Homework Talk!

Cheli Cerra, M. Ed & Ruth Jacoby, Ed.D
Jossey-Bass (2006)
ISBN 0787982733
Reviewed by Danielle Feliciano for Reader Views (7/06)

In their book “Homework Talk!” authors Cheli Cerra and Ruth Jacoby have given parents a priceless guide to help them conquer any issues that make homework difficult for their children.  Cerra and Jacoby have identified more than 50 of the most typical problems surrounding the issue of homework and have given tips and advice for the parents to use to tackle these issues.  The issues addressed in this book range from the basics of parental and student responsibility to homework, to the more complex issues of communicating with teachers and dealing with frustration and organizational issues.

“Homework Talk!” is filled with checklists, sample homework calendars, tips and self-evaluation surveys that make this book very easy to use.  It is well-organized and easy for the parent to find the section or sections that are most appropriate to his or her situation.  This book also confronts a common, yet often ignored, problem of the parents’ ability to communicate with the teachers.  Often, parent-teacher communication is relatively easy.  However, for those times when it is not so easy, parents need to have somewhere to turn for help.  This book offers parents tips and guidance on how to approach a teacher, how to communicate effectively, and how to get the situation resolved. 

In this book, the authors have given parents a great gift of a load of useful information in one easy to use book.  All parents of school-age children would benefit from having this book in their home.  Additionally, teachers would benefit from reading it to have a clearer view of the problems that their students and parents face each night when homework time comes around. 

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