Not everyone is born a good learner. Even the best learners had to learn how to be good. A child’s personality plays a role in their overall reception to schooling, but every child has to receive the right dose of motivation to become a better learner ultimately.
Does your child spend more time complaining about homework than actually doing it?
You will be pleased to discover that you have the power to change that defeatist mindset. Read on to know what you can do to improve your little one’s desire and motivation to learn.
Harness the power of practice
Children like understanding new things straightaway. They can easily get discouraged if they don’t immediately understand a new concept. As a parent, you have to make sure your child understands that they have to practice for them to understand something new continually. There are 100 things they’d rather do than practice math, but you must push them to keep trying. With enough practice, they will embrace the learning opportunity.
Don’t limit learning to the classroom
Most learning takes place inside the walls of a classroom. However, that’s not where all the learning should be confined. Classroom learning has its social and intellectual benefits, but your child should also be exposed to other learning ideas. Motivate them to discover new things and continually feed their curiosity. The joy they derive in their discoveries will certainly carry-over to their schoolwork.
Encourage their interests
Your child has other interests outside their books. Show energy and enthusiasm when they are talking about those interests. Encourage them to explore interests that they find fascinating. For example, if they like cars, tell stories about driving or challenge them to find fun facts about modern cars. Demonstrate how interested you are in their interests, and this will translate into their enthusiasm for learning.
Celebrate their achievements
Your child can become a better learner if you encourage them by celebrating their small wins. You could spoil them with a small treat if they finish reading a book or allow them half an hour of video games when they finish their assignments. You could also reward their good grades with special gifts! This will motivate them to keep learning and challenging themselves to achieve more milestones.
Create a reading environment
At the very least, reading is the ingredient to successful learning. If you want your child to be a better learner, you have to fill their world with books. Cultivate a love for reading, which will develop their brain’s ability to process information. Children who develop a reading culture early also tend to do well in many subjects, including technical subjects like math and science.
However, it is equally important that your child finds reading fun. Allow your child to pick books and help them read. They will be motivated if they know reading will improve their learning. You should also fill your room with reading materials and set an example for your little one. They will pick on your reading habit.
