Learning Habits and Progress

Our children are also students, and what they exhibit at home can sometimes be drastically different when they get to school.  How do you make sense of this as a parent?  

As an educator, my specialty has been working with challenging students.  Those students who lack motivation, who turn it in to just "get it done", or high achievers who finish so quickly they can distract the class.  What do I do with them?  

First, I examine their learning habits.  Some students can get something the first time they read it, while others need you to sit with them so they can read it.  In a classroom with multiple learning habits, and a curriculum that demands individuality, teachers must make very distinct decisions in order to reach all students.  

A learning habit begins when a child first becomes aware of the fact that there are things they don't know.  Some students realize this and choose to learn as much as they can, some realize that learning is fun and bring a positive attitude, but for many learning can be challenging.  When a student faces a challenge, many things can occur.

What if your child's best friend is in their class?  How do they learn when there is a social aspect?  My daughter shared with me that she often separates herself from her friends during independent working time because she knows she will get off task and talk with them.  She chooses to learn because she has a learning disability.  She has to focus on what she is doing in order to read everything correctly because she is dyslexic.  Ask your child what they do when their friends are in the same class?  Do they get distracted and talk or do they learn together?  

Does your child know how to separate themselves from distractions?  This is an example of a learning habit.  It is something we do to ensure we fully comprehend the lesson.  

If you want to go further, ask your child what their learning habits are.  Do they sit in the front of the class?  Do they put their head down?  Do they always have something to write with?  Are they the person who loans out pencils or do they borrow them? 

Funny fact: Most of my students who borrow pencils everyday have pencils at home, and when I contact their parents, they almost always say, "We have tons of pencils at home, I thought they had a pencil to write with" and the next day, the child shows up with pencils.  BUT, three days later, they're asking to borrow a pencil again, because this is their learning habit.  Their habit is to be unprepared, even though their parent has prepared them.  How do you change that?  By reminding them for at least three weeks to have a pencil and then making them show you the pencil.  

There are so many learning habits, and as parents and educators, we want the best for our children.  I hope this has shed some insight into the many facets of learning.  Join me again for more teacher insights!