Many of us seem to spend more time handling lots of homework than we do actual learning time in the classroom. Homework can be stressful for all learners, and many schools/colleges/universities never teach their students how to handle all the work. Here are some tips.
Get clear expectations
We expect our Teachers/Instructors to give us clear guidelines on what we are going to learn and how long it’s going to take us to learn it. Sadly many educators grossly underestimate the length of time it takes students to complete the home based part of their learning.
At the beginning of any course or program of study have the educator give a detailed account of how much time projects and assignments should take outside of the classroom.
Create a time management strategy
Once you have a detailed list of when assignments and projects are due it’s time to get organized as a student. Utilizing a wall calendar that allows you to add and erase when projects are due is a great way to keep on track.
Additionally, many students now see the benefits of also creating an online calendar and our youth are no exception. Many free email provider such as Yahoo and Google offer free calendars where you can program in alerts to remind you when on a deadline.
Have the right technology
While laptops were previously the tools of college and university students, many high schools and sometimes junior high schools are demanding that students bring their own to class.
Regardless of your circumstance, make sure you have the right technology; at least a Pentium III, and have at least a 60g hard drive and the ability to download and burn information alongside a portable memory stick.
Depending on what you are studying you may need to invest in a typing or computer basics program to excel in school and get your assignments completed.
Know how to use the library
Amazingly many of our young people do not know how to take advantage of the local library system, and schools rarely teach them how.
Take your youth to the local library and show them how to search manually for information found in periodicals, cd-roms and archives. Many public libraries give you access to databases from home by inputting your library card.
If you have a lot of homework, knowing how to search for information anywhere anytime can save you a lot of footwork.
Prioritize your assignments
While it’s certainly true that you should begin the first assignment first, when you are given a lot of homework it generally proves more time efficient to complete the easiest project first.
When you get the simple stuff done quickly, you free up much more time to complete more in-depth assignments without tiring yourself out.
A trick that you could try during both High School and College was the three-day rule; you would try and finish any lengthy project three days early. Not only did this leave you time to really review your project, but it generally left you with at least one free day to work on additional homework.
Give yourself a reward
Having lots of homework can be tedious and draining. At its very worst, it can leave us wondering why we spend any time in the classroom at all!
One of the most important things homework is to give yourself rewards.
Final Word
Having lots of homework can be difficult but by employing strategies such as having clear expectations; creating a time management system, having the right technology, knowing how to use the library and find information, prioritizing your assignments and giving yourself a reward, are all tools that will contribute to your student success.
Even better, the skills you learn for handling lots of homework are transferable skills you can take to future jobs and employment for future success.