Creating best practices for homework

School is back in session, so it's time to get your child into a routine that will help them start their year with their best homework practices at home.

"The most important thing to remember about homework is that teachers do not assign homework just to make your lives as a parent miserable or to make children unhappy," said Heather Grocott of The Children's Workshop.

Homework should be priority for your child, as well as parents.

"There are some really key reasons why teachers will assign the homework. First of all, number one, they want the child to know that learning takes place everywhere. It just doesn't happen at school, as an isolated thing that takes place during the day. Learning can take place at home, it can take place in the community, at the library, and so forth," explained Grocott.

Homework could also prepare the student for an upcoming lesson.

"It may also be an opportunity for children to master a concept a little bit more than they had grasped in school on that day."

It needs to be a part of their daily routine.

"Maybe homework is first, maybe it's after a snack, but make sure you follow the same routine," said Grocott.

Parents should set aside a special area for their child to do their homework. Remember that all children want to be successful in school.

"So if you see a sign of frustration, or if your child is giving you a hard time, about completing the homework, eight times out of ten it's not because they don't wanna do the homework, it's probably because they feel uncomfortable and they may not have mastered the skill, they may be unsure of themselves. So try to provide a little bit of assistance and always remember your child wants to be the one who does his homework, not the one that doesn't complete the assignment."

Acknowledge the hard work your child does and celebrate their successes.

"If they've had a rough week full of homework, maybe on Friday there's something special that you do together as a family, you go somewhere, and just really be positive about it yourself and have a positive attitude towards learning."

Always turn off electronics during homework time.

"You really don't want any distractions from TV or iPads or any tablet devices, cell phones should all be off, and the computer really doesn't need to be on unless you're using that for learning," added Grocott.

If your child is struggling and you are unsure of how to help, The Children's Workshop recommends that you call or email the child's teacher.