Instead of suffering through a learning marathon just before a class test, your child should regularly repeat the important learning material for a few minutes – be it with sofatutor videos or – a bit more elaborate – with flashcards. Why? When we learn something new, we only retain it for a short time. Our brain processes thousands of impressions all day long. In the process, it forgets everything that it considers unimportant. With regular short repetitions, your child makes it clear to his brain, "This information must be stored for the long term." So it is perfectly prepared for the class work.
Tip 4: Develop a positive attitude towards the subject
Your child understands z. B. not how to find physics exciting? Then it probably just hasn’t found the right approach yet.
With the help of stories and vivid examples, your child can approach topics in a playful way. In sofatutor’s videos, each topic is explained in a fun and easy-to-understand context.
In classwork, your child will think back to the illustrative examples, making it easier for him to recall his knowledge. This leads to a sense of achievement. And this is how the once boring subject suddenly becomes fun after all. Download for free our List of other helpful school tips for parents Down.
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Tip 5: Set up a learning plan
Excessive demands inhibit motivation. To keep your child from feeling overwhelmed by the subject matter, develop a study or homework plan together. You can record the tasks in a to-do list or in a desk calendar. This helps your child keep track of how much he or she still needs to do that day or week. It no longer feels slain by the mountain of tasks, but can complete them in stages.
Tip 6: School problems ≠ Family problems
Try not to discuss your child’s bad grade in math or missing homework in front of the whole family. He feels shown up and loses the desire to learn. Instead, encourage your child to share positive experiences from school with the family. The recognition of the other family members motivates your child additionally. It is better to discuss problems in private.
Tip 7: Work together
They often interrupt homework or studying to seek the company of parents or siblings. Agree with your child on fixed times when you will work together in a concentrated way, z. B. at the dining table or in the living room. Everyone works on their own project and questions are asked at the end. Seeing that parents also have to work at home, do their taxes, or plan the next few weeks’ family schedules is motivating for your child.
It is first a matter of getting used to talking while learning. After a while, however, your child will notice how pleasant it is to be able to concentrate on a project completely without interruptions. Make these shared work times a ritual. Afterwards, you can praise your child and yourself for what you’ve accomplished during the period.
Tip 8: Set achievable goals
A Harvard University study has shown that children are more motivated to learn if they can achieve the goal in question well, but with a certain amount of effort. If the task is too easy, they would quickly lose interest in it. Exercises that are much too difficult for the child are also demotivating. Therefore, make sure your child sets realistic goals when learning or doing homework.
Tip 9: Playful learning
The Harvard study also found that children of all ages enjoy participating in games. According to the study, playing promotes those competencies that are enormously important for learning: For example, children’s inner motivation would be strengthened, as they have to be actively involved and willing to learn something new while playing. Playing, according to the study, also reduces stress and strengthens social bonds. Therefore, learning games are also particularly suitable for promoting your child’s motivation at school.
Learn playfully with our "sofa hero!
Desire for playful learning? – Then it’s time to learn together with Pommes the penguin ! With Sofaheld, your child can accompany the little bird on its adventures and solve tasks in a playful way. If he or she has done everything correctly, he or she receives coins that your child can use as a reward to start a small online game on sofatutor.
Tip 10: Try different learning strategies
Finding the right learning strategies for your child can have a positive effect on their motivation to learn. To find out which learning methods suit your child the most, try different things. It offers z. B. to encourage your child to draw facts and correlations on a certain topic instead of taking notes. Learn more about effective learning methods.
Tip 11: Learn something every day
Encourage your child to learn something every day – with the help of his environment. Ask him questions about different topics. Think together about why z. B. trees losing their leaves in autumn or how a clock works. Show your child that you take his or her opinion seriously and see him or her as an equal discussion partner. This promotes your child’s motivation to want to know and share more. This has a positive effect on the motivation to learn at school.
Book tips on the topic of learning motivation
You would like to learn more about the topic? Then take a look at our book recommendations.
"With more ease and joy through the school years"
by Beate Schuster and Anette Fahle
"School today often means stress, test anxiety, lack of drive, difficulties with material and classmates, and conflicts and frustration at home. How can parents help?
This book offers educating persons, who on the one hand want to cushion such school problems and on the other hand do not want to unintentionally cause or reinforce them by their own behavior, a well-founded and life-practical assistance.
Parents and educators learn in this book, with many practical examples, how they themselves can concretely better deal with behavioral problems and how to implement a combination of guidance and relationship in everyday life. The book gives helpful hints and shows what can be done about motivational and emotional problems. There are also tips for new strategies that make learning easier and for dealing successfully with social difficulties with classmates and teachers.
In addition, exercises and techniques from psychotherapeutic work with children and adolescents are presented. Typical cases are used to recapitulate and illustrate the book’s considerations. Ranging from socially anxious to ADHD students."
From procrastinator to learning professional
by Fabian Grolimund
"Declare war on procrastination! Are you putting off writing your bachelor’s or master’s thesis? Do you lack motivation, strength and willpower to prepare for the next exams? Don’t know where to start learning or are you always overcome by self-doubt when writing? In this book, you’ll learn how to get over the initial hurdle and finally get started; keep at it when the going gets tough; save yourself unnecessary effort in writing and studying by focusing on what’s important; remember more in less time; and enjoy your free time without guilt. Psychologist and learning coach Fabian Grolimund has assisted hundreds of students in preparing for exams and writing papers. In this book he shares his best tips and exercises against procrastination – scientifically sound and practical."
"Learning with Kids"
by Fabian Grolimund
"The school years place high demands not only on your child, but also on you as a mother or father. You may ask yourself: How can I motivate my child to learn?? How to deal with homework conflicts? How to guide my child to more independence? What learning strategies are useful for primary school children? How can I help with arithmetic, reading or spelling difficulties??
Answers to these and other questions about homework and learning can be found in this book. It teaches you practical methods and effective strategies and shows how you can be a great help to your child with little support."