Top tips for helping your child perform well in school
What children bring to the classroom matters just as much as what they are taught as well. Students are now taught in environments of high expectations which means underperforming students may stand out and fall back quicker than expected. Having GCSEs at a good level has become the bare minimum in the world of academics which puts a hefty amount of pressure and stress for those who want to strive in life. The good news is your child has the potential to develop and succeed from what they learn outside of school which will aid with their developmental rate. Changes in daily attitudes can make the biggest difference. The mindset your child brings to the school gates is what will help them achieve their goals. This can be nurtured at home by you, the parent. Here are some top tips on helping your child perform well in school.
Teach your child that failure does not mean the end. When children fail at their first attempt at something, the usual response is to give up. However, any skill worth acquiring requires incompetence and perseverance as that is what will teach your child how to get better at it. ‘If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again’ is one of the best mindsets to keep in order to increase learning and develop success rates. In order to help your child develop this mindset, there are a few things that can be done. Tell them about some of your own failures and how you overcame them yourself. If you take the time to explain to your child how these things come about, they will learn to connect success with hard work. Don’t over praise them either. Set positive but realistic expectations in your child so they are aware of where they stand and what they need to achieve in order to get to where they want to be.
Make learning something your child really loves. This sounds difficult but it actually isn’t. If learning is seen as something boring and expected, it can become much more difficult which is why most children don’t find enjoyment in it as it seen as more of a chore. For example, a subject that is disliked automatically becomes harder to study due to the fact that we had told ourselves that we are not good at it. Find creative and engaging ways to incorporate academic subjects into your child’s life to show them that learning isn’t as bad as they perceive it to be. A positive mindset is what is key at this stage.
Allow your child to do what they love. In today’s world, it isn’t necessary or important to be good at everything. Instead, it is more valuable to perfect a few things. If you see your child is showing interest in a particular topic at school, it is worth encouraging them to work harder at it. Naturally, they will excel within this field as they have the right mindset when approaching it. If for example English is the subject they enjoy, don’t be afraid to encourage them and go over the top when it comes to praising them on the positive impact. Understanding how to connect and enjoy a subject is a skill that they can then transfer over to a less loved subject for improvement.
Turn learning into a game. Children love to play and are stimulated best this way. You’ll notice they are suddenly responding better and engaging in work they’d normally turn their nose at. Using word games such as hangman and scrabble are better than getting a child to sit and write down columns of spellings. Making learning fun is what will surely take your child from the bottom to the very top.
