The quote by American reformer Henry Ward Beecher “We never know the love of parents till we become parents ourselves” is somewhat of a universal truth. But, being a parent is more than just loving your kid. As a parent, an individual needs to focus on the child’s overall development, and motivating them to learn is its integral part.
Admitting them to a renowned school is just one of the steps of turning them into a good learner. Let’s have a look at what else you can do make your kids intellectually sound.
Let them make the decisions
This is necessary for real-life learning. Over-controlling is never a wise idea, as the child starts to lack interest in each task. What you can do is, provide them with multiple options and let them choose the one they like the most. If you feel that a child is about to make a wrong decision, discuss the consequences with him/her like a friend instead of stopping them directly unless of course, it’s necessary.
Ask for suggestions
Involve your kids when you are planning to get a new home appliance or searching the options for the next holiday. This will help them in two ways. First, they will feel more confident. Second, it will encourage them to learn more about the things around them due to the curiosity aroused.
Create an environment of reading
This happens quite often that you bring some good books that you feel will encourage your child to read. More often than not, these books stay in the shelves for years. If you actually want your kid to read, inspire them to do so by creating such an environment. When they see you reading the newspaper, novel, or even a magazine, they will imitate you. Also, share some exciting facts related to the title you want him/her to read for boosting the interest.
Celebrate small achievements
A common practice among parents is to throw a party or gift something special to their kids when they do something extraordinary in their academics or extracurricular activities. Even a small achievement, such as timely completion of assignment can be celebrated. The celebration can be in the form of small gifts like pastries, a mini pizza party, or even an hour of their favourite game.
Focus on learning instead of grades
It is another common behaviour among parents as a part of which they pressurize the kids to perform better in their respective tests or exams. The focus should be on what they have actually learned in school. When your child discusses a particular topic taught in his/her school, encourage further learning by searching online videos or articles related to the same. Share your own interesting stories related to that particular subject, such as what you did to cope up with the pressure.
Emphasize on experiential learning
Experiential learning is when an individual learns by doing something rather than simply reading a textbook. Check what your child’s school is already doing in this regard. Do they labs for small students? Are these labs well-equipped? How well are they using technology to impart education? Are they involved in STEM educational initiatives? In case the teaching in school is limited to textbook learning, you can put some extra efforts so that the child learns things experientially. Instead of regular toys, buy them STEM educational kits and toys that teach skills related to Physics, Chemistry, Math, or Coding. Or, admit them to an institute that conducts STEM-based activities for this purpose.
Conclusion:
You might have noticed no tip discussed above puts a burden on the learner. Instead, it revolves around enhancing their personality and making them self-sufficient. This is what we do here, at NeoRobos: working on the experiential learning of the students so that they don’t just cram a topic but understand it in-depth. This makes them more innovative and multiplies the possibilities professionally.