What is it Like to Attend University of Missouri-St. Louis

What is it Like to Attend University of Missouri-St. Louis The tutors behind Varsity Tutors are not just here to teach theyre sharing their college experiences as well. Nathan is a St. Louis tutor specializing in SAT prep tutoring, Calculus tutoring, all levels of Algebra tutoring, and more. He is currently a senior at University of Missouri-St. Louis majoring in Math Education. Check out his review of his school: VT: Describe the campus setting and transportation options.How urban or safe is the campus?Are there buses or do you need a car/bike? Nathan: UMSL is a much more commuter-based school; there are two campuses, North and South. Both campuses are connected to the Metrolink, but I take my car on most days as it's a lot more convenient. I feel pretty safe on campus, though there are some parts or some times where it is less safe. VT: How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Nathan: This really depends on the professor or staff member you are talking about. On one end, I've had a professor willing to email all the students and set up meetings outside of class that weren't office hours, and on the other, I've had a professor who never replied to email and only held office hours. The academic advisers usually meet by appointment only, but the Friday walk-in is a viable option as well. VT: How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Nathan: I actually don't know much about the dorm life as I live off campus. The dining options are much better on North campus, though, with South campus trying to catch up. As far as socialization, it's pretty easy to find your interests represented on campus and if not, the process to make a group is fairly straightforward. VT: Which majors/programs are best represented and supported?What did you study and why? Did the university do a good job supporting your particular area of study? Nathan: UMSL is touted as a business school; that being said, though, I haven't actually met many Business majors in my day to day adventures on campus. Then again, I'm mainly on South campus where I study Middle School Education because I love to teach and help people. I know there are a couple of student groups, such as Nursing and Business, and overall there is a good amount of support from the university toward all areas of studies. VT: How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Nathan: While I did not go to UMSL as a freshman, it was fairly easy for me to make acquaintances and friends both in and out of class. I belong to a couple of clubs currently and I have a lot of friends in my major. I don't see much of Greek life participation, but I know that they do quite a bit around both the campus and community. VT: How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services?Do many reputable companies recruit on campus? Nathan: The Career Center hosts many classes for free as well as a lot of Job Fairs and support for the students. There is also a Nursing/Health center, a Recreational Center, and other awesome forms of support provided. I have always had a good deal of success when dealing with any department. VT: How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Are they over-crowded, easily available, spacious? Nathan: They are pretty useful, with a lot of computers and quiet areas. The staff and resources both online and offline are very useful, and questions are answered promptly. The student union is a great resource as well; it helps advertise events and is a solid meeting place for most of the clubs on campus. VT: Describe the surrounding town. What kinds of outside establishments / things to do are there that make it fun, boring, or somewhere in between?To what extent do students go to the downtown area of the city versus staying near campus? Nathan: UMSL is located near the airport in a county of St. Louis known as Normandy. It's an okay community, with a few places to eat but not much to do. Most students will take the Metrolink or their cars elsewhere to socialize. VT: How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Nathan: I believe the student body is about 16,000 people, but it really doesn't feel like a large number. I tend to see the same people a good amount of the time, and with the advantage of taking some freshman classes, I know a fair amount of people outside of my major. VT: Describe one memorable experience with a professor and/or class. Perhaps one you loved the most or one youregretthe most. Nathan: My best teacher wanted us to call her 'WB. She was one of my Education teachers. She truly cared about each one of us succeeding beyond the scope of her class and wanted to make sure we had the ideas that she made very enjoyable. She also took myself and another student for a tour around McCluer North High School to get an idea of what actually goes on in St. Louis schools. This experience was quite valuable to me as I moved away years ago and had no idea what to expect. My fellow students and I always call the really awesome assignments we create, WB style worksheets. Check out Nathans tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

5 Ways High Schoolers Can Wrap Up the School Year Right

5 Ways High Schoolers Can Wrap Up the School Year Right With summertime in the air, the last semester of the year can be the most exciting: theres warmer weather, end-of-the-year celebrations, and often lighter, more creative final projects. For this reason, its often the busiest time of year. Despite all the craziness, here are five ways you can wrap up the school year right. 1. Make the most of your classes Its easy to start slacking off this time of year. To wrap up your year right, though, youll want to keep going strong until the end. Grades often depend on final exams or projects, so you dont want to loosen up earlier in the semester only to scramble, or to have your grade suffer, in the last few weeks. Some teachers account for this by assigning more hands-on or creative projects; take advantage of those that are offered! In any case, stay on top of important dates, including final exams, project due dates, presentations, and/or AP exams by marking them clearly in your planner or phone. Break down larger assignments into smaller, more manageable tasks, and be sure to plan your schoolwork around any other extracurriculars. 2. Set up summer plans Depending on your school or community, theres often a lot of pressure around how summer is spent. The downside to this is that you can start comparing yourself to others, especially if you dont have a fruitful job or prestigious internship lined up. The upside to this, however, is that it can serve as motivation for finding summer plans that best suit you. Is it a job or an internship? Are there summer programs that would deepen your skills or interests? Is there a camp youd like to attend, or a test to start studying for? Dont forget to consider traveling or taking on a personal creative project. There are many ways you can make summer memorable and productive, and it doesnt have to be the typical 9-5 internship. Counselors, teachers, and other community members can have great resources and contacts for these types of activities. [RELATED: What I Wish I Knew When Graduating High School] 3. Schedule next years classes Some schools allow you to sign up for classes during your spring semester, while others may have you sign up in the fall. Regardless, now is a great time to speak with your guidance counselor or academic counselor about what classes are required for you to graduate, and which you can take as an elective. Scheduling out your classes noweven if you dont have to formally sign upcan help you plan out your summer also. You might find out theres a course you want to take over the summer or a subject youd like to be tutored in over the summer. Or, you may just want to take out a few books from the library or do some online research to stay fresh in a subject over the summer. 4. Enjoy end-of-the-year activities There are so many ways schools celebrate the end of the year, including banquets or dinners for clubs and teams, class gatherings, field trips, and of course, prom. If youre an introvert who may wish to shy away from some of these things, take a moment to select which activities will be most meaningful to you and your friends. If youre more of an extrovert, on the other hand, who would like to be sure to make it to all of these occurrences and more, take the time to carve out space in your schedule to ensure you dont miss these things (in addition to other important commitments related to academics or perhaps finding a job). Now is a great time to push yourself, in terms of your own personal standards, to enjoy end-of-the-year activities. Dont feel any pressure, however; pick the events that are right for you! 5. Thank your teachers, counselors, and/or coaches Take the time to thank your teachers, counselors, coaches, and any other school professionals in a way that feels most comfortable for you: verbally, with a card, with a small gift (handmade gifts are great, as well as baked goods, small mementos, or gift certificates), etc. You may even choose to go in with friends or with the whole class to put together a gift or small celebration for one of your favorite teachers. If you particularly liked a certain book or assignment you did in class, tell your teacher specifically; he or she will really appreciate the kind feedback! Its also a great way to start building a rapport with someone who will more than likely be able to write you a college recommendation letter in the future, act as a job reference, or simply be a great mentor in your life. As both summertime and end-of-the-year tasks approach, keep in mind the above ideas to wrap up the school year right. Make sure that whatever you do helps you appreciate the end of the year not only academically, but personally as well.

Benefit of Finding Common Ground in All 3 Sections of SAT

Benefit of Finding Common Ground in All 3 Sections of SAT 0SHARESShare A lack of strategically making a study plan may lead to confusion and chaos while studying for the SAT test. Tutor pace suggests that there are certain benefits of finding commonalities between all 3 sections of the SAT test. For instance, research has proven that those students, who were read bed-time stories during their childhood, became better math problem solvers. Hence, the students who are good in reading will not only do well in the SAT critical reading section but they have a higher probability of scoring well in SAT Mathematics as well. Tutor pace identifies 3 benefits of overlapping question content in the SAT test sections 1- Skill development:   Developing one skill can lead to a good score in more than one section. For instance, if the student is able to do well in the SAT reasoning test, then SAT mathematics section becomes relatively easy. Here there is a good chance that the student is doing well in the SAT reasoning test because of her English writing and reading skills.  2- Ability to compute faster solutions: The competency to compute faster solutions increases with overall skill development. A good performer in the SAT mathematics will have a better chance of doing well in the numerical problems in SAT reasoning test.  3- Reading and Math: Recent research has shown that, good readers perform well in math problem solving.   Tutor pace suggests students to inculcate regular reading habit for them to increase their overall competency in math and reasoning sections as well. [starbox id=admin]

The Ideal Age to Become a Pianist

The Ideal Age to Become a Pianist How old should you start playing the piano? ChaptersHow to start kids on piano lessonsPlaying piano for adolescentsLearning the piano as an adultAlthough it may seem obvious, we think it’s worth stressing that: there is no ideal age for learning to play the piano! Some very gifted pianists began to play as adults, even in their retirement! Others learned to play the piano as children. We’ll let you in on a little secret: whether you begin the piano at 5 or 50 years of age, the key to success is motivation. LouisPiano Teacher £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AlisonPiano Teacher £32/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ErenPiano Teacher 5.00 (6) £40/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors BarbaraPiano Teacher £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors Chi yuenPiano Teacher 5.00 (5) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors TomPiano Teacher £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ValtiePiano Teacher £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DanielPiano Teacher 5.00 (5) £37/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsHow to start kids on piano lessonsIs there a minimum age to learn the piano? There’s no official answer to this question. Some kids begin to play the piano from the ages of 3 or 4. And we know that most of the great music composers began to play the piano very young.But according to the consensus, learning to play piano before the age of 3 and a half is not worth it: at this point the child is still too little for the complex training of the piano.Piano classes given to very young children are different to those delivered to adolescents or adults. With the goal to make your child discover the world of music, this class teaches music introduction, to initiate him or her into rhythms and melodies. The main message these classes send is that piano instruction is fun. Before all else, learning how to play the piano for the very young should be seen as a “beginner” and fun activity.Your child won’t take to the keyboard it if you push him or her to lear n this or that piece, music theory, or if you’re too ambitious. They’ll soon switch off and refuse to continue the piano lessons. Forcing a child to play piano when he or she refuses is definitely not the best way to encourage progress!If children aren’t having fun playing the piano and consider it an annoying task, they won’t have the motivation or urge to work at it. A child, like all individuals, “works” through motivation. Without motivation, progress is impossible. And for a child, this means fun.Join the discussion: how is a child's development impacted by piano lessons?Find ways to make the piano seem fun for your child!But, contrary to what we think about learning, fun can be a useful tool! The child will acquire a musical ear and sensibility, and forge a relationship with the piano.  Strict pianistic progress will be slow at the beginning. (i.e. Don’t expect a tiny Mozart at first!)But that’s beside the point.One piece of advice for motivating your child at a young age to play the piano: present piano training as a reward. (i.e. “If you are good, you can play the piano!”)  The child must value the piano, with the help of parents. He or she should feel lucky to be able to learn to play the piano.Here are some other handy pieces of advice to help motivate your child to become a piano player:Encourage and congratulate them regularly on their progress, even if it doesn’t seem very big!Choose a private piano teacher who is patient, who has a sense of humour and who can adapt his teaching to the age of your child. The more fun the piano lesson, the more the child will ignore the more laborious aspects of piano training.Choose a method adapted to very young children, that is, one that’s easy, fun, colourful, with drawings, stories, and musical games, etc. You can even choose the method with your children, by taking them to a music store.If all of this seems like too much of a chore, remind yourself that learning the piano is great for children! And who knows: one day you might be able to see your child, a famous pianist, perform at Carnegie Hall!Find piano lessons near me.Playing piano for adolescentsAs we discussed earlier, there is no ideal age for playing the piano. While it’s possible to begin very young, from the age of 3, you can also learn how to play piano as an adolescent (between 12 and 18 years of age). In terms of piano technique, we learn quicker as adolescents when compared to little kids. At this stage, the muscle tone of the fingers is already well formed and intellectual capacities are more developed.Find out what to do if your child asks for piano lessons...When motivated, adolescents make great pianists!It’s very important to find the right teacher for an adolescent  who wants (or is forced by parents!) to learn the piano. Certain adolescents have taken to hating the piano because of a bad instructor (or simply one who isn’t the right fit). On the contrary, good connections between an ad olescent and a piano teacher will sweeten the taste of learning for the student.  The personal relationship forged between teacher and pupil will be a determining factor in the student’s progress.A good piano instructor, for an adolescent, is one who is capable of adapting a teaching method to the music tastes of each student. Teenagers might have a negative vision of the piano, which is often considered a nerdy instrument of classical music, in contrast to the guitar, which is associated to popular culture and just seems cooler and more modern. It’s really important to discredit these ideas to motivate your adolescent to want to learn to play the piano.Why not let him or her know that you can play music from films or video games on the piano. Also,  the piano is the best and easiest instrument to play any music style. Everything is possible on the piano, contrary to other instruments that are more limiting (such as the violin and even the guitar to a certain extent). Piano musi c can be jazz, rock, improvisation, or anything really. (This will make learning to read music and learn the right piano posture way more enticing!)In conclusion, if the piano teacher isn’t working, don’t hesitate to replace him or her. Motivation, as we’ve seen, is the main motor behind piano progress, from a young age. But for adolescents, there are two sources of motivation that must be mobilized for successful piano training:Give a good image of the pianoFind a really good private piano instructorDiscover the many advantages kids gain through piano lessons!Learning the piano as an adultThere are many adults who refuse to start playing the piano because they believe themselves incapable.  The notion that it’s impossible for adults to learn piano is widespread. This idea has caused much harm.Like any preconceived notion, there is an element of truth to it. Yes, the younger one is, the better the training and learning faculties. Young children learn languages easier than ad ults. And the same goes for sight reading, or learning to play a piano chord.Discover how you can make the most of your piano lessons...Are you the next Lang Lang?But this is no reason to discourage yourself from your dream to learn to play piano! Superprof wants to assure you that it is possible to learn, and even play the piano well as an adult. The world would be a sad place if we were forced to abandon all projects at the adult age. So nothing should stop you from beginning to play the piano at 30, 40 or even 60 years old.As we discussed earlier, many very gifted pianists began the piano later in life.The fact that our fingers become stiffer on the piano keys is not a convincing argument. There are exercises in place just for this issue! A child, in contrast to an adult, doesn’t have completely formed fingers, notably in terms of muscles. With exercise, the fingers transform and acquire a muscle tone and power that wasn’t there before. Both children and adults have to work t o make this happen. Finger stiffness is not a sure thing and should not discourage piano playing for any musician! So start stretching and practicing that left hand…In reality, there are two main factors that make piano training difficult for certain adults: 1/ motivation and 2/ lack of time.We’ve already discussed how essential motivation is for learning and becoming more advanced players for both children and adolescent pianists.Yet, motivation is often the thing that’s lacking for adult players. Adults, contrary to very young children, know that they’ll need to work a lot to reach certain objectives (learn to read sheet music or identify the middle C), key to playing a musical instrument. The perspective of long, frequent and tiresome work, which is necessary for learning the piano, is a very discouraging factor. It would be way too difficult to list all the good reasons and arguments for finding the necessary motivation in this short blog article. But here is one in any case: a very motivated adult has a much higher learning capacity than a child. If the motivation is there, progress will be immense.It’s never too late to start playing the piano.Next, lack of time. Most adults have a professional life and sometimes even children, a relationship, etc. So how can one find the time that’s necessary for learning to play piano at home, as we know that regular work is required to see progress? You won’t learn your piano scales or sharps without piano practice…Well everyone should have a bit of free time. (It’s estimated that most adults watch about three hours of TV every day.) A lack of time, then, is often as much of an excuse as anything. Think about the ways in which you organize your time and see if you can’t set aside an hour every three days to play the piano and learn a new chord, octave or arpeggio? You’ll see that you most probably can.Just like for adolescents, it’s also important that you find your particular music niche: are you a fan of jazz piano, classical piano, variety, rock, tango… different styles will affect the content of your piano instruction. From private lessons in the conservatory, online piano courses to piano training in a music school, the choice for education is vast. And the first place to start looking is right here at Superprof!  This is especially true in today’s digital age, where it’s easy to find tutorials, free sheet music and free online classes to learn to play the piano. (Sometimes people are even giving away a free piano!) And you’ll soon be able to play the piano songs that you know and love.As you can see, there’s no official age for learning to play piano, as each age has its particular constraints. Learning music is for everyone. If you’re motivated, everything is possible, including achieving your most fantastic dreams on the piano keyboard! Are you the next Lang Lang or Elton John? Book a piano course and find out.Now find out about the benefits of piano l essons for kids...

Equivalent Expressions

Equivalent Expressions Equivalent expressions are the basically two equal expressions. It is denoted by the symbol =. Expressions are said to be equivalent if and only if two expressions are same by substituting the values of variables. For example: - 3x + 4 = 2y +4, this expression is said t be equivalent if the value of x =2 and the value of y = 3. Let us clear our understanding by taking suitable examples. Question 1:- If the following relation holds: - 2x+ 2 = 10 +2 then evaluate the value of x. Solution 1:- Given 2x+2 = 10 +2 Step 1:- First let us solve Right hand side 2x + 2 = 12 Step 2:- Now we need to subtract w from both sides 2x + 2-2 = 12-2 2x = 10 Step 3:- To evaluate the value of x, now we need to divide by 2 in both sides of the equation 2x/2 = 10 /2 Therefore, x =5 is the required solution. Question 2:- If 3x + 10 = 2y +5, then evaluate one value of x and y. Solution 2:- Given expression is: 3x + 10 = 2y + 5 This problem needs to be solved by the hit and trial method, only thing here is we should focus that both the expressions are equivalent. By hit and trial method, the value of x seems to be 5 and y seems to be 10 Check: - Left Hand Side = 3(5) + 10 = 25 Right Hand Side = 2(10) + 5 = 25 Since Left hand side = Right hand side Therefore x = 5 and y = 10 is the required solution.

A Day in the Life at the University of Oregon

A Day in the Life at the University of Oregon Jesse earned his bachelors degree in human physiology and Spanish from the University of Oregon. He specializes in geometry tutoring, Spanish tutoring, and a number of other subjects. Below, he shares his experience at the University of Oregon. Describe the campus setting and transportation options. Jesse: Eugene, OR is a very bike-friendly community, which makes biking to campus a viable option. While I hardly ever took the bus to campus since I lived within walking distance, I heard from multiple people that there were several easy-to-access bus routes to campus. Although Eugene is a city of over 100,000 people, the large amount of trees and greenery on campus gives it a more rustic feel than you would expect for a campus of its size. Campus is also very safe. How available are the professors, academic advisers, and teaching assistants? Jesse:Although I didnt make as much use of office hours as I should have, the few times I did go, the professors were readily available. However, at least in my human physiology major, the TAs were more approachable than the professors. It seemed like the professors would rather be doing research than teaching. How would you describe the dorm life rooms, dining options, location, socialization opportunities with other students? Jesse:When I was in the dorms, the dining choices were decent, but somewhat limited. However, after my sophomore year, they opened up a new dorm complex with much better dining options. Most of the dorms are located close to campus, if not right on campus. I was fortunate enough to never be more than a 10 minute walk from my dorm to class. I joined a fraternity and dont remember much about other socialization options in the dorms. That being said, I do remember there being various clubs to join and other social activities that the housing staff would host. Which majors/programs are best represented and supported? Jesse:Business and journalism are hands down the most popular and some of the best-supported majors on campus. I studied human physiology and Spanish. Unfortunately, when I was a student, the human physiology major was poorly supported. The human physiology program has undergone a major overhaul since I graduated, and there are many more classes to take that focus on specific aspects of human physiology that were not available when I was a student. The Spanish program seemed to have all the support it needed. How easy or difficult was it for you to meet people and make friends as a freshman? Does Greek life play a significant role in the campus social life? Jesse:Although I met most of my friends through Greek life, its fairly easy to meet new people as a freshman between classes, clubs, and the proximity of the various dorms. My advice for someone who is not a part of Greek life is to join some sort of club or team, as it makes meeting people much easier. How helpful is the Career Centerand other student support services? Jesse:The course that I took through the career center provided tips on networking, job hunting skills, and resume polishing tips. Although I didnt find my first post-college job through them, I was under the impression that many reputable companies recruit through U of Os career center. How are the various study areas such aslibraries, the student union, and dorm lounges? Jesse:I preferred to study off campus, but when I did study on campus, there were multiple libraries to study in, as well as the student union. However, like any university, these spots get crowded around midterms and finals, so plan your study times accordingly. Describe the surrounding town. Jesse:There is a lot to do in Eugene. There are plenty of restaurants, an amazing farmers market, and some nice hiking and biking trails. However, many of these fun activities are a long walk from campus, so if you dont have a car, youll likely have to take the bus. As great as these amenities are, I didnt visit downtown much until I was a fifth-year student. So, from my experience, it seemed like students remained close to the campus as opposed to going into town. How big or small is the student body? Were you generally pleased or displeased with the typical class sizes? Jesse:Although the student body has grown considerably since I was a student, it seemed like a reasonable size when I was there. Some of my prerequisite classes were fairly big, with over 400 students. I was happy with my human physiology major courses, where the number of students was around 100. Class sizes were sometimes less than 30 for my upper division Spanish classes. Check out Jesses tutoring profile. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

Importance of Emotional Intelligence

Importance of Emotional Intelligence You may have heard how important emotional intelligence is for students as they navigate school, but what is emotional intelligence? Simply put, it involves the ability to understand ones own feelings as well as the emotions of others. Children and teens with high emotional intelligence tend to be more mature and responsible. Here are some of the other reasons children need emotional intelligence: To be able to relate to their peers better. The ability to understand, communicate and work with others effectively will benefit children tremendously. To learn to read social situations. Knowing how to read social cues and body language is a life skill many of us take for granted. Children who are more emotionally intelligent are adept at reacting and responding to others in different scenarios. To foster responsible decision-making. With emotional intelligence comes the ability to make decisions thoughtfully and learn from those decisions by weighing consequences and how different actions can impact different people. To become more skilled at tackling problems. When people are emotionally intelligent, they have greater empathy for others perspectives and can more easily resolve conflicts. Theyre also able to solve problems methodically and thoroughly. To build leadership competencies. The world needs great leaders and emotional intelligence is an essential trait of a great leader. These individuals are good at building relationships based on trust and mutual respect. They listen well and know how to make others comfortable enough to share their ideas and input. Because they are skilled at relating to people, they are also good at building teams and motivating others. So, how can you work on raising an emotionally intelligent child? Here are several tips: Help your child develop his self-awareness. Encourage your child to be more mindful and more willing to take note of his emotions, good or bad, and talk and think through those feelings. Invite conversation. Encourage self-reflection. Nurture the development of good friendships. Children should recognize the difference between healthy and unhealthy friendships. Teach your child what to expect of all friendships and how to be a respectful, encouraging friend to others. Build your childs confidence. To cultivate emotional intelligence, help your child become comfortable with who he is and the decisions he makes in life. Help your child think critically. Because emotional intelligence is all about recognizing ones emotions and reactions and those of others, it also requires trusting ones feelings and conclusions about different people and situations. Make sure your child feels empowered to use his perspectives to make decisions. Teach self-regard for strengths and weaknesses. Theres great value in acceptance. Teach your child to be realistic about who he is and confident enough to believe he can improve on those weaker areas. Its a fact: students who possess emotional intelligence often outperform their peers. Teach your child to develop his and you will set him up for success in all aspects of life. About Huntington Huntington is the tutoring and test prep leader.Its certified tutors provide individualized instruction in reading, phonics, writing, study skills, elementary and middle school math, Algebra through Calculus, Chemistry, and other sciences. It preps for the SAT and ACT, as well as state and standardized exams. Huntington programs develop the skills, confidence, and motivation to help students succeed. Founded in 1977, Huntingtons mission is to give every student the best education possible. Learn how Huntington can help at www.huntingtonhelps.com. For franchise opportunities please visit www.huntingtonfranchise.com.

Homework Routines That Work for Kids with ADHD

Homework Routines That Work for Kids with ADHD As a therapist I hear over and over again from parents and kids with ADHD that homework is the number one cause of frustration, stress, and arguments at home. This is true whether kids are in elementary school and have only 20 minutes of homework each night or they are in high school and have an hour or more of homework to do each day. Why? While it might seem like it should be simple enough to just sit down and do your homework, the task of doing homework actually requires many complex skills that are hard for kids with ADHD, like getting started right away, staying focused on something that is not interesting, delaying gratification (since homework comes with no immediate reward), organizing and prioritizing assignments, sitting still for an extended period of time, and blocking out distractions. On top of this, the same ADHD symptoms that make it hard to do homework interfere with learning during the school day, which means a child may not have absorbed all the academic knowledge and skills needed to complete any given assignment. When we take a step back and think about homework from this perspective, it starts to become a little clearer why kids with ADHD struggle the way that they do. The good news is that despite the complexity of the problem there are some fairly simple things parents can do to help make homework time easier. The first, which I talked about in my last post, is to create a homework station designed specifically for a child with ADHD. The second is to create a simple homework routine that lays out the steps your child needs to complete each day and rewards him or her for his or her effort. When both the homework station and homework routine are used consistently, homework time becomes infinitely easier for kids with ADHD. Steps for creating a homework routine: Time of day. Have your child do homework as soon as possible after he or she gets home from school or after-school activities. The later it gets the more fatigued kids become, and the harder it is for them to stay focused and on task during homework time. And as much as possible, have your child do his or her homework at the same time each day. If after-school schedules make this difficult, then aim to create as much consistency as possible for example, on Tuesdays and Thursdays homework time is 4:30 and on Mondays and Wednesdays homework time is 6:00. Use a timer to build in homework breaks. Many younger kids with ADHD can only stay on task for about 10 minutes, and some older kids or teens with ADHD max out at around 20 or 30 minutes. Plan for this by building 5-minute breaks into the homework routine. Have your child set a timer for the first stretch of work time (15 minutes, for example). Your childs job is to work consistently during this time. Then when the timer goes off he or she gets a 5-minute break. Make sure your child sets a timer for this break period and gets back to work for the next 15-minute segment once the break is over. Some parents worry that if their child takes a break he or she will never get back to work, but as long as you build this into your homework plan and reward your child for getting back to work quickly when the break is over, you should see that he or she actually gets more work done with breaks than he or she would with no breaks at all. Clear expectations. Provide your child with clear expectations around the behaviors you want to see during homework time. Really think through the small steps that you want him or her to take, regardless of what his or her specific homework assignments might be. Focus on things like getting started right way, continuing to work until the timer goes off, and getting back to work right away when the break is over. Try to keep your expectations limited to just 5 steps. For example: Get started on your homework right away at your homework station (with only 1 reminder from an adult). Use a timer for homework time (10 minutes) and break times (5 minutes). Get back to work right away when a break is over. Try to answer each question or problem at least once before asking for help. Keep working until your timer goes off or your homework is finished. Build in rewards. First you work then you play is a good rule of thumb for everyone to learn and follow, and this is especially true for kids with ADHD. When it comes to doing homework, you can use this rule to create natural rewards that your child can earn when he or she finishes his or her work and has met your clear expectations. Think about fun activities your child likes to do that be used to motivate him or her to get homework done quickly. These can be things like playing with favorite Legos, playing outside, getting a limited amount of screen time, building forts out of pillows and blankets, etc. If time in the evening is very limited and you feel like you wont be able to squeeze in a fun activity on some nights, then you can allow your child to earn a small reward instead (check out my post on quick and easy reward ideas for families). Sit down with your child and create a list of activities or tangible rewards they can earn for meeting homework expectations. Make a When-Then plan. Use the list of homework expectations and the list of possible rewards to create a When-Then plan. When you complete your homework and meet the expectations, Then you can choose one activity or reward from the list. Print your When-Then plan and post it on a wall near your childs homework station so he or she can see it while he or she works. If your child starts to get off track, remind him or her about the plan and give your child an opportunity to refocus on work. SAMPLE HOMEWORK WHEN-THEN PLAN WHEN I FINISH THESE STEPS: Get started on my homework right away at my homework station (with only 1 reminder from an adult) Use a timer for homework (10 minutes) and breaks (5 minutes) Restart my homework work right away when my break is over Try to answer each question or problem at least once before asking for help Keep working until my timer goes off or my homework is finished THEN I CAN CHOOSE ONE FUN ACTIVITY OR REWARD: Play with Legos Build a fort 20 minutes of Minecraft Play outside Pick out a special treat to pack for tomorrows lunch Following these 5 steps to create a homework routine for your child will go a long way in helping to make homework time less stressful for you and your child. Your child will have an easier time getting started on his or her work and staying focused until homework is finished. Plus, your child will be finishing homework more quickly, leaving more time for the fun activities and family time that everyone enjoys! ABOUT DR. MARY ROONEY Mary Rooney, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California San Francisco. Dr Rooney is a researcher and clinician specializing in the evaluation and treatment of ADHD and co-occurring behavioral, anxiety, and mood disorders. A strong advocate for those with attention and behavior problems, Dr. Rooney is committed to developing and providing comprehensive, cutting edge treatments tailored to meet the unique needs of each child and adolescent. Dr. Rooney's clinical interventions and research avenues emphasize working closely with parents and teachers to create supportive, structured home and school environments that enable children and adolescents to reach their full potential. In addition, Dr. Rooney serves as a consultant and ADHD expert to Huntington Learning Centers. ABOUT HUNTINGTON Huntington Learning Center is the tutoring and test prep leader. Its certified tutors provide individualized instruction in reading, phonics, writing, study skills, elementary and middle school math, Algebra through Calculus, Chemistry, and other sciences. It preps for the SAT and ACT, as well as state and standardized exams. Huntington programs develop the skills, confidence, and motivation to help students of all levels succeed and meet the needs of Common Core State Standards. Founded in 1977, Huntington's mission is to give every student the best education possible. Call us today at 1.800.CAN LEARN to discuss how Huntington can help your child. For franchise opportunities please visit www.huntingtonfranchise.com. This website does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The material on this site is provided for educational purposes only.