“ How To Help Your Child Learn” |
Just as every snowflake is unique, so is every child. The way that your child learns depends a number of different factors, which combined together, create his unique learning style.
By helping your child discover how he learns the best, you will set him up for life time success in learning, and reduce the frustrations that come through trying to learn in a way that does not use his particular strengths and to him seems uncomfortable.
Every parent has been through the school system and hopefully discovered ways that facilitated a style of learning that worked for them.
However it is a fallacy to presume that a parent’s style is necessarily going to be the best way for their child, in fact it could have a detrimental effect to insist that they learn in that way.
For example the traditionally accepted environment to do homework is to sit at a desk in a quiet spot to help concentration. However this is only likely to help learning for a percentage of students.
If this is not a comfortable way of learning for a child it can actually inhibit the flow of ideas and create a learning vacuum where the mind becomes a blank. Some may need to spread out on the floor, sit cross-legged on the bed or even in front of the TV to find an environment where their best learning can take place.
Some students need music or background noise, food or drink and to feel comfortable before real learning can take place. Some remember best when they can move about or learn by doing, some need to visualize or see pictures, write or read the information for themselves, and others need to hear the information and speak it back in order to remember it. Using a combination of two of these modalities may work best for some students. Another important factor that comes in play is the way a child perceives and orders information in their mind. The conventional method is for information to be structured in a logical step by step process, which leads in a linear form from the beginning to its logical end.
This method works for many students, however some may have learning styles which in take information and put it into meaningful bits or chunks, which are stored in the mind in a random way. Such a student will reach the desired result, but will not use a sequential logical format in the learning process.
There are two main ways the brain makes sense of the information it receives, and although we all use both ways there will be a leaning towards one way or the other. The first way can be termed the ‘analytic’. An analytic has a tendency to focus on the details, and fit them together to make sense of information.
The ‘global’ however needs to see the bigger picture and fit in the information so it makes sense in the wider scope of things. A global sees all the parts are related to each other to make up the big picture, but may have difficulty in separating the parts outside of the bigger picture.
An analytic has no problem focusing in on the parts, but may have difficulty seeing the bigger picture and how the details fit together in the wider sense. An example of this can be seen in the approach to doing a jigsaw.
The analytic will focus in the jigsaw pieces and how they fit together. He may fit together several sections before looking at the picture to see where they go. The global, on the other hand will probably do the edges pieces first, and frequently refer to the picture to see where a piece would go.
By observing your child in natural normal situations you will be able to pick up clues as to the innate strategies he/she uses to understand the world, to concentrate, and remember. By giving your child opportunities to try a variety of methods of learning you can help them discover and encourage their unique style of learning.
The earlier a child discovers what works best for them, the more success and self confidence will be attached to their learning experiences in life. As a parent you are in the best position to help them in the process of discovery.
About the Author: Barbara White, of Beyond Better Development, has many years teaching experience in both Canada and the UK. She was invited to Vancouver, BC in 1992, to pioneer and establish an Independent school, spending 10 years as Principal, before starting her own business.
As a parent, teacher and principal Barbara brings to the table a wealth of experience in both parenting and student learning. Barbara offers presentations and workshops to teachers and parents on personality and learning styles. For more information, and to learn about fundraising opportunities visit her website www.livingbeyondbetter.com
This free toddlers activity and Parent Child Development guide site has articles about helping child learn positive home school parenting skills, social skills training for child, positive parenting tips for school books and lesson plans, study guides, test guides, how to read, maths for kids, learn history, encyclopedias reference books for teachers how to learn addition, learn subtraction, learn to spell, learn to read, school bullies & home schooling tips for Parent Child learning skills resources.
Ten Easy Ways To Help Kids Learn: A Brain-based Learning Strategy That Really Works
toddlers activity helping your child learn
Susan's a math whiz and Caleb's an artist extraordinaire.That's, great but wouldn't it be better if Caleb could improvein math and Susan could develop some artistic skills? They canand it's easy.
Researchers have recently discovered that whole-brain learningor brain-based learning is an efficient and effective learningstrategy that helps kids (parents and teachers, too) learnanything easily without struggling.
One feature of brain-based learning involves using both theright side and the left side of the brain. Although nobody isjust left brain or just right brain, most of us have adominance.
Susan's math aptitude means she is probably left-braindominant, and Caleb, the artist, has a right-brain dominance.
Learning to read and write requires using both sides of thebrain. So does learning math and even doing art. In fact, doingjust about anything well, including thinking clearly, and evenproblem solving, involves using the right and left hemispheresof the front part of the brain.
How do you accomplish this? Easy. Just move across the centermid-line of your body. Every time you move your right arm toyour left side or your left arm to your right side, you'recrossing the mid-line and improving learning, thinking, andproblem solving. Now you're using brain-based learning.
Works for kids. Works for you. Try these parenting tips andteacher resources today.
1. Give yourself a big hug.
2. Tell kids the only rule is to cross the mid-line of thebody, right hand to left side, left hand to right side. Now letthem invent ways of doing this.
3. Dance the hula. Or twirl a hula hoop.
4. Take a Brain Boosters TeleClass. Sign up atwww.brainboostersforyourkids.com Or a Brain Gym class. Sign upat www.BrainGymClasses.com
5. Do the twist. (So you weren't dancing in the 50s and 60s?Ask somebody to show you how to twist or get a dance video.)Twist with the kids while you listen to some old Chubby Checkersongs.
6. Rake some leaves with your kids, making sure you're rakingoff to the side instead of straight in front of you.
7. Play a board game. (Use your right hand to move your piecewhen it's in the left corner and vice versa.)
8. Practice using your non-dominant hand to reach for things onthe opposite side of your body. Even writing and drawing withyour non-dominant hand helps. (You'll get better withpractice.)
9. Do Yoga and Tai Chi. Lots of moves cross the mid-line.
10. Cross your ankles and arms in front or in back when you'redoing jumping jacks. Kids can usually do this. If you can't,try it in a swimming pool.
This brain-based learning strategy really isn't all thatcomplicated. Lots of everyday kinds of activities get the wholebrain active. Sitting around watching TV, however, isn't one ofthem! You and your kids have to move around and cross your mid-line. It's fun.
About The Author: MaryJo Wagner, Ph.D. The Learning Doctor"Helping You Help Your Kids Learn" mjw@mjwagner.com. Get thecomplimentary http://www.brain-based-learning.com newsletter,"Brain Boosters for Your Kids," Help your kids learn faster andeasier.
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