You are your child’s first teacher, and your home is your
child’s first school. You spend a good bit of time every day setting the tone
for behaviors, encouraging first steps, and pouncing on those teachable moments
to mold your children into the happy and successful people you want them to be.
But are you missing some opportunities to support your
child’s learning? Kids will thrive in a home that makes learning a priority and
creates the proper balance between direct teaching and “give it a go on your
own” kinds of involvement. Every child needs a different blend of the two—some
children need direct instruction before they’re willing to try something new,
and others are rarin’ to go without a lot of introduction.
Here are some guidelines for making your home a comfortable
place to work, play and learn—a place where efforts are valued over a finished
product and where it’s just fine to try and fail along the road to success.
Model a Lifestyle of
Learning
My father was an avid fisherman and fishing was a family
sport. We often hit the water before the sun was up and fished (and ate) all
day long. I learned early on that fishing equipment was next to sacred and that
I could impress my Dad with my fishing skills.
It’s like that with any sort of learning. If your kids know
you think reading, or playing music, or playing chess at a high level is cool,
they’ll think so too. It isn’t the subject matter that’s important, it’s the
fact that children will believe learning new things is important, if you show
that you believe it is.
So read some books, do some home improvement projects, learn
to grow flowers, or learn a new language. Your kids will notice both the effort
and the expertise, but more importantly, they’ll know that you value learning.
Provide Materials
Children need to do hands-on exploration as they learn. They
enjoy molding clay and they love cutting and pasting. When out of doors, they
enjoy gathering materials and building forts.
Parents don’t need to join in the creativity, but they can
help the process by providing materials. Make it a habit to have a good supply
of paper, pencils, markers, glue, and all the other stuff of artistic
endeavors. Allow kids to use simple tools (with appropriate safety precautions)
and marvel at their creations.
You might keep a supply of old clothing and props for the
dramatic sessions that will take place after reading a particularly good story.
Encourage kids to act out their favorite fairy tales or encourage them to write
a book about their latest interest. Use their love for heroes to encourage
creative extensions such as giving a play, writing a poem or singing a new
song.
Expect a bit of a mess along the way. Creative processes are
worth a few spills and piles of rubble.
READ MORE: Video series by a mom: Homeschooling ideas
Follow Their Lead
Right now, my youngest grandson is enamored with dinosaurs
and volcanoes. He talks about them, knows dinosaur names, understands that
volcanoes erupt and learned that one of the theories about dino demise was a
large volcanic eruption back in the day. So, when he came for a visit, I made
sure to have dino and volcano books ready to read and enjoy.
He spent a lot of time creating caves out of playdough for
plastic dinosaur figures and re-enacting dinosaur adventures. We read the
volcano books and learned to identify the cutaway parts of a volcano.
What are your children excited about right now? Do they love
to plant seeds and watch them grow? Do they want to learn how to speak Spanish
or how to cook a pizza? It pays to notice the
things your kids are interested in and support their learning in those specific
areas.
Find Programs,
Classes and Other Local Learning Challenges
When you look for classes in dance, music or sports remember
that at this time there are many virtual opportunities as well as face-to-face.
Don’t overlook the free activities available through school or church projects,
local youth programs and your local library. Let them try a variety of
activities and then if they take off in drama or music, the cost of classes is
well worth the price.
Be Their Cheerleader
Whatever your child enjoys doing, it is your privilege to be
their cheerleader. If they love art, then make their next birthday gift an
array of art materials. If they love to write, provide the paper and pencils or
a keyboard. If they love to play chess, learn a few moves and play along. It’s
easy to root on the sidelines of a soccer game but might require a bit of
inspiration to cheer on a quieter child who enjoys reading biographies or
studying insects. Find a way. It matters.
Remember, you’ll always be your child’s number one teacher.
Make the most of that role and create an environment in which learning is as
natural as breathing.
Jan Pierce, M.Ed is a
retired teacher and reading specialist who writes about education, parenting
and family life. Find Jan at www.janpierce.net.
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