Keep it Active
Kinesthetic learning is a way of learning that involves movement and hands-on projects and activities. This is an especially effective and natural method of learning for young learners that are often full of energy and curious about the world around them.
You don't have to overcomplicate it; there are simple ways to implement this into your classes. For example, when you're teaching the sounds of the alphabet, you can make flash cards and have your child touch the card of the letter/sound that you're saying.
You could apply the same concept with flash cards and implement a scavenger hunt so that your child searches for the correct letter/sound around the room.
For a more active child, you could incorporate more physical activities that involve playing catch or using things like blocks, magnets, and Legos or other manipulatives to teach.
Concepts like these can be very versatile as you can do this for many subjects and topics. Be creative and have fun with it!
You might be surprised by how well your child comprehends and retains information simply by adding a physical element to learning. This can also help children continue to develop their motor skills and dexterity.
That being said, there certainly is a place for learning at a desk as well, but don't be afraid to switch it up and add more activity to your school day!
Take Breaks
Don't forget to take breaks throughout your school day. I'm all for diligence and helping to cultivate a strong work ethic, but don't forget that taking proper breaks is part of that equation.
This is especially true for younger children who don't have the same attention span capabilities as older children. Taking breaks can help improve the quality and effectiveness of their learning time as it allows them to be more focused while learning.
It also connects to the previous tip as it allows for time to stretch and move around. Sometimes a change of scenery can be nice and refreshing in between classes.
Stay Consistent
Consistency and structure can be very beneficial to young learners (anyone really), and this is a key to good results over time. It also provides them with security and stability.
This doesn't mean that school has to be rigid or boring. You can still be creative and mix things up! As a matter of fact, I encourage you to do that.
With the regular day to day challenges and curveballs of life, it can be easy to get off track of your school plan and that is understandable. However, it is important to stay steady and continue to make time to teach and practice whatever your child is learning.
Repetition is especially helpful and sometimes even crucial for learning and memorizing certain key things like phonics and learning to read, which brings us to our next tip.
Focus on Phonics
Phonics is the area of study that you will probably spend the bulk of your time with young learners. Understandably so as learning to read is one of the best and most useful skills that you learn in school as it is a key to learning many other things!
There is a strong correlation between reading comprehension and the ability to learn other subjects as well. Have you met many people who love to read but don't enjoy learning new things?
A strong ability to read is a good foundation for many other subjects, so I encourage you to spend plenty of time on phonics and learning to read.
If your child is struggling to learn to read, don't be discouraged. You can check out some tips for teaching phonics to your child to help them out!
Implement Games
Who says that you can't teach through using games? With board games, online games, flash card games, and your own creativity, there are plenty of options to choose from! You can also search online for specific game ideas that other people use if you prefer.
This is a great way to keep your children excited and engaged with what they are learning, especially when they're learning something that requires a lot of repetition.
The key is to find something that works for you and your children, something effective and enjoyable.
