Whether you’re homeschooling your child or sending them off to school each day, you will want to ensure that they have the potential to enjoy academic success.
As a parent, there is much you can do to help your child, which you will know already if you are homeschooling them. But whatever the situation for you and your child, here are some tips that we hope you find useful.
#1: Start each day the right way
By which we mean make sure your child has had plenty of sleep and that they eat a nutritious breakfast before their school day begins. Both of these factors enhance cognitive functioning, so you will be doing what is necessary to make sure your child has a greater capacity to learn.
#2: Talk to your child’s teachers
If you’re not a homeschooling parent, this is something you should do regularly. Your child’s teachers will let you know what the term’s curriculum is, and they will keep you updated on your child’s progress. When you know more, you will be able to do more to help your child. You might be able to look for learning opportunities at home that tie in with the curriculum, for example. And you will be able to support your child in those areas where they are the weakest. Your child’s teacher will appreciate your extra effort, and you will benefit your child’s learning.
#3: Look for learning resources
Children learn in all kinds of different ways, so use those learning resources that match their personal learning styles.
So, if your child is a visual learner, you might find the relevant YouTube videos online to complement the lessons they are learning in the curriculum. If they learn by getting hands-on with something, you might look for toys and games that can heighten their skills, or use those worksheets that their teachers might refer you to.
There are some examples here: https://studentreasures.com/teachers-lounge/lesson-plans/second-grade/.
And if your child learns through listening, you might use educational podcasts or songs to help your child. with their learning. These are just a few examples, but try to work out what learning style your child prefers and try to match them with the right learning tools.
#4: Don’t do everything for your child
If you’re a regular homework helper, you might be tempted to put in more work than your child. Especially when they lack motivation themselves, you might burn yourself out to make sure they get the grades they need. But by doing too much for them, you are teaching them that they don’t need to try as hard. So, back off a little. Encourage your child by all means, and point them in the right direction, but remind them that it is they that need to put the work in and not you. And if they don’ t put the work in? Well, they will quickly learn what failure means, and that might give them incentive to try harder in the future.
Academic success isn’t always easy to achieve, but as the parent, you can support your child in all of the ways we have mentioned here. So, consider our suggestions and check for other articles on our website that can help you support your child with their learning.
