This is a follow-up from my previous post. How can you develop a positive learning culture at home?
4. Real life application
This is linked to constructing meaning for learning. WHY do we learn? We learn in order to solve real life problems.
When I do the topic of Money (Math) with my child, I bring him to the supermarket and give him some money. I give him a list of things to buy and tells him to check if the money is enough.
Then, he needs to find all the items and their prices. Next, he adds them up. This helps him to understand how expensive or how cheap the products are and if we have enough money for them.
Through this activity, he learned to apply his knowledge about money and the addition of money.
5. Extension of Knowledge
Sometimes, Zenith (my P1 child) will be very interested in one topic. This is when I offer to extend the knowledge with him.
For example, he was learning about materials in Science (through a game on my tablet) when he asked a question about the elements in the materials. So, I started a side project with him to list down the first 50 elements in the periodic table.
You will not believe how interested he is in this topic. He bugs me everyday to help him research on the elements.
6. Topic Linking
Topic linking is extremely important for Science and Math.
The entire Science syllabus is based on linking the basics of Science together.
Living things are linked to the six main groups of animals. Non-living things are linked to the materials. Cycles are broken down into life cycles and matter. Matter is then further linked to water.
The entire Science syllabus is a network of topics.
Apart from content linking in Science, it is also important to link the process skills together. You learn observing before you learn comparing. Then, you learn classifying.
Cultivating a good learning culture at home will reap huge benefits in your children's future.
Stay tuned for the next post!
Why is it that the same lessons yield different results from different students?
It is frustrating.
When a lesson does not resonate with a student, it bothers me. I will then spend countless nights reflecting on the cause of this phenomenon.
What is the missing piece?
And yet, the exact methods and lessons I used on my sons all yield the similar results. What was the thing that I did right with them?
After mulling on it for weeks, I narrowed it down to a single factor: the culture at home.
I have a standard template on preparing my children for learning.
1. Construct meaning way in the work before actual learning
2. Set aside specific time for specific learning
3. Establish learning goals for each learning task
4. Apply the learning to real life
5. Extend the learning into projects if the child is very interested in the topic
6. Link the learning to the next topic
1. Constructing Meaning
If your child asks you “Why do we need to study this?”, what would be your answer? It will get harder to answer as the child grows up.
For example, I always asked myself the reason for learning History when I was in Secondary One. No one could answer my question then. It would be much easier for me to learn History if someone gives me a reason to learn it.
It is much easier to answer a child when he starts to ask the reason behind to learn basic arithmetic. The earlier you give meaning to your child’s learning, the less struggle they will have when they grow up.
Weeks before I start the Math topic on measurements with Zenith (my eldest boy), I asked him about the length and height of many things at home.
I gave him real life problems. One of the questions I asked him was “Will that shelf fit into this space here?”
This creates a gap in his learning. Instinctively, he would want to solve this problem. Over the next few days, I saw him using various things to measure the shelf.
Then, at the peak of his curiosity, I introduced the Math lesson on measurements.
2. Specific Time for Specific Learning
My timing for learning at home is 8pm everyday after their shower. I will set up the space and get ready for lessons at the same timing.
The learning usually takes about 45 minutes.
Once you have a standard time set up, there is no ambiguity and there is no power struggle. We do work at 8pm, pronto.
3. Learning Goals
I always communicate the learning goals to my children BEFORE the lessons.
Following the example on measurements, the learning goal was to be able to measure the length and height of objects accurately.
After the lesson, the child must be able to complete a standard worksheet on his own.
PSLE is just around the corner. For those parents with P6 children, have you set up a study routine at home?
Share your problems in the comments section and let’s all support each other in educating our children.
Watch out for Part 2 of this blog as I share about Real Life Application, Extension of Knowledge and Topic Linking.
