***Collaborative post***
Seeing your child develop in school comes with many surprises, but one of the biggest shocks that we can all experience is when our children are not necessarily able to learn certain things or learn in certain ways. Studying is one of those things that our children don’t want to do, but this is why we’ve got to instil study habits. Studying can be difficult for children for a number of reasons; maybe they’re not getting enough sleep, or there are too many extracurricular activities, so let’s have a look at some of the best ways to help your child study.
Setting Reading Alternatives
For many children, the notion of studying and sitting down to read a book means that they can easily get distracted. Instead, you can start to think about different ways to learn information. You can do things like design flashcards or look for online videos, but you can also get out into the real world. This can help your child in a subject, such as Geography, where they have to interact with something. The fact is that many schools offer Geography field trips, and English departments offer trips to the theatre as a way to interact with the subject. When you start to think about how your child interacts with the subject, it is going to make a big difference in how they retain the information.
Use Technology to Your Advantage
It’s not just about the internet, but it’s about using the right online resources. If your child is struggling in a certain subject a lot of resources can come in handy. Something like maths is incredibly overwhelming for children if they just don’t have the ability, but a game such as The Prodigy Math game can make a big difference here. There are a wide variety of apps and technology your child can use, but it’s just about making sure they have the right ones.
Setting Regular Breaks
It is impossible to study for 60 minutes straight as a grown-up, so imagine what it’s like as a child! This is where something like the Pomodoro technique could be very useful. Every 25 minutes, your child can take a 5-minute break, and this allows them to do something more useful with their time, such as stretching or going for a walk. The most important thing is to set a time to return to work.
Set Fixed Times to learn
It’s all about habits. Some children don’t head straight home after school, but have band practice, dinner, or family time. It may take a while to get into the habit, but set a start and end time, including breaks, but also give them time to adjust to the new schedule. Breaks are so important, especially if your child is already doing so much, but learning these time management tools can do a lot to help your child in the long run, not just in school, but in life.
Studying is one of those things that we all have a fraught relationship with. Getting the right tactics and tools in place will make a big difference.
