Homework assignments are important for students. This is how they get to learn more and deepen the skills acquired in class. However, getting your children and students to do their assignments might not be as easy as you think. But you already know this if you’ve been teaching/parenting for a while. Students hate homework! But that doesn’t mean that you cannot find methods to motivate them to do their work. Here are seven of the best ways in which you can help them finish their tasks.
How to Get Students to Do Their Assignments
Help them remove any distractions
When kids become distracted, they forget about the work at hand. This is why helping them stay focused on their assignments is important. One way to do this is by removing all distractions around them. You could start by asking them to stay off their phones or social media platforms while doing homework. You could also remove any distracting devices (such as TVs) from their study room.
As a teacher, you could discuss this issue openly with parents and see what their opinion is. If they agree to help kids remove distractions, then you’ll be facilitating their learning process by a lot.
Turn homework into a fun activity
Remember when you were a kid and did not want to do homework only because it was called…homework? For some reason, kids are less inclined to pursue a certain activity if they see it as a “chore.” So, become more flexible and turn homework into a fun activity. You could teach them how to play learning games and cooperate. You could have them write fun stories about their homework; or you could simply help them see the fun in learning.
Encourage them to study by themselves
All teachers and parents are preoccupied with their students/kids. We want what’s best for them, so we struggle to help them as much as we can. Sometimes, however, it’s better to teach your children to study by themselves. This is how they become curious about various subjects. This is how they can learn to love learning. The more we promote independent study, the quicker they’ll become passionate about studying. And let’s face it, how awesome is that?
Learn the When-Then framework
This is for parents only. Dear parents, I want you to learn the When-Then framework and apply it to your kids’ education when possible. If you’re wondering what this is all about, here’s a quick explanation. The When-Then approach promotes learning before any other distractions can be pursued. So, if your kid likes to watch Harry Potter before bed, for example, you could use the When-Then scenario to get students to do their assignments in this way: when you’ve finished your school assignments, then you can watch as much Harry Potter as you’d like.
Help them develop better time-management skills
Another reason why kids hate homework is that they’re constantly preoccupied with time. If they cannot manage to finish their assignments by their due dates, they might develop inner guilt and think of themselves as failures (we’ll talk about failure in the next point). You should help your kids develop better time-management skills by promoting structure. You could also help them see professional experts to learn how to structure their schedules. Professional support is available both online and offline – however, most parents prefer to get online help for their children. So, if your kids need help with their writing assignments, you could search for “help me with my uni assignment” on your favorite search engine and consult with the best assignments experts in the field. The more tools they’ve got access to, the more successful they’ll become.
Help kids understand and embrace failure
Your kids/students won’t always get A’s. Sometimes, they might get F’s or D’s – and that is okay. Perfectionism is not a great tool to work with as a parent/teacher. You should teach them how to embrace failure; in the end, failure teaches us how to succeed, and it shows us what we have to work on harder.
Try to stay away from giving rewards
Some teachers/parents practice the reward method, but I’m not a big supporter of it. If you teach kids to study only when they receive something, they’ll form a habit of expecting something every time they do what they’re supposed to. Do not pay them for getting good grades. You could take them out for dinner every once in a while, and let them know that you’re proud of them – however, try to avoid using the reward method.
Wrapping Up
Whether a parent or a teacher, you should remove any existing distractions and turn homework into a fun and engaging activity. You should encourage your students/children to study by themselves and develop better time-management skills on their own. Teach your kids to embrace failure and do not offer rewards, if possible. Good luck!
Author Bio:
Helen Birk is a teacher and part-time content writer. She helps students with their homework and motivates them to progress quickly. In her free time, Helen plays guitar and practices Taekwondo.
