ASK THE TUTOR
Question:
Dear Tutor, My son seems to be getting more and more homework every night, with long-term projects also due each month. We’re having a hard time juggling what to do when. Can you help?
Answer:
So often, the task before us is more daunting than the actual assignment. With the goal being to reduce these feelings of being overwhelmed as well as getting everything done on time, organization is key.
Everyone has their own style, my suggestion is to get a large desk calendar and list all of the assignment and projects that are due. Then, each day, chip away at the project.
Break a project into sections - like pieces of a puzzle. This will make everything seem less overwhelming. It may only take an additional 15 minutes a night if you break the project down, opposed to an entire weekend -- when left to the last minute when resources and time are scarce.
List on the calendar what you want to accomplish with those 15 minutes. Here’s an example:
- Monday - organize library books, magazines and flag important pages
- Tuesday -do internet searches, print information, highlight web site addressees for the bibliography later.
- Wednesday - coordinate internet information and books into “like piles”. Rough draft the first page.
- Thursday - rough draft 2nd page and so on…
My final suggestion is set a due date for yourself 1-2 days before the teacher’s assigned due date This allocates extra time in case unforeseen problems occur such as a broken printer, lost information, misplaced books, or final questions. Good Luck!
Our guest tutor this month is Kathleen. Please click here to view Kathleen’s bio
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