Helpful Tips for parents from Student Services

Tip Sheet for Parents: As Homework Gets Harder, Help Your Teen Concentrate

Your teen probably has an ever-growing list of things to do. He or she may feel there is less and less time to do it. But the better his or her study habits, the easier the list will be to manage. Now is the time to encourage your teen to:

• Pick the best time of day for studying. Some students are ready to buckle down as soon as they get home from school. Others do better after dinner. Once your teen picks a time, have him or her stick to it each day.
• Use the same space. If your teen always works in the same place, that place will soon come to mean "homework.”
• Set small, frequent goals. "I'll do one page of math per half hour." "I'll read two chapters per hour." Every time your teen meets a goal, he or she will experience the feeling of success. And that will spur him or her on.
• Have a glass of water nearby. He or she won't be able to concentrate if they are thirsty. And drinking water will help him or her stay alert.
• Take breaks and then get back to it. Long periods of sitting eventually make students feel sluggish. Encourage your teen to get up and move around every hour or so.