Before discussing ways you can help your child with homework, it is important to discuss why teachers assign homework and how it benefits your child. Teachers assign homework for many reasons. Homework can also help children develop good habits and attitudes. Homework can also bring parents and educators closer together. Parents who supervise homework and work with their children on assignments learn about their children's education and about the school.
Homework is meant to be a positive experience and to encourage children to learn.
Assignments should not be used as punishment. Homework helps your child do better in school when assignments are meaningful, are completed successfully, and are returned with constructive comments from the teacher. An assignment should have a specific purpose, come with clear instructions, be fairly well matched to a student's abilities, and designed to help develop a student's knowledge and skills. In the early elementary grades, homework can help children develop the habits and attitudes described earlier. From fourth through sixth grades, small amounts of homework, gradually increased each year, may support improved academic achievement.