Tips from ParentMap education reporter Linda Morgan's upcoming book, "Beyond Smart: Boosting your Child's Academic, Social, and Emotional Potential."

Homework strategies

Face it: You spend way too much time nagging about homework. Whose responsibility is it, anyway?

Certainly not the parents’, educators say. But parents must provide an environment that’s conducive to learning…and help kids get strategies in place that will help them learn at home.

Here are a few that might work for you:

• Ask your child if he understands his homework. If he doesn’t, work a few examples together.
• Ask your child to show you his homework after the teacher returns it, to learn where he’s having trouble and where he’s doing well. See if your child did the work correctly.
• Stay in touch with your child’s teacher. Ask about your child’s class and what he is studying. Ask his teacher how you can support what he’s studying (flash cards, spelling, etc.).
• Remember that you and the teacher want the same thing: to help your child learn.
• Don’t be afraid to get in touch with the teacher if you and your child don’t understand an assignment, or if your child is having trouble. Almost all parents run into these problems, and teachers are generally glad to help
• Don’t do your child’s work for him. Help him learn how to do it himself.
• Show your child that you think homework is important. If you are at work during homework time, ask to see his work when you get home.
• Praise your child for doing well. Make praise a habit.
• Ask your school about tips or guides for helping your child develop good study habits.
• Help an older student organize his assignments by recording them on calendars or planners, along with due dates and dates turned in.