Tips for managing homework

Updated: Sep 13

At the end of a long day, it is understandable that often young people (of all ages!) do not want to sit down and do more work. As a result homework can be a battle for many families

Here are some suggestions below to help, as well as the list of apps that may be helpful:

Regardless of the age of the young person, can the school provide a rough outline of when and what homework will be given? This is helpful even with older students, as it can give you a gauge of what they will have each evening and help to keep track.
The amount of homework depends upon the age of the student and this can be a useful and important thing to check with the school. If the homework is too challenging and it is taking too long, then the teacher needs to be informed. Young people often feel so much anxiety about not completing homework, and worry about getting into trouble. This is definitely an area where you can help, as teachers are more likely to listen to you than they are to the young person.
A system for upcoming tests and projects, which can be harder to implement than it sounds! Last minute tests and projects often create stress, and any way of avoiding last minute deadlines is beneficial.
Again - is speaking with the school an option? Can you ask the teachers to email you, as opposed to relying solely on the young person to tell you, when they have so many things going through their mind.
Techniques for homework and revision - please see our Study Skills ebook for specific information on timing techniques, motivation and methods for completing work. (include discount code?)

Case study:

We were able to help a young person struggling with their homework by agreeing the time limit for the homework and not the amount. It was agreed they would spend a focused 30 minutes, as opposed to trying to complete everything. This changed the young person’s attitude to his homework and gave him more independence when completing it.

It is also helpful for you to encourage your child to stick to the homework time limit(s) set by teachers as this way teachers will know if your child is struggling to complete the task in the anticipated amount of time. This allows the teacher to be better placed to offer the right support if needed.

How Apps Can Help!

Here is a list of apps that can be useful for scheduling and homework for example, either for use as a family, for you yourself or for the young person.

Please do bear in mind that not all of these apps will be suitable for everyone, so do have a look at a few, to see what is most suitable for your home environment:

For students themselves: