Importance of homework
As much as students hate homework, it actually serves an important purpose and is integral to the overall success at school. It is not an uncommon scene in a household for high school students to come home from school with piles of homework that they avoid.
Often, parents have to watch their kids do their homework, otherwise they simply won’t do it. Students will constantly argue that homework does not benefit them in any way, but instead just eats into their precious personal time. Whilst it is undeniable that there are more enjoyable things to do after school than homework, students often underestimate just how beneficial homework is.
Homework teaches students to employ the skills that they are learning at school in a real-world setting. Through homework, they are encouraged to develop their time management skills, their study skills and overall critical thinking and memory skills. Moreover, as they are responsible for getting their homework done, it teaches them autonomy and the importance of deadlines, which are skills that will serve them well after they are done studying.
How long does it take to do homework?
How long it takes to work on your homework will vary from person to person and will depend on the assignment you’ve been given. However, on average, school children should be dedicating around 25-30 minutes per subject as homework time.
However, teachers will usually set out the amount of time they expect students to work on their homework assignments beforehand so that they know what is expected of them and can plan their time accordingly. Additionally, a student knows what they are capable of doing and how quickly they are capable of doing it, meaning some kids might need more time, whilst others will need less, 30 minutes per subject is just a rough guide.
Best 3 homework tips
Doing your homework probably feels like a burden that you don’t want to have to deal with. You’d rather be playing video games, scrolling social media, or playing with your friends. However, it is something that you can’t escape. As long as your teachers are giving you homework assignments, you will have to complete them.
In order to make the process less troublesome, here are some expert tips to get you through it all as quickly as possible.
1. Create a plan
Creating a homework plan is one of the most efficient ways of managing your time. Since students get multiple assignments a week, they need to establish a reliable system of keeping track of what they need to do and when they need to do it by. Here are the most important things to keep in mind when creating a homework plan:
Get a planner
Keeping a planner or diary dedicated to your homework is the easiest way to stay ahead of your workload. This planner can take whichever form best suits you, whether that is simply a small note section on your phone or a physical diary that you carry with you from class to class.
Understand the assignment
When you are inputting all your assignment details into your planner, make sure you take the time to fully understand what the assignment requires you to do. Make a note of any relevant textbook pages, previous areas of study that can help you and any instructions your teacher gives you whilst at school.
Time management
Your planner will ensure you know what you’ve got to do and by when, but you can also use it to specifically plan out when you are going to do each piece of work. You should also keep in mind that you don’t need to wait until you’re home to do your work. Take advantage of any free time you have at school to get a head start on your assignments.
Also make sure you schedule in a bit of time to take short breaks. It can be easy to get caught up in your work and forget to take breaks. Although it might feel like you’re being productive, this actually isn’t a healthy approach to work. Therefore, schedule a couple of hours to relax and do what you like.
2. Create a productive study space
Where you study can have a big impact on how productive you are when completing homework assignments. It is therefore important to create a study space with as few distractions as possible to allow you to be as productive as possible and avoid as much procrastination as possible.
Find a quiet place
You want somewhere to study that has as few distractions as possible. You therefore need to find a quiet place to help you stay focused and do your homework. If there is a study space at your school that you can use, this might be the best option when you are at school.
However, when you go home, the distractions exponentially increase. Whether it’s the TV, your siblings running around or your parents cooking in the kitchen, home is full of noise and distraction. Whilst working in a communal area might seem like a good idea as it holds you accountable for your time, the noise in these areas can easily distract you. Instead, opt for the desk in your bedroom or a study space in your home.
Don’t work on your bed
Working on your bed is arguably the worst thing for procrastination. Your bed is where you sleep, so when you work there, your brain struggles to differentiate between relaxing and working. You feel like you need to relax when you are sitting on your bed so your brain is not as engaged in the work at hand. Moreover, working on your bed is not good for your posture.
3. Organise your work
As students get so much homework per week, it is a good idea to prioritize your work in a way that does not overwhelm you. Within this prioritizing, you should also consider your mental and physical health as well as your general wellbeing.
Do the hardest work first
Although it may seem counterintuitive and doing the hardest work is probably not what you want to do first, it will help you in the long term. Doing the hardest work first will give you the best possible chance at getting good grades for a few different reasons.
Firstly, your brain is most engaged and alert when you first start your homework. After a couple of hours, you are less invested and interested in your work, so you should save the easier work for this time when you need less brain power.
Moreover, if the work is proving too difficult, doing it first will flag up any problems early on. This then gives you the chance to approach your teachers or get in touch with a tutor. If you leave the hardest work to the end, you won’t have the time to get the help you need before the deadline.
Dedicate specific time to your homework
As previously mentioned, doing long stretches of work is not good for you. It will be more beneficial to your overall productivity to divide your time and dedicate specific times to do specific homework.
The pomodoro method suggests you work in no more than 25-minute intervals. This allows your brain to be fully engaged for 25 minutes and rewards you with regular 5-minute breaks. This way, you never feel overworked. When you start your homework, set a timer for 25 minutes and then take a five-minute break. In these small breaks, you should take this opportunity to have some healthy snacks or move around.
How to overcome procrastination
Be confident
Self-confidence is one of the secret tricks to avoiding procrastination. If you feel like you won’t be able to complete the homework or think it will be too difficult, you will find any distraction you can to delay you from actually sitting down and doing the work.
However, if you believe in yourself and are confident that you will be able to complete your homework, it will encourage you to actually do it and you’ll be impressed with yourself by the time you finish it. Hiring a tutor can help you feel more confident!
Reward yourself
Continuously rewarding yourself throughout your study period is a great way to help keep yourself motivated. If you know that when you finish this piece of homework, you have a chocolate bar waiting for you, or a video game waiting to be played, it will encourage you to get your work done as quickly as possible.
Get a study buddy
A study buddy is a brilliant tactic to avoid procrastination. Although sometimes working with someone can be distracting, if you find the right partner, the benefits will be more than worth it. If you have a study buddy who is equally dedicated to their work as you, you will each be responsible for holding each other accountable for the work you are doing.
Need help with your homework?
The tips and tricks explored in this article do not always work for all students. Each child has specific needs and some find doing homework more difficult than others. If your child still needs help getting their homework done, a tutoring service could be the answer you’re looking for.
Tutorax can help your child gain confidence in his/her academic abilities. Tutors work directly with children to assess their specific needs and use techniques to help them manage their workload as well as provide specific subject-related help. Tutoring sessions can be online or in person. You can choose which medium will best benefit your child as they guide them through their academic journey.
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