Homework!

From writerg.wordpress.com

With school starting, so too begins homework.  For many kids, homework is a series of chores, often meaningless, that just have to get done. 


In my opinion, there are two reasons homework may be a chore:

1. Teachers assign 'rote' exercises that have little thought, creativity, or meaning to students; or
2. Homework is too difficult for a student's independent working level - or it is too easy and again becomes a meaningless chore.

The role of teachers (and often of parents) is to help kids find meaning and creative challenge in homework.

In Arthur's case (see the video clip), there is so much homework - it is overwhelming.  No fun, no creativity - just seemingly endless work.

There's another wonderful tale of homework in Frindle by Andrew Clemens - a story about Nick Allen - the master teacher distractor...and if you haven't read it with your child it is a MUST!  This story begins with Nick Allen as he prepares for fifth grade. He must buy a dictionary before school begins and on the first day of school is prepared to distract his teacher (who is notorious for her homework assignments).  As she is about to give homework Nick attempts to distract her by asking her 'What makes a word a word?'  She responds with, "you do!" The story is all about how she not only does not let Nick distract her from giving homework, she gives him additional homework figuring out exactly what makes a word a word.  This assignment is so meaningful, Nick is determined to coin a new work, "FRINDLE."  Read it.  It's brilliant!

 In the first instance (for Arthur), homework is a chore.  In the second (for Nick) it's a challenge.  Which scenario would YOU prefer?

The problem in assigning homework is that every student is different, and making assignments for each student is unrealistic. As a result, teachers and parents have to help their children find meaning in homework assignments.  There are some other alternatives though.  Here are some suggestions:

For Teachers:

• Homework assignments can offer different types of questions and options for students of various skills and preferences to wrestle with on their own time. 
• Provide opportunities to mentally manipulate content material creatively, making it more meaningful and personal.  
• Instead of worksheets, have students construct vocabulary word games to play during recess and classroom breaks, or write a journal entry, screenplay, reflecting topics in social studies and science.    
• Have students create comic books expanding poetry or texts covered in classroom readings  including selected vocabulary, and/or specific 'talking points' . 
• Include an option for more abstract opinion questions that some students love pursuing and others find too philosophical and unstructured.   

For Parents:

• Talk to kids about their homework (but don't do it for them)

• Help your child find relevance to the homework assignments (especially if they don't immediately see it). 
• Talk about the Arthur clip above.  Why is it so bad, what could make homework more palatable.
• Jon Scieszka has some wonderful books on Math Curse and Science Verse  which may help your child find relevance in math and science.
• Design a special place/table/desk/corner for homework.  Help them structure their time so that after homework is completed they can have fun.  This is really important. [See http://departingthetext.blogspot.com/2011/03/theme-thursday-sense-of-space-and.html for more details.]
• Not only should kids have a desk/table to work at, they should have their materials readily available as well.  This means pens, pencils, paper, dictionaries, etc., should be easily accessible as they're working.
• IF an assignment is overwhelming, help kids break down assignments into manageable sequences.
• Talk about project/paper options.  Brainstorm together and help guide your child.  Again, for projects you may need to help them structure their time.
• Some kids find a slight music distraction helpful for concentration - other's don't.  Talk about this with your (older) kids.
• When in doubt, go check out Calvin & Hobbes:

Or, if you prefer music.... check out doing homework with Otis Rush:

Investing in luck Or..Providing a Greater Sense of Freedom and Power

My mother says that luck entails being at the right place, at the right time, and using the right words.  Taking her advice at face value (which I do), I believe we can help stack our luck, invest in it, so to speak.  Here are some suggestions on how we can help our kids stack their luck as they navigate school and friends.  I'd love to hear some of your ideas.  Please read through and let me know what you do! 

Investing in Luck is two-fold.  One: prepare your child for what to expect.  Two: demonstrate, model and brainstorm how to navigate.  Teach your child to understand where to be and when, and how to navigate social, academic, and classroom situations.

Prepare yourself, prepare your child.  Preview, brainstorm and role play.  The hardest and most important part:  Keep your anxiety LOW.  This should be tension free - more like an intellectual exercise.  Note:  You cannot anticipate everything but feeling comfortable with options helps.

Scenario #1: New school.  Visit before it begins.  Explore together.  Walk through the halls, look in classrooms, the gym, playground, nurse's office, and school office.  Explain when and why s/he might need to go to the office. Play a game.  One type of game may be to take turns thinking of reasons to go there (either real life situations - you forgot your field trip permission slip, can you call home...or silly ones if your child seems tense - you just got accosted in the bathroom by a purple alien who was begging for a grimple).

Scenario #2: Having a parent conference with a teacher/school administrator.  

•  General or mid year conference:  Look through your child’s materials (school work, tests, doctor/specialist report, etc.).  Look for trends.  Do you like them?  If not, this is something to talk about.  Read teacher comments.  Any questions about them?  What about group placement? Does your child seem happy and eager to talk about his or her day in school?  If not, yep…another thing to discuss.

• Specific topic/IEP/Disciplinary Conference: Gather information (test results, school work, past reports, etc.).  Find out who you are meeting with.  Google them or ask friends about their experiences with them.  Review all materials relevant to the meeting (Please see my blog about IEP’s if appropriate).  You my want to bring an advocate with you if you are asking for particular services.  Any relevant medical and/or psychological reports…bring them too.

Scenario #3:  Your child is meeting with a teacher/administrator 

• Make sure he or she understands the issues (without passing judgements or raising anxiety).  Simply analyze and review what the factors are that brought him or her to this place and brainstorm options.  
• Once options have been brainstormed, role play.  Act out different scenarios.  Which one is your child most comfortable with?  Go with that one.  Have your child visualize this (it will help). Note:  don't over process, this will make your child anxious. Discuss, review, and move on (hugs help).
• Know that you cannot anticipate everything, but feeling comfortable with options helps. 
• Keep anxiety low.  Easier said than done, but super important.  Don’t let your fears/anxieties show and don’t over think. 
• Take cues from your child.  Don’t over think…just prepare.

Scenario #4: Big Report or Assignment Due.    

 Prepare.  As soon as you know of a major project or assignment:

• Break down the assignment into 'manageable' parts based on time available and on intellectual demands.
• Make sure there is a space for your child to work (see previous blog for more on this).
• Coordinate when to make library/supply trips.

Brainstorm.

•  Brainstorm different ways to approach the project.  Discuss what it entails, selecting the 'best choice' option.
• Break down the 'best choice' into 'executable' parts. [Make a check list together of what this involves that your child can refer to as s/he works.]
• Get everything down first, then later...refine and edit.
• Edit some more.  I know kids hate editing but I can't stress enough how important it is. The first round of editing should focus on word choices and whether their point is getting across clearly.  Do the sentences make sense?  The second round of editing should check spelling, grammar, word omissions or repetitions. The final round should simply be a read through with to make sure it all still makes sense.

[Note: you should not be doing this for all projects and assignments.  Do this for the first ones of the year or for the newer larger ones your child may feel overwhelmed about or for a project/paper your child has not previous experience with.]

Scenario #5:  Social interactions.  I cannot stress enough how important it is to prepare your child for social situations.   Regardless of where your child is, playground, classroom, school bus, play date, cafeteria, mall, etc., there are your child must keep s/he must learn how to stand, sit, speak, interact appropriately with others.  Here are some suggestions on how to stack their "luck" when interacting with others:

• Validate feelings but point out realities (see previous blog for more).
• Brainstorm what may or may not have happened to contribute to the situation- to better understand it.
• Discuss word choices and tones of voice.
• Discuss concept of space and of respecting the space of others.
• Discuss boundaries (setting them and accepting them).
• Brainstorm options.
• Practice/role play best and worst case scenarios.

These are just some ideas and scenarios.. what do you think?  What do you do?