• Create an appropriate study environment. Many students have a difficult time keeping up with their studies merely because they feel frustrated and uncomfortable when they sit down to begin them. You must be in an environment that allows for full concentration.
• Take good notes (and pay attention in class). Class time is when much of learning takes place. Paying attention in class familiarizes you with the material, and taking notes firms it up until further studying solidifies it.
• Develop effective memorization methods. Learn when to make lists, use flash cards, and create other memory tools.
• Focus on the areas that need the most attention. Many students feel that any time studying counts as real studying, but studying is less effective if you do not target the areas that need study.
• Work in groups, but only when everyone is focused on studying.
• Practice essay writing.

Parents’ and students’ responses indicate that they are both struggling to adjust to the demands of the middle school workload, which is both heavier and more varied than typical grade school assignments:

• Two-thirds of parents (66 percent) say that their middle school student seeks the parent’s help with homework.
• More than one-half of middle school students (57 percent) and their parents (59 percent) report that parents spend at least one hour a night helping them with homework.
• Parents also report helping their middle school students with homework almost two and one-half nights a week on average.

Look familiar to you too? There are a number of things the NEA says you can do to help – what they call “bridging the great homework divide.” These include:

• Be prepared . Assume your children will have studying to do every night and work with them to create a comfortable, distraction-free homework zone.
• Understand teachers’ policies and expectations . Encourage your children to ask their teachers questions, reminding them that an in-person visit before or after school is often most effective.
• Be available and teach by example . Check in with your children while they work, offering to be a sounding board or source of advice. Help them cope with feelings of failure or frustration.
• Identify other resources . Encourage your children to find homework buddies, and do not hesitate to line up extra support if needed.
• Stay in touch with your children’s teachers . If teachers have access to e-mail, it can be an effective way to maintain regular contact in addition to telephone calls and in-person visits.
• Inspire learning outside school . Nurture your children’s personal interests, perhaps finding activities that parallel what they’re studying in school, thus fostering their enthusiasm for learning as a life-long endeavor.