How can we make homework fun!
I have twins who are in third grade. They go to a school that offers a trilingual education program based on international curricula. They have class in English, French, and Spanish. That mean, learning 3 languages required more homework.
Why did I decide to send them there? I’m french and my husband speaks only English. My kid’s first language is English. It was important to me they can become fluent in French. Spanish is an important language to learn today.
I often heard my kids say: “Why we get so much homework”. “We already did that at school”. “Homework is boring.” “Homework is fun” “Why I learn this language”. How can we make it a bit more fun for our kids?
I grew up doing homework (elementary, high school, college) it was a part of our daily routine. I don’t believe in the philosophy “no homework”. I know a lot of studies have been done on the subject. Homework is a part of a school and is set with the aim of helping children absorb and build on work done in class and to extend their learning time. Doing homework also helps to check what our children know and they can become independent learners.
Research overwhelmingly supports the notion that students who do homework do better in school than those who don’t.
How can we make homework fun! This is how I try to make homework more fun for my kids.
First, I play an active role in their homework. I don’t just sit them down at a desk and let them work by themselves. I know what they have to do as homework and I’m ready with all the material they need. As a parent, our knowledge is important to them and it will contribute towards their development. It takes a lot of time and patience from a parent. But, I believe homework give me the opportunity to see what’s going on at school and learn about my kid’s strengths and weaknesses.
I always complete homework straight after school while they are in school mode. They do much better that way! It’s impossible to do homework before bedtime. They are tired and do not have the motivation to work on it.
I get rid of any distractions so my kids can focus on their work. I go to a quiet place. It’s important to remove anything that should enable your kids to focus on the task.
My kids love playing, so I try to incorporate that into their homework. I incorporate educational apps, online educational videos (really helpful for mathematics concept), challenges, games, and quizzes.
I also use a ticket for homework my kid’s use as incentives to get them to do their homework without whining. They can use their tickets for privileges like cinema, fun activity or iPad time. Just personalize the incentive specific to your child’s interests. Whatever you use, remember the goal is to help develop good habits for the future.
Making homework fun begins with helping kids find the right mindset. Learning is fun!