Homework hell. It can certainly feel like this if your child would rather do anything but! We explored how homework can be a battleground a few years back. Yet clearly this issue has not gone away…
In fact, it’s worsened as a recent Ofsted survey reveals. Though many parents welcome homework as a way for their child to gain independent learning skills, many parents echoed that homework can cause stress at home.
My child has special needs and just doesn’t ‘get’ it
If your child has special needs, the problems can be acute. Because some children just don’t ‘get’ what they have to do, or need help to understand it, they can take longer to complete set work – putting even more pressure on family life.
Some children end up so exhausted by homework that it can destroy their self-esteem. Is your child in this boat too?
It’s not just primary school kids this impacts on. Secondary school students sitting GCSEs and A Levels also struggle to both organise their time and complete set tasks.
How to help your SEND child tick the ‘homework done’ box
- Stick to a routine. If your child can have a rest and a snack first, then it’ll be easier to complete homework afterwards. Or if your child finds it easier to do homework first, then stick to that routine. Either way, routine can help you manage expectations better.
- Communicate with school if your son or daughter is in constant battle with homework. Ask if teachers can differentiate homework – or at least break down into steps – so your child finds it easier to do. Write in homework planners that your child tried their best to complete in a reasonable time, so your child isn’t penalised for not achieving enough.
- Keep a homework calendar so you can check when HW is set, and when due in.
- Consider private tuition if your son or daughter needs specialised help to access their learning. This might help if you feel out of your depth, or have work commitments that leave you little time or energy.
In fact, as our team of Manchester and Cheshire tutors find, one-to-one tuition can often turn a crisis round by steering children onto a better learning path.
Get in touch when you’re ready to talk it through with a professional who understands.
Tags: A levels, GCSEs, Ofsted, self-esteem, SEN children