There is a brand problem with the homework.
Or, a little less sharp.
Everyone hates homework.
Looking through the parenting bookshelf, the frustration is obvious: "Case Against Homework", "homework trap", "End of homework ".
Browsing fine magazines, hostility is everywhere: "Homework War "(The Atlantic)
"Myth About Homework "(Time)
"Is there too much homework for the children? ” (Smithsonian).
Heck, just put the word in any conversation with the family and watch the temperature rise.
Of course, some of them are cyclical.
Homework can be traced back to the beginning of formal education in the United States, and homework is popular in an era when the brain is seen as a muscle that needs to be strengthened.
At the beginning of the 20 th century, with repeated drilling under attack, the first rebound began, and by the age of 40, homework has lost its advantage.
The launch of a man-made satellite in 1957 caused hysteria, we lost to the Soviet Union, and more homework was a reaction, but it weakened again in the 1960 s.
After "a country in danger" in its 1980 s, homework came back as Americans again worried that their children were behind.
Today's tensions echo back and forth.
"The Chinese did their homework for six hours before breakfast --
We must keep up with the game. it is more important than the game. work.
Google wants people who are "creative.
So I got it. I really got it.
In a way, it makes me feel better.
Parents and teachers have been fighting these battles since electrical lighting.
But to be honest, my struggles with homework are far less ambitious.
In my house, the quarrels, small problems and doubts of homework are not the war of homework, but the accumulation and the beginning of nagging.
Does my child need a dedicated space to do their homework or does it need. K.
Do you do it in the kitchen?
How about listening to music? is that smart?
Should I correct the child's mistakes or should their teachers find out where they need help?
What can I do to encourage myself? reliance?
To find some answers, I turned to a group of homework experts.
I asked them every question.
Does the child need his own table or is it acceptable for the kitchen table?
Eva pommerantz is a professor of psychology at the University of Illinois at Urbana.
Champagne and experts for parents to participate in children's studies.
She's also the mother of a 13-year-old. year-
Love homework and 8-year-
No old boy.
On the days of homework, both children and parents are more nervous, she said.
"It could be real-time contact with your child, or it could be completely abnormal," she said . ". Ms.
Pomerantz believes in the kitchen table.
"I think it depends on your house," she said . ".
"If you have a crazy, noisy kitchen, it may not be the place where your child does his homework unless your child has amazing attention.
"But if the kitchen is a place where there is activity, but it is quiet in general, then it has an advantage.
She said: "The thing about the kitchen is that parents usually do something there, like making dinner, and they will be there if the child needs it, but they are not sitting next to the child all the time, it's frustrating for me. reliance. ”Is it O. K.
Do homework in bed?
A friend's son was not doing well in high school and my friend asked his teacher for advice.
"Tell him not to do his homework in bed," she said . ".
"All the kids do this these days, it's terrible. ” Is that true?
Erika Patall is an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Texas, Austin, studying motivation and achievement.
Research shows that children's preference for doing homework varies greatly, she said.
Some people like bright lights and some are dim.
Some people prefer to sit up, while others lie down.
"This is not a problem for children to lie in bed while doing homework," she said . ".
"It's about how much they really put in and focus on their work.
"It's a problem if the child is asleep, staring out the window, or holding the phone.
"If your child is having trouble staying focused, it may be time to switch to a different location for a conversation," Ms. Patall said.
Is it acceptable to listen to music or FaceTime with friends while doing homework? Ms.
More and more research says multitasking is a bad idea, says Patall.
"People tend to be very bad multi-tasking people, even those who say 'I am a great multi-tasking person,' she said.
I would say to my child that other types of activities, such as texting, Web search and shopping that are not related to homework, need to be minimized.
One is that the more time they spend doing other things, the longer they do their homework, which makes them less happy.
Should parents review their homework or let their children make mistakes? Ms.
Pomerantz said that although I don't think it might be the best, she always checks the child's homework.
She pointed out that research has shown that even if children don't ask, they have to check their homework, which helps them do better at school.
The problem, she says, is when parents start correcting their homework themselves, or worry that sloppy homework will have a bad impact on them.
"The way I'm trying to frame myself is that it's important to help them identify bugs or realize that they're not doing their best, so the process is a learning experience, she says.
"If you're worried that imperfect homework will make you look bad, there's a problem.
"Is it acceptable to criticize your child's work, or should it be simply encouraged?
Ross Chavez, a court transcribe in Albuquerque, raised five three-year-old children with her husband. bedroom home. (
Parents actually gave up the master bedroom for the sharing of three boys. )
Five kids went to Harvard.
Chavez is a celebrity in education.
She told me that she made homework a priority, emphasized quiet attention, and did not play until she finished her homework.
But she did not hesitate to criticize her children.
"Everyone is talking about themselves now.
"Respect is important and you should tell your children that they are doing a good job," she said . ". “I don’t agree.
We did not give credit where it did not expire. We pushed them. ”Ms. Patall concurs.
"You don't have to be always optimistic," she said . ".
"You don't want to pass on key messages that suggest things can't be resolved.
So you never want to say something like "you're stupid.
But it is certainly reasonable to point out that they should work harder.
"Is there anything I can do to make my child more self-conscious? motivated? Ms.
The key, says Pomerantz, is to control their homework as much as possible, and she sometimes finds it difficult to follow these suggestions.
Her instinct, she says, is to read an assignment and then sit down with her children and work out a strict plan of attack.
"I did this because I was born to be a very controlling person," she said . "
"Then, I have to always remember that the child is the one who needs to sit in a chair and do strategy making. ”Ms.
Chavez's approach can be described as an example.
"In our case, our children saw our efforts," she said . ".
"Our philosophy is, 'We will work hard, but we want you to work hard.
They know we can't do more for them than we already do, so the rest is entirely up to them.
This is a great motivation.
If you give them space for themselves
They usually rely on it.