Get out the map

Many students approach their homework in a haphazard way with the goal of getting through it as quickly as possible. Prioritizing and creating order around homework helps students feel less overwhelmed, reduces stress and anxiety, and always leads to better results. Prioritizing is a learned skill that can be developed with practice. Here’s how you can approach it with your child. 

• Set aside a few minutes right after school for a quick chat about homework.
• Have your child write down all their assignments, short- and long-term.
• Talk through prioritizing tasks based on a rationale. Together, ask these questions for each assignment:
  • “Why is this assignment important?” (Is it due soon? Worth a lot of points?)
  • “How much time will this take?” (Consider difficulty and length.)
• Based on the answers, decide which assignment to tackle first and why. Then keep going! 

By encouraging your child to think about the “why” behind their priorities, they’ll learn to approach their work with intention and purpose. Plus, learning how to prioritize builds key executive function skills like planning, time management, and task initiation.