Self-Directed Learning Is a Guaranteed Way to Increase Motivation in Children
Every parent would love to see his child learn with zeal.
Can you imagine your child tackling his school assignments on his own and dutifully finishing them with a joyful smile on his face? No whining? No complaining? You must be kidding! Pushing, controlling, forcing and threatening is probably more of a realistic picture for most parents.
But does it have to be that way? The truth is most parents are clueless about how to instill a love of learning in their children.
For most this is just a myth that happens in old fashioned stories.
Do you just assume that children don't like schoolwork, and that it's your responsibility to discover how you can get them to finish their assignments? I know this is humbling, but we as parents need to understand that our children's attitude is only a response to what we are exposing them to.
If you respect the following two truths about your child, you will never, ever have problems with their assignments again.
You see, we grownups mess things up by trying to push content down their throat they are not interested in at that given moment, and, worst of all, they cannot relate to in any way.
What for us is "important to know," for them it's just "stuff.
" You will never make them learn with joy that way.
Are you suggesting that I throw all the content out of the window and just let my child do his or her "thing?" Well, yes.
At least for a season.
Let him first learn that you deeply respect what God put in his heart, and let him know that this will always have number one priority.
After a season of discovering their passion, the child will have learned to use the learning tools in a very natural way, and will then feel confident to tackle subjects he is weaker in.
When I first made this step with our children, it was very scary for me.
What about all the knowledge they were supposed to acquire? What about all the learning gaps? With time I learned that the biggest learning gap a human being can ever have is that of not being able to develop his God-given talents by educating himself with passion and joy.
Can you imagine your child tackling his school assignments on his own and dutifully finishing them with a joyful smile on his face? No whining? No complaining? You must be kidding! Pushing, controlling, forcing and threatening is probably more of a realistic picture for most parents.
But does it have to be that way? The truth is most parents are clueless about how to instill a love of learning in their children.
For most this is just a myth that happens in old fashioned stories.
Do you just assume that children don't like schoolwork, and that it's your responsibility to discover how you can get them to finish their assignments? I know this is humbling, but we as parents need to understand that our children's attitude is only a response to what we are exposing them to.
If you respect the following two truths about your child, you will never, ever have problems with their assignments again.
- Every child is created with a unique combination of gifts and talents to accomplish a specific assignment here on earth.
Every child is.
Even the one with that uncanny learning style no teacher can understand. - When given the opportunity to develop these talents it will always be accomplished with passion and joy.
You see, we grownups mess things up by trying to push content down their throat they are not interested in at that given moment, and, worst of all, they cannot relate to in any way.
What for us is "important to know," for them it's just "stuff.
" You will never make them learn with joy that way.
Are you suggesting that I throw all the content out of the window and just let my child do his or her "thing?" Well, yes.
At least for a season.
Let him first learn that you deeply respect what God put in his heart, and let him know that this will always have number one priority.
After a season of discovering their passion, the child will have learned to use the learning tools in a very natural way, and will then feel confident to tackle subjects he is weaker in.
When I first made this step with our children, it was very scary for me.
What about all the knowledge they were supposed to acquire? What about all the learning gaps? With time I learned that the biggest learning gap a human being can ever have is that of not being able to develop his God-given talents by educating himself with passion and joy.