that
idea, they child can develop a schedule to plan his/her activities including
chores, studying, and playing.  The child would continue to assume this respon-
sibility until he/she failed.  Then the consequences could be less responsibi-
lity, less privileges, and more orders from parents.  On the other hand, if the 
child does well he/she may be rewarded with a special fun, family activity such
as eating dinner out.  This would show the family support in sharing success.
It wouldn't be necessary to reward every success, just special ones, that way
a reward wouldn't be expected. 

When help is request by a child, determine whether he/she actually needs help,
is using it as a procrastination device, just wants the company (adult-child
interaction), or is bored with the material.  Then try to remedy the situation.
Be careful not to be overly helpful when the child can do the work otherwise
he/she will become dependent on your help. 

Having a pleasant study environment will help the child get into that "routine"
of doing homework.  All the supplies (dictionaries, pencils, papers, etc) handy
will help reduce the abstractions of looking for them.  Having everyone working
on their homework or work together may or may not work depending on the family.
Having the parent in the same room may help the child with him/her knowing that 
they are sharing some time together and the parent is available to help when
they are stuck.  Pleasant background music may add to the atmosphere.

Depending on the age, a child may not grasp the cause and effect of good grades
means a good college and a good job.  At earlier ages grades are not as signi-
ficant so a parent should not pressure the child to "get straight-A's or else"
but be more concerned with the child's doing as well as he/she is capable.
Good performance in school can be rewarded and poor performance can be punished 
but should be done so with care.  Tying extravagant and monetary gifts to good
performance may lead to a child expecting them.  The denial of fun activities
(not directly related to poor performance) for poor performance will hurt, not
help in the long run.

Good luck in this coming school year!
                                                                 ...Curtis

-- 
Curtis Otaguro              Phone: (408) 439-6119         ~~~ GO GIANTS!
Sr. Electrical Engineer     Email: curtis@wj.com           ~~~ BOWS NO KA OI!
Watkins-Johnson Company     Pmail: 440 Kings Village Rd.
Software Engineering               Scotts Valley, CA, 95066-4081

-- 
Curtis Otaguro              Phone: (408) 439-6119         ~~~ GO GIANTS!
Sr. Electrical Engineer     Email: curtis@wj.com           ~~~ BOWS NO KA OI!
Watkins-Johnson Company     Pmail: 440 Kings Village Rd.
Software Engineering               Scotts Valley, CA, 95066-4081
Newsgroups: misc.kids