Kids Homework Motivation

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Kids Homework Motivation

Motivation is a huge issue when it comes to successful learning, homework included. Here are some tips from Being Smart about Gifted Children: A Guidebook for Parents and Educators by Dona J. Matthews and Joanne F. Foster (pp 193-206) about factors that are necessary for your child to remain motivated:

• Curiosity, suspense, intrigue and wonder – capture your child’s interest in the subject being taught
• Confidence – your child needs to feel confident in their ability and also feel that you have confidence in them to complete their homework independently
• Controversy and contradiction – encouraging students to consider alternative perspectives, controversy and contradiction is often motivating and stimulating
• Independence, self-regulation and autonomy – allow your child to make their own choices and decisions which will help them stay engaged and feel in control of the task at hand

Know your child’s motivators – what motivates one child will not necessarily motivate another child. Be careful of using extrinsic motivators (like money, candy, toys), which don’t reinforce a love of learning for the sake of learning. Instead try to stick to intrinsic motivators (sense of accomplishment, feeling proud for completing a task).