Tips on how to help child — and not hinder

Here are some guidelines from a handful of teachers and educators on parents' involvement in their kids' homework.

Joyce Portnoy Eisman

Third grade teacher

Ethical Culture Fieldston School

New York, N.Y.

Understand the child's assignment and make appropriate suggestions like, "You need to reread this" part, or "I noticed there are some words misspelled."

Shirley Igo

President of the National PTA

Plainview, Texas

If a parent sees a mistake in a math problem, the parent shouldn't tell the child what the right answer is but help him arrive at it. It's fine to ask, "Where did the figuring go wrong?" and talk the problem through.

Eileen Theim

Seventh and eighth grade English

St. Jane de Chantal School

Bethesda, Md.

Ask questions about the subject your child is writing about, trying to draw out more detail.

Harris Cooper

Professor of psychology

University of Missouri, Columbia

When your kid is working on an assignment, do a related task. If the student is working on math, for instance, balance the checkbook.

"Help your child see that the skills they are practicing are related to things you do as an adult," he says.

Inez Liftig

Eighth-grade science

Fairfield Woods Middle School

Fairfield, Conn.

Only do your child's typing occasionally. Otherwise, the child becomes dependent and doesn't learn on his own. Another danger: When parents type, they often feel the urge to edit, so the writing takes on a different voice.