Why Homework can be so hard

There has always been a question of why homework can be so hard. Homework has become an important part of learning, but this can cause meltdowns, burnouts and lean to shutdowns for many students.
There are many numerous factors to why homework can be so hard. The list could go on forever so here are some:

• Concentration- Too much maybe going on around them whilst doing homework- TV, family, pets, music. Many neurodivergent people can concentrate better with surrounding noise, many can’t
• Homework may not have been explained properly- sometimes teachers don’t always explain what needs to be done.
• Lack of understanding
• Tired after school/college- many neurodivergent people mask whilst at school and college.
• Given too much at one time- getting overwhelmed with work can cause confusion to what needs to be done and when.
• Lack of interest in the subject- Many neurodivergent people struggle when they do not find the subject interesting. This can cause lack of concentration. 
• Different teaching to normal- changing teachers or having a substitute teacher can cause distribution in the learning.
• Fonts being used- some fonts may cause headaches.

There are many ways to help and support them in educational surroundings and at home. Here are only a handful of them.

• Break homework down- give them clear introductions of how to do the work and how long they have got to hand it in.
• Read questions back to them- many will need someone to read questions to them a few times. 
• Encourage them to attend enrichments and after school clubs- their own teachers will be able to give them more help understanding the questions and problem solving.
• Help during school/college, provide 1 to1 help- being in a small class or just having someone just for them can help. This can reduce stress and help encourage learning at their own pace. Teachers may be busy helping 30+ students at one time.
• Routine- this can help them break down homework and stabilise their thoughts. Knowing what is going to happen next will help them take in more information.
• Letting them know they can ask for them- this can be help from a teacher, a teaching assistance, a parent or older sibling, or even another family member. 
• Learning their individual learning techniques- this can be using computers, typing, spider charts, bullet points, suitable fonts, larger text, coloured paper.

As a home-based learner (where I learn at home and long distance). I found it easier learning from my desk at home than at college. Knowing that someone is at the end of the phone or email to explain the questions. I learnt at my own pace which helped me to take in more information and learn more. Picking my own course that is relevant to my special interests encourages me to want to learn more.