Creating a Homework Plan
Homework Completion is a MAJOR problem for almost all students with ADHD. Helping your student complete over 90% of there assigned homework is ESSENTIAL for academic success.
I - together with my parents agree to carry out to the best of our ability the following homework plan:
I. Keeping Track of Assignments
A. I will write down the assignment from the board every day before I leave each class. I will read over what I have written down to make sure I understand it.
B. I will ask the teachers to explain any assignment that I do not understand. I will get the phone number of a friend in each class, in case I need to call someone to check on the assignment.
II. Bringing Home Materials
A. During study hall, I will review my assignments and gather all the materials which I need to bring home to complete my homework. I will put all these materials in my backpack.
B. Before leaving study hall, I will think to myself, “Do I have everything I need to do my homework?” At the start of the school year, my study hall teacher will prompt me. Later on, if needed, I will wear a watch with an alarm and use it to remind myself to check for materials at the end of the school day.
III. Reviewing Assignments
A. I agree to show my parent(s) my planner every day without a hassle so they can review the assignments. My parent(s) agrees not to nag me about seeing my assignment book, only to ask one time. Over time as I demonstrate responsibility in accurately recording my assignments, my parent(s) agrees to ask to review my assignment book less often.
B. My intervention specialist will obtain a list of the week’s assignments from my teachers in advance (if they are not on the PIV) and forward to my parent(s) as a way of checking the accuracy of my planner.
IV. Establishing an Appropriate Setting and Schedule for Homework
A. From Monday through Thursday, I agree to work on homework from ___________________. If I finish early, I will show my completed work to my parent(s), and if they agree that it is completed, I can do other things. Each Friday, I will discuss with my parents a specific time to do homework over the weekend.
B. I will do my homework __________________________________. I can listen to soft music with headphones.
C. My parent(s) will remind me once without nagging to start on my homework at ___________ p.m. if I don’t start on my own. I will start without an “attitude.”
D. I will complete any homework due the next day before going to bed the night before. I will not use lunch time etc. to complete work that needs to be handed in that day.
V. Daily Plan for Organizing Homework Completion
A. I will make an organized plan for attacking each night’s homework. This plan will guide me in what I subject I will do first, second, etc. It will also divide up homework time between assignments due tomorrow and long-term assignments. I will tell my parent(s) the plan without an “attitude.”
B. My plan will estimate the time needed to complete each assignment.
C. The plan will include time for studying for examinations, and what I am going to do on long-term assignments.
D. The plan will specify how large assignments will be divided into smaller units and will include specific deadlines for writing outlines for longer writing assignments (essays and lab reports).
E. My parent(s) will help me study for examinations.
VII. Reviewing and Correcting Assignments
A. I agree to show my completed written work to a parent.
B. My parents agree to check over my work for completeness and accuracy.
C. I agree to make the corrections which my parents suggest or explain why not.
VIII. Turning in Assignments
A. As soon as I finish an assignment, I will put it in the section of the correct binder for that class. At the end of homework time, I will put my binders and books in my backpack.
B. I will do my best to remember to hand in each assignment.
C. I will talk to my teachers to make sure the teachers are prompting me to turn in my homework.
D. If these provisions do not work, I will work out a system with my Intervention Specialist to get her help in turning in assignments.
IX. Incentives
My parents agree to let me choose one of the following privileges as part of fulfilling the terms of this homework contract:
A.
B.
Additional Homework Completion Plan Information - Language for 504 Plan or IEP
Homework Completion Deficiencies - this student has severe problems in all phases of homework completion including recording assignments, bringing correct materials home, getting started on homework, sustaining efforts until completion, and returning completed work back to school and handing it in. The student should be granted extended time to complete assignments and should be able to hand in assignments at a prearranged extended deadline for full credit. A plan should be devised so that each of these difficulties is more appropriately monitored and managed between both school and home.
I recommend that this student be assigned a homework monitor (either a staff member or much older, responsible student). The role of this individual would be to assist with all phases of homework completion. More specifically they will obtain all of the homework assignments on a daily basis, sit down with this student after school to be sure they have all of the needed materials, study with them for a period of time to provide motivation for the more difficult tasks and communicate with parents to inform them about completed and uncompleted work. With these accommodations in place late homework will be kept at a minimum.
