Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) Lab at Utah State University
– Concerns and Strategies –
Homework
Completing and Turning in Work on Time
Turning work in on time is a multi-faceted skill. Some of the self-regulation skills required for completing work on time include:
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Time management—your child wants to get it all done, but runs out of time.
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Organization--your child wants to get it done, but forgets his assignments, loses materials and may even lose completed assignments.
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Motivation—your child feels disinterested in doing the work and finds ways to avoid
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Mindset—your child feels as if the work is too challenging and may feel anxious, angry, or sad
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Task completion skills—your child may want to do the work but does not have adequate skills for task initiation, persistence, or sustained attention.
Creating your strategy requires an understanding of your child's current habits and the types of changes to be made. Your conversations with your child and your child's teacher may include:
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What you, your child, and your child's teacher have already attempted to improve work completion
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If your child often forgets or loses assignments, but completes them when he does remember (Go to the Organization page)
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If your child avoids homework even when he remembers it (Go to the Motivation website)
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If your child is easily frustrated because he believes he cannot do the work or is sensitive to criticism (Go to the Mindset website)
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If your child is highly anxious about school work (go to Emotional Control page)
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How your child perceives the purpose of the work
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Whether your child currently has the skills to self-monitor
Weekly Self-Monitoring Report
You can, in cooperation with your child and your child’s educators, create tools specific to your child and his or her circumstance. The document at the link below provides two examples of how a chart can be set up to help monitor homework completion. Remember, this is only an example of two options.
Effectively monitoring work completion usually requires the involvement of the classroom teacher. There is no one right way. Whatever system that is established will need to have the teacher's involvement and commitment. Some teachers prefer checking a list at a particular time of day, such as first thing in the morning or just before school lets out. There are teachers who are most comfortable using email or web-based tools (such as EdModo or Weebly) to communicate and monitor progress. Including the teacher in the conversation on strategy development will greatly enhance the chance of success for you and your child.