My friend teaches a kindergarten class and at the beginning of each school year I ask her what her class is like, what type of children will she be handling, what hopes does she have for the children in her class.
She tells me about the children who cannot put on their own coats yet, or who do not know how to look at a book, or use a pencil. She tells me of the mothers who insist on helping their child get their toys out and even of parents who come back to school at lunch time to feed their children!
Then she tells me about the others, the ones who are eager to come to the classroom, who listen to what she says (well, most of the time anyway, we are talking kindergarten here!) and whom she is looking forward to teaching.
So I asked her what was the difference between a child who she knew would learn well and a child that would need extra support. Was it intelligence? Was it maturity? Was it having been to preschool? What was the one thing that made the difference between a kindergarten child who would do well and one who would struggle to keep up with the other children in class?
She admitted that there were many factors that combined to make a child a successful learner but that the most important factor was that the child was ready to learn, that the child had some skills that would allow him to learn, that the child was physically and emotionally ready to benefit from schooling. That type of child would do well, would be an eager learner and would benefit as a result.
The only person who can help a young child develop the skills they need to be able to learn is you, the parent. It is the style of parenting that makes all the difference between whether a child will be successful in school or not.
Do you know what you need to do to help your child be ready to learn? My research indicated that many parents do not know how they can ensure that their child reaches their learning potential, do not know the ways they can help children learn.
Do you know how to help your child succeed in school? You don’t have to be a trained teacher, or even a well educated parent to help your child develop the skills they need to become good learners. You just need to be aware of the important influence you have on your child’s learning life and the vital role you play in helping them learn. The rest is easy! Keep following this blog to find out more.
