English
The “Lockdown” is a test of strength for the whole family. Not only do you have to organize a comfortable home office whilst working remotely from home, but you also need to get together a school for your children in the same space.
After all, your children are now remote learning. Many have questioned the effectiveness of this way of learning. Nevertheless, don't be disheartened because this problem is easy to solve if your child not only loves learning but is also used to doing it. Keep in mind though that you still need to try to cultivate this good habit in your child. The essential rule here is no violence, coercion, and sanctions! As a parent, you need to be flexible and smart. Here are a few ways to teach your child to learn regularly and forget about the stereotype that lockdown is a living hell for parents.
- Organise a space specifically for learning
It is best if it is a separate room or at least a small corner away from your workplace where the child is engaged exclusively in studying and doing homework. That is, steer clear of children trying to learn at your computer desk because they will associate that with playing video games. Likewise, avoid the bed because they will associate that with relaxation and sleep. Instead, create an environment free of distractions where your child can concentrate that is conducive to learning. Ensure there is enough light in this area, provide the child with a comfortable chair, and eliminate any sources of white noise.
- Take regular breaks in the learning process
It is a scientifically proven fact that children have a shorter attention span than adults. Consequently, a prolonged period of study contributes not only to a loss of concentration but also, as a result, to a decrease in productivity. Moreover, the child will often experience nerves, strain, and frustration if they are unable to cope with the given educational tasks. That also has the knock-on impact that the parent is irritated and does not understand why the child does not listen or is idle. Consequently, make it an unspoken rule to take a break after every thirty minutes of studies. Let it be a mini-game or a snack break, and preferably without using any gadgets. It would help if you also alternated the topics of study: half an hour for one subject, and then half an hour for another.
- Stick to the schedule
Of course, this can be difficult because both your day and your child's day can be unpredictable. Sometimes, the child may simply not be in the right frame of mind to study, or there aren't enough hours in the day. Or, so it might appear, there are more urgent matters at hand. However, regularity is the key to forming any habit. The main thing here is discipline. Make a schedule for the week and follow it with your child. After a month, the child's attention and willingness to learn will start to activate automatically at certain hours, regardless where they are, or in what mood they are in.
- Incentivize
What makes you get out of bed every day for work? Or go for a run where you feel exhausted? Motivation! Your motivation is to bring home the bacon and be as fit as a fiddle. However, how and what can motivate your children? Think about it. Achieving good grades isn't enough, because kids often aren't aware of the impact exam results will have on their future careers and chances of success. Consequently, it would be best if you found more tangible and down to earth rewards because you need to visualize and identify with their goal. A child's motivation, for instance, could be a favorite treat, a trip to the cinema, or a toy for a predetermined number of excellent grades.
- Don't over-egg the pudding! Praise effort, not intelligence
Yes, your child is motivated by a material reward, but they should know that their family loves them unconditionally. Moreover, keep in mind that making mistakes is a natural part of the learning process. Remind yourself; you have to break a few eggs to make an omelet. I mean nobody has ever learned to ride a bike without ever falling off it and getting a few cuts and bruises? Motivate your child not only for something tactile but also with warm words of encouragement. Moral support is more critical than ever in childhood, especially in the context of remote learning. Stick at it, stay motivated yourself, and trust me, you're not the only parents with children who are under the pump, 24/7!
- Come up with a fun assessment
You will agree that it is much easier to learn new information when it is possible to apply it in practice or at least fix it with the help of tasks. It is best, of course, if it is not just a questionnaire and banal questions with the correct answer, but genuine examples. Come up with situations in which the child may need their new knowledge, and how you can apply it to real-life situations. Depending on their response, tell them what the outcome of the problem would be in reality. For example, I forgot what reaction these two chemical elements give, and as a result, almost blew myself up!
- Ask your child questions
Yes, that's right! Don't just dish out all the answers on a plate. Instead, practice student-led learning. When your kid has finished studying a new topic, ask them to explain it to you. Practice makes perfect, remember? And nothing makes new knowledge better than putting it into practice. Imagine yourself as a student, and let the child be a teacher. Involving the child in the learning process means that their knowledge is essential and boosts their ego. The child will feel that they are an expert in some issue in which even adults need help.
- Learn with your child online!
Studying is necessary not only for children but also for adults. It's an opportunity for you to level-up the required skills to build a successful career or learn a new profession. For sure, a lot of what your child learns can be useful to you and vice versa. After all, this is why Lectera is here for you. We have specially developed several courses that will be useful for the whole family. For example, the course "Young financier: how to treat money wisely" will surprise even an adult. There you and your child will learn how to plan your budget correctly, invest in your self-education, and save money without resorting to bank loans. The course will also teach you about taxation and savings, which will allow you to buy everything you need without compromising your wallet and having to tighten your belt!
And the course "Dream instruction: how to get into the best colleges in the world" will tell you how to get higher education abroad. The program of study is for both high school students and their parents. After all, anyone can enter a prestigious university, which you have only seen in Hollywood movies! In the course, you and your child will learn how to choose a suitable training program, collect all the necessary documents, write a motivational letter, pass international exams, and even settle down in a new country.
- Look after yourself too. This includes your self-education!
Nothing ruins a good family atmosphere more stressed parents out parents. It also inhibits their children's ability to focus on their studies and puts psychological pressure on them. You may not even notice how you are exerting it on your family members. For example, you continuously miss something, feel stressed, and irritated for no reason. Your child will inevitably pick up on this. In such a hostile environment, there are never going to be any great exploits in education. To keep up with everything in the world and cope with stress in the right way - which is especially crucial during the lockdown - the course "Effective time management for mums" will help you. It will be especially useful for you if, in addition to preschool children, you are also raising toddlers. Our course "Family, work, and hobbies: how to raise children and keep up with everything" will be your salvation during the period of self-isolation! With it, your lockdown will be the most productive period of your life! You will learn a lot of games that develop your child's intelligence and build trusting relationships. We will teach you how to eliminate child manipulations and tantrums and how to guide your child towards becoming more independent. Isn't this happiness for any parent?
Of course, when choosing a course for yourself, you need to start from problems by solving the most serious issues you have been facing during the lockdown. Furthermore, when choosing a course to study jointly with your offspring, it will depend on their interests. Select something that will be both useful and also exciting for your child. After all, joint online training is an opportunity to find a thousand topics for paired discussions and become even closer! Do not miss the chance to instill a love of learning in your child, and simultaneously, strengthen your relationship. After all, your children's happy and prosperous future depends on both.
