Homework Without Tears: Setting Up a Study Corner at Home

Learning a happy study cornerHomework Without Tears

Most homework battles are not really about homework. They are about tiredness, hunger, a television in the next room or a pencil that cannot be found. Fix the setting, and the homework usually fixes itself.

One place, every day

Choose a quiet corner with a table, a chair the right height and good light. It can be a corner of any room. The key is to use the same spot every day, away from the television and the phone charger.

What the corner needs

• A box with pencils, eraser, sharpener, ruler, glue and colours
• The school timetable and the week's homework list on the wall
• A small clock, so your child can see how long they have worked

One time, every day

Children like to know what comes next. Homework after a snack and a short play break works well for most. Starting homework the moment a tired child walks in rarely does.

Nearby, not hovering

Sit in the same room with your own work or a book. Be there for questions, but give your child the first go. If you correct every line as it is written, homework becomes your work, and the teacher never learns what your child finds hard.

When homework is too hard

If your child struggles night after night with the same subject, write a short note in the diary or on the parent app. Teachers would much rather know. Often a five-minute explanation in class solves what an hour at home could not.

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