Second Grade Math Homework Help for Struggling Students

Math Homework in Second Grade to Help Struggling Students

Why Have Homework in Second Grade?

Teachers may assign homework in second grade for several reasons:

• To complete an unfinished classroom assignment - common for a struggling student
• To challenge a child to 'greater heights'
• To reinforce concepts learned at school
• To develop links between home and school

The National Parent Teacher Association recommends only 20 minutes of homework each day for second graders (www.education.com). Although it can be helpful for kids to get extra practice, there's certainly a debate regarding the benefits of extensive homework for early elementary students.

What Do Teachers Expect Parents to Do about Homework?

With the advent of e-mail and the Internet, teachers find it easier to let parents know what homework their children receive and how the parents can help. Parents should contact the teacher if the homework seems unrealistic. If the homework expectation has not been given to the parents in writing, there is always the possibility that the child has misunderstood and may be frustrated as a result. The main ways teachers generally expect parents to help are:

• Be sure the child does the assignment
• Help ensure the child understands the concepts being practiced

Teachers have a room full of students to teach; if your child is struggling more than others in the class, the teacher may not have time to give the individual attention your child needs. For this reason, you may need to re-teach concepts to your child after they have been presented at school.

You can help your child learn and also increase his or her interest in math by finding appropriate games and interactive worksheets and flash cards on the Internet - your child's teacher can likely give you a list of some possibilities. Fun, interactive exercises can make concepts more clear and take the drudgery out of practice. However, the actual homework will still need to be done, so the amount time for doing math at home may be extended as a result.

You know your child's capabilities and weaknesses best, take these into consideration when practicing at home. A short break every 15 minutes may help. Using a timer and encouraging the child to keep breaking his or her previous record works for some children. A reward for cumulative success, such as a weekend sleepover with friends, can also be productive.