How can I help my child with homework if I'm not familiar with the material?
The one advantage that adults have with elementary school homework is we read faster than kids and the vast majority of the homework is gonna come from a book; literature book, or science book, or history book or math book and we can read it. We can kind of skim over it and then talk about it. We can also look at the examples in the math and usually it'll come back to you when you look at it. You may really remember how to find the common denominator with fractions, but once you look at you'll probably be able to piece it together. So do that. Don't be afraid to skim over you childs homework, don't be afraid to tell your child, "You know, I need to look over this first, let me refresh my memory." Don't be afraid to say to your child, "Well, let's read it together and see if we can figure it out." And, finally I would say, don't be afraid to send a note to the teacher. It happens sometimes. Even as tutors it happens to us sometimes. I'm not familiar with this concept could you please either help so-and-so with it and could you please write out an example and send it home with him, so that we can work on it together, and most teachers will do this and most teachers will be happy to be asked. And quite often the teacher will go, "Ooh, I wasn't as clear about that or I'm sorry, I didn't realize that I didn't send the instruction sheet with this material. So don't be afraid to ask. Teachers are always going to appreciate that a parent want to help and wants to learn.
