Helping at Home

In public schools, regular homework generally begins by fifth or sixth grade, though short assignments may be given much earlier. Children under ten will usually need the most encouragement; you may have to help them get started, remind them of their study time, and check lessons after they're completed.

A home filled with books provides an important educational resource for your child, and helps convey the message that learning is important. Start your collection with a good dictionary and thesaurus; these tools are invaluable for any type of writing.

One of the simplest ways to encourage learning is by answering your child's questions. Children are curious. They want to know everything about the world around them.

Children who are in the habit of studying every day have an easier time in school, as they get older. Their grades also tend to be higher. In general, kids should study about ten minutes per grade level, each weekday.