Why should homework be supervised?

Homework is necessary but mostly rather tedious, because only a few children feel like sitting down at a desk after school. For your child's learning progress it is important that they review the day's material or deepen it with other exercises.

Especially children starting school often have problems working through tasks in a structured way and keeping an overview. Supervision can create a productive working atmosphere and help your child complete homework with concentration. Without many distractions and with help to focus, most tasks are finished more quickly and there is more time left to spend the afternoon on pleasant things like hobbies or playing.

An important point in homework supervision is that tasks are not taken away from your child. That may be easier and quicker for the supervisors in some cases, but your child learns nothing that way.

What does homework supervision look like for my child?

Support:

Homework supervision is not tutoring. Rather than monitoring the student while they work on their tasks, the focus should be on independence and personal responsibility. For specific questions or major problems, however, your child can ask the supervisor for help.

Quiet work:

To ensure a productive working atmosphere, the supervisors make sure that the students complete their work quietly and on their own.

In groups:

If homework supervision takes place at school, it is usually offered for groups. One or two supervisors oversee the students while they independently complete their homework.

No checking:

Homework supervision is not intended to check the children's homework. It is meant to ensure that your child completes the homework. Correctness is then checked in class.

Where is homework supervision offered?

School:

Many full-day schools offer homework supervision in the afternoon. These programs are mainly aimed at younger children who finish school earlier but do not have someone to look after them at home.

After-school care:

Places in after-school care for the afternoon are in high demand. If your child attends an after-school club after school, there is also the possibility that the children can do their homework there and receive support if necessary.

Private:

At school or in after-school care, supervision takes place in groups. If you would prefer your child to be supervised individually, you can also hire a private person. Older pupils or university students like to earn some extra money that way. With this type of homework supervision you can individually agree on to what extent the supervision is designed as support or as tutoring.

How do I find the right homework supervision for my child?

• Personal fit comes first: You can't always choose the supervisor. If you decide on private homework supervision for your child, you should make sure that your child gets along well with their supervisor. It's best to arrange a trial session for your child.

• Clarify the extent: Depending on where your child is supervised, you can agree on how much support is provided. Individual supervision in particular can be more flexible, for example if a test is coming up that requires extra studying or if a task needs more detailed explanation.

• Consider recommendations: The parents of classmates may be able to recommend a good homework supervisor. There are also several online portals where students or former teachers offer qualified supervision. You can easily filter the results by your city.

• Stay informed: Homework supervision is very helpful, but parents often lose track of their child's learning material as a result. Have your child, teachers, or the supervisors regularly inform you about which tasks are being worked on and where there may still be problems.

Image credits:

Group of young kindergarten children with a teacher on the floor in a classroom, the teacher using a laptop © Halfpoint - stock.adobe.com

Father helps his son with his homework © JenkoAtaman - stock.adobe.com