Blog:  How to help children with homework!
How To Help: Provide Guidance   The basic rule is, "Don't do the assignments yourself." It's not your   homework--it's your child's. "I've had kids hand in homework that's in their   parents' handwriting," one Washington, DC-area eighth-grade teacher complains.   Doing assignments for your child won't help him understand and use information.   And it won't help him become confident in his own abilities.  It can be
  hard for parents to let children work through problems alone and learn from   their mistakes. It's also hard to know where to draw the line between  supporting  and doing.  Different teachers have different ideas about the
best way for  parents to provide guidance. Here are a few suggestions with which  most teachers  agree:
Figure Out How Your Child Learns Best.If you understand something about   the style of learning that suits your child, it will be easier for you to help   her.  If you've never thought about this style, observe your child. See
if  he works better alone or with someone else. If your child gets more done  when  working with someone else, he may want to complete some assignments with a   brother or sister or a classmate. (Some homework, however, is meant to be done   alone. Check with the teacher if you aren't sure.)  Other things to   consider about learning style:  Does your child learn things best when  she  can see them? If so, drawing a picture or a chart may help with some   assignments. For example, after reading her science book, she may not remember   the difference between the tibia and the fibula. But by drawing a picture of  the  leg and labeling the bones, she can remember easily.  Does your child   learn things best when he can hear them? He may need to listen to a story or   have directions read to him. Too much written material or too many pictures or   charts may confuse him.
Does your child understand some things best when   she can handle or move them? An apple cut four or six or eight ways can help   children learn fractions.   (taken from:  kidsource.com)

Blog:  How to help children with homework!
Monitor Television Viewing.American children on average spend far  more  time watching television than they do completing homework. In many homes,  more  homework gets done when television time is limited. Once you and your  child have  worked out a homework schedule, take time to discuss how much  television and  what programs she can watch. It's worth noting that television  can be a learning  tool. Look for programs that relate to what your child is  studying in school,  such as programs on history or science or dramatizations of  children's  literature. When you can, watch shows with your child, discuss them,  and  encourage follow-up activities such as reading or a trip to the museum. 
(taken from:  kidsource.com)

Blog:  How to help children with homework!
Look Over Completed Assignments. It's usually a good idea to check  to  see that your elementary school child has finished her assignments. If your   junior high school student is having trouble finishing assignments, check his   too. If you're not there when an assignment is finished, look it over when you   get home. After the teacher returns completed homework, read the comments to  see  if your child has done the assignments satisfactorily.
(taken from: kidsource.com)

Blog:  How to help children with homework!
Be Available. Elementary school students often like to have  someone in  the same room when working on assignments in case they have  questions. If your  child will be cared for by someone else, talk to that person
about what you  expect regarding homework. For an older child, if no one will be  around, let him  know you want him to begin work before you get home and call to  remind him if  necessary.
(taken from:  kidsource.com)

Blog:  How to help children with homework!
How To Help: Monitor Assignments
Children are more likely to complete assignments successfully when parents   monitor homework. How closely you need to monitor depends upon the age of your   child, how independent she is, and how well she does in school. Whatever the  age  of your child, if assignments are not getting done satisfactorily, more   supervision is needed.  Here are some good ways to monitor assignments:  Ask About the School's Homework Policy.At the start of the school year,   ask the teacher: 

• What kinds of assignments will be given?
  
• How long are children expected to take to complete them?
  
• How does the teacher want you to be involved?

Teachers'   expectations vary.  Ask your child's teacher what you should do. Should you just   check to make sure the assignment is done, or should you do something more?  Some  teachers want parents to go over the homework and point out errors, while  others  ask parents to simply check to make sure the assignment is
  completed.  It's also a good idea to ask the teacher to call you if any   problems with homework come up. 
(taken from:  kidsource.com)

Blog:  How to help children with homework!
Show an Interest. Make time to take your child to the library to  check  out materials needed for homework (and for fun too), and read with your  child as  often as you can. Talk about school and learning activities in family
  conversations. Ask your child what was discussed in class that day.  If he   doesn't have much to say, try another approach. For example, ask your child to   read aloud a story he wrote or discuss the results of a science
  experiment.  Another good way to show your interest is to attend school   activities, such as parent-teacher meetings, shows, and sports events. If you   can, volunteer to help in the classroom or at special events. Getting to know   some classmates and other parents not only shows you're interested but helps   build a network of support for you and your child.  (taken from:  kidsource.com)

Blog:  How to help children with homework! 
Set a Good Example. Children are more likely to study if they see  you  reading, writing, and doing things that require thought and effort on your  part.  Talk with your child about what you're reading and writing even if it's
  something as simple as making the grocery list. Tell them about what you do at   work. Encourage activities that support learning--for example, educational  games, library visits, walks in the neighborhood, trips to the zoo or museums,   and chores that teach a sense of responsibility.   (taken from:  kidsource.com)

Blog:  How to help children with homework!
Provide Supplies and Identify Resources. For starters, collect  pencils,  pens, erasers, writing paper, an assignment book, and a dictionary.  Other things  that might be helpful include glue, a stapler, paper clips, maps,  a calculator,  a pencil sharpener, tape, scissors, a ruler, index cards, a  thesaurus, and an  almanac. Keep these items together in one place if possible.  If you can't  provide your child with needed supplies, check with the teacher,  school guidance  counselor, or principal about possible sources of  assistance.  For books  and other information resources, check with the  school library or local public  library. Some libraries have homework centers  designed especially to assist  children with school assignments (there may even  be tutors and other kinds of  individual assistance).  These days many  schools have computers in  classrooms, and many households have personal  computers. However, you don't have  to have a computer in your home in order for
your child to complete homework  assignments successfully.  You may want  to ask the teacher to explain  school policy about the use of computers-- or any special  equipment--for homework. Certainly, computers can be
a great learning tool and  helpful for some assignments. They can be used for  word processing and on-line  reference resources, as well as educational  programs and games to sharpen  skills. Some schools may offer after-school  programs where your child can use  the school computers. And many public  libraries make computers available to  children.   (taken from:  kidsource.com)

Blog:  How to help children with homework!
Remove Distractions.Turn off the television and discourage social   telephone calls during homework time. (A call to a classmate about an  assignment  may, however, be helpful.)  Some youngsters work well with
quiet  background music, but loud noise from the stereo or radio is not OK.  One  Virginia junior high school history teacher laments, "I've actually had a kid   turn in an assignment that had written in the middle, `And George Washington   said, "Ohhhhh, I love you."' The kid was so plugged into the music that he   wasn't concentrating."  If you live in a small or noisy household, try   having all family members take part in a quiet activity during homework time.   You may need to take a noisy toddler outside or into another room to play. If 
distractions can't be avoided, your child may want to complete assignments in a nearby library.
(taken from kidsource.com)

Blog:  How to help children with homework! 
Pick a Place.  A study area should have lots of light, supplies close by,   and be fairly quiet.  A study area doesn't have to be fancy. A desk in  the  bedroom is nice, but for many youngsters the kitchen table or a corner of
the  living room works just fine.  Your child may enjoy decorating a  special  study corner. A plant, a brightly colored container to hold pencils,  and some  favorite artwork taped to the walls can make study time more pleasant.  (taken from:  kidsource.com)