Helping Kids Learn

My husband's little sister was seven years old when I met her. Now 15 years old, I've watched her move through elementary and middle school. She's a bright and talented girl, but studying and homework have been a point of tension between her, her parents, and teachers.

Helping a child learn and excel in school is a very time and labor intensive process. I'm not a parent myself, but I've learned through my experiences with my little sister that being a parent is a lot of work. Working and/or single parents especially need our help. If you're a parent who needs some help, I encourage you to reach out to your friends, family and neighbors for support. Helping a child or teenager with homework and learning can be a challenging and rewarding learning experience for us, too!

Here are some tips from my own experience:

I encourage my little sis by checking in on her via Facebook. When she posted a status update about being worried about a project due date, I commented that she could call or send a Facebook message to a classmate with a reputation for always being on top of assignments. She did and got the assignment done on time.

I ask her about her grades and help her come up with concrete solutions when she's struggling with specific subjects. Her brother and I asked her questions to help identify some of her stumbling blocks. She said she felt too tired to do her homework right after school and preferred to do it after dinner. So after dinner is her set homework time now. She was disorganized and kept losing completed assignments before she would turn them in. So we bought her some folders and gave her some tips on organizing. We check in with her regularly to make sure her new system is working.

I try to help her see the relevance of school subjects and homework to real life whenever possible. She loves science and animals, so we talk about the importance of math if she wants to pursue a science career. She struggles with foreign languages but excels at music (which uses the same part of the brain), so we discuss that and she can see how her ability as a musician gives her an advantage in Spanish if she applies herself.

And I encourage her to have fun with learning. When she was bored with Spanish, I suggested she practice having real conversations or even flirting in Spanish with her boyfriend (who was also in the class). Maybe that wasn't part of her homework assignment, but if it helps generate some enthusiasm for the subject, it helps!

Here are some helpful resources for homework and learning:
Discovery Education
PBS Parents
Child Development Institute - Homework Tips