Follow homework guidelines
Your teacher will likely give you homework guidelines during
the first week of school. Make sure to
follow them to the tee. This not only
helps keep you organized and conscientious about your work, it also helps your
teacher to grade it more easily. Happy
grader = happy grade! If you were not
given specific homework guidelines at the beginning of the school year, look
here to find general math
homework guidelines.
Know what your teacher is asking
Make sure you understand what is expected of you before you leave the classroom. Don’t expect your teacher to answer their email two minutes after you send it at 9:00 PM.
Teachers have lives outside of the classroom and they appreciate when
you respect that. If you still don’t
understand, ask your teacher before school, at lunch or after school if they
are available. Don’t ask the day before
it’s due if there is more than one day to complete it. If it is the day before it’s due or is after
5:00 PM, ask a classmate, parent, or tutor to help you understand.
Complete EVERY problem
This may seem obvious, but if your homework is incomplete,
there is no way you will get full credit.
Use the next tip to make sure they are correct!
Set aside a time and place for homework
Whether it’s at lunch, during study hall, or right after
your after-school snack, have a predetermined time to complete each class’s
homework. Here is a sample homework
schedule for a high school student:
Time Frame
|
Homework to
complete
|
1st period – PE
|
|
2nd period – History
|
|
3rd period – Language Arts
|
|
Lunch
|
Language arts homework
|
4th period – Math
|
|
5th period – Science
|
|
After school
|
Math & Science Homework
|
Practice
|
|
After Practice
|
History Homework
|
Have the supplies needed for homework ready to go wherever
you plan to do your homework. Some
things you may need are: pencil, eraser, pen, calculator, graph paper, lined
paper, etc. Clear the room of any
distractions before starting homework.
Cell phone should be off and in a separate room. Computer should be off unless you need it for
homework. Let yourself have a small 5-10
minute break (set a timer) after every completed assignment or hour, whichever
comes first.
Turn in work on time
Work should always be completed on time, but sometimes that
just isn’t an option for the busy student.
Most teachers will understand if there is an emergency (ex: fire, family
death, personal injury or illness).
However, most teachers will not forgive late homework if you knew about
a trip, vacation, competition, or game ahead of time. You need to talk to the teacher after class
the day the homework is assigned if
you foresee it not being completed on time due to extra curricular events or
activities. Many teachers will give an
extension in these scenarios if you ask the day assigned.
Start a homework group
Make a group with some students in your class that you know
you work well with. Your best friend,
boy/girl friend, or boy/girl you have a crush on is not the best option because
you will be easily distracted. Find
students that are at about your same level in the class. You don’t want to be walking someone through
every problem, but you don’t want someone talking down to you condescendingly
because you don’t understand, either.
Most schools have places for students to work in groups, ask your
teacher, ASB Advisor, or Vice Principal if you don’t know of any. Make
sure you have phone numbers and email addresses for everyone in your homework
group so you can get ahold of them if you have any homework questions.
Get a tutor
If you’ve tried all of the above options, but feel as though
you are falling further and further behind in class, a tutor is a great
option. Make sure you have completed as
much homework as possible and have questions written out BEFORE meeting with
the tutor to maximize time. If a tutor
is not an option because of cost, many schools have tutorial sessions and
student to student tutor lists. Ask your
front office or teacher if your school provides this or if they have any
recommendations.
At the end of the day, all teachers want to see their
students succeed (yes, even the mean ones).
Don’t be afraid to be open with your teacher and ask for advise about
your struggles. Just remember, you need
to use courtesy and not place blame on the teacher for your lack of
understanding (even if it is their fault!!).
Teachers are trained professionals and are very passionate about their
work. Placing blame will only offend and
infuriate a teacher who was most likely doing their best to help you. If your teacher can’t help you, it might be a
good idea to hire a tutor that can.
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