How Can You Help Your Child Do Better? – Ajit Patel UK Goldshield
Every caring parent
knows that it’s not just the child’s effort that counts when it comes to
success at school – it’s the family’s
effort, too. Apart from ensuring your child gets to school on time in the
morning, after a good breakfast, and that they tackle their homework
in the evening, there are other things you can do to help ensure your child
achieves their full potential academically.
Are they paying attention? One of the most important things to teach
your child is how to study effectively, and the importance of paying attention
in class. If your child is having problems paying attention, their teacher
should make your aware of this either by direct contact (if a major concern) or
through comments in their end of term report if they feel your child
could do better.
A scholar of note. Effective
note-taking during class is essential. Taking good notes not only helps with
later revision, but also aids the learning process by focusing the mind on the lesson at
hand. Young minds are much less apt to wander when they’re concentrating on
making notes. It’s important to make sure notes are legible, so practicing handwriting at home is
one way you can help here. This is also a good time to teach your child how to
organise notes for each subject in a coherent fashion. Some studies suggest
that tablet-based devices, such as the iPad, can help.
Planning for success
Organising a
‘do-able’ workload
is important too. One valuable lesson you can teach your child is not to leave
everything to the last moment. You can help by demonstrating the importance of
using a calendar and To-Do lists to prioritise tasks.
Learn to learn. Breaking up tasks into
manageable sections, using reminder phrases (mnemonics) and setting aside
regular study
periods are just a few examples of how to make learning easier so it fits
seamlessly into home life. Of course, incentives such as a special day out or a
gift
for meeting study goals can work wonders, too.
Help is at hand. Some children fall behind at
school because they’re afraid to ask for help. They may be afraid that other
students will laugh at them, or they may just be too shy to tackle the problem.
Make sure that your child
knows that they can talk to you or their teacher about anything – in private,
if necessary. Take an interest in what your child
is doing at school and ask what they’re working on and what subjects they like
or dislike. A good time to do this is when you’re helping with homework.
That way, it’s easier to find out which subjects they find a challenge.
Happy at home, happy at school. A child who has problems at home
will take them into school. Make sure arguments and domestic issues are
resolved before bedtime. Good
communication and effective but fair discipline is vital. You might not have
much control over how your child behaves at school, but you do at home and your
child
will take behaviours learnt at home to school
with them.
Encourage your child
to eat well and get enough sleep. Too little sleep can have a massive effect on
how well they function at school, so make sure they get the right amount of sleep
for their age. Good
eating habits and a balanced diet also help young minds soak up information, so
remind your child to eat their five-a-day and drink plenty of water.
Keep an eye on what’s on offer at lunchtime if your child
uses the school canteen. Otherwise, provide a healthy
lunch. Treats should be kept at home, perhaps as rewards for successful study.
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