how much support to do homework?

[thisismeithinkorisit]

ds is year 7 so obv school homework is new at this level. previously just spelling, online tasks etc at primary.

how much support is required / appropriate? can / could yours just go off bad do it all alone? I don't mind guiding him through it except he's so combative, doesn't like homework and hates it impinging on his free time. he has some delay with his processing speed and "mild" autism so I feel justified in giving a bit extra support - guidance on layout, what to write where rather than content iyswim.

but ... my Dad never even checked by school work, Def wouldn't have been sitting here on a Sunday guiding me through it. is this help normal? am I babying him or being unreasonable form t doing more?

if I left him to it, nothing would get done

I have two kids, DS15 and DD13. Both has ASC. DS always struggled with homework, it was only in Yr9 that he got an EHCP and moved to tuition at home, where he has done well, but he needed a huge amount of support to do homework while in school. He has processing delays, dyscalculia and SEMH issues, he was combative but partly as he couldn't do it. Homework club was suggested, which would have been ideal - do check they would integrate your child well though, he had a badly-handled induction that left him anxious and he wouldn't go back. DD13 is able to do the homework set with practically no help, and does in half an hour what he could do in 3hrs. I think you can only try and help and see where issues are, but maybe speak to the SEN team about how he could be helped.

You shouldn’t need to get involved in the actual content of the homework (possibly explaining a concept if asked which they can then apply to the questions). However if they are new to all this they might benefit from some body-doubling where you are basically in the room as company - they might also be in a call with a friend who is also doing homework for this, or the old-school way of having chatty radio/rubbish tv on in the background.

We were lucky that Y5+6 were quite homework heavy so DD got used to regular work at home.

We ensured she had the relevant apps (for Spanish, Maths and English) and would read essays if required and provide feedback about structure and help how to research. If she got stuck somewhere we would help her understanding the task but we normally didn't provide content unless it was really difficult.

DD was good in getting set-up and going when she came home from school as DH and I work so she started on her own most days.

It was mandatory at her school and would result in detention if not done.

Respond to where they are at generally, I'd avoid giving them answers but if they need it support in how to do things, even better if you can show them how to find the information themselves. It's all about them about practising the skills or concepts they've learnt outside of school (or it should be) so there does need to be an element of independence however in the transition from primary to second they also just need to start learning to set the time aside to do it so if thats what they need tonfocus on then start there.

I gave DD quite a lot of support in y7, she didn’t understand some things or simply didn’t know how to do them. So I re explained things to her in a way that worked (algebra was fun!!) or modelled what things should look like, how to do them and she had a go. Then I’d have a look and offer feedback. I also helped her with how to revise for end of year tests and find which methods worked best for various topics.

She’s y10 now and 99% independent, though she’ll still have the odd day when she didn’t understand the maths (for example) so we look through her book and figure it out together.

DS1 is in year 6 and there's a noticeable jump up with homework (possibly to get them ready for year 7).

If it's online maths/times tables or reading we tell him to do it (and help him log in) but then he just gets on with it.

English worksheets and projects I think will need a bit more help.

My DD didn’t need any help except with the odd math problem. She was diligent and focussed. With my ADHD son I tended to sit with him or be close by to make sure he stayed on task, but they both had quite a lot of homework in junior school so it wasn’t quite as much as that sounds. Often I’d ask if he’d done it and leave it at that - his teachers would tell me if he hadn’t done it!