Successful academic year: expert advice

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

So the long-awaited return to school after the summer holidays has come. Well, maybe for someone not very long-awaited. Be that as it may, you still have to study. To make the year easier for your child, take advantage of the advice of education expert Ann Dolin. A checklist of what to do and what not to do will help you make school life easier for your children.

It is necessary to: Set goals for the next year

Sit down and talk with the children about their plans for the year. Help them set a main goal. It must be real, achievable and meaningful for the child. For example, if your child has problems with organization, the best goal for him would be to always keep an eye on the backpack and pack it for school on time.

Don't: Say "Try" or "Make More Effort"

Many parents sin this. Meanwhile, this only makes life difficult for children. First, no one can try all the time. Such parting words are too vague and mean different things to you and your child. Second, how do you know that your son or daughter is not doing their best anyway? Such advice can offend the student and convince him of his own inferiority. And if you are drawn to educate a child, set specific tasks for him. Fulfilling a few small requirements will increase your self-esteem and give you confidence in your abilities.

Must: Encourage Effort When You See It

Praise your child if you notice that he is trying. If you evaluate the action or the result, then you will give an incentive to work further. This will create an excellent basis for his future professional life. However, you need to develop a code of work ethics and give your toddler some responsibilities so that he learns to take responsibility. It is also worth asking him how he feels when his efforts are appreciated. This will allow him to better understand his feelings and consciously continue to achieve goals.

Don't: say, "You're so smart"

It is good to be smart, but it is not something that can be controlled. If children feel that their achievements depend only on natural intelligence, this discourages them from all the desire to work on themselves and develop. After such a compliment, the child may lose all motivation for learning: why try if you are already smart? Praise for what he can control: diligence, diligence, or a good attitude towards learning. Then he will try exactly in these directions.

Need to: Limit your TV time wisely

If you forbid your child to play on the computer or watch TV until he has completed his homework, then most likely the lessons will be done somehow. There is another way. Set aside a special time for this, for example, in the afternoon. You should not completely remove such a vacation from the schedule, because it can give parents some free time for household chores or rest.

Must: find the right time for homework

Often, parents want their children to do their homework right after school. On the one hand, it frees up the evening and allows you to spend time with friends or family. But on the other hand, this mode is not suitable for everyone. There are several options for the right time. For young children, classes right after school are suitable. Toddlers have little homework, and they need to sleep earlier, so it's better for them to do their homework early. For older children, the best time is after dinner. They need more rest after school, and time with friends should be spent during the day, leaving the evening for homework. Whatever time you choose, it must be strictly adhered to.

Need to: focus on work, not reward

Do not reward children for things that they have to do and so, for example, for doing homework. If you choose the path of constant reward, then the reward will have to be gradually increased so that the motivation does not weaken. Therefore, establish the child's responsibilities that are taken for granted, and praise for real achievements or additional initiatives.

Don't: check your homework carefully

If you are used to carefully monitoring every movement of your offspring when completing assignments or constantly checking his work, it's time to give up. This is a direct statement that the child cannot do the job on their own. Often, with this approach, children learn to rely too much on someone else's help and cannot make decisions on their own. Others are annoyed by the excessive attention of parents, which provokes conflict. In short, let your child do the homework on their own.

Do: check the fact of homework

Do not go to the other extreme, letting your homework take its course. It is perfectly normal and correct to check the very fact of assignments every night. This will help you evaluate your child's efforts, spot problems early on, and gain insight into the school curriculum the children are learning. But leave it to the teacher to judge the quality of performance.

Do: ask for help when problems arise

If it seems to you that the child needs help, it is important not to dismiss the fears, but boldly ask the advice of a specialist. You can go to a teacher who will explain what exactly is worth pulling up at home, or go to a tutor. Teach your child not to be ashamed if something is not clear to him, but boldly ask for explanations and, if necessary, additional activities.