homework strategies school

Choose Your Test

Sat / act prep online guides and tips, how to do homework: 15 expert tips and tricks.

Coursework/GPA

Everyone struggles with homework sometimes, but if getting your homework done has become a chronic issue for you, then you may need a little extra help. That’s why we’ve written this article all about how to do homework. Once you’re finished reading it, you’ll know how to do homework (and have tons of new ways to motivate yourself to do homework)!

We’ve broken this article down into a few major sections. You’ll find:

• A diagnostic test to help you figure out why you’re struggling with homework
• A discussion of the four major homework problems students face, along with expert tips for addressing them
• A bonus section with tips for how to do homework fast

By the end of this article, you’ll be prepared to tackle whatever homework assignments your teachers throw at you .

So let’s get started!

How to Do Homework: Figure Out Your Struggles 

Sometimes it feels like everything is standing between you and getting your homework done. But the truth is, most people only have one or two major roadblocks that are keeping them from getting their homework done well and on time. 

The best way to figure out how to get motivated to do homework starts with pinpointing the issues that are affecting your ability to get your assignments done. That’s why we’ve developed a short quiz to help you identify the areas where you’re struggling. 

Take the quiz below and record your answers on your phone or on a scrap piece of paper. Keep in mind there are no wrong answers! 

1. You’ve just been assigned an essay in your English class that’s due at the end of the week. What’s the first thing you do?

A. Keep it in mind, even though you won’t start it until the day before it’s due  B. Open up your planner. You’ve got to figure out when you’ll write your paper since you have band practice, a speech tournament, and your little sister’s dance recital this week, too.  C. Groan out loud. Another essay? You could barely get yourself to write the last one!  D. Start thinking about your essay topic, which makes you think about your art project that’s due the same day, which reminds you that your favorite artist might have just posted to Instagram...so you better check your feed right now. 

2. Your mom asked you to pick up your room before she gets home from work. You’ve just gotten home from school. You decide you’ll tackle your chores: 

A. Five minutes before your mom walks through the front door. As long as it gets done, who cares when you start?  B. As soon as you get home from your shift at the local grocery store.  C. After you give yourself a 15-minute pep talk about how you need to get to work.  D. You won’t get it done. Between texts from your friends, trying to watch your favorite Netflix show, and playing with your dog, you just lost track of time! 

3. You’ve signed up to wash dogs at the Humane Society to help earn money for your senior class trip. You: 

A. Show up ten minutes late. You put off leaving your house until the last minute, then got stuck in unexpected traffic on the way to the shelter.  B. Have to call and cancel at the last minute. You forgot you’d already agreed to babysit your cousin and bake cupcakes for tomorrow’s bake sale.  C. Actually arrive fifteen minutes early with extra brushes and bandanas you picked up at the store. You’re passionate about animals, so you’re excited to help out! D. Show up on time, but only get three dogs washed. You couldn’t help it: you just kept getting distracted by how cute they were!

4. You have an hour of downtime, so you decide you’re going to watch an episode of The Great British Baking Show. You: 

A. Scroll through your social media feeds for twenty minutes before hitting play, which means you’re not able to finish the whole episode. Ugh! You really wanted to see who was sent home!  B. Watch fifteen minutes until you remember you’re supposed to pick up your sister from band practice before heading to your part-time job. No GBBO for you!  C. You finish one episode, then decide to watch another even though you’ve got SAT studying to do. It’s just more fun to watch people make scones.  D. Start the episode, but only catch bits and pieces of it because you’re reading Twitter, cleaning out your backpack, and eating a snack at the same time.

5. Your teacher asks you to stay after class because you’ve missed turning in two homework assignments in a row. When she asks you what’s wrong, you say: 

A. You planned to do your assignments during lunch, but you ran out of time. You decided it would be better to turn in nothing at all than submit unfinished work.  B. You really wanted to get the assignments done, but between your extracurriculars, family commitments, and your part-time job, your homework fell through the cracks.  C. You have a hard time psyching yourself to tackle the assignments. You just can’t seem to find the motivation to work on them once you get home.  D. You tried to do them, but you had a hard time focusing. By the time you realized you hadn’t gotten anything done, it was already time to turn them in. 

Like we said earlier, there are no right or wrong answers to this quiz (though your results will be better if you answered as honestly as possible). Here’s how your answers break down: 

• If your answers were mostly As, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is procrastination. 
• If your answers were mostly Bs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is time management. 
• If your answers were mostly Cs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is motivation. 
• If your answers were mostly Ds, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is getting distracted. 

Now that you’ve identified why you’re having a hard time getting your homework done, we can help you figure out how to fix it! Scroll down to find your core problem area to learn more about how you can start to address it. 

And one more thing: you’re really struggling with homework, it’s a good idea to read through every section below. You may find some additional tips that will help make homework less intimidating. 

How to Do Homework When You’re a Procrastinator  

Merriam Webster defines “procrastinate” as “to put off intentionally and habitually.” In other words, procrastination is when you choose to do something at the last minute on a regular basis. If you’ve ever found yourself pulling an all-nighter, trying to finish an assignment between periods, or sprinting to turn in a paper minutes before a deadline, you’ve experienced the effects of procrastination. 

If you’re a chronic procrastinator, you’re in good company. In fact, one study found that 70% to 95% of undergraduate students procrastinate when it comes to doing their homework. Unfortunately, procrastination can negatively impact your grades. Researchers have found that procrastination can lower your grade on an assignment by as much as five points ...which might not sound serious until you realize that can mean the difference between a B- and a C+. 

Procrastination can also negatively affect your health by increasing your stress levels , which can lead to other health conditions like insomnia, a weakened immune system, and even heart conditions. Getting a handle on procrastination can not only improve your grades, it can make you feel better, too! 

The big thing to understand about procrastination is that it’s not the result of laziness. Laziness is defined as being “disinclined to activity or exertion.” In other words, being lazy is all about doing nothing. But a s this Psychology Today article explains , procrastinators don’t put things off because they don’t want to work. Instead, procrastinators tend to postpone tasks they don’t want to do in favor of tasks that they perceive as either more important or more fun. Put another way, procrastinators want to do things...as long as it’s not their homework! 

3 Tips f or Conquering Procrastination 

Because putting off doing homework is a common problem, there are lots of good tactics for addressing procrastination. Keep reading for our three expert tips that will get your homework habits back on track in no time. 

#1: Create a Reward System

Like we mentioned earlier, procrastination happens when you prioritize other activities over getting your homework done. Many times, this happens because homework...well, just isn’t enjoyable. But you can add some fun back into the process by rewarding yourself for getting your work done. 

Here’s what we mean: let’s say you decide that every time you get your homework done before the day it’s due, you’ll give yourself a point. For every five points you earn, you’ll treat yourself to your favorite dessert: a chocolate cupcake! Now you have an extra (delicious!) incentive to motivate you to leave procrastination in the dust. 

If you’re not into cupcakes, don’t worry. Your reward can be anything that motivates you . Maybe it’s hanging out with your best friend or an extra ten minutes of video game time. As long as you’re choosing something that makes homework worth doing, you’ll be successful. 

#2: Have a Homework Accountability Partner 

If you’re having trouble getting yourself to start your homework ahead of time, it may be a good idea to call in reinforcements . Find a friend or classmate you can trust and explain to them that you’re trying to change your homework habits. Ask them if they’d be willing to text you to make sure you’re doing your homework and check in with you once a week to see if you’re meeting your anti-procrastination goals. 

Sharing your goals can make them feel more real, and an accountability partner can help hold you responsible for your decisions. For example, let’s say you’re tempted to put off your science lab write-up until the morning before it’s due. But you know that your accountability partner is going to text you about it tomorrow...and you don’t want to fess up that you haven’t started your assignment. A homework accountability partner can give you the extra support and incentive you need to keep your homework habits on track. 

#3: Create Your Own Due Dates 

If you’re a life-long procrastinator, you might find that changing the habit is harder than you expected. In that case, you might try using procrastination to your advantage! If you just can’t seem to stop doing your work at the last minute, try setting your own due dates for assignments that range from a day to a week before the assignment is actually due. 

Here’s what we mean. Let’s say you have a math worksheet that’s been assigned on Tuesday and is due on Friday. In your planner, you can write down the due date as Thursday instead. You may still put off your homework assignment until the last minute...but in this case, the “last minute” is a day before the assignment’s real due date . This little hack can trick your procrastination-addicted brain into planning ahead! 

If you feel like Kevin Hart in this meme, then our tips for doing homework when you're busy are for you. 

How to Do Homework When You’re too Busy

If you’re aiming to go to a top-tier college , you’re going to have a full plate. Because college admissions is getting more competitive, it’s important that you’re maintaining your grades , studying hard for your standardized tests , and participating in extracurriculars so your application stands out. A packed schedule can get even more hectic once you add family obligations or a part-time job to the mix. 

If you feel like you’re being pulled in a million directions at once, you’re not alone. Recent research has found that stress—and more severe stress-related conditions like anxiety and depression— are a major problem for high school students . In fact, one study from the American Psychological Association found that during the school year, students’ stress levels are higher than those of the adults around them. 

For students, homework is a major contributor to their overall stress levels . Many high schoolers have multiple hours of homework every night , and figuring out how to fit it into an already-packed schedule can seem impossible. 

3 Tips for Fitting Homework Into Your Busy Schedule

While it might feel like you have literally no time left in your schedule, there are still ways to make sure you’re able to get your homework done and meet your other commitments. Here are our expert homework tips for even the busiest of students. 

#1: Make a Prioritized To-Do List 

You probably already have a to-do list to keep yourself on track. The next step is to prioritize the items on your to-do list so you can see what items need your attention right away. 

Here’s how it works: at the beginning of each day, sit down and make a list of all the items you need to get done before you go to bed. This includes your homework, but it should also take into account any practices, chores, events, or job shifts you may have. Once you get everything listed out, it’s time to prioritize them using the labels A, B, and C. Here’s what those labels mean:

• A Tasks : tasks that have to get done—like showing up at work or turning in an assignment—get an A. 
• B Tasks : these are tasks that you would like to get done by the end of the day but aren’t as time sensitive. For example, studying for a test you have next week could be a B-level task. It’s still important, but it doesn’t have to be done right away.
• C Tasks: these are tasks that aren’t very important and/or have no real consequences if you don’t get them done immediately. For instance, if you’re hoping to clean out your closet but it’s not an assigned chore from your parents, you could label that to-do item with a C.

Prioritizing your to-do list helps you visualize which items need your immediate attention, and which items you can leave for later. A prioritized to-do list ensures that you’re spending your time efficiently and effectively, which helps you make room in your schedule for homework. So even though you might really want to start making decorations for Homecoming (a B task), you’ll know that finishing your reading log (an A task) is more important. 

#2: Use a Planner With Time Labels

Your planner is probably packed with notes, events, and assignments already. (And if you’re not using a planner, it’s time to start!) But planners can do more for you than just remind you when an assignment is due. If you’re using a planner with time labels, it can help you visualize how you need to spend your day.

A planner with time labels breaks your day down into chunks, and you assign tasks to each chunk of time. For example, you can make a note of your class schedule with assignments, block out time to study, and make sure you know when you need to be at practice. Once you know which tasks take priority, you can add them to any empty spaces in your day. 

Planning out how you spend your time not only helps you use it wisely, it can help you feel less overwhelmed, too . We’re big fans of planners that include a task list ( like this one ) or have room for notes ( like this one ). 

#3: Set Reminders on Your Phone 

If you need a little extra nudge to make sure you’re getting your homework done on time, it’s a good idea to set some reminders on your phone. You don’t need a fancy app, either. You can use your alarm app to have it go off at specific times throughout the day to remind you to do your homework. This works especially well if you have a set homework time scheduled. So if you’ve decided you’re doing homework at 6:00 pm, you can set an alarm to remind you to bust out your books and get to work. 

If you use your phone as your planner, you may have the option to add alerts, emails, or notifications to scheduled events . Many calendar apps, including the one that comes with your phone, have built-in reminders that you can customize to meet your needs. So if you block off time to do your homework from 4:30 to 6:00 pm, you can set a reminder that will pop up on your phone when it’s time to get started. 

This dog isn't judging your lack of motivation...but your teacher might. Keep reading for tips to help you motivate yourself to do your homework.

How to Do Homework When You’re Unmotivated 

At first glance, it may seem like procrastination and being unmotivated are the same thing. After all, both of these issues usually result in you putting off your homework until the very last minute. 

But there’s one key difference: many procrastinators are working, they’re just prioritizing work differently. They know they’re going to start their homework...they’re just going to do it later. 

Conversely, people who are unmotivated to do homework just can’t find the willpower to tackle their assignments. Procrastinators know they’ll at least attempt the homework at the last minute, whereas people who are unmotivated struggle with convincing themselves to do it at a ll. For procrastinators, the stress comes from the inevitable time crunch. For unmotivated people, the stress comes from trying to convince themselves to do something they don’t want to do in the first place. 

Here are some common reasons students are unmotivated in doing homework : 

• Assignments are too easy, too hard, or seemingly pointless 
• Students aren’t interested in (or passionate about) the subject matter
• Students are intimidated by the work and/or feels like they don’t understand the assignment 
• Homework isn’t fun, and students would rather spend their time on things that they enjoy 

To sum it up: people who lack motivation to do their homework are more likely to not do it at all, or to spend more time worrying about doing their homework than...well, actually doing it.

3 Tips for How to Get Motivated to Do Homework

The key to getting homework done when you’re unmotivated is to figure out what does motivate you, then apply those things to homework. It sounds tricky...but it’s pretty simple once you get the hang of it! Here are our three expert tips for motivating yourself to do your homework. 

#1: Use Incremental Incentives

When you’re not motivated, it’s important to give yourself small rewards to stay focused on finishing the task at hand. The trick is to keep the incentives small and to reward yourself often. For example, maybe you’re reading a good book in your free time. For every ten minutes you spend on your homework, you get to read five pages of your book. Like we mentioned earlier, make sure you’re choosing a reward that works for you! 

So why does this technique work? Using small rewards more often allows you to experience small wins for getting your work done. Every time you make it to one of your tiny reward points, you get to celebrate your success, which gives your brain a boost of dopamine . Dopamine helps you stay motivated and also creates a feeling of satisfaction when you complete your homework !  

#2: Form a Homework Group 

If you’re having trouble motivating yourself, it’s okay to turn to others for support. Creating a homework group can help with this. Bring together a group of your friends or classmates, and pick one time a week where you meet and work on homework together. You don’t have to be in the same class, or even taking the same subjects— the goal is to encourage one another to start (and finish!) your assignments. 

Another added benefit of a homework group is that you can help one another if you’re struggling to understand the material covered in your classes. This is especially helpful if your lack of motivation comes from being intimidated by your assignments. Asking your friends for help may feel less scary than talking to your teacher...and once you get a handle on the material, your homework may become less frightening, too. 

#3: Change Up Your Environment 

If you find that you’re totally unmotivated, it may help if you find a new place to do your homework. For example, if you’ve been struggling to get your homework done at home, try spending an extra hour in the library after school instead. The change of scenery can limit your distractions and give you the energy you need to get your work done. 

If you’re stuck doing homework at home, you can still use this tip. For instance, maybe you’ve always done your homework sitting on your bed. Try relocating somewhere else, like your kitchen table, for a few weeks. You may find that setting up a new “homework spot” in your house gives you a motivational lift and helps you get your work done. 

Social media can be a huge problem when it comes to doing homework. We have advice for helping you unplug and regain focus.

How to Do Homework When You’re Easily Distracted

We live in an always-on world, and there are tons of things clamoring for our attention. From friends and family to pop culture and social media, it seems like there’s always something (or someone!) distracting us from the things we need to do.

The 24/7 world we live in has affected our ability to focus on tasks for prolonged periods of time. Research has shown that over the past decade, an average person’s attention span has gone from 12 seconds to eight seconds . And when we do lose focus, i t takes people a long time to get back on task . One study found that it can take as long as 23 minutes to get back to work once we’ve been distracte d. No wonder it can take hours to get your homework done! 

3 Tips to Improve Your Focus

If you have a hard time focusing when you’re doing your homework, it’s a good idea to try and eliminate as many distractions as possible. Here are three expert tips for blocking out the noise so you can focus on getting your homework done. 

#1: Create a Distraction-Free Environment

Pick a place where you’ll do your homework every day, and make it as distraction-free as possible. Try to find a location where there won’t be tons of noise, and limit your access to screens while you’re doing your homework. Put together a focus-oriented playlist (or choose one on your favorite streaming service), and put your headphones on while you work. 

You may find that other people, like your friends and family, are your biggest distraction. If that’s the case, try setting up some homework boundaries. Let them know when you’ll be working on homework every day, and ask them if they’ll help you keep a quiet environment. They’ll be happy to lend a hand! 

#2: Limit Your Access to Technology 

We know, we know...this tip isn’t fun, but it does work. For homework that doesn’t require a computer, like handouts or worksheets, it’s best to put all your technology away . Turn off your television, put your phone and laptop in your backpack, and silence notifications on any wearable tech you may be sporting. If you listen to music while you work, that’s fine...but make sure you have a playlist set up so you’re not shuffling through songs once you get started on your homework. 

If your homework requires your laptop or tablet, it can be harder to limit your access to distractions. But it’s not impossible! T here are apps you can download that will block certain websites while you’re working so that you’re not tempted to scroll through Twitter or check your Facebook feed. Silence notifications and text messages on your computer, and don’t open your email account unless you absolutely have to. And if you don’t need access to the internet to complete your assignments, turn off your WiFi. Cutting out the online chatter is a great way to make sure you’re getting your homework done. 

#3: Set a Timer (the Pomodoro Technique)

Have you ever heard of the Pomodoro technique ? It’s a productivity hack that uses a timer to help you focus!

Here’s how it works: first, set a timer for 25 minutes. This is going to be your work time. During this 25 minutes, all you can do is work on whatever homework assignment you have in front of you. No email, no text messaging, no phone calls—just homework. When that timer goes off, you get to take a 5 minute break. Every time you go through one of these cycles, it’s called a “pomodoro.” For every four pomodoros you complete, you can take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes.

The pomodoro technique works through a combination of boundary setting and rewards. First, it gives you a finite amount of time to focus, so you know that you only have to work really hard for 25 minutes. Once you’ve done that, you’re rewarded with a short break where you can do whatever you want. Additionally, tracking how many pomodoros you complete can help you see how long you’re really working on your homework. (Once you start using our focus tips, you may find it doesn’t take as long as you thought!)

Two Bonus Tips for How to Do Homework Fast

Even if you’re doing everything right, there will be times when you just need to get your homework done as fast as possible. (Why do teachers always have projects due in the same week? The world may never know.)

The problem with speeding through homework is that it’s easy to make mistakes. While turning in an assignment is always better than not submitting anything at all, you want to make sure that you’re not compromising quality for speed. Simply put, the goal is to get your homework done quickly and still make a good grade on the assignment! 

Here are our two bonus tips for getting a decent grade on your homework assignments , even when you’re in a time crunch. 

#1: Do the Easy Parts First 

This is especially true if you’re working on a handout with multiple questions. Before you start working on the assignment, read through all the questions and problems. As you do, make a mark beside the questions you think are “easy” to answer . 

Once you’ve finished going through the whole assignment, you can answer these questions first. Getting the easy questions out of the way as quickly as possible lets you spend more time on the trickier portions of your homework, which will maximize your assignment grade. 

(Quick note: this is also a good strategy to use on timed assignments and tests, like the SAT and the ACT !) 

#2: Pay Attention in Class 

Homework gets a lot easier when you’re actively learning the material. Teachers aren’t giving you homework because they’re mean or trying to ruin your weekend... it’s because they want you to really understand the course material. Homework is designed to reinforce what you’re already learning in class so you’ll be ready to tackle harder concepts later.

When you pay attention in class, ask questions, and take good notes, you’re absorbing the information you’ll need to succeed on your homework assignments. (You’re stuck in class anyway, so you might as well make the most of it!) Not only will paying attention in class make your homework less confusing, it will also help it go much faster, too.

What’s Next?

If you’re looking to improve your productivity beyond homework, a good place to begin is with time management. After all, we only have so much time in a day...so it’s important to get the most out of it! To get you started, check out this list of the 12 best time management techniques that you can start using today.

You may have read this article because homework struggles have been affecting your GPA. Now that you’re on the path to homework success, it’s time to start being proactive about raising your grades. This article teaches you everything you need to know about raising your GPA so you can

Now you know how to get motivated to do homework...but what about your study habits? Studying is just as critical to getting good grades, and ultimately getting into a good college . We can teach you how to study bette r in high school. (We’ve also got tons of resources to help you study for your ACT and SAT exams , too!)

These recommendations are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links, PrepScholar may receive a commission.

Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

Improve With Our Famous Guides

• For All Students

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 160+ SAT Points

How to Get a Perfect 1600, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 800 on Each SAT Section:

Score 800 on SAT Math

Score 800 on SAT Reading

Score 800 on SAT Writing

Series: How to Get to 600 on Each SAT Section:

Score 600 on SAT Math

Score 600 on SAT Reading

Score 600 on SAT Writing

Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests

What SAT Target Score Should You Be Aiming For?

15 Strategies to Improve Your SAT Essay

The 5 Strategies You Must Be Using to Improve 4+ ACT Points

How to Get a Perfect 36 ACT, by a Perfect Scorer

Series: How to Get 36 on Each ACT Section:

36 on ACT English

36 on ACT Math

36 on ACT Reading

36 on ACT Science

Series: How to Get to 24 on Each ACT Section:

24 on ACT English

24 on ACT Math

24 on ACT Reading

24 on ACT Science

What ACT target score should you be aiming for?

ACT Vocabulary You Must Know

ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score

How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League

How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA

How to Write an Amazing College Essay

What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?

Is the ACT easier than the SAT? A Comprehensive Guide

Should you retake your SAT or ACT?

When should you take the SAT or ACT?

Stay Informed

Get the latest articles and test prep tips!

Looking for Graduate School Test Prep?

Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here:

GRE Online Prep Blog

GMAT Online Prep Blog

TOEFL Online Prep Blog

Holly R. "I am absolutely overjoyed and cannot thank you enough for helping me!”

• Book Lists by Age
• Book Lists by Category
• Reading Resources
• Language & Speech
• Raise a Reader Blog
• Back to School
• Success Guides by Grade
• Homework Help
• Social & Emotional Learning
• Activities for Kids

9 Smart Tips for Homework Success

Help kids manage their homework load with these strategies..

Even children who enjoy doing homework can lose their enthusiasm for it over the course of the school year, and find ways to stall or avoid doing it. But after-school study time is important, both for reinforcing the day’s learning and for lending structure to your child’s day.

“Homework isn’t just about academics,” says Karen Burke, SVP of Data Analysis and Academic Planning, Scholastic Education Solutions. “It can help students create routines and build responsible behaviors.”

Playing cop rarely works — micromanaging and nagging only make kids feel incapable or frustrated. Instead, think of yourself as a coach and cheerleader. 

“Generally, the idea of homework should be to help students set goals, build independence, and practice applying the knowledge they are gaining,” says Burke.

To help you get there, we asked teachers and parents to share their strategies for solving the most common homework struggles. These 10 tips will bring harmony back into your homework routine, whether your child is a kindergartner or 5th grader, perfectionist or procrastinator.

1. Do It Early

Give your child a time frame in which to get down to business. In your household, this may be before or after extracurriculars.

Work with your child to identify the time when their energy and focus are at their peak. This gives your child some control over their schedule. (Some kids need a longer break after school, and others need to start right away to keep the momentum going.) 

However, plan on 5 p.m. being the latest they can start their homework.

2. Phone a Friend

From kindergarten onward, kids should have a list of three or four classmates they can call on when they forget an assignment, or even just to ask a question. Study buddies can provide motivation for each other to get the work done. 

3. Collaborate to Build Confidence

When kids don’t understand a concept right away, they may feel like they’re not smart enough and start to shut down, says Sigrid Grace, a 2nd grade teacher in Michigan. 

Short-circuit negative thinking by sitting down with your child and figuring out the first problem in the assignment together. This should help jog their memory to complete the rest. Then, heap on the praise: “You did a great job on that one! Try the next one now.”

4. Change the Scenery

Sometimes something as simple as changing up their workspace can boost a child’s motivation and, in turn, their confidence. If your child has been working alone at a desk or designated study nook, perhaps they’d be more comfortable doing their homework in a public area, like the kitchen table while you’re preparing dinner. 

Conversely, if they’ve been working in a high-traffic part of the house, they might need a more private space in which to focus. 

5. Keep the Positive Feedback Coming

Younger kids need instant feedback, so it’s okay for parents of young grade-schoolers to correct mistakes, says Grace, the 2nd grade teacher. Follow this up with specific praise about what your child has done well.

6. Leave the Room

“Kids who drag things out are often doing so for your attention — they’re enjoying the interaction on some level,” explains Grace. “Avoid joining in.”

If you must stay in the room, have your child work in a spot that’s farther away from whatever you’re doing.

7. Beat the Clock

Sometimes procrastinators just need a jump-start. If that’s true for your child, try this: 

Set a timer for five minutes and have your child work as quickly and steadily as they can until the timer goes off. At that point, they can choose to take a short break or keep going — many kids continue.

“Racing against a timer gives kids an external sense of urgency if they don’t have an internal one,” says Ann Dolin, a former educator. 

However, a timed work session is not an excuse for sloppy work. Make sure your child reviews theirs before submitting it.

8. Plan, Plan, Plan

To get the most out of your days, include every appointment — from sports practice to meals to reading time — on a big calendar or schedule log and stick it in a central place where every member of the household can see it. 

If you know that certain nights present a conflict with your child’s homework schedule, you can ask for the week’s assignments upfront and work with your child to decide the best times to complete them, says Cathy Vatterott, a professor of education at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. 

“Teachers will often work with you on this, but most parents are afraid to ask,” she says.

9. Let ’Em Vent 

If your child is resisting doing their homework — or worse, is tearing up over it in frustration — soothe any pent-up worries by letting them complain. Listen, empathize (“Wow, that is a lot of work”), and state their feelings back to them (“You sound upset”). 

Once your child feels understood, they’ll be more likely to accept your suggestions, says Dolin — and better able to focus on what needs to be done.

You can also help by talking to your child about what they remember from class and steering them to the textbook. If they’re still lost, have them write a note to the teacher explaining that they don’t understand.

Get ready for your child to go back to school with our guide — it's full of recommended books, tips to help if your child is struggling with homework , and more resources for starting the year off right . 

Shop workbooks and learning kits to support good homework habits. You can find all books and activities at The Scholastic Store .

Sign Up and Get 10% Off Books!

Your browser is not supported

Sorry but it looks as if your browser is out of date. To get the best experience using our site we recommend that you upgrade or switch browsers.

Find a solution

• Skip to main content
• Skip to navigation

• Back to parent navigation item
• Collections
• Sustainability in chemistry
• Simple rules
• Teacher well-being hub
• Women in chemistry
• Global science
• Escape room activities
• Decolonising chemistry teaching
• Teaching science skills
• Post-lockdown teaching support
• Get the print issue
• RSC Education

• More navigation items

Do your homework

• No comments

Help your students succeed in exams with these targeted and teacher-tested homework strategies

Source: © Natalia Smu/Shutterstock

Targeted homework tasks can be a student’s (and their teacher’s) best friend when it comes to exam performance

Homework plays a vital role in consolidating in-class learning. Effective science homework provides the extension to learning that students need to succeed, and gives us vital data to inform our planning. An EEF study on the impact of homework in secondary schools  says that regular homework can have the same positive effect as five additional months in the classroom, as well as ‘enabling pupils to undertake independent learning to practise and consolidate skills and revise for exams’. That said, getting students to complete homework is no mean feat.

There are multiple strategies we can implement to ensure homework has meaning and students appreciate the benefits of homework in their learning. This is especially useful when they’re preparing for exams.

Strategies to engage your students

A few strategies have worked well for me with exam classes.

I deliver the homework in chunks (eg half termly), clearly explaining the rationale. As an example, my year 11 chemistry students performed poorly on electrolysis and titration calculation in their mock exams so, after reteaching, I wanted to ensure they rehearsed the concepts. As part of the homework they had to repeat tasks on these concepts. We then reviewed and adjusted the plan as a class to focus on their weaker areas.

I give praise often. Students love rewards in whatever form. I always discuss what rewards the class prefers. You can use stickers, certificates, etc.

It’s important to be flexible. An exam year can be a stressful time for students and so flexibility is key. I ask my students about the minimum they could manage. They feel valued and part of the decision-making process, making them more likely to complete it.

Identify students/parents/carers who need support. With some of my students, I had the most success in this area by meeting with or emailing their parents/carers and providing strategies for completion, such as doing the homework every Saturday at a specific time. An email every so often to check how they are doing goes a long way.

Using online platforms

When I was a faculty lead, homework was a key focus for our department and so we did some research into online retrieval platforms which were easy to manage, self-marking and provided both students and teachers with information on learning gaps. We found several platforms to fit our criteria, such as quizzing platforms,  Kay Science  – great for missed learning catch up, revision and intervention for small groups – and  Carousel – that helps students embed long-term knowledge. We then took a few key steps to increase buy-in.

Often students struggled with passwords, regardless of ease, so we booked laptops for all classes and the teacher modelled logging in, and checked every student could log in and complete a task. At times students would say they didn’t know the answers, but often this was because they’d not watched the videos. So we reminded them to do that first. There was also a short video of how to log in on the school’s homework platform for extra support.

We mapped homework to the curriculum. Students had to be familiar with the content, so homework tasks supplemented in-class learning.

We did everything we could to minimise barriers. All students who had a record of incomplete homework were encouraged to attend homework club and we allowed extensions in case they just forgot. The barriers to completing homework varied between households and sometimes a conversation to identify them and offer support was all that was needed.

The senior leadership team knew what platform we were using, so they could discuss it with all students, parents and governors. We also presented the chosen retrieval platform to parents and carers to increase buy-in.

Over time we noticed a spike in submissions as students got more familiar with the platform. Teachers praised students who showed the most progress, which meant previously disengaged students felt successful and motivated to complete more tasks.

Thandi Banda

• Developing teaching practice
• Digital skills
• Learning styles
• Lesson planning
• Working independently

Related articles

Longer classes: what’s the verdict?

2024-05-20T08:00:00Z By Angeli Mehta

Discover why one school has switched to fewer, longer lessons in a school day – and how it’s going

5 ways to use structure strips to scaffold learning

2024-05-08T05:08:00Z By Kristy Turner

Boost your students’ ability to digest topics and write independently with these margin-sized prompts

Escape the classroom: and revise chemistry knowledge

2024-05-03T09:21:00Z By Hayley Russell

Challenge your students to break out of the lab and prepare for exams

No comments yet

Only registered users can comment on this article..

Model atomic structure with playdough

2024-06-19T05:01:00Z By Eleanor Clapp

Engage your learners with these fun, tactile ideas and models

A sweet solution to extended questions

2024-06-12T05:10:00Z By Louise Tomlinson

Motivate learners to structure their answers for full marks

How to run a successful Chemistry Olympiad club

2024-06-05T07:00:00Z By Lynne Maxwell

Discover effective approaches and essential resources to prepare learners for this competition (and others), recommended by two heads of science

• Contributors
• Print issue
• Email alerts

Site powered by Webvision Cloud

Internet Explorer is no longer supported

Please upgrade to Microsoft Edge , Google Chrome , or Firefox .

Lo sentimos, la página que usted busca no se ha podido encontrar. Puede intentar su búsqueda de nuevo o visitar la lista de temas populares.

Get this as a PDF

Enter email to download and get news and resources in your inbox.

Share this on social

Strategies to make homework go more smoothly.

Routines and incentive systems to help kids succeed

Writer: Peg Dawson, EdD, NCSP

Clinical Expert: Peg Dawson, EdD, NCSP

Here is the best guide to helping kids do homework successfully that we’ve seen, published by the National Association of School Psychologists on their website, NASPonline.org . Our thanks to NASP for sharing it with us.

There are two key strategies parents can draw on to reduce homework hassles. The first is to establish clear routines around homework, including when and where homework gets done and setting up daily schedules for homework. The second is to build in rewards or incentives to use with children for whom “good grades” is not a sufficient reward for doing homework.

Homework Routines

Tasks are easiest to accomplish when tied to specific routines. By establishing daily routines for homework completion, you will not only make homework go more smoothly, but you will also be fostering a sense of order your child can apply to later life, including college and work.

Step 1. Find a location in the house where homework will be done. The right location will depend on your child and the culture of your family. Some children do best at a desk in their bedroom. It is a quiet location, away from the hubbub of family noise. Other children become too distracted by the things they keep in their bedroom and do better at a place removed from those distractions, like the dining room table. Some children need to work by themselves. Others need to have parents nearby to help keep them on task and to answer questions when problems arise. Ask your child where the best place is to work. Both you and your child need to discuss pros and cons of different settings to arrive at a mutually agreed upon location.

Step 2. Set up a homework center. Once you and your child have identified a location, fix it up as a home office/homework center. Make sure there is a clear workspace large enough to set out all the materials necessary for completing assignments. Outfit the homework center with the kinds of supplies your child is most likely to need, such as pencils, pens, colored markers, rulers, scissors, a dictionary and thesaurus, graph paper, construction paper, glue and cellophane tape, lined paper, a calculator, spell checker, and, depending on the age and needs of your child, a computer or laptop. If the homework center is a place that will be used for other things (such as the dining room table), then your child can keep the supplies in a portable crate or bin. If possible, the homework center should include a bulletin board that can hold a monthly calendar on which your child can keep track of longterm assignments. Allowing children some leeway in decorating the homework center can help them feel at home there, but you should be careful that it does not become too cluttered with distracting materials.

Step 3. Establish a homework time. Your child should get in the habit of doing homework at the same time every day. The time may vary depending on the individual child. Some children need a break right after school to get some exercise and have a snack. Others need to start homework while they are still in a school mode (i.e., right after school when there is still some momentum left from getting through the day). In general, it may be best to get homework done either before dinner or as early in the evening as the child can tolerate. The later it gets, the more tired the child becomes and the more slowly the homework gets done.

Step 4. Establish a daily homework schedule. In general, at least into middle school, the homework session should begin with your sitting down with your child and drawing up a homework schedule. You should review all the assignments and make sure your child understands them and has all the necessary materials. Ask your child to estimate how long it will take to complete each assignment. Then ask when each assignment will get started. If your child needs help with any assignment , then this should be determined at the beginning so that the start times can take into account parent availability. A Daily Homework Planner is included at the end of this handout and contains a place for identifying when breaks may be taken and what rewards may be earned.

Incentive Systems

Many children who are not motivated by the enjoyment of doing homework are motivated by the high grade they hope to earn as a result of doing a quality job. Thus, the grade is an incentive, motivating the child to do homework with care and in a timely manner. For children who are not motivated by grades, parents will need to look for other rewards to help them get through their nightly chores. Incentive systems fall into two categories: simple and elaborate.

Simple incentive systems. The simplest incentive system is reminding the child of a fun activity to do when homework is done. It may be a favorite television show, a chance to spend some time with a video or computer game, talking on the telephone or instant messaging, or playing a game with a parent. This system of withholding fun things until the drudgery is over is sometimes called Grandma’s Law because grandmothers often use it quite effectively (“First take out the trash, then you can have chocolate chip cookies.”). Having something to look forward to can be a powerful incentive to get the hard work done. When parents remind children of this as they sit down at their desks they may be able to spark the engine that drives the child to stick with the work until it is done.

Elaborate incentive systems. These involve more planning and more work on the part of parents but in some cases are necessary to address more significant homework problems. More complex incentives systems might include a structure for earning points that could be used to “purchase” privileges or rewards or a system that provides greater reward for accomplishing more difficult homework tasks. These systems work best when parents and children together develop them. Giving children input gives them a sense of control and ownership, making the system more likely to succeed. We have found that children are generally realistic in setting goals and deciding on rewards and penalties when they are involved in the decision-making process.

Building in breaks. These are good for the child who cannot quite make it to the end without a small reward en route. When creating the daily homework schedule, it may be useful with these children to identify when they will take their breaks. Some children prefer to take breaks at specific time intervals (every 15 minutes), while others do better when the breaks occur after they finish an activity. If you use this approach, you should discuss with your child how long the breaks will last and what will be done during the breaks (get a snack, call a friend, play one level on a video game). The Daily Homework Planner includes sections where breaks and end-of-homework rewards can be identified.

Building in choice. This can be an effective strategy for parents to use with children who resist homework. Choice can be incorporated into both the order in which the child agrees to complete assignments and the schedule they will follow to get the work done. Building in choice not only helps motivate children but can also reduce power struggles between parents and children.

Developing Incentive Systems

Step 1. Describe the problem behaviors. Parents and children decide which behaviors are causing problems at homework time. For some children putting homework off to the last minute is the problem; for others, it is forgetting materials or neglecting to write down assignments. Still others rush through their work and make careless mistakes, while others dawdle over assignments, taking hours to complete what should take only a few minutes. It is important to be as specific as possible when describing the problem behaviors. The problem behavior should be described as behaviors that can be seen or heard; for instance, complains about h omework or rushes through homework, making many mistakes are better descriptors than has a bad attitude or is lazy.

Step 2. Set a goal. Usually the goal relates directly to the problem behavior. For instance, if not writing down assignments is the problem, the goal might be: “Joe will write down his assignments in his assignment book for every class.”

Step 3. Decide on possible rewards and penalties. Homework incentive systems work best when children have a menu of rewards to choose from, since no single reward will be attractive for long. We recommend a point system in which points can be earned for the goal behaviors and traded in for the reward the child wants to earn. The bigger the reward, the more points the child will need to earn it. The menu should include both larger, more expensive rewards that may take a week or a month to earn and smaller, inexpensive rewards that can be earned daily. It may also be necessary to build penalties into the system. This is usually the loss of a privilege (such as the chance to watch a favorite TV show or the chance to talk on the telephone to a friend).

Once the system is up and running, and if you find your child is earning more penalties than rewards, then the program needs to be revised so that your child can be more successful. Usually when this kind of system fails, we think of it as a design failure rather than the failure of the child to respond to rewards. It may be a good idea if you are having difficulty designing a system that works to consult a specialist, such as a school psychologist or counselor, for assistance.

Step 4. Write a homework contract. The contract should say exactly what the child agrees to do and exactly what the parents’ roles and responsibilities will be. When the contract is in place, it should reduce some of the tension parents and kids often experience around homework. For instance, if part of the contract is that the child will earn a point for not complaining about homework, then if the child does complain, this should not be cause for a battle between parent and child: the child simply does not earn that point. Parents should also be sure to praise their children for following the contract. It will be important for parents to agree to a contract they can live with; that is, avoiding penalties they are either unable or unwilling to impose (e.g., if both parents work and are not at home, they cannot monitor whether a child is beginning homework right after school, so an alternative contract may need to be written).

We have found that it is a rare incentive system that works the first time. Parents should expect to try it out and redesign it to work the kinks out. Eventually, once the child is used to doing the behaviors specified in the contract, the contract can be rewritten to work on another problem behavior. Your child over time may be willing to drop the use of an incentive system altogether. This is often a long-term goal, however, and you should be ready to write a new contract if your child slips back to bad habits once a system is dropped.

Click here to download the homework planner and incentive sheet .

Frequently Asked Questions

To help homework go more smoothly, e stablish a routine that includes a time and place where it will be done, a planner that lists each assignment, scheduled breaks when some of the work is done, and a reward system for kids who are not motivated by good grades alone.  

Set a good homework routine following these steps: Find a location in the house where homework will be done. Set up a homework center stocked with needed materials . Establish a homework time. Use a daily homework planner so that your child has everything in writing.  

One tool that can make homework go more smoothly i s a Daily Homework Planner , which lists each assignment, how long it should take to complete, and what rewards may be earned for completing each assignment.    

Was this article helpful?

Explore popular topics, subscribe to our newsletters.

" * " indicates required fields

Get Resources to Help Your Kids Thrive

Sign up for updates, new articles, and tips from our clinical experts delivered to your inbox.

Because differences are our greatest strength

8 tips to help grade-schoolers slow down on homework

By Kate Kelly

Expert reviewed by Rayma Griffin, MA, MEd

There are many reasons grade-schoolers with learning and thinking differences may rush through homework. Kids with executive function challenges and ADHD may be especially prone to speeding through assignments . But there are ways you can help your child slow down. Try these strategies.

1. Designate a set amount of time for homework.

Set aside a specific amount of time for homework every weekday. You can even use a homework contract to create a schedule. Having a set time for homework can help your child get used to the idea of homework. It also takes away the incentive to speed through work so they can go play.

The rule of thumb for grade school is 10 minutes of homework per grade every night. So if your child is in third grade, your child should spend about 30 minutes a day on homework. If kids finish early, they can read, write a letter to their grandparents, or play educational games online.

2. Use a timer.

You can use a computer, a phone app, a stopwatch, or even an egg timer. Divide your child’s homework into timed segments. Set the timer to go off at the end of each homework task and reset the timer for each one. Encourage your child to work without stopping until the timer goes off. Having a visual and audible reminder gives your child a sense of how much time homework tasks should take. It also reminds them that they have a set amount of time, which could help with focus.

3. Help your child get in the right mindset to do work.

If kids are tired or stressed out from the day’s events, they may rush through their homework just to be done with it. When your child seems fatigued or restless, consider letting the homework wait a little while. Let your child run around outside or play quietly for a set time to decompress. When it’s time to tackle homework, your child will have more energy to give it their best effort.

If your child takes ADHD medication and tends to crash right after school, let your child’s doctor know. You and the doctor can discuss whether or not the medication needs adjusting .

4. Step in if your child needs to slow down.

If you notice your child rushing, don’t wait until they’re done to step in. Try to slow your child down in the moment. Check in during homework time by asking questions like, “Are you doing your best work?” or “Will the teacher be able to read that?” It’s easier for both of you if you have your child correct problems before they finish — rather than asking them to redo work later. It can also help your child develop good habits going forward.

5. Encourage kids to look over their work.

Remind your child to check their work for careless errors and sloppiness before your child considers it done. You can even create a checklist with your child: Did your child follow the directions? Are the words spelled correctly? Did your child use capitals when appropriate? Can your child read their writing? Getting kids in the habit of checking their work helps them set standards for good work. And that can help them feel a sense of pride in what they’re about to turn in.

6. Help kids break down projects.

In fourth and fifth grade, homework starts to require more time management and organizational skills . Instead of a single worksheet that’s due the next day, kids get more and bigger assignments. And the assignments may have due dates that are further away.

Help your child figure out how to leave enough time to get challenging projects done over a longer period of time. Create a study calendar that breaks down the project into small daily tasks . This helps kids see that they can get the project done in time if they work on it little by little, at a steady pace.

7. Get kids the help they need.

Some kids leave homework questions blank or rush through it because they’re frustrated by the work itself. They may have learning differences that affect their reading, writing, or math skills. If you think that could be the case with your child, you may want to meet with their teacher . Share your observations and ask the teacher what they’ve noticed.

Together you can decide what the next step should be. You may want to request an evaluation . Your child may need specialized instruction in a skill area or accommodations to help them succeed. The sooner they get the help they need, the sooner they can focus on learning.

8. Remind kids of their strengths.

Kids who haven’t had a lot of success in school may not be confident about their ability to do homework well. So they may rush through it, thinking it’s not worth the effort. Remind your child of their strengths . Talk about a time your child worked hard at something — big or small — and succeeded. This could help boost your child’s confidence . And that could help your child approach homework with a more positive outlook.

Explore related topics

Our websites may use cookies to personalize and enhance your experience. By continuing without changing your cookie settings, you agree to this collection. For more information, please see our University Websites Privacy Notice .

Neag School of Education

How to use homework to support student success.

• by: Sandra Chafouleas
• January 13, 2022
• Community Engagement

Editor’s Note: Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor Sandra Chafouleas shares insights on supporting students’ homework during the pandemic in the following piece, which originally appeared  in Psychology Today , where she publishes a blog.

COVID has brought many changes in education. What does it mean for homework?

School assignments that a student is expected to do outside of the regular school day—that’s homework. The general guideline is 10 minutes of nightly homework per grade level beginning after kindergarten. This amounts to just a few minutes for younger elementary students to up to 2 hours for high school students.

The guidance seems straightforward enough, so why is homework such a controversial topic? School disruptions, including extended periods of remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, have magnified the controversies yet also have provided an opportunity to rethink the purpose and value of homework.

Debates about the value of homework center around two primary issues: amount and inequity.

First, the amount of assigned homework may be much more than the recommended guidelines. Families report their children are stressed out over the time spent doing homework. Too much homework can challenge well-being given the restricted time available for sleep, exercise, and social connection. In a 2015 study , for example, parents reported their early elementary children received almost three times the recommended guidelines. In high school, researchers found an average of three hours of homework per night for students living in economically privileged communities.

“ Debates about the value of homework center around two primary issues: amount and inequity.”

Second, homework can perpetuate inequities. Students attending school in less economically privileged communities may receive little to no homework, or have difficulty completing it due to limited access to needed technology. This can translate into fewer opportunities to learn and may contribute to gaps in achievement.

There isn’t a ton of research on the effects of homework, and available studies certainly do not provide a simple answer. For example, a 2006 synthesis of studies suggested a positive influence between homework completion and academic achievement for middle and high school students. Supporters also point out that homework offers additional opportunities to engage in learning and that it can foster independent learning habits such as planning and a sense of responsibility. A more recent study involving 13-year-old students in Spain found higher test scores for those who were regularly assigned homework in math and science, with an optimal time around one hour—which is roughly aligned with recommendations. However, the researchers noted that ability to independently do the work, student effort, and prior achievement were more important contributors than time spent.

Opponents of homework maintain that the academic benefit does not outweigh the toll on well-being. Researchers have observed student stress, physical health problems, and lack of life balance, especially when the time spent goes over the recommended guidelines. In a survey of adolescents , over half reported the amount and type of homework they received to be a primary source of stress in their lives. In addition, vast differences exist in access and availability of supports, such as internet connection, adult assistance, or even a place to call home, as 1.5 million children experience homelessness in the United States

The COVID-19 pandemic has re-energized discussion about homework practices, with the goal to advance recommendations about how, when, and with whom it can be best used. Here’s a summary of key strategies:

Strategies for Educators

Make sure the tasks are meaningful and matched..

First, the motto “ quality over quantity ” can guide decisions about homework. Homework is not busy-work, and instead should get students excited about learning. Emphasize activities that facilitate choice and interest to extend learning, like choose your own reading adventure or math games. Second, each student should be able to complete homework independently with success. Think about Goldilocks: To be effective, assignments should be just right for each learner. One example of how do this efficiently is through online learning platforms that can efficiently adjust to skill level and can be completed in a reasonable amount of time.

Ensure access to resources for task completion.

One step toward equity is to ensure access to necessary resources such as time, space, and materials. Teach students about preparing for homework success, allocating classroom time to model and practice good study habits such as setting up their physical environment, time management, and chunking tasks. Engage in conversations with students and families to problem-solve challenges When needed, connect students with homework supports available through after-school clubs, other community supports, or even within a dedicated block during the school day.

Be open to revisiting homework policies and practices.

The days of penalizing students for not completing homework should be long gone. Homework is a tool for practicing content and learning self-management. With that in mind, provide opportunities for students to communicate needs, and respond by revising assignments or allowing them to turn in on alternative dates. Engage in adult professional learning about high-quality homework , from value (Should I assign this task?) to evaluation (How should this be graded? Did that homework assignment result in expected outcomes?). Monitor how things are going by looking at completion rates and by asking students for their feedback. Be willing to adapt the homework schedule or expectations based on what is learned.

Strategies for Families

Understand how to be a good helper..

When designed appropriately, students should be able to complete homework with independence. Limit homework wars by working to be a good helper. Hovering, micromanaging, or doing homework for them may be easiest in the moment but does not help build their independence. Be a good helper by asking guiding questions, providing hints, or checking for understanding. Focus your assistance on setting up structures for homework success, like space and time.

Use homework as a tool for communication.

Use homework as a vehicle to foster family-school communication. Families can use homework as an opportunity to open conversations about specific assignments or classes, peer relationships, or even sleep quality that may be impacting student success. For younger students, using a daily or weekly home-school notebook or planner can be one way to share information. For older students, help them practice communicating their needs and provide support as needed.

Make sure to balance wellness.

Like adults, children need a healthy work-life balance. Positive social connection and engagement in pleasurable activities are important core principles to foster well-being . Monitor the load of homework and other structured activities to make sure there is time in the daily routine for play. Play can mean different things to different children: getting outside, reading for pleasure, and yes, even gaming. Just try to ensure that activities include a mix of health-focused activities such as physical movement or mindfulness downtime.

The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) accredits the Neag School of Education at the University of Connecticut. Read more about CAEP Accreditation, including the programs covered and the accountability measures .

Some content on this website may require the use of a plug-in, such as  Adobe Acrobat Viewer .

• Support the Neag School

Neag School of Education 249 Glenbrook Road, Unit 3064 Charles B. Gentry Building Storrs, CT 06269-3064

860-486-3815 [email protected]

• Our Mission

What’s the Right Amount of Homework?

Decades of research show that homework has some benefits, especially for students in middle and high school—but there are risks to assigning too much.

Many teachers and parents believe that homework helps students build study skills and review concepts learned in class. Others see homework as disruptive and unnecessary, leading to burnout and turning kids off to school. Decades of research show that the issue is more nuanced and complex than most people think: Homework is beneficial, but only to a degree. Students in high school gain the most, while younger kids benefit much less.

The National PTA and the National Education Association support the “ 10-minute homework guideline ”—a nightly 10 minutes of homework per grade level. But many teachers and parents are quick to point out that what matters is the quality of the homework assigned and how well it meets students’ needs, not the amount of time spent on it.

The guideline doesn’t account for students who may need to spend more—or less—time on assignments. In class, teachers can make adjustments to support struggling students, but at home, an assignment that takes one student 30 minutes to complete may take another twice as much time—often for reasons beyond their control. And homework can widen the achievement gap, putting students from low-income households and students with learning disabilities at a disadvantage.

However, the 10-minute guideline is useful in setting a limit: When kids spend too much time on homework, there are real consequences to consider.

Small Benefits for Elementary Students

As young children begin school, the focus should be on cultivating a love of learning, and assigning too much homework can undermine that goal. And young students often don’t have the study skills to benefit fully from homework, so it may be a poor use of time (Cooper, 1989 ; Cooper et al., 2006 ; Marzano & Pickering, 2007 ). A more effective activity may be nightly reading, especially if parents are involved. The benefits of reading are clear: If students aren’t proficient readers by the end of third grade, they’re less likely to succeed academically and graduate from high school (Fiester, 2013 ).

For second-grade teacher Jacqueline Fiorentino, the minor benefits of homework did not outweigh the potential drawback of turning young children against school at an early age, so she experimented with dropping mandatory homework. “Something surprising happened: They started doing more work at home,” Fiorentino writes . “This inspiring group of 8-year-olds used their newfound free time to explore subjects and topics of interest to them.” She encouraged her students to read at home and offered optional homework to extend classroom lessons and help them review material.

Moderate Benefits for Middle School Students

As students mature and develop the study skills necessary to delve deeply into a topic—and to retain what they learn—they also benefit more from homework. Nightly assignments can help prepare them for scholarly work, and research shows that homework can have moderate benefits for middle school students (Cooper et al., 2006 ). Recent research also shows that online math homework, which can be designed to adapt to students’ levels of understanding, can significantly boost test scores (Roschelle et al., 2016 ).

There are risks to assigning too much, however: A 2015 study found that when middle school students were assigned more than 90 to 100 minutes of daily homework, their math and science test scores began to decline (Fernández-Alonso, Suárez-Álvarez, & Muñiz, 2015 ). Crossing that upper limit can drain student motivation and focus. The researchers recommend that “homework should present a certain level of challenge or difficulty, without being so challenging that it discourages effort.” Teachers should avoid low-effort, repetitive assignments, and assign homework “with the aim of instilling work habits and promoting autonomous, self-directed learning.”

In other words, it’s the quality of homework that matters, not the quantity. Brian Sztabnik, a veteran middle and high school English teacher, suggests that teachers take a step back and ask themselves these five questions :

• How long will it take to complete?
• Have all learners been considered?
• Will an assignment encourage future success?
• Will an assignment place material in a context the classroom cannot?
• Does an assignment offer support when a teacher is not there?

More Benefits for High School Students, but Risks as Well

By the time they reach high school, students should be well on their way to becoming independent learners, so homework does provide a boost to learning at this age, as long as it isn’t overwhelming (Cooper et al., 2006 ; Marzano & Pickering, 2007 ). When students spend too much time on homework—more than two hours each night—it takes up valuable time to rest and spend time with family and friends. A 2013 study found that high school students can experience serious mental and physical health problems, from higher stress levels to sleep deprivation, when assigned too much homework (Galloway, Conner, & Pope, 2013 ).

Homework in high school should always relate to the lesson and be doable without any assistance, and feedback should be clear and explicit.

Teachers should also keep in mind that not all students have equal opportunities to finish their homework at home, so incomplete homework may not be a true reflection of their learning—it may be more a result of issues they face outside of school. They may be hindered by issues such as lack of a quiet space at home, resources such as a computer or broadband connectivity, or parental support (OECD, 2014 ). In such cases, giving low homework scores may be unfair.

Since the quantities of time discussed here are totals, teachers in middle and high school should be aware of how much homework other teachers are assigning. It may seem reasonable to assign 30 minutes of daily homework, but across six subjects, that’s three hours—far above a reasonable amount even for a high school senior. Psychologist Maurice Elias sees this as a common mistake: Individual teachers create homework policies that in aggregate can overwhelm students. He suggests that teachers work together to develop a school-wide homework policy and make it a key topic of back-to-school night and the first parent-teacher conferences of the school year.

Parents Play a Key Role

Homework can be a powerful tool to help parents become more involved in their child’s learning (Walker et al., 2004 ). It can provide insights into a child’s strengths and interests, and can also encourage conversations about a child’s life at school. If a parent has positive attitudes toward homework, their children are more likely to share those same values, promoting academic success.

But it’s also possible for parents to be overbearing, putting too much emphasis on test scores or grades, which can be disruptive for children (Madjar, Shklar, & Moshe, 2015 ). Parents should avoid being overly intrusive or controlling—students report feeling less motivated to learn when they don’t have enough space and autonomy to do their homework (Orkin, May, & Wolf, 2017 ; Patall, Cooper, & Robinson, 2008 ; Silinskas & Kikas, 2017 ). So while homework can encourage parents to be more involved with their kids, it’s important to not make it a source of conflict.

Smart Classroom Management

A Simple, Effective Homework Plan For Teachers: Part 1

So for the next two weeks I’m going to outline a homework plan–four strategies this week, four the next–aimed at making homework a simple yet effective process.

Let’s get started.

Homework Strategies 1-4

The key to homework success is to eliminate all the obstacles—and excuses—that get in the way of students getting it done.

Add leverage and some delicately placed peer pressure to the mix, and not getting homework back from every student will be a rare occurrence.

Here is how to do it.

1. Assign what students already know.

Most teachers struggle with homework because they misunderstand the narrow purpose of homework, which is to practice what has already been learned. Meaning, you should only assign homework your students fully understand and are able to do by themselves.

Therefore, the skills needed to complete the evening’s homework must be thoroughly taught during the school day. If your students can’t prove to you that they’re able to do the work without assistance, then you shouldn’t assign it.

It isn’t fair to your students—or their parents—to have to sit at the dinner table trying to figure out what you should have taught them during the day.

2. Don’t involve parents.

Homework is an agreement between you and your students. Parents shouldn’t be involved. If parents want to sit with their child while he or she does the homework, great. But it shouldn’t be an expectation or a requirement of them. Otherwise, you hand students a ready-made excuse for not doing it.

You should tell parents at back-to-school night, “I got it covered. If ever your child doesn’t understand the homework, it’s on me. Just send me a note and I’ll take care of it.”

Holding yourself accountable is not only a reminder that your lessons need to be spot on, but parents will love you for it and be more likely to make sure homework gets done every night. And for negligent parents? It’s best for their children in particular to make homework a teacher/student-only agreement.

3. Review and then ask one important question.

Set aside a few minutes before the end of the school day to review the assigned homework. Have your students pull out the work, allow them to ask final clarifying questions, and have them check to make sure they have the materials they need.

And then ask one important question: “Is there anyone, for any reason, who will not be able to turn in their homework in the morning? I want to know now rather than find out about it in the morning.”

There are two reasons for this question.

First, the more leverage you have with students, and the more they admire and respect you , the more they’ll hate disappointing you. This alone can be a powerful incentive for students to complete homework.

Second, it’s important to eliminate every excuse so that the only answer students can give for not doing it is that they just didn’t care. This sets up the confrontation strategy you’ll be using the next morning.

4. Confront students on the spot.

One of your key routines should be entering the classroom in the morning.

As part of this routine, ask your students to place their homework in the top left-hand (or right-hand) corner of their desk before beginning a daily independent assignment—reading, bellwork , whatever it may be.

During the next five to ten minutes, walk around the room and check homework–don’t collect it. Have a copy of the answers (if applicable) with you and glance at every assignment.

You don’t have to check every answer or read every portion of the assignment. Just enough to know that it was completed as expected. If it’s math, I like to pick out three or four problems that represent the main thrust of the lesson from the day before.

It should take just seconds to check most students.

Remember, homework is the practice of something they already know how to do. Therefore, you shouldn’t find more than a small percentage of wrong answers–if any. If you see more than this, then you know your lesson was less than effective, and you’ll have to reteach

If you find an assignment that is incomplete or not completed at all, confront that student on the spot .

Call them on it.

The day before, you presented a first-class lesson and gave your students every opportunity to buzz through their homework confidently that evening. You did your part, but they didn’t do theirs. It’s an affront to the excellence you strive for as a class, and you deserve an explanation.

It doesn’t matter what he or she says in response to your pointed questions, and there is no reason to humiliate or give the student the third degree. What is important is that you make your students accountable to you, to themselves, and to their classmates.

A gentle explanation of why they don’t have their homework is a strong motivator for even the most jaded students to get their homework completed.

The personal leverage you carry–that critical trusting rapport you have with your students–combined with the always lurking peer pressure is a powerful force. Not using it is like teaching with your hands tied behind your back.

Homework Strategies 5-8

Next week we’ll cover the final four homework strategies . They’re critical to getting homework back every day in a way that is painless for you and meaningful for your students.

I hope you’ll tune in.

If you haven’t done so already, please join us. It’s free! Click here and begin receiving classroom management articles like this one in your email box every week.

What to read next:

• A Powerful Way To Relieve Stress: Part One
• A Simple Exercise Program For Teachers
• The Best Time To Review Your Classroom Management Plan
• Why Your New Classroom Management Plan Isn't Working
• 27 Things That Make Your Classroom Management Plan Work

21 thoughts on “A Simple, Effective Homework Plan For Teachers: Part 1”

Good stuff, Michael. A lot of teachers I train and coach are surprised (and skeptical) at first when I make the same point you make about NOT involving parents. But it’s right on based on my experience as a teacher, instructional coach, and administrator the past 17 years. More important, it’s validated by Martin Haberman’s 40 years of research on what separates “star” teachers from “quitter/failure” teachers ( http://www.habermanfoundation.org/Book.aspx?sm=c1 )

I love the articles about “homework”. in the past I feel that it is difficuty for collecting homework. I will try your plan next year.

I think you’ll be happy with it, Sendy!

How do you confront students who do not have their homework completed?

You state in your book to let consequences do their job and to never confront students, only tell them the rule broken and consequence.

I want to make sure I do not go against that rule, but also hold students accountable for not completing their work. What should I say to them?

They are two different things. Homework is not part of your classroom management plan.

Hi Michael,

I’m a first-year middle school teacher at a private school with very small class sizes (eight to fourteen students per class). While I love this homework policy, I feel discouraged about confronting middle schoolers publicly regarding incomplete homework. My motive would never be to humiliate my students, yet I can name a few who would go home thinking their lives were over if I did confront them in front of their peers. Do you have any ideas of how to best go about incomplete homework confrontation with middle school students?

The idea isn’t in any way to humiliate students, but to hold them accountable for doing their homework. Parts one and two represent my best recommendation.:)

I believe that Homework is a vital part of students learning.

I’m still a student–in a classroom management class. So I have no experience with this, but I’m having to plan a procedure for my class. What about teacher sitting at desk and calling student one at a time to bring folder while everyone is doing bellwork or whatever their procedure is? That way 1) it would be a long walk for the ones who didn’t do the work :), and 2) it would be more private. What are your thoughts on that? Thanks. 🙂

I’m not sure I understand your question. Would you mind emailing me with more detail? I’m happy to help.

I think what you talked about is great. How do you feel about flipping a lesson? My school is pretty big on it, though I haven’t done it yet. Basically, for homework, the teacher assigns a video or some other kind of media of brand new instruction. Students teach themselves and take a mini quiz at the end to show they understand the new topic. Then the next day in the classroom, the teacher reinforces the lesson and the class period is spent practicing with the teacher present for clarification. I haven’t tried it yet because as a first year teacher I haven’t had enough time to make or find instructional videos and quizzes, and because I’m afraid half of my students will not do their homework and the next day in class I will have to waste the time of the students who did their homework and just reteach what the video taught.

Anyway, this year, I’m trying the “Oops, I forgot my homework” form for students to fill out every time they forget their homework. It keeps them accountable and helps me keep better track of who is missing what. Once they complete it, I cut off the bottom portion of the form and staple it to their assignment. I keep the top copy for my records and for parent/teacher conferences.

Here is an instant digital download of the form. It’s editable in case you need different fields.

Thanks again for your blog. I love the balance you strike between rapport and respect.

Your site is a godsend for a newbie teacher! Thank you for your clear, step-by-step, approach!

I G+ your articles to my PLN all the time.

You’re welcome, TeachNich! And thank you for sharing the articles.

Hi Michael, I’m going into my first year and some people have told me to try and get parents involved as much as I can – even home visits and things like that. But my gut says that negligent parents cannot be influenced by me. Still, do you see any value in having parents initial their student’s planner every night so they stay up to date on homework assignments? I could also write them notes.

Personally, no. I’ll write about this in the future, but when you hold parents accountable for what are student responsibilities, you lighten their load and miss an opportunity to improve independence.

I am teaching at a school where students constantly don’t take work home. I rarely give homework in math but when I do it is usually something small and I still have to chase at least 7 kids down to get their homework. My way of holding them accountable is to record a homework completion grade as part of their overall grade. Is this wrong to do? Do you believe homework should never be graded for a grade and just be for practice?

No, I think marking a completion grade is a good idea.

I’ve been teaching since 2014 and we need to take special care when assigning homework. If the homework assignment is too hard, is perceived as busy work, or takes too long to complete, students might tune out and resist doing it. Never send home any assignment that students cannot do. Homework should be an extension of what students have learned in class. To ensure that homework is clear and appropriate, consider the following tips for assigning homework:

Assign homework in small units. Explain the assignment clearly. Establish a routine at the beginning of the year for how homework will be assigned. Remind students of due dates periodically. And Make sure students and parents have information regarding the policy on missed and late assignments, extra credit, and available adaptations. Establish a set routine at the beginning of the year.

Thanks Nancie L Beckett

Dear Michael,

I love your approach! Do you have any ideas for homework collection for lower grades? K-3 are not so ready for independent work first thing in the morning, so I do not necessarily have time to check then; but it is vitally important to me to teach the integrity of completing work on time.

Also, I used to want parents involved in homework but my thinking has really changed, and your comments confirm it!

Hi Meredith,

I’ll be sure and write about this topic in an upcoming article (or work it into an article). 🙂

Overall, this article provides valuable insights and strategies for teachers to implement in their classrooms. I look forward to reading Part 2 and learning more about how to make homework a simple and effective process. Thanks

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Privacy Policy

This site uses various technologies, as described in our Privacy Policy, for personalization, measuring website use/performance, and targeted advertising, which may include storing and sharing information about your site visit with third parties. By continuing to use this website you consent to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use .

   COVID-19 Update: To help students through this crisis, The Princeton Review will continue our "Enroll with Confidence" refund policies. For full details, please click here.

Enter your email to unlock an extra $25 off an SAT or ACT program!

By submitting my email address. i certify that i am 13 years of age or older, agree to recieve marketing email messages from the princeton review, and agree to terms of use., 8 easy ways to finish your homework faster.

How many times have you found yourself still staring at your textbook around midnight (or later!) even when you started your homework hours earlier? Those lost hours could be explained by Parkinson’s Law, which states, “Work expands to fill the time available for its completion.” In other words, if you give yourself all night to memorize those geometry formulas for your quiz tomorrow, you’ll inevitably find that a 30 minute task has somehow filled your entire evening.

We know that you have more homework than ever. But even with lots and lots to do, a few tweaks to your study routine could help you spend less time getting more accomplished. Here are 8 steps to make Parkinson’s Law work to your advantage:

1. Make a list

This should be a list of everything that has to be done that evening. And we mean, everything—from re-reading notes from this morning’s history class to quizzing yourself on Spanish vocabulary.

2. Estimate the time needed for each item on your list

You can be a little ruthless here. However long you think a task will take, try shaving off 5 or 10 minutes. But, be realistic. You won’t magically become a speed reader.

Free SAT Practice Tests & Events

Evaluate and improve your SAT score.

3. Gather all your gear

Collect EVERYTHING you will need for the homework you are working on (like your laptop for writing assignments and pencils for problem sets). Getting up for supplies takes you off course and makes it that much harder to get back to your homework.

The constant blings and beeps from your devices can make it impossible to focus on what you are working on. Switch off or silence your phones and tablets, or leave them in another room until it’s time to take a tech break.

Read More: How to Calculate Your GPA

5. Time yourself

Noting how much time something actually takes will help you estimate better and plan your next study session.

6. Stay on task

If you’re fact checking online, it can be so easy to surf on over to a completely unrelated site. A better strategy is to note what information you need to find online, and do it all at once at the end of the study session.

7. Take plenty of breaks

Most of us need a break between subjects or to break up long stretches of studying. Active breaks are a great way to keep your energy up. Tech breaks can be an awesome way to combat the fear of missing out that might strike while you are buried in your work, but they also tend to stretch much longer than originally intended. Stick to a break schedule of 10 minutes or so.

8. Reward yourself! 

Finish early? If you had allocated 30 minutes for reading a biology chapter and it only took 20, you can apply those extra 10 minutes to a short break—or just move on to your next task. If you stay on track, you might breeze through your work quickly enough to catch up on some Netflix.

Our best piece of advice? Keep at it. The more you use this system, the easier it will become. You’ll be surprised by how much time you can shave off homework just by focusing and committing to a distraction-free study plan.

Stuck on homework?

Try an online tutoring session with one of our experts, and get homework help in 40+ subjects.

Try a Free Session

Explore Colleges For You

Connect with our featured colleges to find schools that both match your interests and are looking for students like you.

Career Quiz

Take our short quiz to learn which is the right career for you.

Get Started on Athletic Scholarships & Recruiting!

Join athletes who were discovered, recruited & often received scholarships after connecting with NCSA's 42,000 strong network of coaches.

Best 389 Colleges

165,000 students rate everything from their professors to their campus social scene.

SAT Prep Courses

1400+ course, act prep courses, free sat practice test & events,  1-800-2review, free digital sat prep try our self-paced plus program - for free, get a 14 day trial.

Free MCAT Practice Test

I already know my score.

MCAT Self-Paced 14-Day Free Trial

Enrollment Advisor

1-800-2REVIEW (800-273-8439) ext. 1

1-877-LEARN-30

Mon-Fri 9AM-10PM ET

Sat-Sun 9AM-8PM ET

Student Support

1-800-2REVIEW (800-273-8439) ext. 2

Mon-Fri 9AM-9PM ET

Sat-Sun 8:30AM-5PM ET

Partnerships

• Teach or Tutor for Us

College Readiness

International

Advertising

Affiliate/Other

• Enrollment Terms & Conditions
• Accessibility
• Cigna Medical Transparency in Coverage

Register Book

Local Offices: Mon-Fri 9AM-6PM

• SAT Subject Tests

Academic Subjects

• Social Studies

Find the Right College

• College Rankings
• College Advice
• Applying to College
• Financial Aid

School & District Partnerships

• Professional Development
• Advice Articles
• Private Tutoring
• Mobile Apps
• International Offices
• Work for Us
• Affiliate Program
• Partner with Us
• Advertise with Us
• International Partnerships
• Our Guarantees
• Accessibility – Canada

Privacy Policy | CA Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information | Your Opt-Out Rights | Terms of Use | Site Map

©2024 TPR Education IP Holdings, LLC. All Rights Reserved. The Princeton Review is not affiliated with Princeton University

TPR Education, LLC (doing business as “The Princeton Review”) is controlled by Primavera Holdings Limited, a firm owned by Chinese nationals with a principal place of business in Hong Kong, China.

Celebrating 25 Years

• Join ADDitude
•  | 

• What Is ADHD?
• The ADHD Brain
• ADHD Symptoms
• ADHD in Children
• ADHD in Adults
• ADHD in Women
• Find ADHD Specialists
• New! Symptom Checker
• ADHD Symptom Tests
• All Symptom Tests
• More in Mental Health
• Medication Reviews
• ADHD Medications
• Natural Remedies
• ADHD Therapies
• Managing Treatment
• Treating Your Child
• Behavior & Discipline
• School & Learning
• Teens with ADHD
• Positive Parenting
• Schedules & Routines
• Organizing Your Child
• Health & Nutrition
• More on ADHD Parenting
• Do I Have ADD?
• Getting Things Done
• Relationships
• Time & Productivity
• Organization
• Health & Nutrition
• More for ADHD Adults
• Free Webinars
• Free Downloads
• ADHD Videos
• ADHD Directory
• eBooks + More
• Women’s Health Month
• Newsletters
• Guest Blogs
• News & Research
• For Clinicians
• For Educators
• Manage My Subscription
• Get Back Issues
• Digital Magazine
• Gift Subscription
• Renew My Subscription
• ADHD Parenting

Smart Homework Strategies for Teachers & Parents: A Free Handout

Research suggests that homework is counterproductive in elementary school. still, many teachers use it to gauge comprehension and independent learning. you need to read this if nightly assignments are taking too long, ruining your family time, and/or making your child hate school., homework ideas that work, how can parents and teachers team up to create a homework routine that works download this handout, and get more school and learning strategies from additude via email..

It appears JavaScript is disabled in your browser. Please enable JavaScript and refresh the page in order to complete this form.

You may opt out at any time. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy .

Homework requires students to copy assignments correctly, maintain focus after a long school day, and hand in work on time — all difficult tasks for kids with poor memory, focus, and attention to detail.

Fortunately, there are concrete strategies that teachers can implement in the classroom and that parents can turn to at home. Some strategies highlighted in this resource include creating behavior charts, trimming assignments for comprehension over completion, constructing a designated homework space at home, and allowing completed assignments to be scanned and emailed.

Print out this free handout, check off more tips you think would work best for your child, and then discuss them with your child’s teacher.

NOTE: This resource is for personal use only.

More ADHD Articles Recommended for You

Top 25 Downloads from ADDitude’s First 25 Years

Your Executive Functions Are Weak. Here’s Why.

9 Things I Wish the World Knew About My Students’ ADHD

A Teacher’s Guide to NVLD: How to Support Students with Nonverbal Learning Disability

The Pathway 2 Success

Solutions for Social Emotional Learning & Executive Functioning

20+ Homework Strategies for Parents

December 13, 2022 by pathway2success Leave a Comment

Homework can be a big source of frustration for kids and parents at home. Even more, it can be a challenge that carries over from home to school when the child doesn’t complete the work and is behind in class.

If your child is struggling with homework, read through these strategies and give some a try. As a note, not every single strategy is going to work for every child. To start, pick a few and give them a try. See what works and what doesn’t. Then, move forward together.

If you are an educator looking for strategies for kids, these can help you too. You might even want to pass them along to families to give strategies and support along the way.

Homework Strategies for Home:

Set up a binder organization system. First and foremost, it’s helpful to set your child up with a binder organization system that works for them. This might look different for different learners. One option is having one binder for every class/subject plus a dedicated homework binder. This is ideal for kids who are switching classes and have a good ability to keep track of different binders. In each binder, add a pocket folder and extra paper. In the homework binder, have your child add their homework agenda (read more about that below), a pencil pouch, and a pocket folder just for homework. If this system is too much, consider having one larger binder that contains a homework folder and all classes. You can separate the classes with dividers. While setting up a system most definitely takes time and planning, it helps keep things more orderly in the future.

Use a homework folder. A dedicated homework folder is key to making sure pages get brought home to finish and find their way back to the classroom to be turned in. Using a pocket folder, label one side of the folder “to do” and one side “done.” Explain that assignments that need to be completed, will go on the “to do” side, while pages that are finished will stay in “done.” It’s advisable to purchase a name brand folder to help make sure it lasts a bit longer and stays in the binder. Another tip is to go to the store with your child and let them choose the folder design. There are many different folders with everything from kittens to race cars. Letting the child choose the folder helps them be part of the organization process and might encourage a bit more buy-in. You can use this free homework binder template to get yourself started, or you can make your own!

Teach organization skills on an ongoing basis. Since a big part of completing homework is about organization, it’s important to teach and practice these skills often. Talk about where things should go in the house, take a 5-minute organization break when you need it, and model what organizing materials looks like. If your child struggles significantly with organization, consider reading up more on interventions for organization challenges .

Set up a homework spot. Choose one spot in the house where your child can productively accomplish work on a regular basis. This might be a downstairs office or just the kitchen table. Most importantly, aim to make it consistent and distraction-free.

Have kids use a homework log or agenda. A homework log or agenda is a dedicated place to write homework every day. Often, schools provide homework logs with spots for kids to write work down. If this works, great! Sometimes, though, one isn’t provided or the space might be too small for a child to write in. If that’s the case, you can make your own or use a journal. The key is to set it up so that your child has one spot to write homework down every single day.

Keep the homework area stocked and organized. Keep extra pencils, coloring utensils, and paper ready to go when your child needs it. Having materials organized and stocked will reduce time your child goes looking for it when they need it for an assignment.

Check over the homework log together. Before starting homework, spend a few minutes going over the homework log with your child. Ask them to show you and tell you what assignments they have to do tonight. This is also a great time for positive reinforcement when all homework assignments are clearly outlined, or constructive criticism when they are not. For example, you might say, “I noticed you wrote down ‘study’ under math. What do you think might be more helpful than that for next time?” Then, talk about how you could write down the chapters or topics to study. This homework log check also helps build accountability for your child.

Find alternative ways to check homework. Kids and teens aren’t always perfect about writing their assignments down. Check to see if your child’s teacher has a website where homework is listed. Bookmark the site and have your child use it when they forget to write assignments down. It’s important that it becomes their responsibility to check. If a teacher website isn’t an option, have a homework buddy from class that your child can touch base with. Again, this should be your child’s responsibility when possible. The idea is to teach your child that it is actually easier just to write it down correctly in class the first time!

Be a motivator. It’s no secret that homework isn’t often a favorite activity for kids and teens. Help make it easier by providing encouragement and support in a positive way. You can even start with practicing some positive self-talk and positive affirmations .

Use a timer. A timer can be a valuable tool to help set boundaries and allow breaks. Choose an amount of time that your child should be working, such as 20 minutes. Set the timer and make this a working time. Once the timer goes off, allow a 5 or 10 minute break before heading back to work. A visual timer can be especially helpful in this case because it shows kids and teens just how long they have left until they get their next break. Of course, a simple timer on the oven works, too.

Keep distractions away. We all know that kids and teens love their cell phones. The truth is that these devices are extremely distracting during working times. Make it an expectation that electronics stay away during homework time. Of course, it’s important to mention that this might be incredibly difficult for some kids at first. Work at it to make it a habit for the long-term.

Schedule breaks. It’s healthy to take breaks during long working sessions. Plan to take a break after each course assignment, or after a period of time. Of course, the number of breaks is going to vary greatly depending on your child.

Plan homework times. When it comes to homework, routine is a big part of the puzzle. Plan and schedule daily homework times when possible. Aim for shortly after your child gets home from school if that’s an option. This can allow a short break but still the time to finish the work they need to before dinner and night-time routines. Again, this is going to vary depending on every family situation, since parent work schedules and sports might interfere. If that’s the case, choose any time that works for you. It’s most important to stick with it so that it becomes a routine.

Model focused work. When it’s homework time, model what focused work looks like. While your child is working on assignments, read a book, do crossword puzzles, write in a journal, or complete some work of your own!

Build in choice. Give kids some say when it comes to homework! This will help them feel more empowered and independent. You can let them choose which assignment to start first or how they’d like to start a project. A little bit of choice can go a long way.

Create a homework checklist. Help your child create a daily checklist for homework each day. Encourage them to list out everything they need to accomplish on a piece of paper. Then, prioritize what is most important and start there. Have them check off each assignment on the checklist as they go. This can be done on paper or on a mini whiteboard.

Find a homework buddy. Make sure your child has a friend or classmate they can reach out to when they need homework support. This can be beneficial if they don’t know the assignment or have a question on a specific problem.

Be flexible. If your child wants to do homework a little bit differently than you would recommend, let them try. For example, maybe your child needs to spread out and work on the floor. Perhaps they might really do better while listening to music. These are all recommendations, strategies, and ideas, but remember that there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Be open-minded and find what works for your child.

Recognize when something is taking too long. You know your child best. If he or she spending two hours on a homework assignment, consider taking a look at it together. Provide support and encourage strategies to help them move along. When nothing seems to work, you can also consider adding a note to the back of the page and sending an email to the teacher letting them know the challenges you encountered.

Check homework when finished. Depending on the needs of the child, it may be important to check over and review homework together. Not only it is important to check for completion, but for quality of work. If work isn’t done well, it is worth going back and having your child add or fix what they need to. Eventually, the goal is that they will learn that it’s just easier to do it right the first time!

Plan fun activities after homework. Family game time, watching a favorite show, or heading out for ice cream are all great ways to naturally reward being finished with work.

Develop a home incentive plan. If completing homework is continually a struggle and you suspect motivation is the culprit, consider an incentive or reward plan. Talk with your child about what they would like to earn, such as a movie night with friends or a weekend sleepover. Come up with the terms (such as homework completed every night for a week) and make it happen. The goal with an incentive plan is to develop positive habits and create independence.

Keep in touch with teachers. Remember to stay in contact with your child’s teachers. They are often a source of helpful tips and strategies, but they can’t provide that information if they don’t know your child is struggling. When talking to your child’s teacher about homework challenges, be specific about the difficulties you are seeing an open-minded to trying some strategies. Avoid the blame game. It’s always best when families work with schools on homework issues. If issues continue, do your best to document them and request a face-to-face meeting to discuss further and come up with ideas. Using actual homework samples might also be helpful.

Be a united front with teachers. Even if homework becomes a source of frustration, it’s helpful to remember to act as a united front with your child’s teachers. Certainly, it’s helpful to voice your concerns (and even frustrations) with your child’s teacher privately, but doing it in front of the child can send the wrong message. Again, working together always works best.

Remember to start with just a few strategies, give them a fair shot, and see where they take you. The goal is always that your child can complete the homework independently and feel successful. This may take time, practice, and changing up the strategies along the way, but homework success is possible!

Share this:

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Find It Fast

• Privacy Policy
• Join Pathway 2 Success
• Social Emotional Learning Toolkit
• Self-Control Resources

pathway2success1

⭐ Kristina 💖 SEL & Executive Functioning 💻 Blogger at www.thepathway2success.com 👩‍🏫 Special Educator turned Curriculum Specialist Links here 👇

• Prospective Students
• Current Students
• Residents & Fellows
• Patient Care
• Give to SMHS

Exploring Strategies for Maintaining a Healthy Brain

The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS) hosted the second installment of the George Washington University (GW) School of Medicine and Health Sciences Bicentennial Lecture Series, titled “Maintaining a Healthy Brain,” April 10.

The event featured panel of five GW brain-health experts representing neurology, geriatrics, and psychiatry and behavioral medicine exploring the aging brain; steps to optimize brain health; and clinical options for patients with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, or stroke.

“We’re going to focus on brain health, we want to focus on health, not so much disease, but more on health and the things that we can do to keep our brains healthy, particularly as we age,” explained Bass, adding, “we have really spectacular and deep expertise, both on the fundamental discovery science side and particularly on the clinical trial and advancing science side as well as on our clinical enterprise.”

Steps to Support Brain Health

Like the inaugural Bicentennial Lecture, which focused on heart health, the “Maintaining a Healthy Brain,” the panel of neurologists, psychiatrists, and behavioral health experts agreed that many of the most important steps people can take to preserve and protect their brain function are the same basic tips — don’t smoke, eat healthy, exercise, keep your weight down, and control your blood pressure and cholesterol.

“When it comes to what can we do to maintain a healthy brain, there is a wealth of data supporting the benefits of diet, exercise, sleep, stress reduction, and social interaction and brain stimulating activities,” said Mohamad Koubeissi, MD, interim chair of the Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, professor of neurology and rehabilitation medicine, and director of the Epilepsy Center at GW.

Diet is another crucial area, Koubeissi added. “Diets rich in saturated fat are not good for you. We should always try to eat the fruits and vegetables and healthy fats, such as omega 3 fatty acids found in fish, key features of the popular Mediterranean diet.”

Social interaction and brain stimulating activities are crucial for brain health, he added, calling them “exercise for brain cells.”

 “If one embarks on lifelong learning of new languages, of reading books, of doing some digital exercises for the brain, for the memory, and what have you, it’s very helpful because it again increases what we call the cognitive reserves.” Regular checkups with a primary care physician, said Koubeissi, are the best defense. “Your doctors would be able to tell whether your weight is good or not, whether your blood pressure is good or not, if your diabetes, your cholesterol is under control. Regular checkup would identify early on, issues that are reversible and that would maintain your overall health and your brain health.”

Making the Brain Body Connection

According to Henry Kaminski, MD, Meta A. Neumann Professor of Neurology at GW SMHS, there is an ever-increasing appreciation among researchers and health care professionals, that the brain and the immune system almost are one organism. 

“There’s an interaction between our gut, which means what we eat and the bacteria in our gut, and how the immune system reacts, and how that's transmitted to the brain,” he said. 

Kaminski is internationally recognized expert in the treatment of myasthenia gravis, a rare, chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease characterized by varying degrees of weakness of the skeletal (voluntary) muscles of the body. Kaminski leads the Myasthenia Gravis Rare Disease Network, or MGNet, $7.8 million grant-funded research enterprise, leveraging global resources to examine MG from multiple angles — patient assessment technology, root causes and potential therapies.

Combating Effects of Aging

The brain experiences a host of changes as we get older, with few more noticeable and personal than memory. According to the Alzheimer’s Society, about 40 percent of adults will experience some former of memory loss after age 65. Understanding the difference between a normal age-related decline in sharpness and a more serious cognitive issue may take a specialist. 

“It’s important to note that as we age our brains change, just like any other organ system in our body, and things tend to become a little bit less efficient. Our memory, attention, problem solving abilities, processing speed are all vulnerable to age-related cognitive decline,” said Stephanie Kielb, PhD, assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral medicine, and an expert in evidence-based psychotherapy and conducting comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations. 

“We really enjoy working within [the GW academic medical enterprise] and our colleagues in neurology,” said Antonio Puente, PhD, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral medicine. Puente conducts neuropsychological evaluations of patients with psychiatric and neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease, to characterize their cognitive, behavioral, and emotional functioning for diagnosis and treatment optimization. “I really feel like we can provide a home for people that need this interdisciplinary, treatment.

That depth of knowledge, interaction, and integration, he added, is a real quality of care differentiator. It’s not always easy, he explained, for one’s general practitioner to pin-down whether a patient’s memory problems normal or not normal in a standard visit. 

“That’s what a lengthy, comprehensive exam can help with,” he said. “They can also help with the management of what we’re all talking about, the social factors and psychological factors that can impact not only your risk for developing things like dementia, but also your general mental health.”

Determining whether someone is experiencing ordinary forgetfulness or there something more serious behind that memory loss is what the GW Memory Clinic is all about. Christina Prather, MD, associate professor of medicine, director of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, and co-directs the Memory Evaluation and Treatment Clinic, evaluates patients with memory loss concerns, or established dementia, to provide quality care around what matters.

“Our Memory Clinic is not just our geriatric team that cares for people in our clinic, it extends to our speech and language pathologists who are part of the rehab program. It includes our social workers and all of our primary care practices, extending into our community partners with social work and navigation,” Prather explained.

“What we’re trying to determine,” Prather said, “is whether this something that we can change or modify or is this something that we have to figure out how to best live with?”

“I think what’s great about coming to an academic medical center for care, is that each of us is really trying to think about how to advance the field,” added Kaminski. “Patients have the opportunity to work with a physician who is thinking about the next steps of how to treat that disease.”

The next GW Medicine Bicentennial Event for a public audience on May 14 on “Myths and Facts about Maintaining Healthy Skin” – featuring Department of Dermatology Chair Adam Friedman, MD.

Watch the full lecture on the Bicentennial Lecture series website.   

Latest News

• Featured Articles
• Report Card Comments
• Needs Improvement Comments
• Teacher's Lounge
• New Teachers
• Our Bloggers
• Article Library
• Featured Lessons
• Every-Day Edits
• Lesson Library
• Emergency Sub Plans
• Character Education
• Lesson of the Day
• 5-Minute Lessons
• Learning Games
• Lesson Planning
• Subjects Center
• Teaching Grammar
• Leadership Resources
• Parent Newsletter Resources
• Advice from School Leaders
• Programs, Strategies and Events
• Principal Toolbox
• Administrator's Desk
• Interview Questions
• Professional Learning Communities
• Teachers Observing Teachers
• Tech Lesson Plans
• Science, Math & Reading Games
• Tech in the Classroom
• Web Site Reviews
• Creating a WebQuest
• Digital Citizenship
• All Online PD Courses
• Child Development Courses
• Reading and Writing Courses
• Math & Science Courses
• Classroom Technology Courses
• Spanish in the Classroom Course
• Classroom Management
• Responsive Classroom
• Dr. Ken Shore: Classroom Problem Solver
• A to Z Grant Writing Courses
• Worksheet Library
• Highlights for Children
• Venn Diagram Templates
• Reading Games
• Word Search Puzzles
• Math Crossword Puzzles
• Geography A to Z
• Holidays & Special Days
• Internet Scavenger Hunts
• Student Certificates

Newsletter Sign Up

Prof. Development

• General Archive
• Have Some Fun
• Expert Interviews
• Math Corner
• New Teacher Advisor
• Strategies That Work
• Voice of Experience
• Improvement
• Lessons from Our Schools
• Whatever it Takes
• School Climate Archive
• Classroom Mgmt. Tips
• Behavior Management Tips
• Motivating Kids
• Fit to Be Taught
• Rural Education
• Urban Education
• Community Involvement
• Best Idea Ever
• Read About It
• Book Report Makeover
• Bulletin Board
• Parent Issues
• Goal Setting/Achieving
• Teacher Lifestyle Tips
• Classroom Problem Solver
• Strategy of the Week
• Teacher’s Lounge
• Grouping/Scheduling
• In a Sub’s Shoes
• SchoolDoodles
• Teach for America Diaries
• Teaming Up to Achieve
• Earth Science Demos
• Interdisciplinary
• Language Arts
• The Reading Room
• All Columnists...
• Dr. Fred Jones
• Emma McDonald
• Dr. Ken Shore
• School Issues: Glossary
• Top PD Features
• Books in Education
• Reader's Theater
• Reading Coach
• Teacher Feature
• School Improvement
• No Educator Left Behind
• Turnaround Tales
• School Climate
• Responsive Classroom Archive
• Community Context
• School Choice
• School to Work
• Problem Solving Archive
• Homework Hassles
• Teacher’s Lounge
• Virtual Workshop
• In a Sub’s Shoes
• Academic Subjects
• Readers’ Theater
• Math Mnemonics
• Math Cats Math Chat
• Prof. Dev. Columnists

Search form

managing homework.

Description Homework is an essential part of your students' lives. It builds skills and responsibility. It can also be the biggest thorn in the life of any educator. How to keep track of homework, what weight to give it, and what to do if students don't do it are issues most teachers face. Teachers can learn from their colleagues about strategies for effectively handling homework.

Learn More About Homework Education World has published several articles about managing homework. You can learn more by reading the following articles: Put an End to Homework Horror Advice for teachers who want to make the most out of schoolwork done at home. Three educators share their best ideas for keeping students informed, interested, and on task. Plus links to a handful of school homework policies. Homework Study Hall: Mandatory "Make Up" for Missed Work Startled by the number of failing grades his students were receiving, principal David Chambers made making up missed work a mandatory activity. The policy has produced more honor students, raised the average GPA, and improved teacher morale. Could it work for your school? Homework: A Place for Rousing Reform Educator Brenda Dyck reflects on a year of shapeshifting -- a year in which she and her colleagues (begrudgingly, at first) came to a new understanding about the value and relevance of homework assignments. Homework Takes a Hit! John Buell, co-author of The End of Homework: How Homework Disrupts Families, Overburdens Children, and Limits Learning, makes a case for ending homework as we know it! Help! Homework Is Wrecking My Home Life! Students have long railed against homework; are they right? How much homework is too much? Experts, including Howard Gardner, offer their thoughts. Help for Homework Hassles! How can teachers motivate students to do their homework? How should teachers handle kids who just don't care? Special Theme Page: Homework Find many more articles from the Education World archive on this special theme page.

Additional Resources

• B.J. Pinchbeck's Homework Helper
• InfoPlease Homework Center
• TIPS: Teachers Involve Parents in Schoolwork

EW Lesson Plans

EW Professional Development

Ew worksheets.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter and receive top education news, lesson ideas, teaching tips and more! No thanks, I don't need to stay current on what works in education! COPYRIGHT 1996-2016 BY EDUCATION WORLD, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. COPYRIGHT 1996 - 2024 BY EDUCATION WORLD, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. SchoolNotes.com The Educator's Network Moscow Oblast  »  Elektrostal Elektrostal Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Elektrostal , city, Moscow oblast (province), western Russia . It lies 36 miles (58 km) east of Moscow city. The name, meaning “electric steel,” derives from the high-quality-steel industry established there soon after the October Revolution in 1917. During World War II , parts of the heavy-machine-building industry were relocated there from Ukraine, and Elektrostal is now a centre for the production of metallurgical equipment. Pop. (2006 est.) 146,189. Starting a Business Growing a Business Small Business Guide Business News Science & Technology Money & Finance For Subscribers Write for Entrepreneur Tips White Papers Entrepreneur Store United States Asia Pacific Middle East South Africa Copyright © 2024 Entrepreneur Media, LLC All rights reserved. Entrepreneur® and its related marks are registered trademarks of Entrepreneur Media LLC I've Grown a High-Performing Team in Just 2 Years — Here are 5 Growth Strategies I Learned A team's strength lies in its people's individual skills and how they synergistically come together. By Greg Davis Edited by Micah Zimmerman Jun 18, 2024 Key Takeaways Emphasizing adaptability will allow your team to learn from both successes and failures. Ensuring every team member feels valued and heard, while also maintaining their well-being, drives morale, engagement, and productivity, ultimately contributing to the company's success. Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. When I transitioned as Bigleaf's CEO in 2022, my day-one goal was establishing a solid, high-performing team. This required my focus on identifying and establishing clear goals, ensuring everyone was on the same page regarding the company's mission and vision , especially the 102 employees scattered across 38 states. But, as all effective strategies start, this huge step was characterized by trial and error. A team's strength lies in its people's skills and how they synergistically come together. I invest heavily in our people, providing ongoing training, encouraging open communication , and ensuring every team member feels valued and heard. Although we've achieved this goal, I also recognize that markets constantly shift, trends come and go, and technology evolves. We may have succeeded in solid recruitment, training and retention strategies, but I still needed to ensure everyone could roll with the punches. Every day, I aim to develop further a team that can seamlessly pivot and adjust to evolving market demands. 1. Clear mission alignment, role clarity and accountability One of the first steps we took was ensuring every team member understood the company's direction and aspirations. We clarified our product-market fit, value proposition, and the milestones critical to customer satisfaction. Moreover, we focus on reaching business goals by strategically tying job functions to them. For example, high-quality growth is measured through a key metric at Bigleaf: our Annual Revenue Run Rate (ARR). We do this at least once a year to ensure the entire team's focus is headed in the same direction. Related: 10 Growth Strategies Every Business Owner Should Know 2. Thoughtful performance metrics Beyond ARR, we learned to balance our performance metrics carefully. Prioritizing one metric over another could lead to unintended consequences. For example, focusing on service quality alone could lead to inefficiency and vice versa. Our practice has evolved to meticulously analyze and strategically balance performance metrics . We incentivize the right behaviors aligned with the core of our business, which has worked wonders so far, helping us achieve desired outcomes across the organization. This also minimizes the risk of unforeseen repercussions. 3. Intellectual safety Creating an environment where every team member feels safe sharing ideas and challenging the status quo significantly influences our performance levels. Intellectual safety in the workplace can drive creativity. This open-door policy encourages open communication, innovation and risk-taking, allowing the team to collaborate and pioneer solutions to our unique challenges in the workplace and the business. We strive to maintain and solidify this culture to consistently boost morale, engagement and productivity and, ultimately, drive bottom-line results. Related: Why You Should Care About Psychological Safety in the Workplace 4. Preventing burnout To prevent burnout , I focus first on maintaining my own equilibrium. As the saying goes, "You cannot pour from an empty cup." As for the team, we keep our mission and goals clear, ensuring every task has a purpose. Having a dispersed work environment comes with its unique perks and challenges. Some members may feel tracking their time and productivity is a form of micromanagement; some may understand that it's a tool to keep their focus on what really matters and spend less time on other tasks. Regardless, building that personal connection is essential. We hold regular in-person meetings, monthly all-hands-on-deck calls and an annual company gathering to strengthen that sense of belonging and unity. These initiatives are not merely logistical but crucial to maintaining our team's overall health and morale. Related: The 10 Warning Signs of Employee Burnout and How to Handle It 5. Learning from mistakes Every mistake has been a step toward understanding what it truly takes to build a high-performing team. Leaders, as much as you want things done sooner, remember there are no shortcuts, especially in growing a team. Yes, following the more straightforward route or listening to a single opinion is tempting, especially in recruitment, but building comprehensive training programs is worth it. Gradually integrating new hires into your company culture but leveling expectations upfront yields more efficient results and drives the business forward more consistently. This realization has driven us to prioritize transparent and comprehensive approaches to our recruitment and training processes, cementing our reputation as a leader in the tech industry. The path forward Adaptability, curiosity and open-mindedness have become our guiding principles. Our work demands that we remain flexible and eager to learn from successes and failures. Similarly, resilience, commitment and an open heart are the key ingredients to building a high-performance culture focused on team well-being and business growth. Entrepreneur Leadership Network® Contributor CEO of Bigleaf Networks Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join. Editor's Pick Red Arrow 'I Enjoy Life Too Much': Sir Richard Branson Has an Adventurous Approach to Business — But He Never Planned on Being an Entrepreneur Lock These Are the 5 Most Desirable Retirement Locations — But Most Retirees Can't Afford Them, New Data Reveals This Artist Answered a Businessman's 'Powerful' Question — Then His Work Became 'the Poster Child for Juneteenth': 'Your Network Really Becomes Your Net Worth' Lock Become Unrecognizable By the End of Summer With These 6 Habits Location Matters — How to Select the Right Place for Your Business to Succeed Y Combinator Helped Launch Reddit, Airbnb and Dropbox. Here's What I Learned From Its Free Startup School. Most Popular Red Arrow Inflation's next victim is your freedom — here's why. We get it… Most people are tired of hearing the same old story about how the American Dream is dead; however, there's a different, more bleak aspect to that reality that far too few people have yet to realize. Set Your PC-Using Employees Up with Windows 11 Pro for $25 This updated operating system features top-of-the-line security, AI support, and more. How Adopting a 'Miracle Mentality' Can Transform Your Life On this episode of 'The Jeff Fenster Show,' Tim Storey shares his insights on the role of mentors, the importance of humility, and the keys to achieving success. Free Webinar | July 10: How to Get Your Products Sold in Stores Join Ross MacKay, co-founder of Daring and founder of Cadence, as he shares his expertise on successfully getting your products onto store shelves. With experience in placing products in over 40,000 stores nationwide, Ross will provide actionable insights on creating a demand-driven brand from the start. Download Images in Bulk with This $30 Lifetime Subscription This Imaget Bulk Image Downloader enables batch image downloading with 100-percent quality retention. 63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024 We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024. Successfully copied link How To Pay for an MBA: 7 Strategies While scholarships, grants, and educational assistance programs can reduce the cost of an MBA, you may still need loans to cover remaining expenses. Janet Berry-Johnson Janet Berry-Johnson is an authority on income taxes and small business accounting. She was a CPA for over 12 years and has been a personal finance writer for more than five years. Janet has written for several well-known media outlets, including The New York Times, Forbes, Business Insider and Credit Karma. In 2021, Canopy named her one of the Top 10 Influential Women in Accounting and Tax. Renee Fleck Renee Fleck is a student loans editor with over five years of experience in digital content editing. Her work has been featured in Fast Company, Morning Brew, and Sidebar.io, among other online publications. She is fluent in Spanish and French and enjoys traveling to new places. Updated June 21, 2024, 12:36 PM EDT Fox Money is a personal finance hub featuring content generated by Credible Operations, Inc. (Credible), which is majority-owned indirectly by Fox Corporation. The Fox Money content is created and reviewed independent of Fox News Media. Credible is solely responsible for this content and the services it provides. Enrolling in a top Master of Business Administration (MBA) program comes with a hefty price tag — tuition alone costs over $76,000 at Harvard Business School for the 2024-25 school year. To bridge this financial gap, students often rely on a combination of funding strategies. From scholarships and student loans to employer sponsorships, there are several ways you can pay for an MBA degree. Keep reading to see what your options are.  1. MBA scholarships  One of the best ways to pay for an MBA is with scholarships and grants because you don’t need to repay them. Scholarships are typically tailored to specific groups of students. For example, you might find scholarships geared specifically to women or minorities. Others might be linked to your family’s employment or cultural heritage.  You can find scholarships and grants by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid ( FAFSA ), asking the financial aid office at your school, using the U.S. Department of Labor’s free scholarship search tool , or searching online. Here are a few scholarship and grant programs for MBA students to help you start your search: National Black MBA Association Scholarship   Prospanica Scholarship Program Military MBA Merit Scholarships Stanford’s Knight-Hennessy Scholarship 2. Graduate assistantships An assistantship is a form of financial aid provided by universities in exchange for part-time work. It typically involves helping faculty with teaching, research, or administrative tasks. These programs can offer practical experience and professional development opportunities while reducing your tuition costs. Finding the right assistantship requires proactive research and networking. Check with your school’s financial aid office, professors, and department heads. You might also find opportunities by networking with current MBA students and alumni.  3. Fellowships  Fellowships are prestigious financial awards granted to students based on criteria like academic excellence, professional achievements, leadership potential, or specific demographic factors. A fellowship may cover your tuition costs and include a stipend for living expenses. Here are some MBA-specific fellowships to look into: Forté MBA Fellowship Consortium for Graduate Study in Management Fellowship Reaching Out MBA Fellowship Harvard Business School Fellowship Access Fellowship Goldman Sachs MBA Fellowship 4. Employer educational assistance programs Your employer may offer educational assistance as part of its employee benefits program. This means they’ll pay your tuition directly to the school or reimburse your costs. Depending on the employer, you may have to meet certain eligibility requirements to qualify. For example, you might have to be employed for a certain period of time, pursue a degree program that’s relevant to your work, or commit to staying with the company for a number of years after completing your degree. Make sure you understand these commitments before accepting the funds. Ask your employer’s HR or benefits department whether they offer an educational assistance program. Good to know: As long as payments don’t exceed $5,250 per year, this assistance is a tax-free benefit for you. Any assistance benefits that exceed that amount are considered taxable wages. 5. MBA loan options While scholarships, fellowships, and educational assistance programs can reduce your costs for an MBA, you may still need student loans to cover your remaining expenses.  Federal student loans: Start with federal loans for their low, fixed interest rates, flexible repayment plans, and the potential for loan forgiveness . MBA students typically qualify for Direct Unsubsidized Loans and/or grad PLUS loans . Unsubsidized loans offer lower interest rates but have annual borrowing limits. Grad PLUS loans can cover the full cost of your attendance but carry higher interest rates.  Private student loans: Private student loans often have higher interest rates and fewer repayment options than federal loans. However, MBA students with very good credit (FICO scores between 740 and 799) may find more favorable rates in the private market compared to federal grad PLUS loans. Some private lenders, like Sallie Mae, College Ave, and Ascent, also offer MBA-specific loans that may come with benefits like longer grace periods and deferment options.  Begin with the FAFSA to see how much you’re eligible to borrow in federal student loans. Then, consider private student loans to fill in any funding gaps. Remember to compare rates and prequalify with multiple private lenders to see which lender can offer you the best terms.  Compare student loan rates  6. part-time jobs for mba students . Balancing work with your MBA studies can help you manage expenses and gain relevant professional experience. Here are some part-time job options to consider: Work-study programs: Work-study jobs provide part-time work for undergraduate and graduate students who need help covering education expenses. Jobs may be on-campus or off-campus, but they’re usually related to your field of study. To apply for work-study, complete the FAFSA. Your financial aid award letter will indicate whether work-study is available to you. Internships: Paid internships allow you to work part-time — usually 10 to 20 hours per week — at companies in roles related to your field of study. They help you gain practical experience, apply classroom knowledge to real-world settings, and build professional connections. They might even lead to a full-time job after graduation. Your school’s career services office can help you identify potential internship programs. Freelancing: Many freelancing opportunities can help you gain experience and make money to cover your graduate studies. For example, you can provide writing or editing services, design websites, or offer marketing services to businesses. Freelancing is a good option for MBA students because it usually comes with a flexible schedule and the ability to work from anywhere. Tutoring: Consider offering private tutoring services in subjects you excel at, like economics, finance, accounting, math, or statistics. Gig economy jobs: Driving for rideshare services, delivering food, groceries, and packages, and other gig economy jobs offer flexible hours and the opportunity to earn money on your own schedule. 7. Military benefits Military benefits might make pursuing an MBA more affordable if you’re a veteran or active-duty service member.  The Post-9/11 GI Bill is available to eligible people who served on active duty as of Sept. 11, 2001 (or dependent children of veterans or service members). The program covers the cost of in-state tuition and fees, and provides money to help cover housing, books, and supplies.  The Montgomery GI Bill is another program available to eligible people who served at least two years on active duty and were honorably discharged. The funding you can get through the program varies, depending on your length of service, the type of educational program you enroll in, and other factors. You can apply for the GI Bill and other education benefits available to military members at VA.gov . Yellow Ribbon Program The Yellow Ribbon Program is a supplemental program that helps cover tuition and fee costs that exceed the maximum benefits provided by the GI Bill. Participating schools and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs split the additional expenses. State benefits Many states also offer additional educational benefits to veterans, such as tuition waivers, grants, and scholarships. These benefits vary by state, so check with your state’s Veterans Affairs office to find out what’s available. Veteran Support Organizations Organizations like Student Veterans of America (SVA) and AMVETS offer resources, scholarships, and networking opportunities for veterans pursuing higher education. Join these organizations to connect with fellow veterans and potentially access resources to help you make getting an MBA more accessible. How to create a budget for your MBA Budgeting can help you manage the cost of pursuing an MBA and avoid borrowing more than necessary. Here are some strategies to help you budget for tuition, fees, and living expenses while you’re in grad school: Research tuition costs: Tuition costs vary from program to program. Research the tuition rates for different programs, considering full-time and part-time programs. You may benefit from attending an in-state school, as they often offer lower tuition for residents. Factor in additional fees and supplies: Many schools have required fees, such as technology fees, student activity fees, and course material fees. Include these fees in your budget to get a complete picture of the cost of attendance. Plan for increases: Tuition and fees can increase each year. Set aside extra funds to prepare for potential increases. Estimate living costs: Living expenses include housing, food, transportation, utilities, and personal expenses. If you plan to move to attend grad school, use a cost-of-living calculator to estimate your monthly living expenses. Look into payment plans: Many schools offer tuition payment plans that allow you to spread out payments over the academic year. Enrolling in a payment plan can help you avoid large lump-sum payments and better manage your cash flow. Cut non-essential spending: Identify areas where you can reduce discretionary spending, like dining out, entertainment, and travel. Prioritizing essential expenses can free up more funds for your MBA program. Build an emergency fund: Unexpected expenses can happen to anyone, so set aside funds for things like surprise car repairs, medical emergencies, and unforeseen academic costs . Most experts recommend saving at least 3 to 6 months’ worth of living expenses in an emergency fund. Without it, you may have to use a credit card or other forms of debt to cover these unexpected expenses. Stick to a monthly budget: Develop a detailed monthly budget that includes all your income sources, including scholarships and part-time work. Then, subtract expenses like housing, groceries, transportation, and tuition. If there’s a big gap between your income and expenses, you may be able to make up the difference with student loans. How do MBA students usually pay for school?  To pay for college , MBA students usually use a combination of scholarships, grants, employer educational assistance programs, student loans, and personal savings.  How does repayment work for MBA loans?  MBA loan repayment usually starts after graduation. Federal loans typically have a six-month grace period after you leave school before you have to start paying. Many private lenders also offer grace periods, but some require payments while in school. Be sure to check with your lender to see when you need to start making payments. Does the FAFSA cover an MBA?  Yes. You can use the FAFSA to apply for federal student loans and other forms of financial aid, like scholarships, grants, and work-study opportunities to help finance your MBA degree.  What’s the average debt for MBA students? MBA graduates leave business school with an average of $66,300 in student loans, according to the most recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics .  203 IMAGES 4 Tips to Build an Efficient Everyday Homework Strategy Homework: The Good and The Bad Homework 101: The Ultimate Guide for Students & Parents 10 Easy & Useful Homework Tips for Students 20+ Homework Strategies for Parents 4 Ways To Create a Winning Homework Strategy VIDEO How to Finish Homework Faster? #students #homework #homeworkhacks Homework Strategies Part 2 Implementing Oracy in Schools and Colleges How to support reading homework COMMENTS Homework challenges and strategies Try creating a homework schedule and set a specific time and place for your child to get homework done. Use a timer to help your child stay on track and get a better sense of time. Learn about trouble with planning. The challenge: Studying effectively. Many kids need to be taught how to study effectively. But some may need concrete strategies. How to Help Students Develop the Skills They Need to Complete Homework The effects of homework are mixed. While adolescents across middle and high school have an array of life situations that can make doing homework easier or harder, it's well known that homework magnifies inequity.However, we also know that learning how to manage time and work independently outside of the school day is valuable for lifelong learning. How to Do Homework: 15 Expert Tips and Tricks Here's how it works: first, set a timer for 25 minutes. This is going to be your work time. During this 25 minutes, all you can do is work on whatever homework assignment you have in front of you. No email, no text messaging, no phone calls—just homework. When that timer goes off, you get to take a 5 minute break. How to Improve Homework for This Year—and Beyond A schoolwide effort to reduce homework has led to a renewed focus on ensuring that all work assigned really aids students' learning. I used to pride myself on my high expectations, including my firm commitment to accountability for regular homework completion among my students. But the trauma of Covid-19 has prompted me to both reflect and adapt. 9 Best Tips for Homework Success Wading through homework can be the bane of the school year. Here are 10 tips to help your kid make homework manageable. Wading through homework can be the bane of the school year. ... To help you get there, we asked teachers and parents to share their strategies for solving the most common homework struggles. These 10 tips will bring harmony ... Effective strategies for homework success Effective science homework provides the extension to learning that students need to succeed, and gives us vital data to inform our planning. An EEF study on the impact of homework in secondary schools says that regular homework can have the same positive effect as five additional months in the classroom, as well as 'enabling pupils to ... Strategies to Make Homework Go More Smoothly Others need to have parents nearby to help keep them on task and to answer questions when problems arise. Ask your child where the best place is to work. Both you and your child need to discuss pros and cons of different settings to arrive at a mutually agreed upon location. Step 2. Set up a homework center. 8 tips to help grade-schoolers slow down on homework 2. Use a timer. You can use a computer, a phone app, a stopwatch, or even an egg timer. Divide your child's homework into timed segments. Set the timer to go off at the end of each homework task and reset the timer for each one. Encourage your child to work without stopping until the timer goes off. How to Use Homework to Support Student Success Use homework as a tool for communication. Use homework as a vehicle to foster family-school communication. Families can use homework as an opportunity to open conversations about specific assignments or classes, peer relationships, or even sleep quality that may be impacting student success. For younger students, using a daily or weekly home ... 4 Ways to Make Homework Easier (for Teens) Homework can seem overwhelming at times, especially in high school. One of the biggest challenges of being a high school student is learning how you work best — and this can look a little different for everyone. Luckily, you can try many different strategies to find what works best for you. 1. Create a Homework Plan. Understand the assignment. What's the Right Amount of Homework? The National PTA and the National Education Association support the " 10-minute homework guideline "—a nightly 10 minutes of homework per grade level. But many teachers and parents are quick to point out that what matters is the quality of the homework assigned and how well it meets students' needs, not the amount of time spent on it. Better Homework: Three Proven Strategies According to research findings, the answer is "yes." Try these three unusual-sounding but effective strategies: Spaced repetition. Typically a teacher presents an entire lesson, students take notes and complete class work, and then they do homework to reinforce learning. Once the lesson is over, the student may not need the information again ... A Simple, Effective Homework Plan For Teachers: Part 1 Homework Strategies 1-4. The key to homework success is to eliminate all the obstacles—and excuses—that get in the way of students getting it done. ... Set aside a few minutes before the end of the school day to review the assigned homework. Have your students pull out the work, allow them to ask final clarifying questions, and have them ... 8 Easy Ways to Finish Homework Faster Evaluate and improve your SAT score. 3. Gather all your gear. Collect EVERYTHING you will need for the homework you are working on (like your laptop for writing assignments and pencils for problem sets). Getting up for supplies takes you off course and makes it that much harder to get back to your homework. 4. Top 10 Homework Tips (for Parents) Help them make a plan. On heavy homework nights or when there's an especially hefty assignment to tackle, encourage your child break up the work into manageable chunks. Create a work schedule for the night if necessary — and take time for a 15-minute break every hour, if possible. Keep distractions to a minimum. Five Homework Strategies for Teaching Students With Learning Ensure clear home/school communication. Strategy 1. Give clear and appropriate assignments. Teachers need to take special care when assigning homework. If the homework assignment is too hard, is perceived as busy work, or takes too long to complete, students might tune out and resist doing it. Homework Strategies for Students with ADHD: A Free Handout Download this handout, and get more school and learning strategies from ADDitude via email. Get This Free Download! Homework requires students to copy assignments correctly, maintain focus after a long school day, and hand in work on time — all difficult tasks for kids with poor memory, focus, and attention to detail. 20+ Homework Strategies for Parents Use a timer. A timer can be a valuable tool to help set boundaries and allow breaks. Choose an amount of time that your child should be working, such as 20 minutes. Set the timer and make this a working time. Once the timer goes off, allow a 5 or 10 minute break before heading back to work. MyLab Math: Purpose-built to meet students where they are on ... Personalized Homework also helps motivate students by allowing them to focus on what they need to learn without having to spend time on what they already know. Weddington has observed that students who complete their Personalized Homework assignments in MyLab tend to outperform students in classes that use other courseware platforms. Rethinking homework: How to make assignments more impactful Here are some of the strategies for meaningful assignments shared by Swaati Jain, Director-Editorial, Oswaal Books. . 1. ALIGN HOMEWORK WITH LEARNING OBJECTIVES Autism in the classroom: Strategies for success Be aware of the characteristics of autism and general strategies - for quick reference reminders use the resources included in the School Community Tool Kit. Use the "About Me" information sheet to get to know relevant facts about each particular student's likes, fears, needs, etc. Ask specific questions regarding safety and impulsivity. THE 5 BEST Things to Do in Bykovo Things to Do in Bykovo, Russia: See Tripadvisor's 274 traveler reviews and photos of Bykovo tourist attractions. Find what to do today, this weekend, or in July. We have reviews of the best places to see in Bykovo. Visit top-rated & must-see attractions. Exploring Strategies for Maintaining a Healthy Brain The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS) hosted the second installment of the George Washington University (GW) School of Medicine and Health Sciences Bicentennial Lecture Series, titled "Maintaining a Healthy Brain," April 10.. The event featured panel of five GW brain-health experts representing neurology, geriatrics, and psychiatry and behavioral ... Strategies that Work: Managing Homework Managing Homework. Homework is an essential part of your students' lives. It builds skills and responsibility. It can also be the biggest thorn in the life of any educator. How to keep track of homework, what weight to give it, and what to do if students don't do it are issues most teachers face. Teachers can learn from their colleagues about ... VGT Студия красок VGT Студия красок Elektrostal postal code 144003. See Google profile, Hours, Phone and more for this business. 3.5 Cybo Score. VGT Студия красок is working in Hardware stores activities. Review on Cybo. Elektrostal Elektrostal, city, Moscow oblast (province), western Russia.It lies 36 miles (58 km) east of Moscow city. The name, meaning "electric steel," derives from the high-quality-steel industry established there soon after the October Revolution in 1917. During World War II, parts of the heavy-machine-building industry were relocated there from Ukraine, and Elektrostal is now a centre for the ... 5 Growth Strategies Every Leader Should Know About 5. Learning from mistakes. Every mistake has been a step toward understanding what it truly takes to build a high-performing team. Leaders, as much as you want things done sooner, remember there ... How to pay for medical school: 5 strategies Medical school comes with a hefty price tag, with tuition often exceeding $50,000 per year for many students. Without savings to cover those costs, you'll likely need to pay for medical school ... Elektrostal Pool «Kristall» - school of the Olympic reserve: diving, synchronized swimming, swimming. Home arena hockey team Kristall Elektrostal - Ledovyi Dvorets Sporta «Kristall» in 1995 year. The city ice hockey team Kristall Elektrostal was established in 1949 and plays in the Junior Hockey League Division B. Notable people Nikolay Vtorov Street How To Pay for an MBA: 7 Strategies Here are some strategies to help you budget for tuition, fees, and living expenses while you're in grad school: Research tuition costs: Tuition costs vary from program to program. Research the ... assignment essay homework paper phd report resume review speech thesis