At my wits end with Homework

[melly]

He sounds like he is overwhelmed with all that needs to get done. My youngest is 8 and gets very distracted, turing in his homework is one of his major issues. I remind him every morning about homework, this has been helping. We have a control journal for him (flylady.org). His is a couple of sheets, one with his chores and the other with what his subjects in school. We go over his list daily. His subjects are math, spelling, reading, p.e. (labels), he has science but not much homework. We do homework accordingly, we have one folder that all his homework is in, but since he is young he only has one major teacher. My daughter is 15 and she is somewhat forgetful, but she also has a homework folder. We put all her completed homework in there. It goes with her to every class, so there is no chance of her leaving her homework in her locker.

[KSJEn6891]

I'll admit I am not reading all of this feed back on homework this time. I am however in the process of reading an article on "The Apple - Where Teachers Meet and Learn" and the article I started with was 10 Things Your Students Won't Tell You, this led me to another article "Why Students May Not Complete Homework" This is what the article had to say (even though it is aimed at Teacher's): "Although there can be many reasons why students don’t always complete their homework, some seem to be universal. Luckily, alert teachers can manage these. Try some of these suggestions if you find your students (and yourself) struggling with homework. 1. Students did not record the assignment when you made it.

• Allow enough time for students to record the assignment at the start of the class. Have them copy it from the board instead of just writing it down as you say it. Monitor them as they do this.
2. Students don’t seem to take the assignments seriously.

• Make sure students know the purpose and benefits of each homework assignment you make. Take a serious stance when discussing the work. Collect it and check it for accuracy. Enact your policy to involve parents or guardians.
3. Students leave their books and materials at school.

• First, allow your students sufficient time to gather their belongings. Be sure to stress the importance of the work and then problem-solve a solution with students. If the problem persists, even after you have worked with them, contact a parent or guardian."


I know it is not a lot of information, However I felt it was worth repeating for parents who are frustrated not only with their children, but maybe even their Teacher's.

[janet21]

In motivating my child to do homework, I am using the reward system and it works on her.

[Bernice]

Since last year and starting this post, things have changed quite a bit for DS. He is happier in school and so far his grades have come up.

They have started tutoring on Thursday from 3-5pm and that works for me. He will be going for Science, since that was his lowest grade for the 1st quarter.

Having DS tested for a learning disability and finding out where he needs help is a godsend. He is doing really well and better than we expected after last year.

[jackie0109]

That's good to hear Bernice. I think the key here is for kids to enjoy school rather than see this as a task.

[Sammi1961]

Bernice,that is great news. I am very glad things are falling into place and that your ds is ding so much better.

What do you do in the situation where your child says he does his homework but the teacher says he doesn't. And then your child says the teacher loses his assignments and asks him to do them over?? I have talked to the teacher and it was a very odd conversation. I am getting two completely different stories.

[cau]

I would ask to see the completed work at night, then e-mail the teacher that he has it and ask for her/him to let me know if it was turned in the next day. My dgd is pulling that right now in Math, her least favorite subject. Dd just checked her grade and it was not the teacher telling stories

[Sammi1961]

I have asked my ds2 to show me his work but he says he does it in study hall. That may or may not be true. Today I asked him to bring history book home tomorrow so I can check to see he is doing the work. Math is also another subject where he is "missing work" and that is the class with the "odd teacher". She has called the house twice to talk to both my dh and to me. I have also talked to the principal concerning this issue as this teacher (hard to explain) just seems very different. Apparently I am not the only parent concerned or who has a child having problems in her class. This is ds2's first year in high school and he started out great guns but is now getting discouraged and that is something I hoped not to see.

[RobertaD]

Bernice I'm glad you son is now getting they help he needs to make things fall into place. I have dd2's IEP review meeting on Monday for first grade which I'm sure will be much different then the ones for pre-school and Kindergarten.

DD1 uses a homework folder that she brings home every day even if she finishes it in school. We have had some issues the first grading period with her not turning it in come to find out she didn't complete it (lied to me). I told her partial credit was always better then a zero then we had a long talk about lieing about getting homework finished.

Sammi I would keep bringing up your concerns about the behavior/attitude of the teacher to the principal. If necesary have a meeting with the teacher, principal and your child and discuss having a notebook going back and forth each day where you sign the the homework was completed and the teacher having to sign it that she received it. That might help with someone losing it.

Roberta

[Bernice]

DS biggest problem is staying organized. With his special needs class for his learning disabilty, he is coming around. I randomly go up to the school and check his locker for papers that are just stuffed in his locker. His after school tutoring is helping also. Re inforcing that we are there to help him learn and to stay organized seems to be what he needs to stay on track.

I would rather be inconvienced than let him fail. It is a sad fact that there are so many parents that just don't care enough or teachers that are not held accountable and let kids fall through the crack.