Like other parents, Mommy Khris and I want our two children to develop good study habits when they start schooling.
Like other parents, Mommy Khris and I want our two childrten to develop good
study habits when they start school. In fact, from the very first time that we
learned that Khris was pregnant with our first baby, how to develop good
study habits in children was one of the first things that I asked about. I
knew it was a bit too early but I just wanted to have an idea.
7 Useful Tips To Develop Good Study Habits In Elementary School Children
Good study habits will allow children to manage the pressure
You see, children nowadays are too stressed out because of the heavy workload
at school. I feel like elementary school children these days are already doing
projects and assignments that I did when I was in high school.
Of course, I would not want my kids to be burned out early on because there
will be much more stressful life events to tackle in the future. I think that
imbibing good study habits in my children will allow them to manage the load
as well as the pressures in school.
I asked a colleague how she helps her kids handle the stress. Aside from
regular family time out or rest during weekends, she also told me that
developing good study habits in her kids helped them prioritize the work to be
done, incorporate reviews of their daily lessons in their routine, and use
their time responsibly. These eventually helped them cope with stress at
school.
This was validated by a report published by
Rocketship Education, one
of the leading charter or non-profit schools in the United States.
The educational institution said that the vast majority of their students,
adorably called “Rocketeers,” attribute their preparedness for middle school
to their elementary experience where they are prepared to work hard, learn new
things, and are trained to work in groups.
Rocketship also said that other important skills that need to be developed in
children are good study habits, which include preparing well for tests,
keeping track of assignments and learning independently.
The
report
further said that if children are given a solid foundation in the early years,
they would thrive in middle school, high school, and beyond. When kids are
able to handle school demands well, they become more confident and optimistic.
Practical tips to develop good study habits
From what I have gathered in my conversations with my friends and workmates, I
have collated below some practical tips on how to develop good study habits
among kids:
1. Make learning fun
Kids learn better when they are having fun with their lessons. Why not turn
their lessons into amusing games or activities? These need not be intricate or
elaborate games, a simple memory game, for example, can do the trick.
Moreover, incorporate pictures into your lessons as much as you can because
kids will have better chances of memorizing their assignments if they can
associate words with photos.
Allow them also to make their own choices so that they would not feel
restricted. But that does not mean letting them make random choices. As
parents, we are responsible for guiding our kids in making smart choices.
For example, among the assignments that they need to accomplish, teach them to
identify the more important tasks that they need to do first and allot time to
finish those tasks. Empowering your kids to make smart choices will allow them
to feel more confident with themselves and develop them into more competent
individuals.
2. Teach children to be systematic
At a very young age, it is important to instill the value of being organized
to your kids. Train them to take notes to avoid being overwhelmed by having to
remember everything.
Explain to them the advantages of writing down assignments, making to-do
lists, and reviewing these items to check if they are on track. This is also a
good opportunity to train them to work on deadlines in order for them to
intelligently manage their time and, in the end, make their lives much easier.
3. Designate study time and playtime
Student life should not be all about work. It should be fun, too. Balance it
out by designating TV or game time and study time. For example, Friday nights
and Saturdays should be all play and no work. Sundays should be an opportunity
to refresh themselves with lessons from last week and a chance to do homework
and a little advance reading.
Moreover, parents can help their children identify the time of their peak
performance. It may vary from person to person – sometimes it’s immediately
after school, other times it’s during the evening.
Initially, what you can do is try to study at different times during the day
to determine the time in which your child functions more effectively. Keep in
mind though that you have to be flexible as there may be instances when your
child might be too tired to review even during their ideal study time.
4. Have a dedicated space for studying
The living room is the perfect nook at home to bond with your family. However,
it may not be the most ideal place for studies as it offers a lot of
distractions, especially if the television is on or if other family members
are enjoying a board game.
Assign a space where your child can concentrate well on his studies. It need
not be a restrictive space. In fact, your dining table can be a location that
is conducive to learning, provided it has ample lighting and adequate space
where your child can lay down his books, notebooks and other learning
materials. It can also be at the terrace, facing the garden to give your kid a
relaxing view while studying to clear his mind.
Most parents also find it effective to have two or three alternative study
locations in cases when the primary study location is unavailable.
Furthermore, a change in atmosphere could also do wonders to spark your
child’s interest and attentiveness.
5. Create an exam reviewer for your child
A good way to avoid cramming or overwhelming your child with information is to
create an exam reviewer. The reviewer should contain a summary of the
essential topics that will be covered by the test to allow for easy reading.
Also, break long paragraphs into easy-to-read sentences to prevent fatigue. If
your child is relaxed, he will be able to better understand and remember his
lessons.
6. Teach your child to think positively
Positivity begets positivity. Most adults would agree that having an
optimistic mindset makes a lot of difference.
This is a good virtue that parents can encourage their kids to embrace. When
preparing for a major test, parents can remind their kids to just do their
best. It relieves pressure, boosts their confidence and concentration, and
inspires them to believe that difficult situations pass and can be overcome.
Furthermore, schools should also focus on
modeling and reinforcing positive behaviors rather than punishing children for
negative behaviors. Many students confront very challenging experiences at
home and in their community.
It is the educators’ responsibility to help students learn how to understand
and manage their emotions. One strategy would be to integrate social and
emotional learning opportunities and positive behavior interventions and
support throughout the school day.
7. Treat mistakes as a learning opportunity
As you go through your journey, mistakes are bound to be committed along the
way. Treat every slip-up as a learning opportunity for you and your child.
According to Bright Horizons, when children are given the chance to struggle
and sometimes fail, you allow them to develop important social and emotional
skills.
Epilogue
Ultimately just enjoy every moment with your children. In the words of author
Eileen Kennedy-Moore,
“The miracle of children is that we just don’t know how they will change or
who they will become.”
Even so, the influence of parents still plays a big part on how children will
turn out to be when they grow up.
All images are courtesy of Pexels.
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