They say your school years are the best years but it’s not always easy for young children or teenagers to navigate the ups and downs of going to school. In this guide, we’ll offer some top tips to help your child get the best out of their education.
Take an interest
One of the simplest and most effective ways you can support your child and encourage them to commit to their studies is to take an interest. Ask questions about their day, find out more about the classes they’ve attended that day and engage in conversation about topics or subjects they’re currently covering. You don’t have to spend hours talking about history or complex Maths problems, but showing interest in your child’s studies will help them to stay motivated and show that you care.
Support learning through activities at home
Parents have an important role to play in encouraging their children to learn and work hard at school. At home, you can help out by assisting with homework and doing activities that support learning at school. This may include playing games that help with counting or doing multiplications, going on nature walks to spot different types of trees or insects or building structures out of junk to hone engineering skills, for example. Adapt the activity to suit the age of the child, their interests and the subjects they are studying in class. You can take inspiration from online forums and groups, share ideas with other parents and use online resources to come up with ideas.
Consider getting extra help if it is required
Some children sail through school without any problems, but for others, school can be incredibly challenging. If your child is struggling to get to grips with a specific subject, they don’t have a lot of confidence or they find it hard to concentrate, for example, consider getting extra help. Speak to your child’s teachers and explore possibilities such as going to a tutoring centre. It’s very common for children and teens to have strengths and weaknesses. Additional tutoring and help outside of classes can help children to develop skills and catch up in subjects where they lack confidence.
Make learning fun
If you think back to your school days, which memories stand out? For many of us, it’s the one-off classes we enjoyed outside or the wacky experiments or activities we did in science or art classes. Traditional study techniques, such as reading and taking notes, comprehension activities and listening to teachers can be incredibly effective, but it’s also beneficial to vary activities and try something different, especially outside of school. As parents, you can inject an element of fun into doing homework or learning away from the classroom. Go to museums, visit attractions, get out and about, enjoy practical activities and have fun together.
Every parent wants the best for their child, and the school years play a critical role in shaping the future and creating opportunities. If your child is currently at school, it’s natural to want them to get the best out of their education. You can help and support them by taking an interest in their studies, helping them learn at home, making learning fun and seeking extra assistance if required.