If you have difficulties with homework that you don't understand, this can affect your grades and prevent you from understanding certain topics and moving on to the more advanced subjects. There are many ways you can finish homework that you don't understand, and they will depend on your specific situation. Ask for help at school if you notice that you need it when you are there. On the other hand, if you have a question when you have already arrived home, you can still ask others for help or use resources such as your textbook or the internet. Adopting healthy homework habits can also help you get as many points as possible on an assignment that you don't understand very well.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Get Help at School
Step 1. Take notes when homework is assigned
Most teachers will explain the directions for homework when they assign it. If yours mentions them verbally, you should write them down in your notebook or diary when explaining them. If he gives the instructions in writing, you will need to listen to him so that you can pick up on and record any additional prompts or clues that he provides.
Review the assignment immediately, even if the bell is about to ring and you're eager to leave. Ask the teacher to clarify your doubts if you have not understood the details of it
Step 2. Ask the teacher to write the instructions on the board
If the teacher talks too fast or you get distracted when explaining the assignment, you should ask him to write or post the instructions where you can see them. This will allow you to gather the information you need to understand the assignment at your own pace.
- This is usually most effective in the short term for assignments with easy-to-summarize details (eg, problems 1–35, odd numbers only, on page 82 of the book). For more complex assignments, you can ask him to put the information on the board, but he may refuse and offer to explain it to you after school.
- If you always find it difficult to write down the details of the teacher's assignments, you can approach him after class, explain the problems you are having, and ask if he would be willing to start writing the information for future assignments on the board. This way, you can write it down without rushing or panic.
Step 3. Approach him after class
Ask him to explain the instructions for the task. If you do not understand how to do it because the instructions are not entirely clear to you, you will have to ask the teacher or instructor to explain them to you at the end of the class.
- If you are concerned about being late for the next class, you can usually ask them to write and sign a note justifying your tardiness to the teacher for the next class. You can also approach the teacher at the end of the school day, but this can be problematic if he leaves early or if you need to take the bus home.
- In most universities and colleges (and in some high schools), teachers often post their hours of attention in the syllabus or on an office door. They will generally be available during these hours to help students with questions. You could go see him if you need me to explain something brief; however, if you want to ask more detailed questions, it might be better to reserve a specific time when you can meet.
Step 4. Consult with other teachers in the school who teach the same subject
If you don't understand the assignment because the teacher has explained it in an inconsistent way, you can ask the other teachers if they can explain it to you differently.
- This usually works best if you check with one you already know, whether it's from a previous school year or an extracurricular activity. If you don't know any other teachers, you can ask a friend from another class to introduce you to theirs, rather than approaching them on your own.
- Don't worry too much about hurting your teacher's feelings or pride. A good teacher will want the best for his students. However, you should not insult their ability to teach by asking for help, as this could harm their relationship in the long run.
Method 2 of 4: Get Help from Others After School
Step 1. Ask your classmates for help
They will be the ideal people to help you understand the task, especially those who have already completed it or who excel in that subject. You can ask them to explain the instructions or help you understand the material.
- These days, you won't have much difficulty communicating with some classmates, thanks to social media or text messages. If you are too young to have social media accounts or your own phone, you can ask your parents to call one of your friends' home.
- For help with instructions, you will usually have to ask someone in your class. However, if you want help with the material, you could also go to friends from another class who study the same information at the same time. What's more, their teacher could have presented the information to them from a different perspective, which will also allow you to learn about it.
- For longer assignments, you could even try organizing a study group for homework.
Step 2. Go to your school-age siblings or family members
If you can't get help from your classmates, your older siblings and cousins may be the next best option, especially if they are only 1 or 2 years older than you. They will still have the information held in mind and could even use the same principles in their current grade assignments. Therefore, perhaps they can answer any questions you have about the material.
You could also go to family members your own age. They are likely studying the same material or did it a few weeks before your class
Step 3. Ask your parents for help
The information may not be as fresh in their mind as it would be in a brother or cousin, but they will still know a lot, especially if you are learning frequently used information or a topic they like.
You can also ask other family members, such as your aunts, uncles, and grandparents. Some will be better than others in certain subjects, and may explain the homework and topics you study in a way that helps you understand them better. For example, if you have trouble with English, ask family members who love reading if they can help you understand the assignment
Step 4. Consult with a tutor
Not everyone will have this option, but if you have access to a private tutor or if the study center has a tutoring center, you should definitely consider the option of asking for the assignment material to be explained to you. They should be willing to help you; after all, tutors are paid to help students.
- Send an email or call the tutor if you have a question but have not booked an appointment when it arises.
- You can also ask if he can offer you any advice on the subject that is not related to the subject he is teaching you. For example, you could ask the chemistry tutor to help you with a math problem.
- The worst that can happen in any of these cases is that the tutor tells you that they cannot help you.
Step 5. Email the teacher
If he gave them his email in class, and you have already tried other options, you can send him an email asking him to explain. Try to be as specific as possible when explaining the part that you don't understand, be it about the instructions or the material itself, and ask direct questions that can clarify your doubts.
- For example, you could write “I'm not sure what set of problems I have to solve. I thought I heard him say that the problems were on page 86 of the book, but there are none in it. "
- Keep in mind that they may not be able to reply to you right away. Even if he doesn't, you have at least expressed your desire to clarify your question, which might encourage him to spend more time on the material in future classes.
Method 3 of 4: Help Yourself
Step 1. Read the book
In many cases, homework will focus on what you have learned in class. If you do not understand the task because you do not know the topic it addresses, you will have to review the book of this subject to understand it better.
- This can be very helpful when your teacher assigns you problems from the subject book or a related workbook. However, even if it comes from a totally different source, you can still review the chapter on the same topic for more information.
- Feel free to do the problems in the book that have not been assigned to you. For example, some of these materials might have answers to even numbering problems on the back of them. If the teacher assigns you the odd-numbered ones from the same chapter, you will be able to solve some of the even-numbered ones and review your answers to better understand the material.
- If you do not understand the way in which the book explains the concepts, you can also go to the library and review the collection of books they have on the same subject. One of them could present the material more clearly.
Step 2. Review previous assignments and reprints
Many teachers will return assignments with corrections noted. If you have any related to the task you are solving, you should review it together with the corrections that the teacher has indicated, and try to identify your previous errors. Knowing where you have been wrong in the past can help you determine how you should approach your current assignment.
Similarly, many teachers will hand out reprints related to class material. Keep them and review them when you make the assignment. These may have useful supplemental information that is not in the book or your notes
Step 3. Use the internet as a resource
If the book and study materials do not provide you with the information you need to understand the assignment, you will need to search the internet for tips and guidelines in order to complete your assignment. For example, if your teacher has assigned you an essay on the topic, but you don't know how to write one, you can find tutorials and sample essays that can help you get started.
- For math and science problems, you could also look up free video tutorials online on the topic.
- To solve vocabulary questions, mathematical problems, historical dates and other related information; you can type the question directly into a search engine. In this way, you could find an explanation of the material among the results.
- For literature assignments, you can often find study or discussion guides online for such assignments.
- You could also use a computer resource for math problem solving or an online translator to help you solve foreign language problems. You just have to choose a resource that provides explanations, so you will understand the material and not only finish the task.
Step 4. Play games that help you understand the task better
Interactive games on topics you don't understand can be an effective and fun way to enhance the learning experience. For example, if you have trouble understanding your algebra homework, you can search for websites that provide various free math games that can help you understand algebraic equations.
- You can find interactive games on various topics, from letters and biology to subjects in other categories.
- This may work best during elementary and early high school. Once you start learning more advanced concepts in your later high school years and later in education, you are likely to find fewer games dedicated to the topics you study.
Method 4 of 4: Finish Confusing Assignments
Step 1. Solve the task as soon as you can
Ideally, you should start solving all homework the same day it is assigned, even if it is due a week later. That way, you can determine if you don't understand it at an early stage, giving you a better chance of getting the help you need before the deadline.
You should apply the same idea to the task that you have to turn in the next day. Trying to figure it out in the study room will let you know if you need to have it explained to you before you go home. If you start doing it earlier in the evening (and not just before bed), this will give you the opportunity to communicate with friends, ask an older brother or parent for help, or send them an email. email to the tutor or teacher
Step 2. Minimize distractions
This is good advice for any task you do, but it will be very important when you solve a task that you do not understand. Turn off your phone, sit in a quiet area without the noise of the television or radio, and give your full attention to the task.
The exact location won't matter as long as it's relatively free from alluring noise and distractions. You will have to focus completely when solving difficult problems
Step 3. Show your work
You won't have to do it for every homework assignment, but for math and science problems, you will need to show your work and not just the answers. You could get partial credits if part of the work is correct, but even if this is not the case, the teacher will still be able to indicate the point where you made a mistake and provide you with the exact information you require in order to understand the same type of problems in the future.
- However, you should continue to solve the problem until you think you have arrived at the correct answer, or at least one that could be.
- If you know you've done something wrong or you know the part of the process that you don't understand, you could also write a note to the teacher to let them know. For example, you could draw an arrow pointing to a formula that you don't know how to use correctly, and write "I know I made a mistake here, but I couldn't identify it."
Step 4. Turn in assignments
You should always do and turn in any homework that is left to you, even if you don't fully understand it. The teacher will not expect your assignments to be perfect, but will make an effort to study, and for this you will have to do the assignments that he leaves you.
You should also keep in mind that many ideas will build on others as they develop the material; Therefore, if you fall behind in the first assignments, you may not learn the material necessary to understand the future ones
Step 5. Review the corrections that have been made to you when you return home
If the homework is returned with the corrections indicated, you will have to do the incorrect work again following the teacher's recommendations. Ideally, you should go through the fixes until you can fix the problem accurately and understand the previous errors.