School is an important factor in any child’s life, providing them with the knowledge and skills that they need to have a successful career in the future, a basis to determine their passions and hobbies, and a chance to make friends and develop key social skills. As a parent, it’s likely that you want your child to be as successful in school as possible. Helping your child enjoy learning is key to encouraging them to be successful in school and perform well in tests and exams, but it’s not all about test results – being able to find the things that they enjoy and learn something new is equally important. So, what can parents do to help their kids succeed in school?
Do: Start Early:
Learning does not have to start on your child’s first day of school. There are several things that you can teach your young child at home from basic reading and writing skills to counting and telling the time. You know your child best, so determine where they are at in terms of their abilities and what they would be able to easily learn.
Don’t: Overload Your Child:
If you have a child who is a fast learner it can be tempting to try and teach them as much as possible about everything – after all, you’re super proud of them. But keep in mind that your child is processing all of this stuff and learning too much can lead to fatigue over time. Keep it age-appropriate and let your child take the lead when it comes to learning new stuff, allowing them to take their time to truly master something.
Do: Get Resources:
Today there are more and more resources that parents can access for helping their child succeed in school. Whether you agree with it or not, educational success in school is typically measured by test results, so it’s a good idea to try and get as many resources as possible to help your child prepare for any upcoming tests or exams that they have. Pretest Plus is a great place to start with answers and mock tests for many of the common exams that kids have throughout their school career.
Don’t: Ignore Problems:
Some kids need a little bit of extra support when it comes to learning, and this can sometimes be difficult for a parent to accept at first. However, in the long run, spotting and working to deal with any problems that come up with your child’s learning will help them a lot. Dyslexia, for example, could first manifest itself as problems with reading and writing, and getting your child the support that they need as early as possible will make the experience less stressful for both of you and help your child begin to enjoy, rather than dread learning.
Do: Make Learning Fun:
Many of us might conjure up pictures of sitting at a desk poring over books for hours when we think of learning, but the truth is that learning comes in all shapes and forms. When it comes to helping your child succeed in school, it’s not just the academic side of things that should be focused on. As a parent, there are several things that you can do to make learning more fun and interactive for your child, including getting them interactive educational games, visits to museums and, even travelling on holiday and learning about history and culture. Wherever you go with your child, you can turn it into a fun learning experience for them.
Supporting your child in school is something that many parents want to do as much as possible – after all, school has a direct impact on your child’s future success. Keep these tips in mind as you help your child to learn more, together.