Studying at home can feel very different than studying at school. Maybe it’s because hours of sitting in a classroom every day have taught children that homes are a place to relax and enjoy. Whatever the reason may be, at one point or another, studying at home becomes a must, and your kids need to be prepared for it.
Learning isn’t as simple as picking up a book and sitting down to study anywhere. Rather, for learning to take place, one needs a formal environment. When it comes to studying, most kids don’t show the same enthusiasm for learning at home as they do when at school. So, let us look at what you can do as a parent to help your child study effectively at home:
Set up a space for learning
Dedicate a specific place in your house where children can read, write, paint, or analyze problems. It might be a study room, a corner of the living room, or a nook in the kitchen. The study space must be well-lit, temperature-controlled, and otherwise comfortable. It should be free of disruptions and noise.
The study space should be functional and personalized. You may make it functional by putting up a desk and chair for writing and solving problems, a comfortable chair or couch for reading, and a creative corner for arts and crafts projects. Whatever items the children require for studying should be available in this space, such as their art supplies, pens, pencils, books, etc. To ensure children feel the study place is comfortable and welcoming, personalize it by hanging your child’s paintings or their favorite quotes on the wall.
Establish a study routine
Students, specifically younger students, need a strict timetable for learning. Left to their own devices, kids might not come around to studying the whole day. To inculcate positive study habits, make a timetable for your children, taking their opinions into considerations, and then make sure they follow it.
Doing so will provide structure to their day and make them used to regularly getting work done. A well thought out study timetable takes into account the child’s attention span and learning goals, breaking up the total study hours into manageable sessions.
Align your study/work schedule with your child’s
Children learn better when they see adults around them are also engaged in studying or work. If you watch television at a time when your child is preparing for a test, they might be resentful. The best approach to maximize learning is to set up your study/work schedule to match your child’s, especially if they are young.
If most of the family members follow the same study/work schedule, learning will bring the family together and be a much more pleasant experience.
Have a no-technology rule
Even for adults, it can sometimes be difficult to put away the phone and start working on a pending task. Keeping this in mind, you should not expect your children to self-regulate their usage of mobiles or laptops. Having a no-technology rule in the study space will minimize distractions and enable your children to focus on studies solely. If the kids need access to a laptop or tablet for study purposes, personally ensure that it is used for study-specific purposes only. This will greatly improve their productivity.
Create a learning culture
While things like a study space and routine are important, children learn the most when learning is incorporated in their daily activities. In your home, cultivate a culture that promotes learning. There are various ways to do this. For example, if parents are avid readers and books are lying around the house, then children will pick up an interest in reading as well.
Discussing politics, history, or science at the dinner table, in a way that children find captivating, will promote their interest in such fields. Similarly, children might be encouraged to contribute to family discussions or to talk about the movies and shows they watch. In this way, children will learn to think critically and get better at expressing their ideas.
Encourage creativity and independence
For active learning to occur, children should be encouraged to explore topics on their own, come up with creative solutions, apply critical thinking, and learn through a method of trial-and-error. A failed experiment or a bad report card should only serve as an impetus for trying a different approach next time. With continued support and encouragement from parents, children improve in academics, gain confidence, and become independent learners.
Over time, your children will get comfortable with learning at home and will start to enjoy it.
