Dr. Adiaha Spinks-Franklin
Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrician
Homework time can be challenging and at times overwhelming. Teachers and schools vary in their homework expectations and practices. Over the past 100 years, attitudes regarding homework have changed, where some professionals consider homework to be important to help children practice academic skills and learn time management; other professionals deem homework to be taxing for children. Research shows that homework is most helpful for students in middle school and high school to help them develop time management and study skills. In general, homework time is 10 minutes per year in school. For example, a 3rd grade student should spend 30 minutes completing homework, and a 9th grade student should spend 90 minutes doing homework.
Here are tips for managing Homework Time:
- Homework Space: Try to set up a specific place in the home away from areas of high traffic and distractions where you child can complete assignments.
- Homework Supplies: Get a shoe box (maybe let your child decorate it) to keep all homework school supplies in one place. I suggest the Homework Shoebox contains the following:
- Digital timer
- Extra pencils and pens
- Erasers
- Index cards
- Calculator
- Highlighters
- Colored pencils
- Notebook paper
- Typing paper
- Chunk the Homework: “Chunking” refers to breaking homework assignments into small parts your child can complete without getting distracted.
- Time Your Child’s Focus: Time your child to discover how long she can focus on a non-preferred task (e.g., doing social studies homework) before getting distracted. That will be her “Work Time”.
- Using Timers: Divide Homework Time into “Work Time” and “Break Time
- “Work Time” is the number of minutes your child will take to complete a chunk of homework without getting distracted.
- “Break Time” is the number of minutes your child will use to take a break from working.
- Work Time should be 3 times longer than Break Time. Use timers for both sessions.
- For example, if your child can concentrate on a non-preferred task for 10 minutes before getting distracted, then Work Time will be 10 minutes and Break Time will be 3 minutes.
- Homework Folder: Once your child’s homework is complete, put it into a Homework Folder in your child’s backpack to be turned in on the due date.
For more information on managing homework:
- “Top 10 Homework Tips” Kids Health https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/homework
- “9 Smart Tips for Homework Success” Scholastic www.scholastic.com/parents/school-success/homework-help/homework-project-tips/10-homework-help-tips
- “Homework Challenges and Strategies” www.understood.org/en/articles/homework-strategies
