Trying to help their children with homework is a frustrating task for many parents. Going beyond the usual homework advice, this article delves into specific strategies to transform the parent’s role from “helper” to “tutor” at homework time, empowering parents and offering new ways to involve students in the learning process.

As heavy homework loads become more and more common, even among elementary level students, the nightly homework ritual can be a source of ongoing struggle for both parents and students. Children, not surprisingly, are often less than enthusiastic about spending their “time off” engaged in what they often see as pointless school tedium. Overtaxed, parents can feel that they simply don’t have the time, energy or sometimes expertise to work through the child’s frustrations to really help the child learn. The entire dilemma can feel hopeless for both parents and students.

Fortunately, there is hope. By rethinking his or her role in the homework equation, a parent can move from being a frustrated homework helper to a true tutor, creating a more productive dynamic. The strategies below can help you overcome the challenges to have a positive impact on your child’s academic success.

Look for similarities. Students, especially struggling students, often have a hard time seeing that many problems or questions are basically the same despite different appearances. For example, a young student may see “what is 2+2?” as radically different from “what is 1+5+3?” when in fact the same process is used to answer both questions. Reinforcing with your child that both are addition problems and drawing her attention to similarities is much more valuable to a student than simply trying to get a right answer for each independently. This breaks the homework into a smaller number of question types rather than a daunting number of individual questions, making the task more manageable.

Let your child teach you. Teaching, as any teacher or tutor can attest, is an excellent way to learn. Ask your child to pretend that you are totally unfamiliar with the concept at hand, and ask her to teach you. Ask questions of the student, even if you are very familiar with the subject. Of course, this strategy has added benefit if you are not literate in her subject, as you also gain insight into the child’s curriculum that will help you in future homework sessions. After your child has taught a mini-lesson, attempt a homework question alongside her. Did her lesson adequately cover the material needed? If not, go back and fill in any gaps. In addition to greatly aiding mastery of material, this strategy involves your child in the learning process in a new way, helping her to stay engaged.

Utilize textbooks. At the beginning of the semester or unit, take what educators refer to as a “book walk” with your child. Sit down with your child and her book(s) and explore what awaits between the covers. Some examples of what to look for: What does the table of contents tell about the organization and content? What kind of information is in the margins? Are there helpful notes or summaries at the ends of the chapters? Is there an index, appendix or glossary at the end of the book? Teaching your child to refer to the text and exploit its resources will help her throughout her academic career in addition to alerting you to what the textbook can (and cannot) offer at homework time.

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