Homework tips for parents

My dog ate my homework, we've heard all the excueses. In fact, most adults are happy for the homework days to be a thing of the past, but for your children the books piling up are just starting.

At home assignments can be long and boring , but it's cruicia to a child's success. According to Certified Reading specialist Jill Leshin, Traveling Tutor LLC, homework reinforces the concepts learned in school and teaches time management skills, so it 's important that you have a good enviornment for your child to study.

Here are some of Leshin's homework tips for parents:

1. Create a designated homework time and space
Leshin suggests creating a schedule with your child, she says it is important to keep these times as consistent as you can. She says a great place to study would be a kitchen table or desk, Leshin says, having a designated space will keep up the focus, while a parent can monitor progress and help! Leshin also advises you involve your child in the process of deciding where and when homework is completed, it will help things go smoother.

2. Build homework into segments
Breaking homework into smaller portions will make the time go by much faster and keep your child focused while teaching them valuable time management skills! Leshin recommends using visual aids as time markers for example 4 baseballs = 4 hours, take away one each hour so they know how much time it takes them to do each assignment.

3. Keep your kids motivated
Leshin shows us creative ways like creating a reward menu, rock jar and incentive jar.

While homework seems like a drag, it doesn't have to be that way. Leshin says with these tips, your child will learn to use homework to their advantage, all while being creative and having a good time!

Jill runs a program called Pre-K Academy at the Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center. Pre-K Academy teaches important reading readiness skills, pre-writing skills and early mathematical concepts through creative movement, music, science and art classes. The classes are highly interactive, super fun and are often taught by our Alphabet Puppets.

If you are interested in signing up for Pre-K Academy classes, please contact Jill Leshin at (480) 822 READ (7323) or email us at jill@pre-kacademy.com .