Do you feel as though your child isn’t as engaged as they could be with their homeschooling? If so then it’s important to act now so you can make a positive change. If you don’t know how to make a change or if you need some help making sure that you are supporting them in the right way then this is the guide for you.
Why Isn’t Your Child Engaged?
If your child isn’t engaged with homeschooling then it’s helpful to find the reason why, so you can take steps to combat the issue.
The Work is Too Easy
If the work that you are setting for your child is too easy then this can stop them from being as engaged. You have to make sure that you do what you can to keep them interested and you also need to make sure that you are teaching them according to their current level of understanding. If you can do this then you will surely be able to help them.
It’s the Wrong Time
When it comes to homeschooling, you may find that it is easier to work around your child’s natural schedule. If you know that your child is very engaged in the morning but not engaged at all in the afternoon then you have to accommodate for this. You will soon see that their engagement rockets when you do.
You’re Pushing them Too Hard
It may be that you are pushing your child too hard when it comes to their education. As a parent, it is understandable that you want them to do well, but if you push them too hard then this can cause them to lose interest in their work and this is the last thing that you need.
How to Help your Child Stay Engaged
If you want your child to stay engaged, then here’s what you can do.
Set Goals
When it comes to your child’s school work, it is imperative that you set goals. Goal-setting is a skill that’s so important, whether it’s at home, or in their daily life. Kids should be practising setting goals for their learning as much as possible. It may be as simple as them finishing their work by Friday night so that they can then have the weekend to do whatever they want. That being said, goal-setting on its own is not enough. Kids have to be able to actively identify the obstacles that may knock them off their path. This could be watching a movie instead of doing the task that they have been assigned. If you can help them to plan for how they are going to overcome obstacles and distractions then this will help them in the long-run.
Cultivate Good Behaviour
When children find it difficult to pick up a new skill, they often think that it’s hard and that they are never going to get the hang of it. If you want to help them then you need to try and teach them persistence and that seeking out challenges is fun. If you can help them with this then you can show them how to move forward and you can also stop them from wanting to give up. If you want to help your child then sites such as www.generationgenius.com/videolessons/predicting-natural-disasters-video-for-kids/ are great.
Real-World Projects
Schools that have embraced project-based learning will often be able to investigate meaningful problems so that they can inspire action. Projects like this are ideal if you want to help your children to develop new habits and skills. It also helps them to retain the facts and information that they are being told, so that they can then see how it connects to real-life problems. At home, it’s important to know that projects like this can be motivating, purely because they follow a child’s innate curiosity. Start with a problem if you can, and then challenge them to solve it. When you have done this, then map out what the project is going to involve and what your child is going to learn. When you have covered this, talk about what the final project is going to be. It may be that they are designing a garden for the spring, or that they are building on their communication skills for example.
Find Opportunities to Celebrate Success
A lot of people think about celebrating major milestones for education and this is great, but you also need to try and celebrate any everyday accomplishments they might have made as well. This can be a very powerful motivator, so make sure that you keep this in mind as much as possible.
