Behind a child’s success, whether in studies or extracurricular activities, motivation plays a major role. Children are intrinsically motivated to learn about the world around them from an early age,...
Behind a child’s success, whether in studies or extracurricular activities, motivation plays a major role. Children are intrinsically motivated to learn about the world around them from an early age, and the experiences they get from others can increase or decrease this intrinsic motivation. Many times when a child doesn’t show the desired performance, then the most common questions that arise in every parent’s mind are, ‘How can we motivate the children?’ and ‘What are the best ways for motivation?’
Various studies have identified a set of approaches that can be used to promote positive motivation and learning in children during development, including positive reinforcement, setting achievable goals, and encouraging self-expression. Positive reinforcement can be used to motivate children to complete tasks and achieve goals, while setting achievable goals can give children a sense of accomplishment and motivate them to continue to strive for better results. Finally, allowing children to express their feelings and opinions through creative outlets can help them to explore their identity, build confidence, and increase their intrinsic motivation. These approaches can be used in combination to create a positive learning environment that encourages children to take risks, explore their interests, and develop a sense of self-efficacy. Additionally, they can help children to understand the connection between effort and reward and to develop the skills necessary to become lifelong learners. With the proper implementation of these strategies, parents and practitioners can foster a positive learning experience and nurture a child’s development. It is necessary to identify the things that are stopping the child from getting motivated. Some of the motivation boosting tips are explained here :
There may be several factors behind the uninterested behaviour of a child towards learning. By identifying the main cause of the issue, you and your child may create a strategy to get over what's holding your child back from studying and completing homework. Among the possible causes of low motivation are a lack of understanding of the subject matter; work that isn't sufficiently difficult; work that isn't appropriate for the learner's preferred method of learning; school or work-related anxiety and low self-esteem. If you feel the child is stressed, help him/her relieve stress by cheerful talking and spending time talking about thoughts and feelings. You can go for a walk with them, listen to music or get engaged with them in some activities that they enjoy, like playing a game or colouring/painting, etc. For creative activities, you can explore drawing and colouring books to make the experience more engaging.
It is necessary to keep a healthy conversation between you and your child to encourage him/her and make him/her comfortable expressing their thoughts, feelings, likes or dislikes about their study or any fear or concern about anything. It will help to create a supportive learning environment and help them to express their feelings and thoughts without fear of judgement or criticism. Listen carefully and acknowledge their feelings when they share with you, even if you don’t agree. Because it’s very common for children to lose interest if they feel that their feelings are not important and voices are unheard and they are stuck. Encourage them to share their feelings by asking open-ended questions such as “What do you think…” or “What do you feel about…?” and give constructive feedback on the subject, focusing on the problem rather than the individual. Open communication helps to identify the issues, their requirements and their interests, and also it creates a nurturing learning atmosphere that supports a child's success.
The first and most important thing is to develop a comfortable, well-lit, and organised study environment. The study place should be quiet, decluttered, comfy, well-lit, and with minimal distractions. It helps children to get interested and focus on their studies. To make study time engaging, it should be ensured that the study place is free from distractions, and the child should get the necessary things like pencils, pens, erasers, sharpeners, scales, and other necessary items, etc., that they need to finish their work while studying. It will also save time; otherwise, they will waste time looking for these items. Hunger can also create a reason for resistance to concentrating on study. Make sure the child has a few snacks and plenty of water before studying, as it will help them to stay focused while studying. Providing sufficient material and an organised environment will also reduce the chances of making excuses.
Involving children in activities they enjoy makes learning easier and more interesting. Encourage the child to investigate topics and subjects that spark his interest to help him become a good learner. For instance, if he enjoys science, ask him various questions and assist him in conducting little experiments; if he enjoys drawing/painting, encourage him. You can also introduce kids educational toys or craft kits to make learning more interactive and fun.
Learning capabilities vary from child to child. It is quite possible that a method that works for one child may not work for others, which can make them uninterested and frustrated. Hence, it’s essential to find out the right learning technique. Selecting an appropriate learning method works best for the child and boosts their learning power. Different study techniques, such as visual, auditory, or kinaesthetic approaches, can be tried based on the children’s learning style to find which one is most effective. Slight modifications can be made if required. The right learning technique makes learning interactive and helps a child to understand better and retain information for longer. It also reduces frustration and disinterest during learning. It helps to develop effective learning habits and achieve academic success.
It has been seen that engaging children in making their study plan develops their interest and willingness to adhere to the study plan. Making a study schedule helps your children to keep them on track. Every day you can make a schedule with your child for doing assignments, playing, other activities, study breaks, etc. For younger children, incorporating kids wear that is comfortable during study and play can also help them feel at ease and ready to focus.
Setting goals is essential if you want to accomplish anything. Children may also be inspired to work harder to achieve goals if they are set. Inspiring your child to make simple, attainable study goals based on what needs to be done is important, such as writing for 20 minutes, reading a lesson from a textbook, etc. Setting goals helps your child understand what has to be done and builds confidence when these goals are met.
Although children may finish all school work in one sitting, dividing study time into small parts is more beneficial and helpful in creating focus on study. Small study breaks keep their mind fresh and engaged. Therefore, encourage children to take small breaks during study sessions. It may be as small as a 5-10 minute study break after each study session of 30 minutes. For this a timer can be used.
Instead of focusing mainly on marks obtained, appreciate the other learning achievements, like when they write a poem, a story or an essay, make a small craft or solve a riddle, etc. Appreciation for completing tasks gives more satisfaction, as the main emphasis is now on learning rather than on the result, so it can help boost motivation.
Rewards are extremely important in motivating youngsters. Creating a reward system is the key to staying motivated when learning. Small rewards can be offered to kids when they complete a task. However, rewards should be offered only when absolutely necessary; otherwise, they would not be motivated to perform any action for which there is no incentive. For younger children, a thoughtful reward could be a new baby clothes set or a newborn gift set for special occasions.
Fostering your child with the right support, he/she may overcome the hurdles and challenges in study, gain confidence, and accomplish goals. Appreciation of the small achievements will encourage them to believe in themselves, work hard, and have big dreams. They can reach greatness and unlock their full potential with your help and direction.
I found these tips helpful to motivate my child. Did you find these tips useful?
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