Avoid homework hassles
By Raymond J. Huntington Special to the Acorn

Parents and caregivers are constantly reminded of how important it is to pay attention to children's homework habits. But what if you're a working parent who can't always be home to ensure that the work gets done?

Renew the expectation of excellence. Iit's important to verbally communicate your expectation that your son or daughter will complete all the homework that's assigned and create a structure that paves the way for completion without constant supervision. Begin by setting up a time, every day, when homework is supposed to begin. If you're at the office, call home, every day, at that exact time. Ask your child about his or her day. Ask for specifics about what was assigned and then say, "Okay, before I come home, here's what I want you to get done."

Help your child stay on track. Create a time chart for the hours in which homework should be done. Break it down into half-hour increments. Have a copy at your desk at work and make sure your child is reviewing the same chart over the phone. Make it clear that "between 3:30 and 4 you'll be working on this; between 4 and 5 you'll be working on this," and so on.

The operative principle here is to set an expectation and then make it clear that the expectation must be met by a deadline. But it's really more practical than punitive. in a nonconfrontational way, you're breaking the homework down into bite-sized pieces, making sure your child has a clear understanding of what needs to be done and a structure for managing her time.

Make study time the right time. Ensure that homework time is free of the distractions of television, web surfing and phone calls with friends, try to arrange the schedule so that your child is concentrating on assignments when he or she has the energy and mental clarity needed. Some do best by delving into homework as soon as they get home from school, while others may need time to wind down

Getting the harder work out of the way before going on to easier assignments alleviates anxiety and helps students avoid being caught in a late-night trap in which the work becomes more difficult because of fatigue and frustration.

Become a better homework partner. Your child may have grown accustomed to doing homework with your active coaching and encouragement, but middle and high school homework often lends itself to independent study. Yet you can still be an active partner. If your child has a particularly difficult assignment that requires your help, he can save that assignment for a time when you're available. If you simply can't be home, talk with your child's teachers about after-school mentoring programs and study sessions to ensure your son or daughter gets the extra help and support to succeed.

Help your child become more study-smart. Simple study "tricks" can help get more work done in a shorter amount of time. Teach your child to find important information in a chapter quickly by paying close attention to introductions, headings, bolded phrases and summaries. As students read through material, it can be helpful to summarize what they've read. Restating main ideas and key points in their own words can help students retain and organize the information.

Students should also remember that diagrams and tables in textbooks are often used to clarify main ideas- and are good indicators of information that the author (and a teacher) may consider important.

Your child has a limited number of after-school hours for homework, extracurricular activities and "downtime." Help your child budget time now, setting a pattern for habits that will enhance success in the classroom and workplace alike.

Dr. Raymond Huntington and Eileen Huntington are cofounders of Huntington Learning Center. For information, call (800) CAN LEARN (226-5327).