Sunday, 6 October 2013
Guest post: How to create a learning environment at home for your kids
When the school bell rings, unfortunately for your kids it does not mean that learning is over for the day. While they may be free of the confines of the classroom, there is still homework to be done, which means you need to ensure that your home is providing the best possible learning environment for your children.
You might want to have a room that is dedicated to learning, in which case it is advantageous to keep it tidy. Tidy room, tidy mind – this old axiom certainly has a ring of truth to it, as when a room is free of clutter there are fewer distractions, leaving your kids free to focus on their homework.
When deciding which room should be for study purposes, choose one with big windows and plenty of natural light. When combined with a quiet environment, dim surroundings are conducive to sleep, so make sure the natural or artificial lighting is good to keep your kids alert as they work.
Fill the bookshelves
A good learning environment should have plenty of resources so that your kids are encouraged to do their own research and make an attempt as resolving issues themselves before turning to you for help. Filling the shelves with books tailored to the curriculum and encyclopaedias will encourage this independence and enhance learning.
Good internet access
While books do a great job, sometimes they don’t contain all the necessary information. This is where the computer and TV step in. Formerly seen as distractions, the internet and TV schedules are teeming with useful information and special websites and programmes geared towards learning. Internet and TV packages from BT can add considerable value to your child’s education and are a great way to make learning fun.
There really is such a thing as brain food and it can help your kids’ development and learning in the long term if you serve up the right things at dinnertime. Fish like salmon and mackerel are rich in Omega-3 acids, which are healthy fats essential to brain and eye development. Whole grains are complex carbs which release their energy slowly, meaning your kids able to work for longer.
There are other good learning environments outside of the home, for example the local library. Libraries are overflowing with fiction and non-fiction books, multimedia and reading spaces to encourage learning. They are also quiet, making it easy to concentrate and achieve some positive results.