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The Disorganized
Symptoms
Cant find materials needed to complete homework Important books and papers are left behind at school Backpack full of miscellaneous papers Difficulty staying on top of assignments Binder is messy with papers shoved into random places Long-term assignments are done at last minute Complete homework but did not turn in to teacher My child is very bright, but also inconsistent and scattered

Simple Solutions

Encourage the usage of their agenda book o Check agenda book each night for usage and completion of assignments Create and label a dedicated homework folder o Make it a habit to check their homework folder every night Create incentives for staying organized o Reward consistent usage of agenda books and homework completion Create a launching pad o Place your childs school items in one place for easy, quick access in the morning Schedule a weekly Clean Sweeps o At the end or beginning of the week clean out backpack and homework folders

Resources to use
Accordion binder organization system Agenda book (provided by school & Higher Achievement)

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The Rusher
Symptoms
Completes homework quickly, with little attention to detail Grades suffer because of careless mistakes Does homework so quickly that handwriting is messy and illegible Isnt motivated to do best work - just to get it done Capable of a higher quality of work, if only they would take the time Spends little time on any activity they dont find exciting Avoids editing, proofreading, and/or revising written work

Simple Solutions
Chunk time for best results o Use a timer to pace/segment work Establish a dedicated homework time (even when no homework is assigned) o 5-6th graders- 50-60minutes o 7-8th graders- 60-90minutes Create a list of other project, activities or assignments that should be worked on if homework isnt assigned Call the COPS- Capitalization | Overall Appearance | Punctuation | Spelling

The Procrastinator
Symptoms
Waits until after dinner or late in the evening to start homework Homework goes unfinished because we run out of time Underestimate the time it will take to complete homework assignments Only works on assignments due the next day Homework is not started only if prompted Makes excuses for not starting, doing or completing homework Grades are affected by homework that is hastily completed at last minute

Simple Solutions
Understand why child is procrastinating- Overwhelmed/underprepared and lack of confidence Set assign time to review and plan daily, weekly and monthly assignments/projects Make a workable to do list Tackle the Tolerable 10 o After 10minutes of dedicated focus students find it easier to complete tasks Set deadlines and follow through Make long term tasks part of daily homework

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The Avoider/Inattentive
Symptoms
Takes a long time to complete homework Claims to have little to no homework day in and day out Say homework is complete but it really is not Has many reasons and excuses about why there is no homework Doesnt write down homework assignments Forgets to bring agenda book and materials home Easily distracted by others in the room or outside noises Needs to be consistently watch or redirected to get homework done

Simple Solutions
Use a mirror to improve concentration Break the cycle of negativity o Give some control back o Say yes more often Trust, but verify o Utilize online homework postings Set up a study environment that works for the student o Let them fidget and/or exercise o Allow background music Communicate more with teachers and HA staff to align efforts

The Easily Frustrated

Symptoms
There are days when homework results in tears and tantrums Complains that homework is too hard and overwhelming Becomes upset with sudden change in plans or schedule Struggles to bounce back from negative experiences Emotional state prevents completion of task and assignments Shuts down at the first hint a task will be difficult

Simple Solutions
Reverse the to do list o Hardest tasks first Break assignments down to more manageable pieces Post homework rules, consequences and rewards Ignore the little things Take a break from power struggles Establish Homework Checklists as a part of an incentives

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Developing Incentive Systems

Step 1 . D escribe the problem beh aviors. Parents and children decide which behaviors are causing problems at homework time. For some children putting homework off to the last minute is the problem; for others, it is forgetting materials or neglecting to write down assignments. Still others rush through their work and make careless mistakes, while others dawdle over assignments, taking hours to complete what should take only a few minutes. It is important to be as specific as possible when describing the problem behaviors. The problem behavior should be described as behaviors that can be seen or heard; for instance, complains about homework or rushes through homework, making many mistakes are better descriptors than has a bad attitude or is lazy. Step 2 . Set a goal. Usually the goal relates directly to the problem behavior. For instance, if not writing down assignments is the problem, the goal might be: "Joe will write down his assignments in his assignment book for every class." Step 3 . D ecide on possible rew ards an d penalties. Homework incentive systems work best when children have a menu of rewards to choose from, since no single reward will be attractive for long. We recommend a point system in which points can be earned for the goal behaviors and traded in for the reward the child wants to earn. The bigger the reward, the more points the child will need to earn it. The menu should include both larger, more expensive rewards that may take a week or a month to earn and smaller, inexpensive rewards that can be earned daily. It may also be necessary to build penalties into the system. This is usually the loss of a privilege (such as the chance to watch a favorite TV show or the chance to talk on the telephone to a friend).
Once the system is up and running, and if you find your child is earning more penalties than rewards, then the program needs to be revised so that your child can be more successful. Usually when this kind of system fails, we think of it as a design failure rather than the failure of the child to respond to rewards. It may be a good idea if you are having difficulty designing a system that works to consult a specialist, such as a school psychologist or counselor, for assistance.

Step 4 . W rite a h om ew ork con tract. The contract should say exactly what the child agrees to do and exactly what the parents' roles and responsibilities will be. When the contract is in place, it should reduce some of the tension parents and kids often experience around homework. For instance, if part of the contract is that the child will earn a point for not complaining about homework, then if the child does complain, this should not be cause for a battle between parent and child: the child simply does not earn that point. Parents should also be sure to praise their children for following the contract. It will be important for parents to agree to a contract they can live with; that is, avoiding penalties they are either unable or unwilling to impose (e.g., if both parents work and are not at home, they cannot monitor whether a child is beginning homework right after school, so an alternative contract may need to be written).
We have found that it is a rare incentive system that works the first time. Parents should expect to try it out and redesign it to work the kinks out. Eventually, once the child is used to doing the behaviors specified in the contract, the contract can be rewritten to work on another problem behavior. Your child over time may be willing to drop the use of an incentive system altogether. This is often a long-term goal, however, and you should be ready to write a new contract if your child slips back to bad habits once a system is dropped.

Homework Contract
(Student's name) and (Parent's name) have mutually agreed to the following homework terms as of the 1. Time schedule for doing homework: Student will study at least minutes on the following days: Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday to to to to to to to to to to to to to to day of , 20 .

2. Homework area: Student will study in . 3. Homework rules: A. Assignment notebook will be checked before beginning homework. B. All homework and school materials are to be placed in a backpack at the end of the homework session in readiness for the next day of school. C. Homework will not be done in front of the TV or with loud music playing. D. No phone calls or breaks will be taken during allotted homework time. E. Homework time will be used for studying even if the student has no current assignments. 4. Special terms: A. Failure by the student to follow all terms of the contract will result in a penalty of . B. Following all the terms of the contract for a week will result in an award of . C. Parent will not offer homework help or advice unless requested by the student. D. After two weeks, parent and student will review the contract to decide if any changes need to be made before extending the contract for weeks.

By By

(Parent) (Student)

Our Weekly Schedule

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Weekly Chores and Homework Schedule

Task Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday