How to Teach Students: 6 Tips Parents Need to Know
Whether you’re homeschooling your child or helping it cope with social distancing norms caused by COVID-19, studying at home can be fun and engaging. Not all parents have an academic or teaching background, so we’re here to discuss the best tips you should know about your child studying at home.
- Be a Mentor, not an Authority Figure
As a parent, you need to understand that your child will perceive you differently than it would other adults in their life. That’s why you shouldn’t be too strict or act professional around them – it might alienate you from one another. Be a mentor instead, and act as if you are learning alongside them. Sit next to them while teaching instead of hovering over them. Participate in solving the same problems you are asking them to understand. This will build trust between you and make the teaching process more productive and enjoyable for both of you.
- Set up a Stable Learning Space in the House
Even if you don’t have an entire spare room for your child to study in, it’s important to provide them with a sense of stability. Gather up all of your notebooks, papers, and study materials in one place in the home. This will help the child associate that space with learning and make it easier for them to focus on that spot. Some of the items you can consider acquiring for teaching at home include:
- Small portable blackboard and chalk
- Comfortable office desk with drawers
- Math set (calculator, rulers, divider, etc.)
- Good quality notebooks and pens (colorful and lead)
- Teach through Practical Exercises and Examples
Reserving your teaching to theoretical monologues and quizzes may not be the best decision. Whether you teach English, math, history, or AP, there are plenty of books you can use for practical exercise. You can use the essay writing service USA to teach your child how to write, edit, and format their essays for better academic success later. Finding ready-made practice sheets and examples in other subjects like art, physics, or geography also isn’t difficult.
- Assign Homework and Reward your Child for It
Homework has an important purpose in the life of a young student. Even if you teach your child at home, assigning homework will allow them to manage their own time and responsibilities without your oversight. This will give them a sense of autonomy, and they’ll think that you trust them enough to manage assignments on their own. The homework you assign can vary from subject to subject and range from simple reading tasks to quizzes and exercises. Reward your child every once in a while, with a snack or a trip to boost their morale.
- Explore your Child’s Affinities and Adapt to Them
Every child will naturally gravitate toward different subjects during schooling or homeschooling. It’s important that you don’t force any expectations or standards on them and instead pay close attention to their likes and dislikes. If a child enjoys writing English essays more than doing physics or chemistry exercises, great. Rely on TopWritersReview to find the best writing services and use them to come up with essays and papers to work on together. Nurturing your child’s affinities at home will allow them to specialize much sooner than their peers.
- Invite their Friends over for Group Learning and Exercises
Even though your child may study at home, it’s still important for it to create connections with their peers. You can invite their friends over (with their parent’s permission) and engage in group teaching or practical exercises. These will help your child develop team and communication skills which are fundamental in higher academic pursuits. Everything is more fun with friends, and the same applies to learning – help your child bond with students their age.
To Summarize
Being a parent and a teacher is difficult to work, but it’s some of the most rewarding and memorable times you will spend with your child. Gather up your supplies, look for useful learning resources, and start engaging your child through careful and methodic teaching.
Bio: Elizabeth Baldridge is a professional writer, editor, and social media specialist. Her career is focused on delivering educational, practical writing in the shape of articles, tutorials, and how-to guides. Elizabeth is an expert at communicating complex topics in a digestible manner, a practice which she is constantly developing through writing.
