Empowering Kids In and Out of the Classroom

January 15, 2020

Our tagline here at Rolling Prairie Readers is, “Making learning fun for ALL kids.” The current state of our education system leaves a lot to be desired for all of us: parents, teachers, and especially our children. As parents, I think it’s important that we are intentional about empowering kids in their learning journey, both in and out of the classroom.

NOTE: These tips can be used with children of all ages, from toddlers to teenagers. It’s never too early (or too late!) to make learning fun for your kids.

I recently read a shocking statistic: “Nearly 3 in 10 current high school students (29 percent) say they feel bored all or most of the time in their school.” When you look back at your own junior high and high school years, would you also say that you were bored?

As parents, we can do one of two things with this alarming information. We can shrug our shoulders, and say, “That’s just the way it is.” Or, we can try to make a positive difference for our kids.

Personally, it breaks my heart a little every time I hear a child say that learning is boring. I LOVE to learn! I want my kids (and yours!) to love it, too.

Fortunately, empowering kids in and out of the classroom is easier than you think. Scroll down for some simple tips for making learning more enjoyable for our children.

SIMPLE TIPS FOR EMPOWERING KIDS

Inspire

Set a strong foundation with good books, fun family adventures, and open-ended learning through play. Become a family who celebrates learning and makes time for trying new things together.
Spend family time on your children’s interests. This is especially important if they are nontraditional learners who find learning in the classroom frustrating or exhausting.

Empower

Study your child. Discover their primary learning style(s), and cultivate a learning environment at home that celebrates their strengths.
Consider your child’s personality style. Introverted and extroverted children will take in new information differently, and the judging/perceiving aspect of a personality can impact study habits and work ethic.
Speak positively about learning, school, and your child’s teacher.
Evaluate learning difficulties. There are many reasons why a child might struggle with learning, but most are easily overcome with a few minor modifications.
Focus on age-appropriate learning. Too often, we push our kids to achieve more than they are ready for developmentally. As the great Magda Gerber quote says, “Childhood is not a race to see how quickly a child can read, write and count. It is a small window of time to learn and develop at the pace that is right for each individual child. Earlier is not better.”
Teach kids how to set goals. Work together to make individual and family goals related to academics, physical skills, behavior, and more.

Encourage

Hard times will come in the education journey. Whether it’s a difficult teacher relationship or a harder-than-usual skill. Our kids will look to us for guidance and leadership.