Inspire the desire to learn
Parents are the first educators of their children and play a vital role in their learning. There are a variety of ways parents can help to instil in children a positive attitude towards learning. Encouraging your child’s natural curiosity and sparking their imagination helps set them up for life. As Albert Einstein once said – ‘Imagination is more important than knowledge’.
Catholic schools in the Parramatta diocese share the common goal of helping their students become independent and lifelong learners with a thirst for knowledge and the skills to discover that knowledge for themselves, the foundations for this can be laid at home. Following are some suggested ways for parents to set their child on the path to a love of learning.
The power of play
There is no rule to say that all learning must be formal, and the benefits of creative play are now well-recognised by early childhood experts. Play develops curiosity, increases attention span, and involves the integration of language, social, cognitive, imaginative and physical skills.
Parents can provide a range of materials for children to use in play to encourage primary school age children to use their imaginations and develop their own problem-solving skills. This does not have to involve expensive toys, but rather, items such as blocks, puzzles, plastic animals or people figures, old clothes for dress-up, art supplies, or recycled items (such as egg cartons, shoe boxes, paper towel rolls) that your child can explore independently and artistically. Introduce new materials periodically to keep your child inspired. Even one new item can challenge children to think of new ways to play.
An enjoyable and beneficial activity for both parents and children is for parents to take the time to be their child’s 'play partner' once in a while – play games together like looking at the clouds and taking turns imagining what they resemble; take turns 'being' things that begin with each letter of the alphabet or make up stories with your child, building on each other’s additions.
Richard Blissenden, parent and principal of Corpus Christi Primary, Cranebrook, is a great advocate of creative play.
'My children, now much older, still talk about the time their grandfather dressed up with them and had a tea party in the cubby house. It is important for dads and grandfathers to be involved in imaginative play too,' said Richard.
Making the most of family holidays or day trips
If you have the opportunity to take your children out of their normal environment, whether for a day or for a longer holiday, take advantage of this learning opportunity by asking your child lots of questions about their surroundings – what is different about this place and home? Help them to become observers of the world around them.
If you happen to know your child is learning about a particular topic at school bring it into the outing where appropriate – for example make a game of looking for different shapes in the environment if your child is learning shapes, or if they are studying a language ask them to name things they see in that language.
It is also worthwhile to take note of interesting places to visit while you are away and incorporate them into your plans, for example museums, art galleries, history walks, observatories, nature reserves and animal parks. When choosing places to visit, take note of your child’s own interests – if they are fascinated by sharks try to visit an aquarium, or if they love learning a classical instrument take them to a symphony.
Donna Russell, a parent from St Finbar’s Primary, Glenbrook, says she wants her children to learn as much as possible and to know what is available in the world for them so hopefully they will be well rounded and accepting people.
'As a family we like to go on bushwalks, go bike riding, visit museums and play sport. We have a lot of good discussions and laughs around the dinner table when we sit down and talk about what has happened during the day, and what they’ve discovered,' said Donna.
Sharing your own love of learning
You can provide your child with a great role model by expressing your own enthusiasm for learning new things. Be visibly inquisitive – seek out answers, search the internet, use a library, look words up in a dictionary, use an atlas or globe – you can even make games out of this, for example timing how long it takes to find a place on the globe, or trying to guess the correct meaning of a word you’ve never heard before.
Dealing with all those questions!
Of course one of the results of fostering a child’s curiosity is that you may find yourself bombarded with questions about how and why things happen. One of the best responses is to answer a question with a question – when you invite your child to think about their own answer and invite discussion, you are helping them to construct their own learning, a process that is becoming a big focus in today’s schools. Rather than simply providing an answer, focus on providing a way to find the answer.
Books, books and more books…
Try to put aside some time to regularly read with your child to illustrate the value of reading. Books are a window on to the world and by encouraging your child to try a variety of genres – poetry, non-fiction, historical fiction, science fiction, etc. – you can provide valuable opportunities for the development of ideas, imagination and interests. If you have a reluctant reader try reading aloud books that your child typically does not read on his or her own to broaden their horizons. The new ideas presented as you read will open your child up to new ways of thinking. Reading together also gives children the chance to ask more questions and to engage in meaningful conversations with you as they piece together their own learning and understanding of the world.
Keeping older children engaged
Some parents find that once their children get older their thirst for knowledge and learning appears to lessen and it becomes more difficult to engage them. It is possible to maintain the enthusiasm by simply adapting your approach to better suit your child’s changing needs and interests. Try putting your child into the role of 'teacher' by asking them to show you what they have learnt and sharing their skills with you. Many parents find this works particularly well in the area of technology where their children are highly skilled and keen to show what they know. Ask your child for a computer lesson to keep them interested in what they have learnt and to expose them to another side of learning – sharing knowledge.
As children get older it becomes even more important to help them understand the relevance of what they learn. Allowing children to put their learning to practical use is a great way of maintaining their interest. For example, if your child is studying food technology or hospitality get them involved in catering for family celebrations or planning and cooking family meals. Discuss what certain skills will be used for in the world outside school using your own experiences and demonstrating this when you can – for example maths skills for budgeting and figuring out loan repayments. Talk about where learning can lead in terms of careers and opportunities to help children set goals for their learning.
Creating a supportive environment
Resiliency is identified by learning and development experts as a key factor in children developing important social and problem-solving skills, as well as the ability to learn independently. The term resiliency refers to the human capacity to face, overcome, and even be strengthened by the adversities of life, to adapt to challenging circumstances.
One of the ways parents can help foster resilience in children is by providing them with an environment where they feel safe to explore and develop their own ideas; express feelings; take chances; make choices; make mistakes and share their opinions. Children should have the opportunity to try out new skills and activities without worrying about failure. The Morgan family, whose children attend St Finbar’s Primary, Glenbrook say they focus on creating a loving home atmosphere where their children are encouraged to explore.
'They need to believe in themselves. Have a go, make mistakes, but never give up. This is supported by a positive school environment and the friends they make. All of which make them feel safe. Once they have this belief it fuels their enthusiasm for learning in all parts of their life,' the Morgans said.
Perhaps the most important thing for parents to remember when it comes to raising children who will be lifelong learners, is to display a positive attitude towards learning themselves and to visibly demonstrate the benefits of learning for life.
Sources:
‘Learning through Imaginative Play’, Motherinc.com.au
‘A Love of Learning’, Ellen Booth Chruch, http://www2.scholastic.com
‘Fun Ways to Inspire Curiosity in Childen’, http://blissfullydomestic.com
Resiliency Resource Centre, www.embracethefuture.org.au
Children’s Care, Learning and Development, Penny Tassoni, Kath Bulman and Kate Beith
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