Although your kids do their schoolwork without a fuss, if they’re not engaged in the work they’re doing, they’re not getting as much out of their education as they could. A child who is engaged in their learning will be more focused, retain information, and learn to think critically.
While it’s fantastic that your child is doing well, getting good grades is just part of what makes a student successful. Here are five simple ways to increase academic engagement.
Present lessons in a variety of ways
There are so many ways to present learning material, especially with innovative technology right at your fingertips. While each child will have a preferred method of learning, delivering material in the same way over and over again will create boredom.
A combination of practical and theoretical exercises will keep students engaged. Using multiple lesson delivery strategies also encourages students to think in new ways. Practical activities include playing games, building models, and performing experiments, while theoretical activities include watching videos, writing, and reading.
Encourage them to personalize their materials
Nothing gets kids excited for school quite like back-to-school shopping. By allowing your child to pick out his or her own notebooks and pencil cases, they’ll look forward to using them. For a wide selection of everyday, personalized notebooks, click here.
In addition to personalized school supplies, allow your child to design their own workspace. Just as adults benefit from creating a serene work and study environment, so too do children. By letting them pick out their desk and decorate it with items and pictures that they like, they’ll be excited to sit down and use their space each day.
Relate the subject matter to their own life
While you know that math, spelling, and science are important subjects that will serve your child for their entire life, your child doesn’t know that. If they can’t relate to the subject matter, they’re much less likely to be engaged.
Try to find examples of concepts in their own lives to make them more meaningful. For example, showing them how to plant seeds from scratch and watching them sprout will make lessons on plant growth and development much more interesting.
Focus on their strengths to build confidence
Not every child learns the same way. Most children will fall into one of four different learning types:
- Visual learner
- Auditory learner
- Reading and writing learner
- Kinesthetic learner
Find out which type (or combination of types) of learner your child is and tailor lessons accordingly. An auditory learner will benefit from videos and presentations, while a kinesthetic learner will benefit more from hands-on activities. By using their strengths, they’ll build confidence in their ability to succeed, which will drive them to continue to do their best.
Don’t push too hard
Although finding strategies to help your child be the best that they can be is important, try not to push them too hard – they still need time each day to just be kids. Not everything has to be a lesson. Just like adults, relaxing is important for their mental health. Taking adequate breaks also has the benefit of making them more productive and focused later.