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Everyone struggles with homework sometimes, but if getting your homework done has become a chronic issue for you, then you may need a little extra help. That’s why we’ve written this article all about how to do homework. Once you’re finished reading it, you’ll know how to do homework (and have tons of new ways to motivate yourself to do homework)!

We’ve broken this article down into a few major sections. You’ll find:

• A diagnostic test to help you figure out why you’re struggling with homework
• A discussion of the four major homework problems students face, along with expert tips for addressing them
• A bonus section with tips for how to do homework fast

By the end of this article, you’ll be prepared to tackle whatever homework assignments your teachers throw at you .

So let’s get started!

How to Do Homework: Figure Out Your Struggles 

Sometimes it feels like everything is standing between you and getting your homework done. But the truth is, most people only have one or two major roadblocks that are keeping them from getting their homework done well and on time. 

The best way to figure out how to get motivated to do homework starts with pinpointing the issues that are affecting your ability to get your assignments done. That’s why we’ve developed a short quiz to help you identify the areas where you’re struggling. 

Take the quiz below and record your answers on your phone or on a scrap piece of paper. Keep in mind there are no wrong answers! 

1. You’ve just been assigned an essay in your English class that’s due at the end of the week. What’s the first thing you do?

A. Keep it in mind, even though you won’t start it until the day before it’s due  B. Open up your planner. You’ve got to figure out when you’ll write your paper since you have band practice, a speech tournament, and your little sister’s dance recital this week, too.  C. Groan out loud. Another essay? You could barely get yourself to write the last one!  D. Start thinking about your essay topic, which makes you think about your art project that’s due the same day, which reminds you that your favorite artist might have just posted to Instagram...so you better check your feed right now. 

2. Your mom asked you to pick up your room before she gets home from work. You’ve just gotten home from school. You decide you’ll tackle your chores: 

A. Five minutes before your mom walks through the front door. As long as it gets done, who cares when you start?  B. As soon as you get home from your shift at the local grocery store.  C. After you give yourself a 15-minute pep talk about how you need to get to work.  D. You won’t get it done. Between texts from your friends, trying to watch your favorite Netflix show, and playing with your dog, you just lost track of time! 

3. You’ve signed up to wash dogs at the Humane Society to help earn money for your senior class trip. You: 

A. Show up ten minutes late. You put off leaving your house until the last minute, then got stuck in unexpected traffic on the way to the shelter.  B. Have to call and cancel at the last minute. You forgot you’d already agreed to babysit your cousin and bake cupcakes for tomorrow’s bake sale.  C. Actually arrive fifteen minutes early with extra brushes and bandanas you picked up at the store. You’re passionate about animals, so you’re excited to help out! D. Show up on time, but only get three dogs washed. You couldn’t help it: you just kept getting distracted by how cute they were!

4. You have an hour of downtime, so you decide you’re going to watch an episode of The Great British Baking Show. You: 

A. Scroll through your social media feeds for twenty minutes before hitting play, which means you’re not able to finish the whole episode. Ugh! You really wanted to see who was sent home!  B. Watch fifteen minutes until you remember you’re supposed to pick up your sister from band practice before heading to your part-time job. No GBBO for you!  C. You finish one episode, then decide to watch another even though you’ve got SAT studying to do. It’s just more fun to watch people make scones.  D. Start the episode, but only catch bits and pieces of it because you’re reading Twitter, cleaning out your backpack, and eating a snack at the same time.

5. Your teacher asks you to stay after class because you’ve missed turning in two homework assignments in a row. When she asks you what’s wrong, you say: 

A. You planned to do your assignments during lunch, but you ran out of time. You decided it would be better to turn in nothing at all than submit unfinished work.  B. You really wanted to get the assignments done, but between your extracurriculars, family commitments, and your part-time job, your homework fell through the cracks.  C. You have a hard time psyching yourself to tackle the assignments. You just can’t seem to find the motivation to work on them once you get home.  D. You tried to do them, but you had a hard time focusing. By the time you realized you hadn’t gotten anything done, it was already time to turn them in. 

Like we said earlier, there are no right or wrong answers to this quiz (though your results will be better if you answered as honestly as possible). Here’s how your answers break down: 

• If your answers were mostly As, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is procrastination. 
• If your answers were mostly Bs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is time management. 
• If your answers were mostly Cs, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is motivation. 
• If your answers were mostly Ds, then your biggest struggle with doing homework is getting distracted. 

Now that you’ve identified why you’re having a hard time getting your homework done, we can help you figure out how to fix it! Scroll down to find your core problem area to learn more about how you can start to address it. 

And one more thing: you’re really struggling with homework, it’s a good idea to read through every section below. You may find some additional tips that will help make homework less intimidating. 

How to Do Homework When You’re a Procrastinator  

Merriam Webster defines “procrastinate” as “to put off intentionally and habitually.” In other words, procrastination is when you choose to do something at the last minute on a regular basis. If you’ve ever found yourself pulling an all-nighter, trying to finish an assignment between periods, or sprinting to turn in a paper minutes before a deadline, you’ve experienced the effects of procrastination. 

If you’re a chronic procrastinator, you’re in good company. In fact, one study found that 70% to 95% of undergraduate students procrastinate when it comes to doing their homework. Unfortunately, procrastination can negatively impact your grades. Researchers have found that procrastination can lower your grade on an assignment by as much as five points ...which might not sound serious until you realize that can mean the difference between a B- and a C+. 

Procrastination can also negatively affect your health by increasing your stress levels , which can lead to other health conditions like insomnia, a weakened immune system, and even heart conditions. Getting a handle on procrastination can not only improve your grades, it can make you feel better, too! 

The big thing to understand about procrastination is that it’s not the result of laziness. Laziness is defined as being “disinclined to activity or exertion.” In other words, being lazy is all about doing nothing. But a s this Psychology Today article explains , procrastinators don’t put things off because they don’t want to work. Instead, procrastinators tend to postpone tasks they don’t want to do in favor of tasks that they perceive as either more important or more fun. Put another way, procrastinators want to do things...as long as it’s not their homework! 

3 Tips f or Conquering Procrastination 

Because putting off doing homework is a common problem, there are lots of good tactics for addressing procrastination. Keep reading for our three expert tips that will get your homework habits back on track in no time. 

#1: Create a Reward System

Like we mentioned earlier, procrastination happens when you prioritize other activities over getting your homework done. Many times, this happens because homework...well, just isn’t enjoyable. But you can add some fun back into the process by rewarding yourself for getting your work done. 

Here’s what we mean: let’s say you decide that every time you get your homework done before the day it’s due, you’ll give yourself a point. For every five points you earn, you’ll treat yourself to your favorite dessert: a chocolate cupcake! Now you have an extra (delicious!) incentive to motivate you to leave procrastination in the dust. 

If you’re not into cupcakes, don’t worry. Your reward can be anything that motivates you . Maybe it’s hanging out with your best friend or an extra ten minutes of video game time. As long as you’re choosing something that makes homework worth doing, you’ll be successful. 

#2: Have a Homework Accountability Partner 

If you’re having trouble getting yourself to start your homework ahead of time, it may be a good idea to call in reinforcements . Find a friend or classmate you can trust and explain to them that you’re trying to change your homework habits. Ask them if they’d be willing to text you to make sure you’re doing your homework and check in with you once a week to see if you’re meeting your anti-procrastination goals. 

Sharing your goals can make them feel more real, and an accountability partner can help hold you responsible for your decisions. For example, let’s say you’re tempted to put off your science lab write-up until the morning before it’s due. But you know that your accountability partner is going to text you about it tomorrow...and you don’t want to fess up that you haven’t started your assignment. A homework accountability partner can give you the extra support and incentive you need to keep your homework habits on track. 

#3: Create Your Own Due Dates 

If you’re a life-long procrastinator, you might find that changing the habit is harder than you expected. In that case, you might try using procrastination to your advantage! If you just can’t seem to stop doing your work at the last minute, try setting your own due dates for assignments that range from a day to a week before the assignment is actually due. 

Here’s what we mean. Let’s say you have a math worksheet that’s been assigned on Tuesday and is due on Friday. In your planner, you can write down the due date as Thursday instead. You may still put off your homework assignment until the last minute...but in this case, the “last minute” is a day before the assignment’s real due date . This little hack can trick your procrastination-addicted brain into planning ahead! 

If you feel like Kevin Hart in this meme, then our tips for doing homework when you're busy are for you. 

How to Do Homework When You’re too Busy

If you’re aiming to go to a top-tier college , you’re going to have a full plate. Because college admissions is getting more competitive, it’s important that you’re maintaining your grades , studying hard for your standardized tests , and participating in extracurriculars so your application stands out. A packed schedule can get even more hectic once you add family obligations or a part-time job to the mix. 

If you feel like you’re being pulled in a million directions at once, you’re not alone. Recent research has found that stress—and more severe stress-related conditions like anxiety and depression— are a major problem for high school students . In fact, one study from the American Psychological Association found that during the school year, students’ stress levels are higher than those of the adults around them. 

For students, homework is a major contributor to their overall stress levels . Many high schoolers have multiple hours of homework every night , and figuring out how to fit it into an already-packed schedule can seem impossible. 

3 Tips for Fitting Homework Into Your Busy Schedule

While it might feel like you have literally no time left in your schedule, there are still ways to make sure you’re able to get your homework done and meet your other commitments. Here are our expert homework tips for even the busiest of students. 

#1: Make a Prioritized To-Do List 

You probably already have a to-do list to keep yourself on track. The next step is to prioritize the items on your to-do list so you can see what items need your attention right away. 

Here’s how it works: at the beginning of each day, sit down and make a list of all the items you need to get done before you go to bed. This includes your homework, but it should also take into account any practices, chores, events, or job shifts you may have. Once you get everything listed out, it’s time to prioritize them using the labels A, B, and C. Here’s what those labels mean:

• A Tasks : tasks that have to get done—like showing up at work or turning in an assignment—get an A. 
• B Tasks : these are tasks that you would like to get done by the end of the day but aren’t as time sensitive. For example, studying for a test you have next week could be a B-level task. It’s still important, but it doesn’t have to be done right away.
• C Tasks: these are tasks that aren’t very important and/or have no real consequences if you don’t get them done immediately. For instance, if you’re hoping to clean out your closet but it’s not an assigned chore from your parents, you could label that to-do item with a C.

Prioritizing your to-do list helps you visualize which items need your immediate attention, and which items you can leave for later. A prioritized to-do list ensures that you’re spending your time efficiently and effectively, which helps you make room in your schedule for homework. So even though you might really want to start making decorations for Homecoming (a B task), you’ll know that finishing your reading log (an A task) is more important. 

#2: Use a Planner With Time Labels

Your planner is probably packed with notes, events, and assignments already. (And if you’re not using a planner, it’s time to start!) But planners can do more for you than just remind you when an assignment is due. If you’re using a planner with time labels, it can help you visualize how you need to spend your day.

A planner with time labels breaks your day down into chunks, and you assign tasks to each chunk of time. For example, you can make a note of your class schedule with assignments, block out time to study, and make sure you know when you need to be at practice. Once you know which tasks take priority, you can add them to any empty spaces in your day. 

Planning out how you spend your time not only helps you use it wisely, it can help you feel less overwhelmed, too . We’re big fans of planners that include a task list ( like this one ) or have room for notes ( like this one ). 

#3: Set Reminders on Your Phone 

If you need a little extra nudge to make sure you’re getting your homework done on time, it’s a good idea to set some reminders on your phone. You don’t need a fancy app, either. You can use your alarm app to have it go off at specific times throughout the day to remind you to do your homework. This works especially well if you have a set homework time scheduled. So if you’ve decided you’re doing homework at 6:00 pm, you can set an alarm to remind you to bust out your books and get to work. 

If you use your phone as your planner, you may have the option to add alerts, emails, or notifications to scheduled events . Many calendar apps, including the one that comes with your phone, have built-in reminders that you can customize to meet your needs. So if you block off time to do your homework from 4:30 to 6:00 pm, you can set a reminder that will pop up on your phone when it’s time to get started. 

This dog isn't judging your lack of motivation...but your teacher might. Keep reading for tips to help you motivate yourself to do your homework.

How to Do Homework When You’re Unmotivated 

At first glance, it may seem like procrastination and being unmotivated are the same thing. After all, both of these issues usually result in you putting off your homework until the very last minute. 

But there’s one key difference: many procrastinators are working, they’re just prioritizing work differently. They know they’re going to start their homework...they’re just going to do it later. 

Conversely, people who are unmotivated to do homework just can’t find the willpower to tackle their assignments. Procrastinators know they’ll at least attempt the homework at the last minute, whereas people who are unmotivated struggle with convincing themselves to do it at a ll. For procrastinators, the stress comes from the inevitable time crunch. For unmotivated people, the stress comes from trying to convince themselves to do something they don’t want to do in the first place. 

Here are some common reasons students are unmotivated in doing homework : 

• Assignments are too easy, too hard, or seemingly pointless 
• Students aren’t interested in (or passionate about) the subject matter
• Students are intimidated by the work and/or feels like they don’t understand the assignment 
• Homework isn’t fun, and students would rather spend their time on things that they enjoy 

To sum it up: people who lack motivation to do their homework are more likely to not do it at all, or to spend more time worrying about doing their homework than...well, actually doing it.

3 Tips for How to Get Motivated to Do Homework

The key to getting homework done when you’re unmotivated is to figure out what does motivate you, then apply those things to homework. It sounds tricky...but it’s pretty simple once you get the hang of it! Here are our three expert tips for motivating yourself to do your homework. 

#1: Use Incremental Incentives

When you’re not motivated, it’s important to give yourself small rewards to stay focused on finishing the task at hand. The trick is to keep the incentives small and to reward yourself often. For example, maybe you’re reading a good book in your free time. For every ten minutes you spend on your homework, you get to read five pages of your book. Like we mentioned earlier, make sure you’re choosing a reward that works for you! 

So why does this technique work? Using small rewards more often allows you to experience small wins for getting your work done. Every time you make it to one of your tiny reward points, you get to celebrate your success, which gives your brain a boost of dopamine . Dopamine helps you stay motivated and also creates a feeling of satisfaction when you complete your homework !  

#2: Form a Homework Group 

If you’re having trouble motivating yourself, it’s okay to turn to others for support. Creating a homework group can help with this. Bring together a group of your friends or classmates, and pick one time a week where you meet and work on homework together. You don’t have to be in the same class, or even taking the same subjects— the goal is to encourage one another to start (and finish!) your assignments. 

Another added benefit of a homework group is that you can help one another if you’re struggling to understand the material covered in your classes. This is especially helpful if your lack of motivation comes from being intimidated by your assignments. Asking your friends for help may feel less scary than talking to your teacher...and once you get a handle on the material, your homework may become less frightening, too. 

#3: Change Up Your Environment 

If you find that you’re totally unmotivated, it may help if you find a new place to do your homework. For example, if you’ve been struggling to get your homework done at home, try spending an extra hour in the library after school instead. The change of scenery can limit your distractions and give you the energy you need to get your work done. 

If you’re stuck doing homework at home, you can still use this tip. For instance, maybe you’ve always done your homework sitting on your bed. Try relocating somewhere else, like your kitchen table, for a few weeks. You may find that setting up a new “homework spot” in your house gives you a motivational lift and helps you get your work done. 

Social media can be a huge problem when it comes to doing homework. We have advice for helping you unplug and regain focus.

How to Do Homework When You’re Easily Distracted

We live in an always-on world, and there are tons of things clamoring for our attention. From friends and family to pop culture and social media, it seems like there’s always something (or someone!) distracting us from the things we need to do.

The 24/7 world we live in has affected our ability to focus on tasks for prolonged periods of time. Research has shown that over the past decade, an average person’s attention span has gone from 12 seconds to eight seconds . And when we do lose focus, i t takes people a long time to get back on task . One study found that it can take as long as 23 minutes to get back to work once we’ve been distracte d. No wonder it can take hours to get your homework done! 

3 Tips to Improve Your Focus

If you have a hard time focusing when you’re doing your homework, it’s a good idea to try and eliminate as many distractions as possible. Here are three expert tips for blocking out the noise so you can focus on getting your homework done. 

#1: Create a Distraction-Free Environment

Pick a place where you’ll do your homework every day, and make it as distraction-free as possible. Try to find a location where there won’t be tons of noise, and limit your access to screens while you’re doing your homework. Put together a focus-oriented playlist (or choose one on your favorite streaming service), and put your headphones on while you work. 

You may find that other people, like your friends and family, are your biggest distraction. If that’s the case, try setting up some homework boundaries. Let them know when you’ll be working on homework every day, and ask them if they’ll help you keep a quiet environment. They’ll be happy to lend a hand! 

#2: Limit Your Access to Technology 

We know, we know...this tip isn’t fun, but it does work. For homework that doesn’t require a computer, like handouts or worksheets, it’s best to put all your technology away . Turn off your television, put your phone and laptop in your backpack, and silence notifications on any wearable tech you may be sporting. If you listen to music while you work, that’s fine...but make sure you have a playlist set up so you’re not shuffling through songs once you get started on your homework. 

If your homework requires your laptop or tablet, it can be harder to limit your access to distractions. But it’s not impossible! T here are apps you can download that will block certain websites while you’re working so that you’re not tempted to scroll through Twitter or check your Facebook feed. Silence notifications and text messages on your computer, and don’t open your email account unless you absolutely have to. And if you don’t need access to the internet to complete your assignments, turn off your WiFi. Cutting out the online chatter is a great way to make sure you’re getting your homework done. 

#3: Set a Timer (the Pomodoro Technique)

Have you ever heard of the Pomodoro technique ? It’s a productivity hack that uses a timer to help you focus!

Here’s how it works: first, set a timer for 25 minutes. This is going to be your work time. During this 25 minutes, all you can do is work on whatever homework assignment you have in front of you. No email, no text messaging, no phone calls—just homework. When that timer goes off, you get to take a 5 minute break. Every time you go through one of these cycles, it’s called a “pomodoro.” For every four pomodoros you complete, you can take a longer break of 15 to 30 minutes.

The pomodoro technique works through a combination of boundary setting and rewards. First, it gives you a finite amount of time to focus, so you know that you only have to work really hard for 25 minutes. Once you’ve done that, you’re rewarded with a short break where you can do whatever you want. Additionally, tracking how many pomodoros you complete can help you see how long you’re really working on your homework. (Once you start using our focus tips, you may find it doesn’t take as long as you thought!)

Two Bonus Tips for How to Do Homework Fast

Even if you’re doing everything right, there will be times when you just need to get your homework done as fast as possible. (Why do teachers always have projects due in the same week? The world may never know.)

The problem with speeding through homework is that it’s easy to make mistakes. While turning in an assignment is always better than not submitting anything at all, you want to make sure that you’re not compromising quality for speed. Simply put, the goal is to get your homework done quickly and still make a good grade on the assignment! 

Here are our two bonus tips for getting a decent grade on your homework assignments , even when you’re in a time crunch. 

#1: Do the Easy Parts First 

This is especially true if you’re working on a handout with multiple questions. Before you start working on the assignment, read through all the questions and problems. As you do, make a mark beside the questions you think are “easy” to answer . 

Once you’ve finished going through the whole assignment, you can answer these questions first. Getting the easy questions out of the way as quickly as possible lets you spend more time on the trickier portions of your homework, which will maximize your assignment grade. 

(Quick note: this is also a good strategy to use on timed assignments and tests, like the SAT and the ACT !) 

#2: Pay Attention in Class 

Homework gets a lot easier when you’re actively learning the material. Teachers aren’t giving you homework because they’re mean or trying to ruin your weekend... it’s because they want you to really understand the course material. Homework is designed to reinforce what you’re already learning in class so you’ll be ready to tackle harder concepts later.

When you pay attention in class, ask questions, and take good notes, you’re absorbing the information you’ll need to succeed on your homework assignments. (You’re stuck in class anyway, so you might as well make the most of it!) Not only will paying attention in class make your homework less confusing, it will also help it go much faster, too.

What’s Next?

If you’re looking to improve your productivity beyond homework, a good place to begin is with time management. After all, we only have so much time in a day...so it’s important to get the most out of it! To get you started, check out this list of the 12 best time management techniques that you can start using today.

You may have read this article because homework struggles have been affecting your GPA. Now that you’re on the path to homework success, it’s time to start being proactive about raising your grades. This article teaches you everything you need to know about raising your GPA so you can

Now you know how to get motivated to do homework...but what about your study habits? Studying is just as critical to getting good grades, and ultimately getting into a good college . We can teach you how to study bette r in high school. (We’ve also got tons of resources to help you study for your ACT and SAT exams , too!)

These recommendations are based solely on our knowledge and experience. If you purchase an item through one of our links, PrepScholar may receive a commission.

Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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6 ways to establish a productive homework routine

Assistant Professor of College Learning Strategies and Instruction, Syracuse University

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Homework. Whether you’re a fifth-grader or a freshman in college, the mere thought of homework can be overwhelming. And actually doing homework can be quite difficult. But homework doesn’t have to be something a student dreads.

As a former high school English teacher and researcher who specializes in what it takes to make it through college – and a co-author of a forthcoming revised edition of a book about academic success – I’ve studied homework since 2010. Here are six ways I believe homework can be made more manageable and valuable, whether you’re in elementary school, high school or graduate school.

1. Set priorities

Establish a list of priorities based on the class syllabus or assignment list. This can be helpful for tackling difficult tasks, creating motivation and activating your sense of control and independence when it comes to learning. The priority list helps maintain goals and gives you a sense satisfaction to cross things off the list as they are completed.

2. Tackle difficult tasks first

Start with your most difficult assignments first in order to make the most of your energy level and to focus at the beginning of a work session. You can attend to the easier or less time-consuming assignments at the end of a work session.

3. Break tasks down to smaller steps

You may not know how to start a major task, which could trigger procrastination or feelings of defeat. To guard against this, break major tasks into three or four smaller steps. Within one homework session, you can feel a greater sense of accomplishment by completing each small step toward the larger whole. In some cases, you might be able to spread these tasks over the course of a week.

4. Create evidence of learning

You will get more out of the time you spend reading, reviewing notes or otherwise “studying” if you create something in the process. For example, creating flash cards, a graphic organizer, chart, or notes with bullet points can help you become an active learner rather than a passive one. Organize the tools you create with the homework assignment by date and topic so that you can review those items to prepare for quizzes, tests or projects.

5. Build a network of support

If certain homework problems could not be solved and you’re stuck in a rut, figure out what’s confusing you and write or record your thoughts. Jot questions down and be as specific as possible in order to seek out additional support from teachers or tutors. The more you can identify sources of confusion, the more you can proactively reach out to your support network – teachers, tutors and others – in order to get additional help.

6. Revisit goals and set new ones

At the start of each homework session, establish goals for completion of your tasks or assignments. Revisit the goals at the end of the session and acknowledge a sense of completion. This goal-setting process builds confidence over time and helps you realize their potential even when faced with difficulties. A productive homework routine will help you realize that learning is an ongoing journey. The journey may be difficult but getting organized will make it as stress-free as possible.

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How to Make a Better Homework Schedule for Your Family

Verywell / Zackary Angeline

Why Homework Schedules Are Effective

• Developing a Schedule

Other Considerations

Do you frequently have homework struggles with your child or teen? Or, does your student procrastinate doing their work? Maybe they even fail to turn in assignments. If any of these scenarios resonate with you, a better homework schedule may help.

A regular homework schedule establishes predictable times when homework is to be completed. Once the homework schedule has been in place for a few weeks, you may even find your child will begin doing their homework without needing to be reminded—although you may still need to monitor their work progress.

If you're struggling with homework completion in your household, or if you're having daily battles about allotting the appropriate amount of time to homework, you're not alone. That's why educators recommend developing a homework schedule—with input from your kids.

Once you set a homework schedule, then there are no questions about when the work will be done. It also communicates clear expectations; having a homework schedule helps kids understand what is required of them. And following the schedule encourages them to develop a good work ethic.

Schedules also help prevent procrastination and instill good habits like completing work on time. Homework routines also improve study skills and encourage kids to plan ahead.

Other benefits include developing your child's work ethic and organizational abilities. By helping your child complete their work at regular intervals, you are modeling how to manage time and projects in the future. When you send them off to college , they will know how to pace their work so they can avoid all-nighters at the end of the semester.

How to Develop a Homework Schedule

To develop a homework schedule, start by talking with your kids. Get their input on how they would like to manage their time and incorporate their homework into their daily routine. A successful homework schedule allows kids to finish their work and also have some free time.

Give Kids an Option

If you ask kids when they want to do their homework, their first answer might be "Never" or "Later." But if you dig a little deeper, your child may tell you what matters to them as they plan their schedule. This information will help you avoid scheduling homework during their favorite television program or when they usually get online to play games with friends.

When you include your child in the decision-making process, you also will get more buy-in from them because they know that their concerns were heard. You don't have to give them their way, but at least considering what they have to say will let them feel included. After all, this homework schedule is about them completing their homework.

Allow for Free Time

Some kids can step through the front door and buckle down on their homework right away. When this happens, they reap the reward of getting their work done early and having the rest of the evening to do what they want. But most kids need to eat and decompress a bit before tackling their assignments.

As you develop your homework schedule, keep in mind your child has already spent at least six hours in class. And this time doesn't include getting to and from school or participation in extracurricular programs . Allow kids some free time before beginning their homework if that's what they need to unwind.

Establish a Timeline

Generally, you can expect about 10 minutes of homework per grade level of school. This means that a third-grade student will need about 30 minutes to complete homework. However, the amount of time needed can vary dramatically between students, teachers, and schools.

Find out how much time your child's teacher expects homework to take each evening. If your child takes a lot of time to complete their work or struggles with homework , talk with the teacher. Your child may need extra instruction on a task or tutoring assistance—or fewer homework assignments.

Pick a Homework Spot

Designate a comfortable and efficient spot for your kids to do their homework. This workspace should be well-lit, stocked with supplies , and quiet. The workspace should allow you to provide some supervision. 

If you have multiple kids trying to complete their homework at one time, you may want to find a separate location for each child. Sometimes kids can complete their homework together at the kitchen table, but other times having siblings around can be distracting. Do what works best for your family.

Put It All Together

Now that you know what your child's needs and concerns are for finding a time to do homework, you need to come up with the actual plan. Creating a homework routine is really just one piece of creating a daily school year routine .

For the homework time itself, get it down on paper so you can see exactly what they will be doing and when they will be doing it. Do this for each day of the week if you have different activities on different weekdays. Students who are assigned larger projects will need to review their homework plans regularly to make adjustments as needed.

Expect your child to work consistently throughout the assigned time. Avoid having multiple homework sessions, such as one before dinner and a second one after dinner. Starting and stopping may mean children may spend more time getting into what they are doing than working continuously.

Be Consistent

Once you have decided on a time to do homework, stick to the plan! It usually takes about three weeks for most children to really get into the habit of their new schedule.

If your child or teen has difficulty maintaining concentration for the length of time that their homework should take, then you may want to carefully consider breaking up the work to take advantage of the time when your child can focus.

This added step is especially important for children and teens with depression or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). They may benefit from multiple smaller work sessions and more frequent breaks.

Even though the idea behind creating a homework schedule is to get your child to work consistently and independently, you may need to look over their work when they are done. This is especially important for younger children.

Make sure they understand their assignments and that they completed a reasonable amount of work during the homework session. If you find your child is having trouble actually working during their homework time, troubleshoot to find out what might be the issue. Sometimes kids need extra help and other times they simply need more motivation to get their work done.

If you find that your child continues to struggle with homework even with a schedule in place, you might need to dig a little deeper. Consider discussing your child's issues with their teacher or pediatrician.

Sometimes kids are reluctant to complete their homework because of undiagnosed learning disabilities. It could be that your child struggles with reading comprehension or has a processing disorder. Or it could be that your child is struggling with a mental health issue like anxiety .

A Word From Verywell

Establishing a homework schedule allows children to build some important life skills that will help them as they navigate high school, college, and eventually the workforce. Practice is important when kids are learning new skills. So, having a nightly homework routine enhances your child's learning. Just be sure you aren't requiring homework time at the expense of being a kid. Having time to play is just as important to a child's development as learning new material.

National Institute of Mental Health. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder .

By Lisa Linnell-Olsen Lisa Linnell-Olsen has worked as a support staff educator, and is well-versed in issues of education policy and parenting issues.

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How to Get Your Homework Done Fast

Last Updated: March 2, 2024 Fact Checked

Staying Focused

Getting organized, staying motivated, expert q&a.

This article was co-authored by Jake Adams . Jake Adams is an academic tutor and the owner of Simplifi EDU, a Santa Monica, California based online tutoring business offering learning resources and online tutors for academic subjects K-College, SAT & ACT prep, and college admissions applications. With over 14 years of professional tutoring experience, Jake is dedicated to providing his clients the very best online tutoring experience and access to a network of excellent undergraduate and graduate-level tutors from top colleges all over the nation. Jake holds a BS in International Business and Marketing from Pepperdine University. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,150,947 times.

Doing homework can be both time-consuming and frustrating, and you probably want to do more with your free time than just homework. When you have a lot of work to do, it can be tough to work efficiently. By staying focused, organizing and planning, and motivating yourself, you can get your homework done in a timely manner and move onto more fun and exciting activities. But you should start with putting away all distractions such as your devices unless you need them.They are normally the main distraction. You should also work in a quiet place so you are not attempted to go and do something else. For example, you should not work near your TV because you will be tempted to go and watch it.

• Download website-blocking apps such as Freedom or SelfControl to stay focused while using your computer for homework. Some, such as the Chrome extension Strict Workflow, even have the added bonus of preventing you from cancelling the timer once it has started.

• If one subject or type of assignment is taking much more time than the others, you may want to ask for a little extra help in that area from your teacher or parent.
• If you get distracted or go off-task, don't make excuses for yourself. (e.g. "I won't be able to focus until I do this anyway." or "I'm sure it will only take a minute or two."

• Consider consolidating your multiple different subject folders and notebooks into one big binder separated by tab dividers. This way, all of your schoolwork will be in one place.

• Decide how much time you want to spend on your homework collectively.
• Make a list of all the different tasks you need to finish.
• Estimate how much time you’ll be able to spend on each task to finish your homework when you want to.
• Work straight through your list and cross tasks off as you go. [7] X Research source

• A ten page essay that’s due in a week that you haven’t started should be labeled an “A” or “B” while a short five question worksheet due in three days may be labeled a “C”.
• Make sure you don't wait until the last second to get assignments done.

• Try eating celery sticks and apple slices with peanut butter.

Supercharge Your Studying with this Expert Series

Reader Videos

Share a quick video tip and help bring articles to life with your friendly advice. Your insights could make a real difference and help millions of people!

• Wear something very comfortable while you work. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0
• Make sure to hand in all assignments on time. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0
• Try using a planner to help you remember the tasks that you need to complete. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0

Tips from our Readers

• If you set a timer, it can motivate you to get your homework done more quickly. Be sure to take a 2-5 minute break in between. For example, if you're going to do an assignment that you expect to take 30 minutes, set a timer for 15 minutes. Take a 2-minute break when the timer goes off, then set your timer again for 15 minutes.
• It can be good to have friends over if they help motivate you and are interested in getting their homework done quickly as well. They might be a distraction at times but it can also be easier to work when there are people around you who are working too.
• If you drink something cold during your breaks it can help make you more alert so that you'll finish faster. It might also help to do it at night rather than during the day so you feel more time pressure.
• Try to get your homework done as much as you can in school. You could do it during a flex or study hall. If your teacher gives you time in class to work on it, use it.

• Take your time. If you rush through your homework and don’t try your best, you might end up getting a bad grade. Thanks Helpful 176 Not Helpful 19

You Might Also Like

• ↑ http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/creating-ideal-homework-environment-for-kids-with-adhd-0913164
• ↑ http://info.achs.edu/blog/never-do-homework-in-bed-3-reasons-why
• ↑ https://childmind.org/article/strategies-to-make-homework-go-more-smoothly/
• ↑ https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/take-charge-of-distractions/
• ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/homework.html
• ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/homework.html
• ↑ https://ofy.org/blog/homework-hacks-8-tips-get-done-faster/
• ↑ Jake Adams. Academic Tutor & Test Prep Specialist. Expert Interview. 20 May 2020.

About This Article

To get your homework done fast, work in a comfortable, well-lit area that doesn't have any distractions. Also, try setting a timer with however many minutes you want to finish your homework in so you can glance at it as you work and see if you're spending too much time on something. You can also make a to-do list before you get started so you don't waste any time figuring out what you need to be working on. To stay motivated, have a snack and some water nearby, and reward yourself with a fun activity once all your homework is done. To learn how to get organized so it's easier to do your homework, scroll down! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to Create Effective Homework

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Based on a recent spate of articles on homework, it’s clear that the homework wars -- how much? how often? -- are still topic of big interest to both parents and teachers. Some teachers hate to give homework; others see it as a vital necessity. But according to some research presented by Annie Murphy Paul, the question isn’t how much, but whether the homework teachers do give actually advances learning.

“A recent study, published in the Economics of Education Review,” Paul wrote in “How Can We Make Homework Worthwhile?” , “reports that homework in science, English and history has ‘little to no impact’ on student test scores. (The authors did note a positive effect for math homework.) Enriching children’s classroom learning requires making homework not shorter or longer, but smarter.” Paul goes on to describe specific practices, like spaced repetition (in which information is presented and repeated spaced out over time), retrieval practice (testing or quizzing not for assessment, but to reinforce material learned), and cognitive disfluency (“desirable difficulties” used to make learning stick) -- all memory/retrieval techniques that may help homework move beyond busy work and advance real learning.

But to get those elements to work, said Fires in the Mind author and speaker Kathleen Cushman, students must be motivated to do their homework in the first place. One example Cushman gave was creating a project so interesting and involved, students naturally wanted to keep working on it after the bell rang. She pointed to a chapter in the book where she describes a particular motivation for some high school students she interviewed, under the heading “Homework We Actually Want to Do”:

“Christina and Nicholas both remembered a global studies unit on the French Revolution in which students acted out a courtroom trial of the king and queen. The project brought even routine homework assignments to life, they said.

“I was the queen. So of course I wanted to do my homework all the time, so I could know the facts of what happened and what didn’t happen, know what I wanted to say when someone tried to say I did this or that thing. I could say, ‘Oh no, I didn’t!’ - because I’d read my homework,” said Christina.

Christina was using a form of retrieval practice -- but because it was so much fun to be the queen, she only knew she wanted to stay in character. The queen had to study the information to get it right.

Another way teachers can take a good, hard look at homework practices, said Cushman, is to ask themselves a few vital questions: “Does this homework ask each student to practice something that the student hasn’t yet mastered? Does the student clearly see its purpose? When students are asked to repeat or rehearse something, does it require them to focus? Or can they do it without really paying attention?” If the homework meets these criteria, she said, then it falls into the desirable realm of “deliberate practice .”

Dan Bisaccio, former high school science teacher and now Director of Science Education at Brown University, said that after years of experience giving homework to high school students, he now “preaches” to his future teachers: “Homework should be practice and extensions of what happens in class and should not be ‘new learning,’” he said. “That is, students [shouldn’t be] having to teach themselves new content or skills.”

He said he agreed with Cushman that motivation is key, and tried to design homework that kept students interested. “Teachers need to clue into what motivates their students, giving them something that they really want to complete, and complete well.” One assignment Bisaccio used, called an “Experience Map,” asked students to create a map of their experiences after a field study or other important project - a technique employing both retrieval practice and the somewhat trickier interleaving, a “desirable difficulty” in which problems of different types are presented in one assignment, making students think harder to come up with solutions and answers.

“We ‘map’ mentally and physically each day. It helps to keep us orientated through our frenzied sun-up to sun-down daily experiences,” reads the assignment. Directions are to draw a field experience map, including -- with regard to the class -- where students have been, what they have done, new challenges, and insights. Special suggestions for drawing include “a place of danger, a favorite place, a place of power, a place with a secret.” Students are also called upon to map the places where they learned the most, where they were challenged the most, and where the funniest experience happened.

In addition, Bisaccio asked students to write what had challenged them most as a learner, what had stretched their limits most -- meant to be reflections just for students themselves, and asked to be kept on the back of the map. “What they wrote on the back was not shared with others,” he said. Once the assignment was completed, maps were posted to form a class atlas of what they had learned.

All the examples included here, however, are examples of homework in a traditional classroom. What about homework in a flipped classroom , where the lectures, usually videos, are the homework? A recent New York Times article on flipped classrooms may provide insight into flipping homework on its head, too: it quoted high school senior Luwayne Harris, saying, “Whenever I had a problem on the homework, I couldn’t do anything about it at home. Now if I have a problem with a video, I can just rewind and watch it over and over again.”

6 ways to establish a productive homework routine

by: Janine L. Nieroda-Madden | Updated: December 9, 2019

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Homework. Whether you’re a fifth grader or a freshman in college, the mere thought of homework can be overwhelming. And actually doing homework can be quite difficult. But homework doesn’t have to be something your child dreads.

As a former high school English teacher and researcher who specializes in what it takes to make it through college — and a co-author of a forthcoming revised edition of a book about academic success — I’ve studied homework since 2010. Here are six ways I believe homework can be made more manageable and valuable, whether your child is in elementary school, middle school, high school, or graduate school.

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How to Make Homework Fun

• Post author By admin
• September 6, 2023

Discover engaging strategies for how to make homework fun. Explore personalized study spaces, gamification, collaboration, and more to make learning enjoyable.

Hey there, homework warriors! Let’s face it, homework often gets a bad rap for being a total buzzkill. The mere thought of it can make us want to escape to a world of video games, socializing, or anything but those looming assignments. But guess what? It doesn’t have to be that way!

In this article, we’re about to embark on a journey to uncover the secret sauce of making homework downright fun. That’s right, we’re flipping the script and turning the dreaded “H-word” into an exciting adventure.

So, if you’re ready to banish the boredom and inject some pizzazz into your study sessions, keep reading. We’ve got 15 game-changing tips coming your way to transform homework from a chore into a choice activity!

Table of Contents

How to Make Homework Fun?

Have a close look at how to make homework fun:-

Design a Homework Haven

Transforming a corner of your room into a cozy study nook is all about creating an inviting space that inspires productivity. Consider adding a:

Comfy Chair

Choose a chair with good lumbar support and a cushioned seat for long study sessions.

Soft Cushions

Scatter a few soft cushions on your chair or on the floor to make the nook extra inviting.

Motivational Posters

Hang up posters with motivational quotes or images that resonate with your goals. For instance, a poster featuring a quote like “You’ve Got This!” can provide daily encouragement.

Set a Homework Schedule

Creating a daily study schedule tailored to your rhythm can significantly boost your productivity. Here’s how to go about it:

Identify Your Peak Hours

Pay attention to when you feel most alert and focused during the day. Are you a morning person, or does your energy peak in the evening?

Designate Prime Study Time

Once you’ve identified your prime hours, set aside that time for your most challenging subjects or tasks. For example, if you’re a night owl, designate 8 PM to 10 PM as your prime study time.

Set Goals and Rewards

Setting goals and rewards can turn studying into a thrilling game. Here’s how to make it work:

Task-Based Rewards

Break your study session into smaller tasks. For instance, if you have a 2-hour study session, set a timer for every 30 minutes. When you complete a task within the allotted time, reward yourself with a mini-break or a quick treat.

Dance Breaks

After accomplishing a particularly tough assignment or study session, treat yourself to a five-minute dance break to your favorite upbeat song.

Group Study Sessions

Studying with friends can make homework a social and interactive experience. Here’s how to organize a productive group study session:

Choose Study Buddies

Invite friends who are equally committed to studying. Avoid distractions and focus on collaborative learning.

During breaks, enjoy some snacks and refreshments together. It’s an excellent opportunity to bond and recharge.

Gamify Your Homework

Turning your assignments into a game can make them engaging and competitive. Here’s an example:

Math Challenges

For every correct math problem you solve, award yourself points. Set a target, like 100 points. Once you reach that goal, treat yourself to a favorite dessert or activity.

Use Technology Wisely

Leveraging educational apps and websites can make learning enjoyable. Consider:

Learning Languages

Apps like Duolingo and Babbel gamify language learning with interactive lessons and quizzes.

Science Simulations

Websites like PhET Interactive Simulations offer fun science experiments and simulations.

Listen to Music

Creating a playlist for different study moods can set the tone for productive work:

Upbeat Playlist

Compile lively tunes for subjects like math or science to keep your energy high.

Chillout Playlist

Use calming melodies for reading assignments or essay writing to stay focused.

Change Your Study Materials

Enhance your study materials with colors and visual appeal:

Colorful Notes

When taking notes, use different colored pens for headings, key points, and examples. Highlight important concepts with bright markers.

Create a Homework Playlist

Crafting a motivational playlist can boost your enthusiasm for study sessions:

Personalized Mix

Include songs that motivate you. Whether it’s energetic rock, inspiring pop, or calming instrumental, curate a playlist that resonates with you.

Relate Homework to Real Life

Connecting assignments to real-life situations can make them more meaningful. For example:

Applying Math

If you’re learning about percentages, practice by calculating discounts while shopping online. It’s a practical application of what you’re studying.

Ask for Help When Needed

Don’t hesitate to seek assistance when you’re stuck:

Online Tutors

Utilize online tutoring services like Khan Academy or Chegg when you need clarification on complex topics.

Celebrate Your Achievements

Reward yourself for completing challenging assignments:

Mini Rewards

After finishing a tough essay or solving a set of difficult problems, treat yourself to a favorite snack or a short episode of your favorite TV show.

Use Colorful Visual Aids

Visual aids can make complex topics easier to understand:

Timeline for History

Create a timeline of historical events using colorful markers and sticky notes. It helps you visualize the sequence of historical occurrences.

Stay Organized

Organization is key for effective studying:

Digital Planner

Use digital tools like Google Calendar or Todoist to keep track of assignments and due dates. Set reminders to stay on top of your tasks.

By incorporating these detailed strategies and examples, you can transform your homework routine into an enjoyable and productive experience tailored to your preferences and learning style.

These examples demonstrate practical ways to infuse fun and engagement into your homework routine, making the learning process more enjoyable and productive.

What are ways to make homework fun?

• Create a Comfortable Space: Design a cozy study spot with your favorite things.
• Set a Schedule: Stick to a regular study routine that suits you.
• Break Tasks Down: Divide homework into smaller, manageable chunks.
• Reward Yourself: Treat yourself after completing tasks or goals.
• Study with Friends: Make it social by studying with buddies.
• Use Apps: Try fun and educational apps for learning.
• Listen to Music: Create a motivating study playlist.
• Make It Visual: Use colors and visuals to make notes pop.
• Connect to Real Life: Relate homework to everyday situations.
• Stay Organized: Use planners to stay on top of assignments.

These simple tips can make homework less daunting and more enjoyable.

How do I make my homework less boring?

Want to jazz up your homework and banish the boredom? Here’s the lowdown:

Create Your Happy Place

Start by transforming your study spot into a haven of fun. Add some quirky decorations, fairy lights, or even a cozy blanket fort – whatever makes you smile.

Slice and Dice

Homework can feel like a mountain, right? Well, cut it into bite-sized chunks. Tackling one piece at a time feels way less overwhelming.

Goals with a Side of Rewards

Set yourself mini-goals and sprinkle rewards on top. Finish that math problem? Treat yourself to a victory dance or a mini snack party.

Study Squad

Invite a friend for a study date. You can help each other out and share some giggles during breaks.

Homework Gamified

Turn your homework into a game. Assign points or rewards for completing tasks. Hit a certain score, and it’s time to indulge in your favorite treat.

Dive into educational apps or websites. Learning becomes a blast when it’s interactive and entertaining.

Musical Motivation

Craft a playlist with your favorite tunes. Pop on some energetic beats for those math equations, or soothing melodies for reading assignments.

Colorful Creativity

Don’t just take notes, make them a work of art with colorful pens and highlighters. Visuals can make studying way more interesting.

Real-World Homework

Connect your assignments to real life. If you’re tackling percentages, apply them to calculate discounts while shopping online.

Stay Organized and Sane

Keep your homework organized using planners or digital tools. No more last-minute panics about forgotten deadlines.

With these tricks up your sleeve, homework will become a breeze, and you might even have some fun along the way!

How do I make myself enjoy homework?

Making yourself enjoy homework can be a challenge, but it’s possible with a few mindset shifts and strategies:

Find Purpose

Understand why you’re doing the homework. Connect it to your long-term goals and how it benefits you. Knowing the “why” can make it more meaningful.

Positive Mindset

Approach homework with a positive attitude. Focus on the sense of accomplishment you’ll feel when you complete it.

Set Realistic Goals

Break your homework into smaller tasks and set achievable goals. Completing each part can give you a sense of progress and satisfaction.

Create a Comfortable Space

Design a cozy and organized study area that you enjoy spending time in. A pleasant environment can make a big difference.

Mix up your subjects and tasks to avoid monotony. Switching between different assignments can keep things interesting.

Set a Schedule

Establish a study routine that suits your natural rhythm. Find the time of day when you’re most alert and use it for more challenging tasks.

Reward Yourself

Treat yourself after completing homework or reaching specific milestones. It can be as simple as a small snack, a short break, or doing something you love.

Stay Engaged

Try to actively engage with the material. Ask questions, discuss concepts with classmates, or relate it to real-life situations.

Study Groups

Consider joining or creating study groups with friends. Discussing topics and helping each other can make the process more enjoyable.

Celebrate Progress

Celebrate your achievements, even small ones. Recognize your efforts and improvements.

Mindfulness Techniques

Practice mindfulness or relaxation techniques before starting homework to reduce stress and increase focus.

If you’re struggling with a particular subject, don’t hesitate to ask for help from teachers, classmates, or online resources.

Visual Aids

Use visual aids like diagrams, charts, or flashcards to make studying more engaging and easier to grasp.

Incorporate Interests

If possible, relate homework topics to your interests or hobbies. It can make the material more relatable and enjoyable.

Use planners or digital tools to keep track of assignments, due dates, and progress. Being organized can reduce stress.

Remember that enjoying homework might not happen overnight, but by implementing these strategies and maintaining a positive mindset, you can make the process more enjoyable and rewarding.

How can I make my high school homework fun?

Making high school homework fun requires creativity and a positive attitude. Here are some tips to make your high school homework more enjoyable:

Personalize Your Space

Create a study environment that reflects your personality and interests. Decorate your study area with posters, photos, or artwork that inspires you.

Set a Homework Routine

Establish a consistent homework routine that aligns with your energy levels. Determine the best time of day for you to focus and stick to it.

Break Tasks into Smaller Steps

Divide your assignments into smaller, manageable tasks. Completing each step feels like an accomplishment and keeps you motivated.

Incorporate technology into your homework. Explore educational apps and websites that make learning interactive and engaging.

Study with Friends

Organize study groups with friends to tackle assignments together. You can explain concepts to each other and share different perspectives.

Gamify Your Learning

Turn your homework into a game. Set challenges, time limits, or point systems for completing tasks. Reward yourself when you meet your goals.

Create playlists for different subjects or moods. Upbeat music can boost your energy for math, while calming tunes can help you concentrate on reading assignments.

Experiment with different study materials. Use colorful pens, highlighters, or digital tools to make your notes visually appealing.

Real-Life Applications

Relate your homework to real-life situations whenever possible. For example, if you’re studying economics, analyze current events or business news .

Seek Support

Don’t hesitate to ask for help when needed. Reach out to teachers, classmates, or online resources for clarification or guidance.

Celebrate Achievements

Celebrate your accomplishments, no matter how small. Reward yourself with a treat, a short break, or an activity you enjoy after completing homework.

Use planners, to-do lists, or digital tools to stay organized and track assignments and deadlines.

Challenge Yourself

Set personal challenges to make homework more engaging. Aim to finish assignments faster or with higher accuracy than before.

Whenever possible, relate homework topics to your interests or future career goals. It can make the material more relatable and engaging.

Stay Positive

Maintain a positive attitude toward your homework. Focus on the sense of accomplishment and knowledge gained through your efforts.

By incorporating these strategies into your high school homework routine, you can make the experience more enjoyable and productive while achieving academic success.

In conclusion, making homework fun is not just a distant dream; it’s a practical approach that can transform the way you tackle your assignments.

By personalizing your study space, setting goals and rewards, collaborating with friends, and gamifying your learning, you can turn the once-dreaded homework into an engaging adventure.

Incorporating technology, music, colorful materials, and real-life connections adds an extra layer of enjoyment. Remember to celebrate your achievements along the way and stay organized to reduce stress.

With a positive mindset and these strategies in your arsenal, you can embark on your homework journey with enthusiasm, making it not only bearable but genuinely enjoyable.

So, let’s turn the page and dive into the exciting world of learning, one fun homework assignment at a time!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can i really make homework fun.

Absolutely! With the right approach and mindset, homework can be an enjoyable part of your academic journey.

What if I can’t concentrate with music?

Not everyone finds music helpful. Experiment with different study environments to discover what suits you best.

How do I avoid procrastination?

Creating a schedule and setting achievable goals can help you stay on track and avoid procrastination.

What if I still find a particular subject boring?

Try to connect it to your interests or real-life situations to make it more engaging.

How can I make studying with friends productive?

Ensure that your study group remains focused on the task at hand and avoids distractions.

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5 Helpful Tips to Make Homework a Success

Homework is an important part of the learning process and helps your student to better retain information that they learned in school. Homework also helps to build a student’s sense of independence and responsibility by teaching them how to set schedules and manage time. Here are five helpful tips that will make sure your student is getting the most out of their homework!

1) Consistency is everything – set a “homework time.” Educators universally agree that a consistent schedule for homework time is the best route for students. This way, your student will get themselves into a mindset that a certain time is designated for academics. You can help your student to select a good time slot for their nightly homework assignments. This way, they know ahead of schedule what time needs to be dedicated to homework. Some students prefer to do homework immediately when they get home from school, whereas others may like to have a snack first or take a break before starting their assignments. Ask your student what they find is best for them, and make that time “homework time!”

2) Minimize distractions with a homework-friendly area. Like all of us, students sometimes get distracted. However, you can help to minimize these distractions by making sure they have a designated homework area. Although some students might prefer to set up their homework in front of the TV, this is not the best idea. Recent surveys of 8-18 year old students and found that nearly a third admitted to watching television or using cell phones and other electronic devices while doing homework. Distracted students retain less information from their homework, and therefore require more time later when studying for exams. The best place for homework is a quiet area free of distractions with plenty of extra materials (pens, pencils, paper, etc.) readily available.

3) Help them plan for bigger assignments or projects. The idea of a looming project often leads students to avoid the assignment until the last minute, at which point they are forced to either “cram” or rush through the work. You can help prevent these situations by staying up to date on what big assignments your student has coming up. Teachers often provide a syllabus at the beginning of the year that outlines the larger projects throughout the course. By spacing the workload apart, your student will be far less stressed about large assignments and will end up retaining more knowledge about what they have learned.

4) Discourage perfectionism. Students will often get hung up on one question or problem, preventing them from moving forward with their assignment. You can remind your student that the goal of homework is to practice and improve, not necessarily to be perfect. In fact, if a student is struggling with a certain problem or section, there’s nothing wrong with skipping it for now. Most test-taking strategy guides encourage skipping difficult questions and returning to them at the end of the exam. Homework is no different! Encourage your student to attempt challenging problems, and have them make a note (or a star next to the problem) so they can remember to ask about it in class. Most teachers are not looking for perfection when assigning homework, but rather that the student put in a genuine effort and attempted the assignment.

5) Praise their work efforts and achievements. Positive reinforcement and praise is always essential to keeping your student motivated. It’s important to make sure your student knows that you recognize their efforts, and by giving them praise and encouragement, you are giving your student an incredible amount of motivation to keep trying! As we always say, every child is different – we want to encourage students based on their own personal growth and accomplishments, as this will give them the self-confidence they need to succeed.

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7 Top Tips for Setting and Managing Homework

Homework is still considered an integral part of the learning process in schools. After all, it has benefits for both teachers and pupils. Students – while they may not always enjoy working outside of the classroom – always learn a valuable lesson about managing heavy workloads independently. Meanwhile, homework allows teachers to further assess their pupils based on their understanding of the subject, skills to succeed, and attitude towards education. If you are currently teaching in the UK, you can enjoy these benefits just by making sure that you have the right approach to setting and managing homework. Here are seven top tips that will help you get started.

1. Establish a firm routine

Homework shouldn’t be sporadic or random. Instead, your pupils should quickly learn that it’s part of their routine. This means that you should set it with some sort of consistency and work to establish a pattern. A great way to start would be to decide how many hours should be completed each week (a figure that will vary depending on the age group you’re teaching). In addition, the work should be spread across both evenings and weekends. Don’t forget, lack of a routine might cause pupils to struggle with managing their homework and lead to it remaining incomplete.

2. Gather parents’ support

Parents must be clued up when it comes to homework. You can accomplish this by letting mums and dads know – perhaps with a letter or an email – that you’ll be setting regular out-of-hours work and that you expect it to be completed to a high standard. The best way to gain parents’ support is by proposing an amount that everyone will deem reasonable. From this point onwards, you should keep mums and dads in the loop when their children are failing to complete the agreed amount of homework and let them know how they can help.

3. Avoid overnight homework

It’s best to steer clear of setting homework to be completed overnight. For starters, it doesn’t give pupils a chance to approach you for help in between if they are unsure about how to tackle the project. Secondly, you’ll be making a somewhat unrealistic assumption that your students have spare time during that night to devote to homework. Some pupils may have other commitments – such as a family occasion to attend or a dance lesson that’s already been paid for – that would mean they’re too stretched to complete the work in the space of just one evening.

4. Don’t dawdle with marking

Homework is a two-way street and the rules are quite clear: pupils complete it and teachers mark it. This is why it can be problematic if you dawdle on the marking and subsequently create the illusion that you’re not holding up your end of the bargain. Of course, teachers often find themselves pressed for time and forced with juggling different tasks. However, you should make every effort to ensure that homework doesn’t remain unmarked for days on end or else you could send the message that it doesn’t really matter.

5. Collect homework in the morning

You should try to collect homework promptly at the first opportunity you get. If you don’t, you could find that some of your pupils are completing it throughout the day – including at break time, during lunch hour and when you’re teaching at the front of the class. This won’t just mean that the students could fall behind with the syllabus, it can also be demoralising for others who have sacrificed their free time to complete the work and they could begin to ponder whether it’s worth holding off on their own homework in future.

6. Reward effort

Pupils who have clearly put in a lot of effort with their homework should be rewarded regularly. The individual doesn’t necessarily have to have done an amazing job as long as it’s clear that they have tried to work independently and devoted time to the project. Whichever avenue you go down – whether it’s giving out gold stars or sending letters of praise to parents – the reward should always encourage pupils to continue devoting the same amount of effort to their homework.

7. Consequences for lack of effort

There should be consequences for those students who have failed to complete their homework or have clearly rushed through it. The best punishment is usually to issue an after-school detention in which the individual will be made to have a second attempt at the project. The best form of discipline will always make pupils think twice about whether it’s worth skipping their homework in future and instil in them that there are consequences for those who don’t try hard.

Now let’s set some homework

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What’s the Right Amount of Homework?

Decades of research show that homework has some benefits, especially for students in middle and high school—but there are risks to assigning too much.

Many teachers and parents believe that homework helps students build study skills and review concepts learned in class. Others see homework as disruptive and unnecessary, leading to burnout and turning kids off to school. Decades of research show that the issue is more nuanced and complex than most people think: Homework is beneficial, but only to a degree. Students in high school gain the most, while younger kids benefit much less.

The National PTA and the National Education Association support the “ 10-minute homework guideline ”—a nightly 10 minutes of homework per grade level. But many teachers and parents are quick to point out that what matters is the quality of the homework assigned and how well it meets students’ needs, not the amount of time spent on it.

The guideline doesn’t account for students who may need to spend more—or less—time on assignments. In class, teachers can make adjustments to support struggling students, but at home, an assignment that takes one student 30 minutes to complete may take another twice as much time—often for reasons beyond their control. And homework can widen the achievement gap, putting students from low-income households and students with learning disabilities at a disadvantage.

However, the 10-minute guideline is useful in setting a limit: When kids spend too much time on homework, there are real consequences to consider.

Small Benefits for Elementary Students

As young children begin school, the focus should be on cultivating a love of learning, and assigning too much homework can undermine that goal. And young students often don’t have the study skills to benefit fully from homework, so it may be a poor use of time (Cooper, 1989 ; Cooper et al., 2006 ; Marzano & Pickering, 2007 ). A more effective activity may be nightly reading, especially if parents are involved. The benefits of reading are clear: If students aren’t proficient readers by the end of third grade, they’re less likely to succeed academically and graduate from high school (Fiester, 2013 ).

For second-grade teacher Jacqueline Fiorentino, the minor benefits of homework did not outweigh the potential drawback of turning young children against school at an early age, so she experimented with dropping mandatory homework. “Something surprising happened: They started doing more work at home,” Fiorentino writes . “This inspiring group of 8-year-olds used their newfound free time to explore subjects and topics of interest to them.” She encouraged her students to read at home and offered optional homework to extend classroom lessons and help them review material.

Moderate Benefits for Middle School Students

As students mature and develop the study skills necessary to delve deeply into a topic—and to retain what they learn—they also benefit more from homework. Nightly assignments can help prepare them for scholarly work, and research shows that homework can have moderate benefits for middle school students (Cooper et al., 2006 ). Recent research also shows that online math homework, which can be designed to adapt to students’ levels of understanding, can significantly boost test scores (Roschelle et al., 2016 ).

There are risks to assigning too much, however: A 2015 study found that when middle school students were assigned more than 90 to 100 minutes of daily homework, their math and science test scores began to decline (Fernández-Alonso, Suárez-Álvarez, & Muñiz, 2015 ). Crossing that upper limit can drain student motivation and focus. The researchers recommend that “homework should present a certain level of challenge or difficulty, without being so challenging that it discourages effort.” Teachers should avoid low-effort, repetitive assignments, and assign homework “with the aim of instilling work habits and promoting autonomous, self-directed learning.”

In other words, it’s the quality of homework that matters, not the quantity. Brian Sztabnik, a veteran middle and high school English teacher, suggests that teachers take a step back and ask themselves these five questions :

• How long will it take to complete?
• Have all learners been considered?
• Will an assignment encourage future success?
• Will an assignment place material in a context the classroom cannot?
• Does an assignment offer support when a teacher is not there?

More Benefits for High School Students, but Risks as Well

By the time they reach high school, students should be well on their way to becoming independent learners, so homework does provide a boost to learning at this age, as long as it isn’t overwhelming (Cooper et al., 2006 ; Marzano & Pickering, 2007 ). When students spend too much time on homework—more than two hours each night—it takes up valuable time to rest and spend time with family and friends. A 2013 study found that high school students can experience serious mental and physical health problems, from higher stress levels to sleep deprivation, when assigned too much homework (Galloway, Conner, & Pope, 2013 ).

Homework in high school should always relate to the lesson and be doable without any assistance, and feedback should be clear and explicit.

Teachers should also keep in mind that not all students have equal opportunities to finish their homework at home, so incomplete homework may not be a true reflection of their learning—it may be more a result of issues they face outside of school. They may be hindered by issues such as lack of a quiet space at home, resources such as a computer or broadband connectivity, or parental support (OECD, 2014 ). In such cases, giving low homework scores may be unfair.

Since the quantities of time discussed here are totals, teachers in middle and high school should be aware of how much homework other teachers are assigning. It may seem reasonable to assign 30 minutes of daily homework, but across six subjects, that’s three hours—far above a reasonable amount even for a high school senior. Psychologist Maurice Elias sees this as a common mistake: Individual teachers create homework policies that in aggregate can overwhelm students. He suggests that teachers work together to develop a school-wide homework policy and make it a key topic of back-to-school night and the first parent-teacher conferences of the school year.

Parents Play a Key Role

Homework can be a powerful tool to help parents become more involved in their child’s learning (Walker et al., 2004 ). It can provide insights into a child’s strengths and interests, and can also encourage conversations about a child’s life at school. If a parent has positive attitudes toward homework, their children are more likely to share those same values, promoting academic success.

But it’s also possible for parents to be overbearing, putting too much emphasis on test scores or grades, which can be disruptive for children (Madjar, Shklar, & Moshe, 2015 ). Parents should avoid being overly intrusive or controlling—students report feeling less motivated to learn when they don’t have enough space and autonomy to do their homework (Orkin, May, & Wolf, 2017 ; Patall, Cooper, & Robinson, 2008 ; Silinskas & Kikas, 2017 ). So while homework can encourage parents to be more involved with their kids, it’s important to not make it a source of conflict.

How to set homework: simple tips for teachers

As students grow older, most of them face a similar situation: an increase in the amount of homework that they are expected to do.

Of course, there’s a lot of variation in how kids react to homework, and how parents handle the requirement: some children will enjoy it and do it without being asked, while others need more prodding. Some parents will be real sticklers about when and how homework is done, whereas others may let kids handle it more independently.

Some teachers and parents even reject the whole notion of homework - there is a small but significant movement to “ban homework”  because some feel that the time it consumes and the disagreements it causes at home after school are simply not worth it.

One teacher recently sent a note home to parents saying she was effectively outlawing homework for the year and encouraging families to spend more time together instead.

So, is there any truth, from a scientific perspective, that homework is a waste of time?

Yes and no. Here are four simple recommendations we can make, based on scientific evidence, about homework:

1. The quality of the homework is much more important than the quantity. Look at what your students are doing - and don’t give homework just for the sake of it. If parents perceive the homework you assign to be mere busy work, they may not put much emphasis on its completion at home.

2. The main point of good homework is that it lets children independently practice something they learned at school. As such, the goal should not be necessarily to “get everything right”, but to make an effort to actually attempt the task at hand. Then, children should make sure to get feedback and try to understand where they went wrong.

3. Children should be given roughly 10 mins of homework per night per grade , so a 3rd grade student might spend 30 minutes per night on homework. If you are giving more than this amount, you may want to reconsider your reasons for assigning a heavy homework load.

4. Reach out to parents. Explaining the value of the homework you are setting and encouraging them to have their kids attempt their homework will be a big help to you and your students. Of course, the time it takes different students to complete one piece of work will vary; try to be flexible with respect to the amount of work you expect to be completed. If a child is having a particular difficulty in one area, encourage parents to contact you so it can be addressed in school.

Dr. Yana Weinstein ( @doctorwhy  on Twitter) is an Assistant Professor at the University of Massachusetts Lowell.   She co-runs the  Learning Scientists  blog. Follow the Learning Scientists on Twitter at  @AceThatTest .

For more on the research behind homework, you can read this post  by Dr. Paul Kirschner on their blog.

TES has recently launched the free  TES Teach  app  to help teachers create interactive lessons using digital content.  For more information please visit  www.tes.com/lessons

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How To Create The Ultimate Homework Station (So You’ll Never Have To Ask “Is Your Homework Done?” Ever Again)

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Homework can be the bane of the school year and can often be the source of much drama in the household. “Where is my notebook?” “Have you seen my backpack?” and of course the often-used “Is your homework done?!”

Instead of playing into the drama, why not make your home set-up a point of calm amongst the chaos, and set your children up for success by creating (or updating) an incredible homework station.

Teaching your kids how to keep themselves organized is such an important skill. Tasks such as time management, tidying workspaces, and project preparation will not only help them with school work, but also with life and the challenges it brings as they continue to learn and grow.

As organizers, we have used these tips to create homework stations for elementary school aged children onwards and they can easily be applied to families looking to refresh their existing systems for kids of any age.

And big bonus – your kids will love their new work space so much, they may actually be excited to do their homework!

Note: This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our  disclosure  policy.

PIN for when you’re ready to organize!

FIND THE SPACE

First things first, you’ll need to find a room or space in your home that works for your child. Depending on their age and how much assistance they require, this spot could be in a communal room (think kitchen or family room) or at a desk in their own room.

The ultimate goal is to get them working in a proper set-up with a table and chair instead of working from their lap – this way they establish good habits, can properly work on their handwriting and have room to spread out all their materials.

To spark your creative juices, we’ve pulled  30 of our favorite homework station examples  to serve as inspiration:

• Dual Desks from  @littlelibertyrooms
• Fold Down Desk via  This Old House
• Rustic 3-Desk Set-Up via  Postbox Designs
• Closet Transformation from  This Old House
• Homework Station for 4 via  Householdno6.
• Modern Loft Study Area via  Houzz
• Display Wall Station via  Houzz
• Dual Closet Homework Station via  Houzz
• Hallway Station via  Jen Hannotte for Houzz

• 2 Desk Work Station via  Better Homes & Gardens
• Double Sided Desk from  Better Homes & Gardens
• Closet Study Area via  iheartorganizing
• Family Room Homework Space via  Better Homes & Gardens
• Classic Desks via  Classy Clutter
• Walk-in Closet Transformation via  Petite Party Studio
• Kids Homework Station via  Clean and Scentsible
• Freestanding Table via  Houzz
• Colorful Workstation for Four via  Houzz
• Study Nook from  @littlelibertyrooms

• Chalkboard Wall via  Houzz
• Station Under the Stairs via  Houzz
• Hallway Homework Station from  @ninaandcecilia
• Double Desk Space from  @littlelibertyrooms
• Hanging Chair Hideout via  Houzz
• PBTeen Sleep & Study Loft Bed
• DIY Kids Art & Homework Station via  Craft-O-Maniac
• Tri Station via  Juvenile Hall Design
• Pull-Down Hallway Station from  Sand and Sisal
• Homework Nook with Chalkboard via  By Dawn Nicole
• DIY Homework Station from  Tatertots & Jello

Now, if finding a dedicated desk space isn’t possible, consider making your own mobile supply station that can be easily moved in and out of the space (like the kitchen table) when it’s homework time.

We love these smart DIY ideas for a portable study station:

• Dollar Store Portable Homework Caddy via  Simple Made Pretty
• Mobile Homework Station Cart from  Design Improvised
• Ikea Raskog Homework Station via  Smashed Peas and Carrots
• DIY Organizer from  Sprinkle Some Fun
• Homework Study Station via  Mom Advice
• Side of Fridge Storage via  the 36 th  Avenue
• DIY Homework Station Turntable from  Mom On Timeout
• Over the Door Organizer from  A Bowl Full of Lemons
• Freestanding Homework Station via  Simply Organized
• DIY Cutlery & Canning Jar Caddy via  Clean Mama

MAKE IT COMFORTABLE + FUNCTIONAL

Select a good desk chair that is both comfy and supportive. You don’t want a chair to be the reason that your kids are gravitating to doing their homework on the couch!

A few of our all-time favorite options:

• PBTeen Ergo Chair
• Land of Nod Class Act Mint & Gold Desk Chair
• Land of Nod Toto Desk Chair
• PBTeen Emily & Meritt Bed of Roses Airgo Chair
• PBTeen Rockin’ Roller Desk Chair
• Walmart Kids Retro Molded Chair
• Home Depot Modway Edge Office Chair
• PBTeen Northfield Wingback Chair
• Walmart Urban Shop Swivel Mesh Chair

Although it may seem obvious, having a  trash/recycle can  near their desk will encourage them to not only throw out their old papers, but also (perhaps with a little coaxing), to purge the garbage from their backpacks on a regular basis.

GET IT ORGANIZED

Wall Organization

Hang up a cork, magnetic or pin board for your kids to put papers, reminders and a calendar. This is a space that should be within reach of their desk so they can easily add/remove important items on a regular basis. It can also give them a chance to decorate and personalize their space – hopefully inspiring them to actually use it!

There are so many amazing wall organizing systems available – take a look at some of these incredible ideas:

• PBTeen Cubby System Pinboard
• PBKids Build Your Own Modern Gabrielle System
• Land of Nod Stick With Me Magnet Bar
• Land of Nod Cloud Corkboard
• Target Bulletin Board with Chalkboard & Hooks
• Umbra Trigon Bulletin Board
• Sweet Jojo Designs Pinboard
• PBTeen Dot Pin-It Pinboard
• Land of Nod Beaumont White Shelving System
• Land of Nod Colorblock Corkboard Letters
• PBKids Butterfly Shaped Pinboard

DESK ORGANIZATION

Having supplies within reach of the workspace is key to their productivity (there needn’t be twelve trips around the house looking for the tools they need to complete each project!).

If there’s room on their workspace, consider keeping their supplies neatly organized in one of these nifty containers:

• Land of Nod I Could’ve Bin a Things Bin
• PBKids Rainbow Shaped Pencil Holder
• PBKids Candy Canisters
• Land of Nod Perfect Pitch Storage Caddy
• Lani Ang 4-Grid Desktop Organizer
• PBKids Printed Metal Lazy Susans
• Container Store Acrylic Accessory Drawers
• Land of Nod Multicolor Desk Accessories  
• Target Room Essentials Desktop Storage Unit

A version of these supply caddies can also be made for the road as there are often times that your child won’t be home when it comes time for homework (ie. at a sibling’s after-school sporting event!). Capitalize on that travel and waiting time with a to-go bag of their most needed supplies. We especially love  this portable storage one .

Make cleanup easier on everyone by using labels on your supply containers/caddy. This will help teach your children how to maintain their space and hopefully put an end to the continuing cycle of them asking where to put things when they are cleaning up.

We love  this no-fuss, inexpensive labeler  and also check out  these cool reusable chalk board labels .

As your kids get older, homework will often require the use of technology, which means cord and charging chaos! Keep their space tidy from the cord clutter by using some of these ingenious products and hacks to help cables stay neat and handy for when it’s time to plug in and charge.

• Cable Sleeve
• Container Store  Cable Twisters
• Cable Management Box
• Cable Catch

ESTABLISH GOOD HABITS

Time Management

Give them the tools to manage their own time  by keeping a clock or timer at their workspace . Setting time limits for each subject can help them stay on track and is a life skill that will bode them well in life after school.

If you haven’t heard of  the Time Timer  before, it is an ingenious tool that visually shows your child how much time they have left for a certain task. It is easy for them to set themselves, and they don’t need to know how to read a clock in order to understand the concept of time diminishing.

Subject Management

Help keep your child’s different subjects organized with  color-coded file folders  (1) — for instance, green for science, blue for english, etc. — so they can keep their notes organized on their desk and in their book bag.

A  simple file folder organizer  can help keep their most important documents at arm’s reach ( this one  (2) even has some extra storage underneath!). If there’s not enough room on your desk for one, try  this nifty cascade folder  (3) that you can hang on the wall when working, and collapse and bring with you on-the-go!

In/Out Parent Bins

There’s always a plethora of school paperwork and updates that need to get safely into your hands. Consider setting up some  in and out bins  where your kids can drop off any papers that need to be signed or seen by a parent. You can then go through them each night, and put any that need to be returned to school in the “out” bin, ready for them to pick up in the morning and pack in their backpacks. With a little practice, this can be an extremely effective method that can be used all the way through high school!

It is vital for older children to start learning how to manage their own calendar. Whether it’s a  desktop planner , or a  large dry-erase calendar  that can hang on the wall, it’s a great way for them to visually see what tests and assignments are coming up, so they can manage their time accordingly.

Form a Routine

Now you’ve got their work space expertly organized, help your child form a routine of  when  they do their homework. It could be as soon as they come home after a snack, after ½ an hour of “down” time or after dinner. Whatever you decide, help them stick to their routine for the first few weeks by setting a timer or providing gentle guidance. Hopefully with their new homework station in place, they’ll feel a real sense of ownership and be excited to get down to work!

After their homework is complete, consider helping them put a routine in place that will help make the morning rush less hectic. It could be as simple as establishing a nightly backpack check ensuring that all the books and papers needed for the next day are all packed away. Or having them place their packed backpack in a designated space (preferably near the door!) so there isn’t a mad scramble to find it in the morning.

RELATED:  For more smart tips and hacks for smooth morning routines see our popular post:  67 Life Changing Organization Tips & Hacks For Stress-Free Mornings

So there you have it mamas, tons of tips and inspiration to create the ultimate Homework Station. We wish you much success in the homework drama and hope you’ll never have to ask “is your homework done?” ever again!

Pssst – before you go, we’d love to have you  join our What Moms Love community  and we’ll hook you up with all of our exclusive resources including our popular  10 Screen-Free Toys For Guaranteed Quiet Time  (this is seriously a game changer mamas!),  Holiday/Birthday Coupon Book for Kid s  and  35 Food Subs & Swaps for Healthy Family Meals . Just let us know where to send all your goodies!

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MICHELLE HALE & ANNIE DRADDY

About The Authors:

Michelle and Annie are co-founders of  Henry & Higby , a professional organizing company in New York City. They believe that life should be as simple as possible and that the process of getting organized can help.

If you need help organizing your life & home, contact them at  [email protected]

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Wow, these homework stations are amazing! Almost too pretty to work at. Haha. I like the wall organization ideas the most. Always good to get stuff up and off the desk!

Wow, this post is pack full of good ideas! I think it is so important to have a fun, bright station that get kids actually excited to do their homework! Beautiful post.

So much inspiration here!!! My oldest just started kindergarten but I want to have good habits established early and these ideas are great!

These are amazing ideas!! I’m saving for the future

Always such helpful posts! Thank you!

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Show My Homework

Assign and monitor homework online with the market-leading homework solution that engages students, involves parents and saves teachers time.

What is Show My Homework?

Show My Homework is the market-leading homework software, used by 1 in 3 UK secondary schools, that integrates seamlessly with Google Classroom and Microsoft Teams . Made up of easy-to-use features that involve all key stakeholders in the homework process, Show My Homework provides schools with the tools they need to support home-learning in the most simple and effective way.

• Set, submit and grade homework online
• Re-use your own and colleagues’ homework tasks
• Integrate with Google Classroom and Microsoft Teams
• Identify learning gaps with auto-graded Quizzes and detailed reports
• Notify parents when students receive assignments
• Dedicated parent, teacher and student apps
• Mark tasks and view results via the Gradebook
• Differentiate homework to cater to students at different levels
• Access homework tasks made by other teachers in Community Resources
• Import quizzes directly from Neeto

Meet your new AI Sidekick

Get your evenings and weekends back by supercharging your productivity with Sidekick, an AI homework tool that makes creating homework, quizzes, spelling tests and lesson plans as easy as a few clicks. Now available in Satchel One

Here's what our customers have to say about us

"It was a lifesaver in Lockdown. The company quickly adapted further tools. Now it's a comprehensive site."

"Saves time, allows me to send web links and the huge variety of types of homework. Amazing support during lockdown and..."

"It is very efficient; allows parental access; archives tasks; allows 2 way communication between pupils and teachers; keeps records..."

"Very professional, rapid answer to issues, constantly updating in response to feedback - new facilities added regularly"

"I have found it incredibly useful during this period of lockdown, however I was using it to enter homework as well and that has..."

"It makes setting Homework easy and you know everyone in the class is informed."

Facilitate blended learning

With Show My Homework your school has immediate access to powerful distance learning tools, making it easy to combine in-person teaching with online-centred learning. Teachers can set remote Classwork instantly, notifying learners of work to complete via Satchel One.

• Integrations with tech leaders, Microsoft and Google, makes blended learning even more powerful
• Assign Classwork online to students working from home
• Teachers can see how many students have viewed work and completed assignments
• Students can message teachers directly for support with tasks, or begin a task discussion with their peers
• Parents can see assigned tasks via the parent app
• Be ready to switch to distance learning, should the need arise, at any time

• Increase parental engagement in student learning by notifying them when tasks are set on Satchel One and shared to Google Classroom or Microsoft Teams
• Save time and share best practices across your school with easy-to-reuse homework tasks and access to Community Resources
• Have a clear view of how homework is performing across the school with detailed reporting and student insights
• Create a more personalised learning experience for your students and provide thorough feedback and support with combined use of Satchel One and Google Classroom or Microsoft Teams
• Enjoy access to all the tools and features your school needs to provide a complete distance and blended learning experience

Because Satchel One is such a flexible platform, we were able to offer a blended approach. We were still teaching physical lessons, but we also had students joining in via Google Meet.

Integrations

• Import tasks from Google Classroom direct to Show My Homework or easily share tasks to Microsoft Teams
• Students can submit work to Show My Homework via OneDrive and Google Drive
• Schools can change their default submission method to either Google Classroom or Microsoft Teams
• Attach Google Drive or OneDrive documents to assignments
• Open Google Drive and OneDrive documents via the Assess tab for quick access to marking
• Add live lesson links from Google Classroom or Microsoft Teams to Satchel One’s Timetables
• Use either your existing Gmail or Office 365 email address to sign into Satchel One

While we did most of our communication with pupils via Microsoft Teams, we found that posting on Satchel One was key in keeping parents informed.

Used by 1 in 3 UK secondary schools

We’re partners to 1 in 3 secondary schools across the UK, join the Satchel One community today.

AET Academy

Borden Grammar School

Castle Newnham School

Harris Academy South Norwood

The Habs Boys' School

Lavington School

Sir John Lawes School

St Bonaventure's School

Thorpe St Andrew School

Wilson's School

Award winning software

Satchel are an award winning company who currently work with 2500 schools worldwide.

2023 Winners Response to Covid-19

2021 Winners Whole School Aids for Learning, Teaching & Assessment

2020 Winners School Business Category

2019 Winners Edtech Innovator of the Year

2018 Winners Whole School Aids for Learning, Teaching & Assessment

2017 Winners Secondary Resource or Equipment - Including ICT

2017 Winners Education Company of the Year

2017 Winners Digital Innovation in the Public Sector

2016 Winners Upscale

2016 Winners EdtechXRise All Stars award

Case studies

The Power of Paperless Homework

Whole-school Homework Progress

Engaging Students & Quality Assuring Homework

Speak to the team today!

Whether you’re looking for pricing, a quick demo and login details or more detailed information about getting your school set up, the team will be on hand to help. Fill in the form or give us a call on 020 7197 9550 option 1.

• Knowledgebase

How to set a homework task

Class Chart’s  homework module allows staff members at your school to set homework tasks and keep track of homework submissions.

To set a homework task, start by entering the class you wish to set homework for.

Next, click on the Homework tab along the top of the page.

The homework sidebar will appear on the Set homework tab, where homework tasks are published and assigned to pupils. Fill in the  Homework description  form provided to add information to the homework task. The available options are explained below:

Name : This is the title of the homework task that will be visible to staff, pupils and parents.

Homework type : Select an option from this drop down to apply a homework type to the homework task. To find out more about this feature, check out the following knowledgebase article .

Mark scheme : Select an option from this drop down to apply a homework mark scheme to the homework task. To find out more about this feature, check out the following knowledgebase article .

Issue date : This field indicates when the homework task was set.

Due date : This field indicates when the homework task is due for submission.

Estimated completion time : This field indicates how long it should take pupils to complete the homework.

Available from : This field indicates what time the homework task will be made available to pupils and parents.

Describe the task for your students : Use this text area to describe what needs to be achieved in order to complete the homework task.

Allow files to be uploaded as homework submissions : Tick this check box to allow pupils and / or parents to upload homework attachments, which can later be collected. To find out more about this feature, check out the following knowledgebase article .

Below the homework description section is the Assign homework section. All pupils in the class will be assigned to the homework task by default, but you can unassigned individual pupils by clicking on the red minus icon next to their name.

Below the assign pupils section is the  File and links section. The available options are explained in more detail below:

Upload files : Use this file upload feature to attach supporting documents that pupils may require for completing the homework task.

Add web links : This section of the form can be used to provide pupils with optional links to additional resources that may help them complete the homework task.

Show in public homework calendar : Tick this check box to display the homework task on your school’s public homework calendar.

If you’re happy with the homework task, click on the Publish homework task button to issue it to pupils in the class. If you wish to start from scratch, click on the Clear all button.

• Go to sparxreader.com
• IT Guidance & Troubleshooting
• Become a Sparx Reader Expert
• GDPR & Privacy

Setting homework

Once students have sat the initial Sparx Reading Test and completed their onboarding, you'll need to start setting their reading homework. 

You can do this by following the steps below: 

• Go to the Hand-in page 
• Choose your class
• Click Create Homework 
• Choose whether you want to copy an existing homework plan (see How do I copy a homework plan for more guidance)
• Choose how many weeks you would like to set homework for
• Choose the date you would like homework to start
• Choose the day and time you would like homework to be set and due
• Change the SRP target for your homework (see What is SRP? for more guidance)
• Check through the preview and untick any weeks where you don't want homework going out

This short video shows how to set homework for each class. 

Your browser does not support the audio element.

When setting homework, we recommend that you have a clear hand-out/-in day for students each week. When considering these we encourage you to think about having: 

• The same hand-out and hand-in days across the school (or at least each year group): this helps support clear and consistent messaging about expectations. 
• A different hand-in/-out day to Sparx Maths to avoid students being overwhelmed by having two core homeworks due on the same day. 
• A day between when students hand in their homework and the new homework being handed out. This means you have one day to follow up with any students who haven't completed the previous homework (e.g if they hand it in on Wednesday morning, they can catch up after school that day, then the next homework is set on Thursday morning).
• A weekend between hand-out and hand-in days: this gives students more time to complete their work. for all classes using Sparx Reader. 
• Please try and avoid a Monday hand-in, as we've seen that schools that do have statistically lower completion rates.

What's Next

• Changing a staff member's email address

How to use Sessions to set homework assignments and check that your pupils are meeting your practice requirements.

Why use Sessions?

Teachers often want to know how long pupils are spending on Times Tables Rock Stars. We would flip that question around and ask, "How much do you want them to play?" 

If it was up to us, we'd recommend at least three minutes per day, everyday. This will be more beneficial to their progress, than playing for 21 minutes, once a week.

The Sessions feature allows you to be more purposeful about the use of TTRS at home. By setting a Session as a homework assignment, you'll know whether or not your pupils are spending as many minutes practising as you would like them to.

You'll be able to set the number of minutes your pupils need to play, during a particular time period, then see who has completed the assignment and how well they've done.

Setting a Session:

To set a Session, please go to Online > Sessions, then click the "New Session" button. You will be able to create an assignment for a specific class or collection of classes. You can choose:

Which class or classes the session applies to 

How long it runs for (i.e. start and finish dates and times).

The number of minutes you want pupils to play in a specific gamemode.

Whether you want the Session to recur and, if so, how frequently and when it should stop.

Monitoring Sessions:

Once the homework assignment begins you will be able to see:

How many minutes each child has completed.

Their average speed.

Their number of correct answers.

Their percentage accuracy. 

To see your pupil's results, go to Online > Sessions and click Past to view a Session which has expired.

Then click on the Results button, to see a leaderboard of your pupils' performance:

Example uses of Sessions:

As a homework assignment:.

Supposing your homework window is Monday to Thursday, you could set your class the task of completing 10 minutes in the Garage between going home time on Monday and breakfast time on Thursday. Then, when your pupils log in between those hours, they will be locked out of Studio, Festival and Arena, until they've played the 10 minutes in the Garage.

Two Big Timesavers:

You can set this homework for more than one class at a time.

You can set this homework to recur every week.

To check pupils are playing everyday:

To ensure your pupils are practising the tables you've set them everyday, set a Session to begin tomorrow at 00:00 and end at 23:55. Then select, say, 3 minutes in the Garage mode, and set the Session to recur daily until the end of term.

Then, when they log in each day, your pupils will have to complete the 3 minutes in the Garage you've set them, before they'll have access to the rest of the gamemodes. Once they've completed their daily task, the rest of the gamemodes will become available to them once again.

You'll then be able to log in to your teacher account and check which days the pupils have and haven't completed their assignments. 

To ensure their Studio Speeds are up-to-date:

The Studio Speed and corresponding Status are based on the most recent 10 games a child has played in the Studio mode. To ensure your pupils' Studio Speeds are all up-to-date, you'll want them to complete 10 minutes in the Studio. This can be done little and often (similar to previous example, however, set the gamemode to Studio, rather than Garage), or you could set them a one-off assignment:

Select a start date and time (for example, Friday at 3pm) and an end date and time (Monday at 8am), and set 10 minutes in the Studio mode. Then, when the pupils log in over the weekend, they'll be required to play for 10 minutes in the Studio, before regaining access to the rest of the programme. If they've completed the task, you'll know their Studio Speed is up-to-date.

To ensure your pupils' current Studio Speeds and Statuses are regularly updated, you could set the Session to recur each week or month.

During lessons:

Sessions aren't restricted to homework. You could set a short Session (for example, 10 minutes in the Festival) while your pupils are online during a lesson, to ensure they're putting their time to good use and not spending the entire time comparing guitars in the avatar store!