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“I am not a teacher, but an awakener.” - Robert Frost, American poet and educator

4DRAMATIC TIPS TO HELP YOUR CHILD WITH SCHOOL HOMEWORK, STARRING YOU AS THE HERO

October 1, 2024

Homework time can be stressful, but it can be more fun. When you incorporate elements of drama and theater into your homework routine, you can transform this often tedious process into an engaging, interactive, and even fun experience. Here are four tips that will help your child succeed with their school homework and make you both feel like stars on the stage of education.

1.  Set the Stage

In theater, setting the stage is crucial for drawing in the audience and actors alike. Similarly, setting the right environment for your child's homework can play a pivotal role in their focus and productivity.

Think of your home as the theater and the homework station as the stage. It doesn't have to be elaborate, but it should be a space free from distractions, with the right "props": pencils, paper, books, and any other necessary materials. You might even let your child help "design" their homework area like a set designer would, giving them a sense of ownership. They can choose a favorite poster for inspiration or arrange their desk in a right way.

Add some theatrical flair by dimming bright overhead lights and using a lamp with warm lighting. Consider background music—a calm, instrumental score, soothing and subtle enough not to distract from the work. Each time your child sits down for homework, it's like stepping onto the stage, ready for another scene. The better the environment, the more smoothly the "performance" will go.

2.  Make it a Play!

In theater, actors don't just recite lines—they embody their characters. If a student has to give a speech or presentation, turn that assignment into a play. Help them pick out costumes for their "character." If they are giving a speech about Abraham Lincoln, help them dress the part by taking them to a thrift store for costume shopping. Hang bed sheets to make curtains. Turn your living room into a stage where they can perform.

You can add characters, even if it is just for rehearsals, so your child has another character to interact with while talking. You or other family members can pretend to be reporters, asking President Lincoln questions. The more immersive you can make the experience, the more engaged your child will be.

3.  Use Improv to Write Assignments

Students often need help with writer's block, overthinking, or knowing where to start when writing homework assignments. One creative solution to these challenges is using improvisation as a tool to spark ideas and keep the writing process flowing.

The heart of improvisation is spontaneity—acting or writing without overplanning. Instead of staring at a blank page, permit them to write whatever comes to mind about the topic. Set a timer for 10 minutes and have them just free-write. Don't worry about structure, grammar, or correctness; the goal is to get ideas flowing. They can organize and refine their thoughts later, but this freedom often leads to fresh insights and perspectives that help fuel the rest of their lives.

4.  Change the Scene

Changing where your kids do homework can spark their intellect in new ways. Take this story of a family who loved going to the arcade. The mother had difficulty getting her children to focus on their math homework. Mom came up with an arcade-meets-math homework plan. The kids were surprised when they went to the arcade on a Saturday afternoon. On the drive there, she handed them the math worksheets they had to do at the arcade. Before they were allowed to play their first video game, they had to add up the top five high scores listed on the video game's front screen. They had to divide the second-highest score by the fourth-high score for their second video game. For her older child, who was in a more advanced math class, she had to work out the square roots of those identical scores.

The kids found this adventure very fun. They raced one another to see who could finish the math problems first. They had a great Saturday afternoon of video game fun and completed their homework on time. The mom continued developing lesson plans like this over the years and has had great success with her children.

Homework doesn't have to be a dry, dreaded task. By incorporating elements of drama and theater into the process, you can turn each homework session into an engaging experience filled with creativity, encouragement, and interaction. Set the stage to help you guide your child with enthusiasm and imagination.

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