Homework and Schoolwork advice please (for 10 year old)?

Question

OK, my ten year old daughter is struggling at school. She's currently in Year 4 and next February will start Year 5. She has always struggled at school - she is one of the worst readers and spellers in the class, and also struggles with maths. I'm a single parent but I have spent a lot of my hard earned money on speech therapy, occupational therapy, education centres and private tutoring over the past few years. She is now having specialist reading classes with one of the teachers at the school. However, the school for the past two years, has decided not to do any homework. She's meant to read every night, but that's it. This frustrates me because I feel she needs to have spelling homework and maybe a little maths and comprehension homework both to prepare her for high school (only 2 and a bit years away!) where homework IS expected and to reinforce the learning at school. However, any kind of homework is a struggle - she procrastinates and fights with me every step of the way. Do you have homework troubles with your child and what sort of routines do you use? What can I do with her at home to help her with her schoolwork so she isn't struggling so much all the time. Unfortunately I work 4 days a week and 3 of those days I don't get her and the other kids home until 6pm, which leaves limited time for dinner, bath, family time, etc. I'm at my wits end trying to think how I can help her so she doesn't get left behind a grade. thanks!

Answer 1

There are workbooks that can be purchased and used at home... make it a time for the 2 of you  to be together. Incorporate a little award/reward (find what motivates her) and use the workbook pages/flashcards to "practice" her skills.  This way it's a little homework, but nothing so grueling that you both hate it. Good Luck.

(I'm a single parent, too.)

Answer 2

Hey I was horrible in school my parents really gave it to me, and then one report card they said it's your future and there is no spanking grounding or anything to help you realize only smart kids who work at something ever get the great guy the wonderful house and so on, they basically gave up and Honor Roll was my new goal and I made it.

Answer 3

Where are the kids until 6pm?  If they're with a sitter, have him/her sit your children down as soon as school is over with a snack and a drink and work on homework then.  If that's not an option, then they should sit at your home as soon as they get there.  If you don't have a lot of homework, maybe they can work on it on the days that it suits your work schedule better.

Have you ever considered that it might be best for your daughter to be held back a grade.  I'd rather my child be good and ready than to barely scrape by and make it to the next grade.  You're just helping them fail if they're not ready.

Answer 4

Maybe she needs to be left behind. You may not want her to have to go an extra year, but it would help her catch up. It's nothing to be ashamed of when it's necessary. Just imagine her next year, when everything gets harder. If she doesn't seem ready for grade 4 now then grade 5 will be even more of a struggle.  

Answer 5

Sometimes it is difficult for a child to be held back emotionally but it might be the best.  

I play games with my 8 year old since he is terrible at spelling.  Try starting at an easier level to give your daughter confidence.  Just while I am fixing dinner I start with an easy word and then add until it gets harder.  Start with    AND  then perhaps HAND, BAND, STAND  BLAND, then switch to a similar word BLEND, LEND, MEND, SEND, then back to SAND   SAD MAD

use words that are similar and connect.  Let her pick words to spell.   Reading is great to help her learn to spell.  

I also tutor reading  I find one on one with a reader having trouble usually helps a lot in improving the reading.  I start with very easy books.  The back of many books will have a reading level  RL  1.3 or some number  means  1st year 3rd month.  If the child can read the book easily then I advance to the next level  RL 1.4 or 1.5    If they start having trouble then back down a level.  It doesn't take a long time for reading just 15 to 20 minutes a day.  I don't usually correct unless they ask for help.  The student works on a point system.   Each sentence read correctly earns 2 points.   Points are totaled by the student (snuck a little math into it there!)  Then at school I offer prizes  usually little toys.  Now I offer 1 cent per point.  So 25 correct sentences will earn 50 cents per day if they get everything correct.  At first everyone just wants to read the required 25 sentences but eventually they want to read more!.  A reward system works well.  But it depends on you.  Perhaps so many points 500 or something will allow her to pick a favorite activity, or a pizza, or a movie.   Many of my 4th graders like HOT Wheel or Matchbox cars and will read enough to try an earn a car!   Thats boys and girls who like the little cars, or special pencils, stickers, candy a snack.  The reward is up to you.

With limited time I would try the game played while you are preparing dinner.  She can add math with determining how long things will take to cook, how many servings, how many calories, how many ounces  etc.

Sorry this got a bit long

Good luck