TIPS FOR PARENTS:
STAY CONNECTED WITH YOUR KIDS ROUTINE
Back to School and time for Parents to stay connected. Apart from routine Education, host of activities are conducted in schools.When classrooms and playing fields are based on cooperation rather than competition, children feel better about themselves. It is said, Competition is to self-esteem as sugar is to teeth. It is important to remember that Children succeed in spite of competition, not because of it!
Competition often makes kids anxious and that interferes with concentration. Second, competition doesn’t permit them to share their talents and resources as cooperation does, so they can’t learn from one another. Finally, trying to be Number One distracts them from what they’re supposed to be learning. It may seem paradoxical, but when a student concentrates on the reward (an A or a gold star or a trophy), she becomes less interested in what she’s doing. The result: Performance declines.
Whatever be the reason, parents need to raise a noncompetitive child in a competitive world. How? This remains to individual psychology. Be aware of your own power as a model. Avoid comparing the child’s performance and Stay connected – Connected to the Teacher, Connected to the child. Keep a track of routine Education and Activities and raise happy, healthy, productive children.
Interaction with the Teacher: At the beginning of the school, make sure to meet the Teacher and find out the homework assignments she intends to chart out for the class.
Her regularity in assignments, expectation and time frame to complete the assignment. If the child grips with the homework phobia, find the reason and straighten up things.
Set aside regular homework time: Find the predicted time and form regular habit of settling down to their studies. Check out the time required to finish the work as hurried or delay tactics in homework will not get desired results.
Material: Offer the required material to the child and teach to be neat and tidy. Sharpened pencils, erasers, books should be handy. Assign the work when the child is in good mood, energetic and eager.
Appreciation: Praise and motivate your kids. Give rewards to encourage conscientious work. Offer to take the kid out for a weekend if he gets the work done every night. Cheer up the child and build confidence instead of showing grudge for the work due to lack of time, understanding or interest.
Interact: Keep your contacts live with other parents. If your child cannot meet the assignments, find what the other parent has to say about it. If the child finds homework difficult, find out the reason and sort for a solution with the teacher.
Reading time: Use a regular Reading session, write stories, practice maths or spellings. Research indicates that students who consistently read and are read to become better readers. Children who make a regular habit of writing and spelling in ‘real writing’ are more likely to retain words.
Analyze Results: Sometimes children adopt the stereotype system of performing the task of homework. Teachers too take the corrections easy after a few days. Hence, cross check the child whether the assignment done by him is understood and also make sure what the teacher has assigned the work for the day and whether it is checked and corrected the next day. Insist on the Teachers’ signature so as to ensure that the child do not lag behind.
Pic : Mansi Patel and Ilaxi Patel with a student of Swagat Children Library
