Best ways to build excellent academics performance in a child.
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Academic excellence is the demonstrated ability to excel in scholastic activities. This is what every parent wants from their child. Do you have a child that is unmotivated and struggling at school but yet is unwilling to put an effort? The first thing you may want to do is identify the problem. The reason your child under performs during exams. Or the reason your child finds it hard to do his/her homework or read for an exam.
Every child is born with a working brain, and there are ways to bring out the best in your child in the area of academics. Most kids don’t like to go to school or do their homework’s, they’d rather prefer to play, but as important as having fun is so is academics. How can you help? How can you motivate your child to do better?
Ways to improve a child academics performance
Good nutrition
We cannot ignore the role good nutrition has to play in academic excellence. Feed the kids with nutritious balanced diet, it helps to get them prepared for school. Foods rich in protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals e.g. fruits, yoghurt, nuts. A child well fed will always have more energy than a child that isn’t. They are able to be attentive in class, can retain information and their memory is sharper.
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Sleep is also very important; children need to sleep right. They need to sleep at the right time, have the right amount of sleep, not too much or too little, 10 – 12 hours of sleep each night is great. Lack of sleep could cause irritability, stress, difficulty in learning, low motivation and even forgetfulness.
If you weren’t involved; “get involved”
Your involvement in your child’s academic life is important to how committed he/she will be in school work. Cultivate the habit of asking about the things they learned in school. Engage them academically, watch academic stations, explain and ask questions from time to time.
As much as possible interact don’t interrogate, for older kids prying too much might lead to a rebellion. You may want to say a little about how your day went to ease into a conversation. Give them space and when asking questions make it conversational.
Do Homework
Make your child understand the importance of homework, let them know that you see it as a priority for them to complete their home works. Create a conducive study space for them, quiet and comfortable also very well lit, remove any form of distractions like toys, phones, video games and TV.
Enacting a suitable time duration for homework and study will also help, 10-20 mins for younger kids and 40 mins to an hour for older kids. Check on them from time to time to ensure they’re doing the right thing, if you notice they’re having problems, help them out or talk to their teachers. While they work be available to explain homework instructions, answer their questions and check through the finished work. Try as much as possible not to do the assignment for them, let them learn to do it by themselves.
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Know disciplinary policies
Have some disciplinary measures that the children should be aware of. For example; if they fail to do their assignment, no TV for a week. Or if they underperform in their exams, they spend the entire holiday in the library reading. This would serve as a motivation for them to do better in order not to suffer the consequences.
Most schools if not all, have disciplinary policies and punishment for not obeying rules like dress code, good behavior, use of phones. There are also policies against cheating, fighting and bullying. As parents it’s good to know what the school supports and do not. It is also important that your child knows what is expected of them at school.
Be strict with attendance
Children should go to school every day and not just that they should arrive on time. Always having to catch up later from classmates can obstruct or hinder learning. Avoid things that can make your child unable to go to school or go late to school. E.g. late nights. If your child is sick, he/she should remain at home and take care of their health. When the child is well again, make sure to check in with the teacher to see what they missed in their days of absence.
Don’t reward outcome, reward effort
What you want to pass across to your kids is that you value hard work. You respect the fact that they tried even though they were unsure they could accomplish the task. Praise them for keeping on even when things got difficult. It’s not about them getting the arithmetic correct, it’s about the fact that although it looked complex, they attempted it anyway. And if they didn’t get it right, the point is that they tried. When you praise them for good result that came easily it can make them feel that they don’t have to do their best.
Help them look ahead
Help them set goals and work towards it. In the case of older kids that understand the joy of getting rewards later (delayed gratification), reminding them of their long-term goal can serve as a push to work harder. For example; working hard to pass high school exam in order to be accepted into the university. And also, even after getting in, they are on probation and if their grades are not good enough the acceptance can be withdrawn. When you link school with their goals it can make work feel much more personally fulfilling.
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Let them make mistakes
Mistakes are allowed, not always will a child get a perfect score on every home work or an A on every test or exam. When they don’t, make sure no to punish severely. Even though children need encouragement and a push to try their best, understand that setbacks are normal. And sometimes the only way for them to learn is to make the mistake themselves.
Make your child’s teacher your ally
Work closely with your child’s teacher, the teacher is in a good position to know how your child is performing academically and how to help out and motivate your child. An example is a child with ADD (attention deficit disorder). Even the parents didn’t know that the child had that disorder.
ADD is a neurological disorder that causes a range of behavioral problems such as difficulty in focusing on schoolwork, following instructions, completing tasks and social interaction. It was the teacher that noticed and called the attention of the child’s parents. They were able to devise plans to help him out.
Ask for divine guidance in prayer
As a parent you should recognize that excellent work requires continuous work and improvement. However, we can not undermine the place of prayer. It is a divine antidote that can be used to compliment all efforts you and the child is putting into work towards academics excellence.
Also teach a child to meditate in the word of God and always invite God presence into his or her reading activities. Holy spirit can help to direct and impart meaningfully. Also parent should have time to special pray for own child’ ask God what you want for your child and sure God will answer.
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Carrying out the exercise listed above amidst others goes along away in helping a child achieve academic success. Know well that this few steps are proven and excellent drives to a child academic performance.
Parents also read:
How to make a child successful in early childhood education?
How to help a child excel at early childhood education?
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