TEN TOP TIPS FOR HOME LEARNING

By Dr Khum Raj Pathak

Burrowing under the duvet, running around at high speed, throwing the notebook across the room, making paper aeroplanes out of their work – there are few strategies that children won’t try to avoid home studying. Here is how to make it work…..

1. Exercise and fresh air before studying can cheer children up and get blood flowing to the brain. Try yoga, meditation and chanting as top karate players do: to centre the mind and prepare for concentration.

2. Think about the example that you are setting: you can’t criticise children for being addicted to the screens if they always see adults staring at devices. Lead the way by saying ‘Let’s read our books’ or ‘Let’s do some drawings’ to give them a sense of equality. Use daily activities like cooking, shopping lists, gardening – as real-world learning.

3. Instead of reacting when children refuse to study or become obstructive, just disarm them with a smile. Be grateful that your child has a healthy sense of resistance and is a human being, not a robot. Never punish children for not studying. You are not a trained teacher and could put them off schooling for life and shrink their capacity for lateral thinking.

4. Every child is different. As with staff, assign projects according to a person’s experience and current ability. Children feel bored if their work is either too easy or too difficult. Also use the lock-down to find out their favourite subjects and allow them to flourish as they specialise – everybody’s dream in real life.

4. We often prefer a light magazine to a heavy book: children’s moods also fluctuate. Tune into their energy levels and pick the right time for each activity. At certain times of day, children simply feel too tired, especially during these strange events. There could be an important biological or psychological reason why they need a break or even a ‘power-nap’.

4. Invite children to commit to a time when they are ready to study then fit it around their playing plans. They will enjoy showing leadership if you ask them to remind you when that time comes. Equally ask them to plan their break and tell you what time they would like a cup of tea/their lunch. The more they feel involved in their study plan, the less alienated they will feel.

4. Sometimes children need time just to sing, to daydream, speak in a funny voice, to blow raspberries or to doodle. Why not? They’re not hurting anybody. In fact, a child’s unconscious is continually processing ideas all the while they appear to be doing nothing. Be flexible about learning. If they are doodling instead of doing maths, change the lesson into an art lesson. If they are joking around, why not have an acting lesson instead?

4. Create a special desk space if you can (even if its just an upturned box) and invite the child to personalise it with stickers, plants, teddies, bananas as they might in a real office. Respect their privacy by knocking before you go ‘in’. Encourage respect for their work by saying to others ‘Shush, Tom’s studying’, so that your child realises how important their work is.

9. Let them listen to Classical music in the background whilst studying if possible – and to learn about one composer a day! Children today are accustomed to multi-sensory media. Harmonious sound (without lyrics) can help to unclutter their mind.

9. If they leave the table and start moving around instead of studying consider having a ‘mobile’ lesson: times tables questions can be answered whilst your child is kicking a ball. If they want to hang upside down or only talk to you from under the table (like one scruffy genius from Silicon Valley) that is fine – just so long as they are still learning.

Above all – RELAX! – and remember that hugs are always more important than homework!