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by Carol Funk
Children who like school will generally succeed in the classroom, and that means they are learning. But what do you do if your child announces, "I'm bored with school," or worse, "I hate school"?
Your child's lack of enthusiasm for school, and subsequent lack of success in the classroom, may mean she is not learning according to her strengths. Every child was born with different thinking patterns, or learning style strengths. Our learning style is the way our brain perceives and processes information. In other words, it's the way we see our world. Have you noticed that memorization is easy for one child, yet difficult for another? Or, your daughter can picture the geography lesson in her mind's eye but your son taps his pencil incessantly, unable to sit still and pay attention?
How your Child Learns
Some children are visual learners. If they see something, they can usually remember it. These children concentrate and learn best when they watch, color, draw, read, underline, diagram - anything that stimulates their sense of sight. Descriptive language is another tool that helps this learner.
Other children learn best by listening and talking. Auditory learners must hear their own voice (audible or inner) and say the information so they can learn and remember it. If you see children moving their lips as if they are talking to themselves, or turning to their neighbor to whisper something, often they are repeating what they just learned. Auditory learners need activities that allow them to do this, such as verbal drills with a partner, spelling words out loud, or engaging in small group discussions.
Some children need to be actively involved in the learning process. They just want to do it! Kinesthetic learners enjoy any hands-on lesson, whether it's math manipulatives, a science experiment, a computer game, building a model, or acting in a skit. As long as their body is in motion, their brain seems to click. Sitting still in a chair to do visual or auditory tasks feels like a curse. Unfortunately, these children are often labeled hyperactive. Keep in mind, though, that when these children are moving, they are remembering. The finger-tapping or knee-bouncing you find annoying may be the tool your child is using to help recall important information.
As you help your children discover and understand their learning styles, they will begin to succeed at school. Their work will become easier, they will learn more quickly, and they will retain information longer.
Your Child's Learning Environment
We all have different learning settings or environments that help us concentrate and learn. To help your child benefit the most from her natural learning strengths, it's important to recognize which learning environment suits her best.
Think about your preferences, then consider the preferences of your child. They may differ!
Time of Day
Do you do your best work at the crack of dawn? Or, are you a night owl who prefers to work in the evening? The time of day is an important piece of the learning environment. And chances are that your best time differs from other members of your family. As your children get older, their preferences will change so you may have to reconsider whether homework is done after dinner or at the breakfast table. The key is to plan your child's day so he performs his hardest tasks at his best time, and his easiest tasks at his least preferred time.
Munchies
Do you need to sip a cup of coffee, munch on carrots, or even chew gum to help you concentrate? Or, is food a distraction? I have one child of each preference – one needs snacks; the other can't be bothered. Experiment. If your daughter needs to memorize or study for a test, have her sip a beverage or eat a snack while studying. Try it without. Find out whether munchies are a help or hindrance.
Light
You may walk through the house turning lights on so everyone can "see", while someone else turns them off because the light is too intrusive. What do you prefer? What does your child prefer? Some people prefer a lot of bright light in their learning environment, while others like more subtle, indirect lighting.
Desk or Floor?
Do you wonder how your daughter can study cross-legged on her bedroom floor while your son sits at his desk for hours? Although neither position may seem comfortable to you, it doesn't mean your child is unproductive. Even reclining in an easy chair can produce good grades if that's where your child concentrates best.
Be a Detective
We are all uniquely created by God. He designed each of us with different fingerprints, iris patterns and learning styles. Become a Sherlock Holmes. Discover your child's learning style and determine in which environment he learns best. By focusing on your children's learning strengths, you'll help them learn and succeed in school, and become all they were created to be. After all, that's our role as parents.
- Carol Funk is a learning styles specialist and the co-author of Bringing Out the Best in Your Child (Vine, 1997) purchase it online here through amazon.com