What homework questions help?

Math
Math homework due tomorrow?  No matter what your own experiences are with math, there are questions you can ask that will help your child.  Try these:

• What is the problem you're working on?
• Let's look at it.
• What do the directions say?
• What words or directions confuse you; what do you not understand?
• Where do you think you should begin?
• What do you already know that can help you work through the problem?
• Show me what you've done so far.
• Where can we find help in your textbook or notes?
• What problems like this one have you had before?
• Let's try drawing a picture or make a diagram.
• What did the teacher ask you to do?
• Who can you call to get help?
• Let's try it using a calculator.
• Let's skip this problem and go on to another.  We'll come back to this one later.
• Let's look for help on the internet.
• What type of partial work does your teacher accept?
• Can you get help from your teacher before (or after) school?

Science
All parents hear questions they don't know how to answer.  These questions tell you that your children want to have a conversation with you.  They care what you think, and want to learn from you.  You can help them, even if you don't have a scientific answer. 

Don't be afraid to say that you don't know.  After all, a lot of science is trying to learn what nobody knows yet.  Sometimes you and your children will want to think like scientists and learn together.

Here are some ideas to try:

• Think and talk about what you do know.
• Ask your children what they think the answer could be.
• Compare. Such as: "What do the animals that liedown to sleep have in common with humans?  What's different about the ones that don't?"
• Try to find clues and patterns.
• Make a test.  Try out an idea to see what you can learn.
• Imagine what might be true.  Start by saying, "Maybe it's. . ." or "What if. . . "
• Find out more. Find a book on the subject, search the internet, check the library, or ask some who might know.

Reading
Use the following tips to support your childs reading skills.

• Read to preschool children at least 20 minutes a day. This can be spread out throughout the day.
• Have older children read to you.
• Keep good books, magazines and newspapers in the house.
• Add to your children's enjoyment of reading by discussing books they read.
• Make sure your children see you read for at least 20 minutes a day.
• If reading is hard for you, tell your children stories. Hearing about their grandparents, your family history and your own experiences will be interesting and rewarding for your children, and will help them value language, storytelling and the past.