4 Ways to Help Elementary-aged Kids With Homework
Young kids are getting more homework these days than previous generations. It seems like there isn’t enough time in the afternoon for them to get everything done and they often end up missing out on time with friends and family as well as time outdoors to just be kids. There are lots of different ideas about how much homework is appropriate for a child of elementary school age but, for now, they need help getting their assignments done efficiently and on time. By utilizing a few tried-and-true ideas, kids can get back to having a healthy and age-appropriate work-life balance well still thriving in the classroom environment – our private Irvine academic tutors are here to help your kids succeed.
1. Break it up into parts
Younger kids don’t yet have a long attention span. In fact, they seem to be distracted by just about everything in their environment. As a result, it’s difficult for them to focus on homework for hours at a time. One of the ways parents can help their kids deal with lengthy homework assignments or busy work is to break it up into smaller parts. Each child will have a different attention span, and their level should be taken into consideration. Some kids might need a break every 30 minutes while other students will excel if they can take a break after each chapter.
2. Prioritize by due date
It’s also essential to prioritize assignment by their due dates. It’s a great idea to sit down at the beginning of each week and figure out what to do now versus later. Some assignments are short and are due the next day. If kids miss these assignments, they might feel lost during the teacher’s lesson, and it can affect their long-term learning. Other assignments, such as research papers or reports, might be due 2 or 3 weeks from today. In that case, students might be better off saving their energy and working on these things during the weekend or a day they don’t have other activities such as sports (READ: Costa Mesa Private Tutoring Tips: How to Improve Your Grades This February).
3. Get help with cumulative subjects
It’s a good idea for younger students to get some extra help with cumulative subjects. These are topics that build upon one another as the school year goes by, one prime example being math. If students miss an early step, they can struggle for the rest of the time the teacher is covering that particular topic. Private Irvine tutors are a great help when it comes to cumulative subjects because they can identify which steps a student has missed and helped get them back on track in a one-on-one environment that is based on a student’s individual needs.
4. Target personal strengths and weaknesses
Another thing for kids to work on at this age is to identify personal strengths and weaknesses. Every student has a subject they tend to do well in naturally and one they need extra help with. When doing homework, they should reserve more time and energy for topics that require extra concentration. Some students are better off starting their homework with the more difficult topic while others might want to get easier assignments out of the way first. Learning how to prioritize can help make homework less stressful.
Our private Irvine elementary tutors are here to help your kid succeed in school. Call us today for more information.