A specialist with over 20 years of experience in education shares that if parents prepare their children with four essential skills during elementary school, they won’t have to worry about their academic performance or their ability to keep up with peers.
Encourage More Physical Activity
Numerous studies indicate that when children engage in physical activity, their bodies release specific substances that stimulate brain cell development and connectivity.
This enhances their memory, cognitive abilities, reaction time, and focus. Sports involve constant decision-making and quick reactions, such as predicting the direction and speed of a ball or anticipating the actions of teammates. This process sharpens their physical agility and fosters flexibility in their thinking and information processing skills.
Encourage more physical activity.
Additionally, children learn essential social skills through sports, including teamwork and emotional management. Regular exercise also improves their overall physical health, which is fundamental to their academic success. A healthy child will have the energy and positivity to engage in both academic and extracurricular activities.
Focus on Study Methods and Habits
While many parents prioritize their children’s grades, it’s essential to understand that study methods and habits are even more critical to their long-term success.
Effective study methods can double a child’s academic achievement with half the effort. For instance, parents should teach their children how to preview a lesson, take effective notes, and review their work. Previewing lessons the night before school helps children develop a basic understanding of the topic, making it easier to follow the teacher’s explanations in class. Taking good notes allows children to record essential knowledge for future review. The Cornell note-taking method is an excellent technique to teach your child.
Focus on study methods and habits.
The Cornell Note-Taking Method
Step 1: Prepare a dedicated notebook for note-taking. Open to a new page and draw a line about 5 cm from the bottom edge. Then, draw a vertical line to divide the page into two columns, ensuring the vertical line touches the horizontal line.
The left column, about 5-6 cm from the left margin, is for headings, keywords, or concepts. Ask questions like “Who?”, “What?”, and “When?” to guide your note-taking in this column.
The right column, which is the largest, should take up about 3/4 of the page. Use this space to write down main ideas and elaborate on the points made in the left column. Answer questions like “How?” and “Why?” in this section. At the end of the page, provide a summary or conclusion of the entire content.
Step 3: Finally, review and edit your notes. Discuss any questions or clarifications with your parents or teachers.
Daily review helps children reinforce their learning. Encourage your child to spend half an hour before bed each night mentally reviewing the day’s lessons. This utilizes the subconscious mind to organize and retain information.
Guide your children to develop good habits, such as completing homework on time, listening attentively, and actively participating in class. These habits will serve them well throughout their academic journey and beyond.
Emphasize Reading
Reading is a powerful tool for improving Vietnamese language proficiency. However, its benefits extend far beyond that.
Reading enriches a child’s vocabulary, exposing them to a diverse range of words and expressions. This lays a solid foundation for language articulation and writing skills. Additionally, reading enhances comprehension skills, as children must understand the content and the author’s intent when reading different types of books.
Emphasize reading.
This daily practice strengthens their comprehension abilities across all subjects. Reading is a long-term investment, so it’s essential to cultivate a love of reading from an early age and allocate dedicated reading time each day.
Choose age-appropriate books that spark your child’s interest, such as picture books, storybooks, or popular science books. Let them discover the joy of learning and the pleasure of reading.
Balance Extracurricular Activities
Parents naturally want their children to develop diverse interests and talents, so they enroll them in various extracurricular classes.
While it’s important to encourage children to explore and pursue their passions, it’s also crucial to recognize when they need to scale back. Once children enter school and face academic pressure, parents should learn to reduce the number of extracurricular classes if they are no longer a good fit or if the child has lost interest.
Children have limited time and energy, especially as they approach the upper grades of elementary school, where academic pressure intensifies. They need to allocate more time to focus on core subjects like Mathematics, Language, and Science.
Balance extracurricular activities.
Overloading children with too many extracurricular activities can lead to burnout, leaving them exhausted and unable to absorb knowledge effectively. This can result in stress, demotivation, and even a decline in academic performance.
However, this doesn’t mean children should give up all their extracurricular pursuits. Instead, parents can select one or two activities that their children genuinely enjoy and have a talent for. This balance allows children to nurture their interests while having sufficient time and energy for academic pursuits.
Moreover, finding a healthy equilibrium between academics and extracurriculars teaches children essential time management and self-discipline skills.
The Child Who Reads the Same Book Repeatedly: A Sign of Exceptional Intelligence
If your child loves reading the same book over and over again, there’s a good reason for it.
The Ultimate Brain-Boosting Duo: Simple Strategies for Superior Intelligence
Are you looking to boost your child’s brain power? Don’t miss out on these two simple yet effective ‘brain boosters’. With consistent application, you will be amazed at your child’s progress and development.
“The 2 Most Economical ‘Brain Boosters’ for Kids: A Daily Dose for Surprising IQ Growth”
Exercise and reading are touted by experts as two of the most cost-effective investments for a child’s cognitive development.
The Secret to Raising Rich Kids from Poor Parents: 4 Life-Changing Investments
Are you curious about the secret to successful parents’ parenting techniques? What do they do to help their children become wealthy and accomplished? This article will reveal the 4 incredibly valuable investments that all parents should know about.
The Power of Parental Persuasion: 3 Ways Parents Can Shape a Brighter Future for Their Children
It is understandable that parents often grapple with the dilemma of whether to let their children grow up freely or impose certain constraints. For the sake of their children’s growth and development, it is prudent for parents to exercise reasonable control and provide guidance along the way.
