Homework, to many children, is an undesirable word. For upper primary children, more responsibility is placed on them to complete their homework and stay on top of their assignments. Some children are motivated to complete their tasks while some children find it a chore and struggle each day.
While parents recognise the importance of taking an active role in ensuring their child completes homework, it is also important to not force your child to do it—there is a big difference between forcing and motivating.
Encouraging your child to find motivation in a positive way is important for building habits that last. A motivated child is more likely to grow up to be a motivated adult. Forcing your child to do work can make him or her resent study time, making self-motivation much more difficult to achieve.
Check out these tips to help your child find the drive to get homework done.
HOW TO STAY MOTIVATED TO STUDY
1. Find Out What’s Stopping Your Child
Your child may be unmotivated to study for a number of reasons. To overcome the problem of not doing homework, the key is to find the root of the problem. This will help you and your child to develop a workable plan to resolve the problem.
Some of reasons for lack of motivation may be:
- Work that isn’t suited to his or her learning style
- Anxiety about school/ the subject
- Low self-confidence
- Poor understanding of the subject/concepts / questions
- Issues with the subject teacher/the subject class (especially if your child’s school practises subject banding)
This is the first and most important step
every parent should undertake before going to points 2, 3 and 4. Finding the root of the problem takes time and weeks of observation and several open conversations with your child, his/her teachers and caretakers. Nipping the problem in the bud goes a long way!
2. Create a Study Plan Together
Children do well with structure — having a solid study plan in place will help keep your child on track. Sit down with your child and create a plan for completing homework each night. Involve your child in the plan so he/she understands it, and in the process, more willing to adhere to the plan!
Your plan should include:
- When homework is to be done each day
- How much time should be spent on homework
- How often to take breaks and for how long
- What tasks should be prioritized (i.e. assignments that are
due the soonest)
3. Make Study Time Easier
Make study time as easy as possible for your child by providing him or her with everything needed to get work done:
- Quiet space:Find a quiet, distraction-free space for your child to study.
- Food and drink:If your child is hungry, it can be hard to focus on work. Give your child a light snack before a study session and plenty of water to ensure he or she can remain focused.
- The right tools:Make sure pencils, an eraser, a calculator, and other important tools are easily accessible so time isn’t wasted trying to find them.
Making sure your child has everything he or she needs means less resistance and fewer excuses.
4. Encourage Your Child to Set Small Goals
Encourage your child to set small, achievable study goals based on what needs to be accomplished. Setting goals gives your child clear directions for what needs to be done, and boosts confidence when he or she accomplishes these goals.
Some examples of studying goals include:
- Read one chapter of the assigned reading
- Review notes for twenty minutes
- Complete 5 practice questions from the textbook
Help Your Child Find the Motivation They Need
Avoid the dreaded homework battle and use the tips above to help your child develop good study habits. While as a parent it’s important to make sure your child’s homework is completed, it’s important to not force your child to do it. Instead, focus on making study time a positive experience so your child can build self-motivation to get it completed on time.
If your child is struggling in a certain area or getting stuck on a certain subject, BlueTree Education is here to help! Contact us today to find out how we can help your child achieve success in school and beyond.
