Q: Should I Police My Child’s Homework Completion?
To what degree should parents participate in the daily homework routine? Should we check for assignment completion? Correct answers? Or is it enough to provide the space, materials, and encouragement to get the work done? What if your child has ADHD?
This Dear ADHD Family Coach® column was originally written for ADDitude Magazine.
Q: “In checking ‘completed homework,’ are we checking for how ‘complete’ it is or just that it is submitted by deadline regardless of how complete?”
Hi!
This is a tough question without a one-size-fits-all answer; there really is no hard-and-fast rule for “done” when you are checking homework.
Some will say that it’s a parent’s job to make sure the student has the space and materials to do their homework and the encouragement to get it done to the best of their ability. And that is it. Those in that camp feel it’s the teacher’s job to check it and provide feedback. In fact, they feel that any parental involvement is detrimental to the student’s learning since their teacher is not getting an accurate read on the student’s understanding and performance.
[Read: How to Use a Color-Coded Homework Board to Break Down Assignments]
Prior to the meeting, I recommend sending a list of questions/concerns to each teacher to gather specifics beforehand. You want to know if your daughter is performing at Others will tell you that you should check your child’s homework so that you can see what they’re learning and the degree to which they understand the material, provide help if they are having difficulty, and check to see if the quantity and homework style is appropriate.
[Read: Every Student Should Be Doing Homework In the Bathtub]
Neither is a wrong approach, as long as it’s working to increase your child’s independence and encouraging him to take responsibility for his learning so that you can slowly relinquish control. Regardless of your approach, before you can pull back, you need to make sure your son has the tools to forge ahead… on his own.
Good Luck!
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