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How Children Learn

September 23, 2011 By 1 Comment

Children learn about the world through their five basic senses: Sight, sound, touch, taste and smell.

Sight – Younger children are able to watch moving objects, distinguish colour and form as well as develop hand-eye coordination within the first few months. They learn to understand the world around them through observation. In fact, 75-90% of what your child learns is through sight.

Sound – A child can understand and recognise sounds from the time he is born. By talking to him and exposing him to different sounds, he learns to recognise various sounds quickly and easily.

Touch – Younger children learn to explore things around them by feeling the different textures and also put things into their mouth to feel with their most sensitive organ – the tongue.

Taste – Younger children will put almost anything into their mouths just to explore the taste and texture.

Smell – Recognising their mothers through smell, younger children will start to recognise other family members the same way, and recognising other smells such as drinks, foods or scents.

Although learning is a process that continues throughout life, there is a certain “prime time” when the brain is like a “super-sponge”, absorbing new information easily and developing in giant leaps.

From the moment a child is born until he is at least six months old, breast milk provides all the nutrients necessary for optimal brain growth. After that, it is important that you continue to breastfeed and provide your child with a healthy and balanced diet to ensure that he gets all the nutrients needed for ongoing and future brain development.

In addition, brain development can be further enhanced through interactions between parent and child, such as through touch, play and sound.

These information is adapted from The Star.

Written by thunder02

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How Today’s Children Learn Best

September 23, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The world of today has created a whole new learning environment for children.  The methods of teaching children have changed along with the ways in which they learn.  In a world where electronics and learning gadgets are everywhere, children are learning in whole new ways.  Among the technology influencing the way kids today learn is the television, computers, and of course video games.  All of these things have affected the way a child’s brain deals with new information.

The common complaint about the children of today is that they have short attention spans.  This is a natural development that has occurred due to the manner in which information is presented in electronic media – short bursts of information are given and the topic changes swiftly.  It has become common to blame this tendency in the media for the learning troubles encountered by children later in life.  The issue is clearly not that simple, however.  According to C. Shawn Green, PhD at the University of Minnesota, “A child who is capable of playing a video game for hours on end obviously does not have a global problem with paying attention.  The question, then, is why are they able to pay attention to a game but not in school? What expectancies have the games set up that aren’t being delivered in a school setting?”

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When seen in this manner, it becomes obvious that the issue at hand is one of how to use the learning methods developed by media exposure to an academic advantage.  Using multi-media learning tools both in the classroom and out is the newest way to help children learn.  Today educational videos, computers used at home and at school, and the right type of video games can all contribute to helping kids learn.

 

When the approach to teaching does not work with the learning methods kids today have developed, children will have difficulty. According to educator and author Dr. Mary Ann Smialek, “Children struggle when they try to learn in ways that aren’t natural for them.”  Parents can use the new learning methods of today to help children learn with the following tips:

 

Use the educational options in the media that your children respond to best
Choose videos that are educational and keep your child interested
Recognize when an older method simply isn’t working, and move on
Use computers and television to teach rather than simply to entertain

 

Living in today’s technology filled world means moving with the times and accepting that old methods are being replaced.  Make the most of the methods of learning the media have taught your children by working with those tools for success.

 

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Before Your Hire a Tutor Think How Much Parents Can Help Their Children Learn

September 23, 2011 By Leave a Comment

International league tables of children’s performance at school show the UK and US are falling behind other countries particularly in core subjects such as English and Maths. In response many parents are turning to private tutors to boost their children’s education. But why?

There are two parts to learning

Learning new facts or skills
Practicing using those facts or skills

By far the most important is practice as this consolidates and reinforces what has been learned. This will be obvious to people who

Play sports, music, chess or cards
Learn a new language,  to dance or to paint

Practice is the difference that makes the difference. Regular practice is the best kind of practice.  Only a few things can be learned in a 5 or 10 minute session. But if you have a session every day what you learn over a year can be considerable.  Even better regular sessions give a chance to review what has been learned so it doesn’t fade away.

If you can afford a tutor everyday then great but many children only have an hour or so of tuition once a week without practice in between tuition sessions.  This means 1 day to learn and 6 to forget.

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It is possible to teach yourself and many people do. It is possible to establish your own practice regime and many people do. But it is much easier if you have a coach.

For almost all children it is far more likely that they will stick with regular practice if they have someone with them. As a parent you are likely to be with them more than anyone else. So why don’t parents do more? Perhaps they feel

They can’t make a difference
It will take too much time
They are not qualified
Learning only takes place in school or with a tutor

Some parents start but either don’t continue or do not continue regularly.

This crazy. It is common for parents to drastically underestimate the effect they have on their children particularly when they are young. Many of the hardest things your children will ever learn they learn with you such as walking, talking and reading.

Children tend to adopt their parents attitudes and expectations

If you think learning is fun and important they will too
If you think learning is boring and unnecessary then perhaps they will too
Whether you expect your children to succeed or fail they will pick up on your attitude.

As a parent no doubt you talk to your child. No doubt you also read to them, listen to them read and helped them learn to write. I would be surprised if you didn’t also write numbers and practice counting, if only by chanting or listening to nursery rhymes. This is how children learn, together with you in shared activities.

So why not carry on, make up stories with your children then practice writing them down.  When you read a book, watch a film or TV show talk about how the characters felt, what led them to do the things they did. Describe different ways the story could have ended or begun.

With numbers why stop at counting? Playing games such as snakes and ladders (or chutes and ladders) introduces the idea of adding via counting on.

When your children start school and begin arithmetic, why not spend a few minutes doing sums with them?  You may not notice much after a day or even a week but if you keep it up after a term or a year there will be a clear and noticeable achievement.

Jeremy Shiers is the father of four children. Jeremy has a BSc in mathematics and a PhD in Physics. For the last 17 years he has been passing on his knowledge to his children using regular short sessions as described here. He has noticed that some parents do not do this which he believes to them making one or more of 7 common little mistakes.

Are you making any of these mistakes? To find out visit http://sevenlittlemistakes.com and download a copy of Jeremy’s report without charge.

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How Parents Can Help Their Children Succeed In School

September 23, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Education is important; it is a major determinant of life chances. But education is not a given, parents can do much to foster educational achievement in their children.

First parents need to know that every child has the potential for educational success. Your children almost certainly have the ability to succeed in school. There are common stereotypes about educational achievement that are false, such as that girls are not as good at mathematics or science or engineering as boys, or that the daughter of a single mother who works as a hospital cleaner cannot aspire to become a brain surgeon. These stereotypes are dangerous myths and as a parent you have to examine whether you believe them. If you do believe them you need to re-examine your beliefs.

Social class is a better predictor of performance in school than IQ; this is because working class parents and teachers believe that working class children are less likely to succeed in school than middle class children. There are role models such as President Obama which show that such stereotyping is wrong. Introduce your child to appropriate role models. You do not have to like President Obama to present him as a role model; he is an African American from a single parent family who became a Harvard professor and president against the odds. Your child too can beat the odds, with your help.

Parents need to foster a winning attitude in their children. They have to convince their children that they can succeed. It is the subconscious mind that needs to know this and the subconscious mind is negative and difficult to access. There are certain principles that derive from mental programming that should be followed in encouraging your child:
Provide role models for educational achievement. You, your child and his teachers must not think that working class, African, Hispanic, or poor children cannot succeed in school. This is untrue.
Ignore the problem focus on the solution. Do not for instance say you must not watch TV while doing homework. Avoid negatives, be positive; say do your homework in a place free of distractions, and name that place. Set aside an area where the child can do homework free of the distractions of TV.
Belief and confidence. Believe in the abilities of your child and yourself and have confidence in them. The human mind is infinitely powerful and it has few limitations. If you have confidence in the ability of your child to achieve then you will instill that confidence in your child also, and your child will achieve what he or she believes he or she can achieve.

By: Francis David

Francis helps parents, administrators and teachers learn about Character Education and how the Just Do The Right Thing Program can help kids of all levels find success both in and outside the Classroom.

The Place2Be – Making a lifetime of difference to children in schools. National UK children’s charity supporting over 55000 children and thier families, teachers and whole school community.

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Social Skills Help Children Succeed in School

September 23, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Aside from your home, your school is where you can learn the basic social skills and manners that are very important in helping you grow as a better person. School is where you can learn and communicate with other children and build relationships with them. Your teachers educate you on your academic needs and also on your social skills in order for you to be assertive. Being with other children is fun and also challenging. Learning the social skills in school is very important for this can be great factor in making you as a successful individual. Here are the top 10 social skills that you need to practice in school in order for you to succeed in the future.

Learn to listen to others. When you listen to others, you make the other person feel that you are interested to what he or she is saying.

You can gain important and relevant information when you are open to communication.

You should follow the steps in starting a conversation. When you want to have a friendship with someone, do not rush things up. Start everything with a simple greeting and a smile. Then you can initiate the conversation and think of interesting topics that you can talk about. Avoid talking more of yourself without giving time for the other person to talk about himself or herself. This is not good and you will drive that person away.

Follow the rules in school. When your school principal and teachers have given certain rules to follow, then you should obey them. These rules are for your own good. These will maintain peace and order within your classroom and school.

These rules are methods of inculcating discipline with every student which will train you to be better individuals in the future.

Learn to ignore distractions. You should focus more on your studies and avoid being influenced by bad companions. You should choose your friends whom you think can give you positive influence. Children who are delinquent and disrespectful are not worth to be your friends. They will only distract your focus and will negatively influence your character.

Do not hesitate to ask for help. When you think you are in need of help, then do not hesitate to do so. When there are lessons you don’t clearly understand, then you can ask your teacher to explain it again to you. Do not think of yourself as stupid when you ask questions.

You should take turns when you talk. A good conversation is composed of a talker and a listener. A good communication requires you to talk and also listen to what others have to say. It would be so much fun if both of you share and listen to your own experiences, hobbies and interests.

Get along with others. You should be open to make new friends all the time. Do not exclude yourself from others. When you are aloof, then you wouldn’t enjoy the fun of having friends. Friends are there to help when you are in need and they are there to listen to your joys and sorrows.

Learn to stay calm with others. When you are in anger, you should learn to control your emotion. You can go away for a while and remain silent in a quiet place. This will give you ample time to think things over and give you control of your emotions. When your anger has subsided, then you can tell directly to that person what you felt at the moment. In this way, you will avoid throwing up of harsh and painful words.

You should be responsible for your behavior. When you think you have done something wrong, then you should ask for apology to your teacher or classmates. Admitting your mistakes is not a sign of weakness but rather of strength. Through this, you are able to learn from the experience and will do better the next time.

Do nice things to others. When you are in school, always offer a helping hand to anyone who is in need of help. You should learn how to share and be open to others’ differences. When you are good to others, good things will come to you too. Always think of others’ feelings and welfare.

These social skills are very helpful for you, dear children, to develop your social skills in school. Through these social skills, you will acquire a better behavior that will be very useful for you to succeed in school and in the future!

Dr. John E. Neyman, Jr.
Christian Counselor

Dr. John has reared 3 children, Philip, Laura, and Matthew. Dr. John has been teaching families for the last 30 years. He is a family coach that specializes in parenting. Dr. John’s motto is “Empowering parents to transform their homes.” Dr. John was a pastor for 25 years.

Dr. John has been serving as a Counselor/therapist for 30 years. He is currently a Behavior Specialist Consultant and Mobile Therapist in Western PA. Dr. John also is the director /Owner of the Renewed Life Counseling Center. Dr. John is a bestselling author entitled Wake up Live the Life You love: Success and Wake up Live the Life You Love: Freedom.

Dr. John has developed a strategy that parents are able to use immediately, and effectively. It is entitled Power moments with Your Children. It takes less than 1 minute to put a strategy into place. Dr. John holds degrees from Liberty University and Rochville University.

Dr. John has a passion to teach principles that transforms lives. He has spoken to audiences from 4 to 4 thousand. Dr. John’s teachings are practical, pointed, and powerful.

Help for children with learning disabilities. Improve performance in math and reading. Compensate with strengths with special education.

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How To Help Children At School

September 23, 2011 By Leave a Comment

If I had a dollar for every time I am asked ‘How can I help my children improve in their studies?’ I would be a very rich woman today. Now, if you are one of these parents or guardian, here is my advice; probably some of you will wonder why you never thought of the idea and method yourself.

 Helping children improve their academic performance is actually one of the easiest things a parent/guardian can do. The first step is to set a time aside when you can sit with them for at least fifteen minutes any time before they settle down to do their homework.

 A great time is a little before you start preparing the evening meal. Sit down with the children and ask to see whatever they wish to show you which relates to the work they have done at school. If this is the first time, they may be a bit surprised and reticent about showing their books, with the excuse that the teachers have collected them.  Very calmly but firmly let them know that you expect to see them the following evening (just make sure that you do not forget). On the other hand they may happily comply with the request and bring their books out.

Show genuine interest in what they have done that day and them questions about their work. For example, if one of the lessons was Social Science which looked at the environment of a particular geographical area enquire where the place is located or how the population and industry is effected and so on. Let us say that the other child has had LOTE, look at the words and see if can translate any of them. Actually this becomes a bit of a game which always ends up in good humored laughter.

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  Whatever you do, do not criticize if you see things that are not what you are expecting, (there is nothing more demoralizing for children, or even teenager, to have their work put down). If not too sure what has been written, ask to have things explained, but no matter what, do not show concern, or even worse, anger. If you see that some tasks have not been completed, ask if something happened to have caused the incompletion of the tasks and suggest that they can be finished off for homework.

 After having gone through the books get the children to do their homework somewhere where you can see them while you prepare dinner. Never under any circumstances allow them to their rooms. When this happens children who are not performing well at school, will only waste their time listening to music or using their mobiles or computers to chat to their friends. The best thing is for them to write by hand even though they might complain. You must keep in mind that in all examination papers must be handwritten; all electronic gadgets are forbidden.  Do not get into an argument, just stand firm; they will soon follow your instructions when they sea that you are serious.

 A classic with children who are not too keen on school work, is this famous line ‘. If, this is the case then say that you will provide them with some.  Take one of their books, choose at least two exercises you are not very impressed with and get them to re-do them.  Very soon you will find that the homework will materialize as if by magic.  

 When a regular pattern is set, parents/guardians will find that children will respond in a positive way. This pattern must be maintained from Monday to Friday regularly If the parent/guardian is not available one evening then the other adult takes over. Continuity is the key to success.

You will find that after the pattern has been set, you will no longer be required.

 

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