25 WAYS TO MAKE HOMEWORK EASIER ON YOU AND YOUR PARENTS FROM THE SPECIAL PROGRAMS OFFICE

1. Do the most important homework first. Try doing your work between the hours of 3 PM and 6 PM. Then, you can have a full evening of free time to yourself.
2. Put papers into the proper folders or binders while you are in school.
3. Reread any notes you took in school earlier that day.
4. As you reread your notes, put a question mark next to the things that you do not understand and that you have to ask questions about tomorrow.
5. When reviewing notes, read them aloud to yourself. The brain remembers things better if it sees it, your mouth says it, and your ears hear it.
6. Try to create potential test questions out of your notes.
7. Get up and walk around while reviewing your notes. This increases circulation and helps you focus better.
8. Get involved in a club or sport in school. This helps you build friendships and a positive attitude about school.
9. Remove distractions from your study area. No ipod, TV, or computer until you have reached your goal.
10. Have supplies at hand like pencils, pens, markers, calculator, etc. Running for them is only a distracter.
11. Time how long you think it should take you to complete an assignment and try to beat the timer.
12. As you do homework, ask yourself, “ How can this help me learn the information?”
13. If you come to something and do not understand it, skip it, and try to come back to it later.
14. Have a drink or snack at a study area to stay hydrated and at optimum energy levels.
15. Do not forget to stretch, get up, and take a break about every 30 to 40 minutes.
16. Make a goal every night and reward yourself for reaching it. Go play some basketball, talk on the phone for 20 minutes, IM a friend on the computer, or watch a favorite TV show.
17. Look ahead in the text to the words, pictures, captions, and summary to get an idea of what maybe coming next.
18. Once you finish your homework in a course, take the time to immediately put it in a folder or binder so it is not lost and you know exactly where it is to hand it to the teacher.
19. If you need parental or sibling help with something, don’t be afraid to ask and don’t procrastinate about it. If a 5-week project is due tomorrow, then tonight is not the time to start to work on it. 
20. Use your school planner to write down work and when it is due.
21. Cross off assignments completed in the planner. Check it before you go to bed to make sure you did everything for the next day. You get a sense of accomplishment each time you can cross something off your list.
22. Put school supplies in the book bag before you go to bed so it is ready in the morning.
23. Lay out clothes and shoes the night before so you can start the day off organized.
24. Get to sleep. Your brain needs to rest to work efficiently.
25. School is your most important job you have so be prepared every day to go to your job and do well. If 25 steps is too overwhelming than try 1 or 2 at a time for 7 to 21 days and see how it impacts your performance in school and then try another 1 or 2 steps.

• http://www.scholastic.com/kids/homework/