January

Yes, it is cold. Yes, it is dark and dreary. But you know what is great about January? It provides a long stretch of uninterrupted academic work time.

Students know the classroom routines now. The distraction of Christmas is over and summer is far enough away that students can focus solely on their schoolwork. For some students this consistency and routine is fantastic, for others it causes them to feel like their academic prowess is in the spotlight for the first time all year.

For these students, complaining about work at school and homework is a frequent January theme. This is when a parent should bring up the topic of perseverance. Reminding your student that their job is to go to school and help their brain grow is a good start. As for complaints about homework, I came across this great article by Carolyn Rahaman that has some good advice for dealing with the top 5 homework excuses.

“"I have too much homework"

A very common complaint from students is that they have too much homework. This may be the result of several factors. If your child considers any homework at all to be "too much," the work may be too difficult. It is possible that she takes longer than her teacher expects because the core concepts elude her understanding. This is a sign that your student requires additional help or needs to further study and practice those concepts. It may also be that your child is not leaving herself enough time for homework, and she should start earlier and adjust her expectations.

"This is too hard!"

If your student is struggling, consider requesting additional help. She can speak with her teacher before or after school, work with a study group or review with a parent at home. Occasionally, when children complain that their assignments are too difficult, it is not because they cannot complete the work, but because they do not feel confident in their abilities. Encourage your student to try, and remind her that homework is there in order to help her improve.

"I left my book at school"

Homework is a responsibility, and part of this responsibility involves preparedness. Your child must learn to remember the materials she needs, not just to do well on her homework, but also to do well in college and in the workplace later on. Emphasize that she should bring all her materials home, and remind her that if she forgets, there are consequences (such as a poor grade on the homework assignment).

"I'm tired"

If your student is too tired to do her homework, re-evaluate if she is over-scheduled. Homework is a priority, and extracurriculars are not an excuse for failing to finish it. If your child must participate in an important activity or event, help her plan ahead and complete her homework ahead of time.

"I don't know what my teacher wants me to do"

Many students complain that they do not know what their teacher expects from an assignment. If this is a persistent problem, prompt your child to have a discussion with her instructor about expectations. Teachers will often be transparent about their expectations, and they are typically happy to explain them if a student asks. Your child can also ask other students or check class documents. If her concerns involve just one assignment, and she does not have the opportunity to ask her instructor, she can do her best, explain her worries to her teacher, and then offer to correct it if her work is incorrect."

If these excuses sound like your child and you are at the point that you can't listen to them another day, please don't wait until February. Come and talk to me and his/her teacher. It may just be January or it may be something we need to help with.