Suggestions for Dealing with Physics Homework

You have to work very hard at not "telling your child how to do a physics problem."

You want to emphasize understanding, but your child wants the answer.

Your child does not want any help.

 

  • Ask leading/open-ended questions.

   

  • Have your child explain the work while your record his/her ideas.

 

  • Have your child show you his/her finished physics work.

 

  • Help your child determine what the problem is asking him/her to do.
  • Encourage your child to use tables, graphs, diagrams and examples.

 

  • Have your child teach you the concepts.

 

  • Provide hints, but don't solve the problem.
  • Tell your child that an explanation is required to get full credit for the problem.

·        Implement an expectation for regularly discussing the physics work. (Schedule times for discussion.)

 

  • Practice "wait time". Be patient.

   

  • Ask, "What do you know, what do you want to know, and what have you learned?"

 

  • Institute a mandatory study location that is in view of parents.

 

  • Push for understanding (focus on making sense.)

 

  • Ask, "How do you know your answer is reasonable?"

 

  • Institute a supervised study time with no interruptions.

 

Your child does not keep an organized notebook.

Your child does not complete assignments on time.

Your method of doing the problem does not make sense to your child.

 

  • Have your child select his/her own supplies.

   

  • Check the use of the Daily Agenda Book.

 

  • Have your child teach you his/her method of working the problem.

 

 

  • Help with organization once, and supervise until the plan becomes a habit.

 

·        Use ESchool Parent to regularly track your child's progress (contact the counseling office for a password.)

 
  • Work a simpler, but similar problem.

   

  • Have your child remove work that is no longer needed from their backpack and/or binders.

 

  • Schedule a consistent time for doing homework. 

 
  • Both of you do the problem and then compare and discuss the work.

 

  • Help your child design his/her own organizational methods, but fine-tune it if needed.

 

  • Limit extra-curricular activities until work is completed. 

 
  • Try to identify the difficulty and help your child write a question in their agenda book that he/she will ask the teacher the next day.

  

  • Use a pocket folder, one side for "To Do Work" and one side for "Turn In/Completed Work".

 

  • Determine what consequences and rewards you are willing to implement.

 

  • Have your child attend PHYSICS tutoring on Tuesdays after school.

OR meet with the teacher mornings 7:30-8:00 am to get help with the assignment.

 

  • Insist that your child's backpack be packed and by the front door before going to bed.

 

 
  • Have your child call a friend to get help.