Today’s tip: Find a quiet spot in the house where homework can be done without interruptions.

“Although most kids today seem to be good multitaskers, many lack the ability to focus on one topic,” Ernie Gagne, fourth-grade teacher at Lewiston’s Geiger Elementary School, said. “Having a quiet place to do homework, without noise and interruptions from siblings, television and other electronic devices, allows them to complete assignments and hopefully better comprehend what’s being taught.”

Teachers can see the difference in students who have a quiet place every night and those who don’t.

“Too many times I’ve been told by students who did not complete assignments it was because their parents had friends over and it was too loud, or they were sitting around the kitchen table where the child did homework.”

Some families may not have extra space, and many students share bedrooms with siblings, Gagne said. “So my wish would be for parents to designate a common area and provide a quiet atmosphere for their children.”

It would help, Gagne said. Students would better comprehend what she or he heard in class and carry that into their homework.

— Bonnie Washuk