Homework is an essential part of a student’s life and prepares them in many ways for the trials and tribulations of adult life. Because of how imperative it is, we need to find great ways to motivate a student so that he can reap the rewards that assignment gives. I am going to explain just 5 of many ideas that you, as a significant adult in this child’s life, can use to motivate the student and turn homework into a great learning tool instead of a hindrance in the child’s life.
- Care and support – If your child feels that he has the support of his teacher and other adults, he will definitely find homework easier to accomplish and care more about how well it is completed. No matter how old a student is, care and support makes the student feel that what he is doing matters and that HE matters.
- Teach your child to me competitive – This makes learning fun and prods the student to go the extra mile to do better in his assignments so that he can prove that he is the best. Many children become competitive with themselves. This is a great motivational tool. As an adult, my own competitiveness will sometimes make me spend a few more minutes to double check my work or add some items to a report just to make it better.
- Chore Magnet – I saw this idea years ago when I was running my day care center and it was one of the most favorite things for the children. I had a magnet for each child and the magnet started in the middle of the refrigerator. There was always something I was trying to teach or improve in each child. At the end of the day, if the child did well on whatever topic we were working on, the magnet would move up. If he had trouble that day, it was moved down. Once the magnet made it to the top of the refrigerator, there was a reward. This is great for assignments. Simple, if your student does his task, the magnet goes up and if he doesn’t do it, the magnet goes down.
- Attitude – Teach your child to develop a positive attitude towards homework. Have him attack his homework with a vengeance. Teach him to realize that if his attitude towards anything is good, the end result of whatever he is doing will be good. A life lesson also.
- Student Participation – Get the child involved in the assignments. Have them decide what the assignment should be. It is amazing how much a child will care if he has a vested interest in what was to be done.