Generally, parental support is essential to motivate children. Even though we often say that children will understand when you tell them, or that they “watch and learn,” it’s not always easy. There’s a difference between “watching” and “doing.” What should you do if your child can’t do something successfully?
First, parents should first show the correct way.
Second, let the child try it.
Third, if there’s something they can’t do, show them again or hold them by the hand.
Fourth, once the child can do it correctly on their own, it’s OK.
Skipping steps one and three will mean your child will never master it. Gaining the feeling of “I can do it” is an incredibly important experience. However, not all children and families are ideally placed to take these measures. In reality, students may find themselves in situations such as: 1) frequently falling asleep during class and barely listening to what’s being taught; 2) spending more time watching TV and playing games at home; and 3) losing interest in each subject. There are three ways to address these issues: 1) ensuring enough sleep so they don’t fall asleep in class; 2) limiting TV and game time; and 3) finding enjoyable study methods rather than test preparation.
It’s also important to find ways to consistently achieve a sense of accomplishment. To do this, go to bed 30 minutes earlier and get up 30 minutes earlier than you do now. Motivation isn’t what makes you successful; once you start, you’ll feel motivated. Before bed, spend 10 minutes each reviewing the kanji and English vocabulary you’ve learned, as well as any math problems you got wrong. Use 30 minutes in the morning to review kanji, English vocabulary, and any math problems you got wrong for 10 minutes each. When you’ve completed a task, mark the date on your calendar as completed. Visualize your efforts and praise yourself. By experiencing the feeling of “I did it” and “I can do it,” you’ll be able to do things you couldn’t do before. Learning using multiple senses is also effective. Reading aloud is far more effective at absorbing content than silent reading, which only uses the eyes. Reading aloud uses three organs simultaneously: the eyes, ears, and mouth. Reading aloud also helps children become aware of kanji they cannot read or words they do not understand. Children who are poor at studying or who are slow learners often lack the circuit between their head and hands. Repetition is effective in smoothing this circuit. Neuroscience research suggests that dexterous hand movements indicate a well-trained brain.
Basic academic skills are important for young children. Basic academic skills can only be acquired through repeated learning of simple material at the lower grades. For example, reading around 100 picture books will help children acquire a basic academic skill. Even a single picture book will have a story structure with an introduction, development, twist, and conclusion. Exposure to this structure often helps children understand the structure of sentences and build basic academic skills. It is pointless to try to build on skills that are not yet established. Once children can read and write and increase their vocabulary, they will be able to understand human language. Learning expands like a mandala, and you never know what will trigger it. The joy of learning new things and being able to do things you couldn’t do before will make children more positive. Things they have accumulated up until that point will connect and become clearer, and they will suddenly understand. When they understand something and then suddenly understand it, it is called a paradigm shift. In most cases, a paradigm shift marks a “change in dimension,” and their ability to understand improves rapidly. Paradigm shifts occur many times throughout a child’s life, helping them grow. If you can allow them to experience these things repeatedly, they will surely grow.
