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Getting Involved In Your
Child’s Learning

Last week I discovered that a camel can close it’s nostrils so that it doesn’t inhale sand in a sand storm!  This week I learnt why a carved Halloween pumpkin is sometimes referred to as a Jack O’Lantern and no doubt later on tonight I will be enlightened on some other interesting scientific, historical or numerical facts.

Why am I telling you all this?  Well according to the the Department for Education; "Parental involvement in children’s education from an early age has a significant effect on educational achievement, and continues to do so into adolescence and adulthood1."

This of course is a perfect enough reason to get involved in your child’s learning but it’s not the only one as I’ve discovered it’s actually quite good fun at times and let’s face it none of us are too old to learn.  Taking an interest in your child’s education can also improve your relationship with them, their attitude towards learning and their self confidence, all valuable attributes for later life.

So how do you do it – I’ve drawn up a list of Top 10 Tips to support your child’s learning – it’s by no means endless and with a little creative thinking I’ve no doubt you could add many more ideas to it yourself.

  1. Encourage your child to read regularly and read with them.
  2. Encourage your child to listen and participate in class.
  3. Talk to your child about their school day.
  4. Create a suitable space that promotes learning.
  5. Show your child how to be organised e.g. a tidy desk, a timetable, packing their school bag the night before.
  6. Create a homework timetable and a regular routine.
  7. Develop a good relationship with the school and encourage your child to do the same.
  8. Allow your child some ‘chill’ out time and a snack when they come in from school.
  9. Show empathy if they find things difficult and help them find their own solutions.
  10. Reward them with praise!  They’re never too old to be told ‘Well done!’

Many of these tips are far from rocket science but they act as a gentle reminder – for instance – how often do we stop what we’re doing and ask ‘how was your day today?’ or ‘tell me about science’.  That reminds me of another valuable tip I was once offered – ask them ‘open’ questions so they can’t give you a teenage grunt and a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer.  They may not show it but they actually quite like it when you show an interest in their life and it can help their self esteem by making them feel valued.

Finally, take time to recognise your child’s learning style – are they a ‘visual’ learner (by sight), an ‘auditory’ learner (by hearing) or a ‘kinaesthetic’ learner (by doing)?  By taking the time to recognise this you can help them find the best approach to their learning. "Learning how to Learn is life’s most important skill." (Tony Buzan).

Oh and as for the Jack O’Lantern...... you’ll have to practice your research skills and see what you can find out!

© Ann Beck 2011

About the Author: Ann Beck is the parent of 2 challenging young men, a Parent Support Adviser, a trained teacher of adults and a small business owner. Ann has worked with families and young people for the last 10 years. She runs The Gift of Learning – fun, affordable learning aids for children. www.thegiftoflearning.co.uk.

1) https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/eOrderingDownload
/DCSF-Parental_Involvement.pdf

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