Many parents face challenges when they need to help their children do their coding homework. This is especially troublesome when the parents themselves understand nothing about the subject matter. They often give up and look for coding homework help online instead of figuring out how to make life easier for themselves and their children.
We offer you two basic strategies for coding homework for children, as suggested by experts from the National Association of School Psychologists. The first strategy is to create the ideal environment for doing homework, working out a clear homework schedule and a daily plan for learning at home. The second strategy is required for children for whom good grades are not enough, and they need to have a system of encouragement and rewards for completed coding homework. Let’s take a closer look at them.
Strategy #1
Creating the perfect routine and environment
Even adults find it easier to perform any task when it is clearly planned and has a certain algorithm of actions. By creating a daily coding routine for your child, you will help them develop habits and foster a sense of order and responsibility. And given that all tasks in Codemonkey are based on gaming elements, it won’t be hard for you to help your child focus on achieving their goals. They will need this knowledge and skills in their future life. It is important to note that the process of organizing the ideal conditions for homework should be agreed upon with your child.
Define a location
Talk to your child and ask them where they would be most comfortable doing their homework in the house. The idea of isolating a student in their room at their desk with no noise and no extraneous annoyances often seems ideal to parents. However, this option is not suitable for all children. Alone with themselves and their toys, books in their bedroom, and free access to a computer or tablet, they may be more distracted from doing their homework. Discuss all the options and choose the one your child likes best. It could be a dining room table, a couch in the living room, or even a table in the kitchen. Your child may be more comfortable learning with you to ask some questions as they learn to code or ask for help if a problem arises. Don’t impose your own ideas on your child; weigh the pros and cons together and make a mutual decision.
Set up a study room
Once you have decided on a study space, you need to turn it into a real study room. Since you only need a computer or tablet to learn with CodeMonkey, you can either install these devices permanently or hide them in a desk drawer if that place in the house is used for other purposes as well. Designate a place for a learning calendar where you will mark the dates and times of assignments. Don’t organize everything yourself and involve your child in the process. Most importantly, remove all distractions and objects from the workspace.
Create a schedule
Every child has a different rhythm, schedule, and biorhythms. Some kids find it easier to do their homework right after school before they have time to relax and get lazy. Other children prefer to rest, watch a cartoon, eat, and then start studying. You know your child better and choose the option that will be most comfortable for them. Try to stick to those hours of homework every day to get your child into the habit. We recommend not delaying coding homework. The more tired your child is, the slower and harder it will be to learn, even if learning is interesting and engaging.
Plan for coding homework
Until middle school, parents should be actively involved in helping their children with homework. You should sit down with your child to read through the assignments together, make sure they understand what they have to do, and have all the materials they need. After that, you should discuss the amount of time they think it will take to code. Agree with your child that you will be there for them if they have any difficulties and will be willing to help them. You can also discuss the rewards and encouragements they will receive for successfully completing their coding homework. We’ll talk about this in more detail in the second strategy.
Strategy #2
Encouragement Systems
There are children for whom a good grade is not enough motivation to do their homework. Their parents need to come up with encouragement systems that work better than grades. There are two categories of these systems, simple and complex.
Simple encouragement systems
Remind your child that they can do whatever they want after they finish their coding homework. This can be a meeting with friends, a favorite game, watching cartoons, and other interesting activities.
Complex reward systems
In this case, it is not enough for a child to wait for a favorite activity after school. Parents need to try with their children and work out a point system. This can be points for each correctly completed task, completed lesson, or successfully created application within the learning system. Then, the children can use these points to their advantage, which you also discuss beforehand. It can be something to choose from — going to the movies, buying a toy, a trip to a friend’s house, a picnic, a new bike, etc. Each goal has its own value in points. And your child decides what to spend them on. This is a great motivation for doing homework.
General tips for doing coding homework with your child
Always give your child choices and talk to them more. The ideal model of homework help or supervision may only be perfect for you, not for your child. Find out if they need breaks, which tasks are the hardest for them to do, and why. Talk to your child, and it will help build trust and improve their performance in school and extracurricular activities like coding.
