Encourage children to draw the positives from any given situation instead of focussing on the negatives.
Children will need to cultivate a number of skills on their educational journey. Perseverance and strength of character are critical to ensuring that children give their all to tasks and are able to deal with a number of challenges that they will be faced with throughout their school life.
Parents can aid children in the development of these skills in a number of ways to help their children draw on their own independent learning skills.
Give children ample opportunities to use their own initiative
Allowing children the time and space to work through problems independently and develop their own strategies will help them take responsibility for their own learning. Giving children the time to reflect on their mistakes and develop appropriate solutions will mean that they have the confidence to work without constantly being dependent on input from their peers or adults.
Help children become resilient
The ability to bounce back from ‘failures’ is crucial as children’s expectations of their own academic ability may not always be met. Encourage children to draw the positives from any given situation instead of focussing on the negatives. As an example, although a child may have come out with a low score from a reading comprehension, they now know that their next step is to focus on getting a more in-depth understanding of the texts they are reading.
Encourage children to have a voice
Children who are able to express their thoughts and opinions clearly will be better prepared to contribute to decisions about the learning they want to undertake. They will also be able to join in classroom discussions, which should help them to develop a more positive attitude to school life.
Outline the link between learning goals and outcomes
Showing children that setting learning targets will help them achieve their desired levels should aid them in developing a disciplined attitude towards their school work. A mix of daily, short-term and long terms goals in several subject areas will also give children an extra incentive to focus on their studies.