Whether your child(ren) have their future careers all planned out or are in the process of figuring out what they want to do, education is key in helping them reach their goals. As the new year gets underway and the school school term approaches, we thought we would share some tips to help them get ahead.
So, without further ado, here are 5 ways to help students stay on track with their learning in 2019...
1. GOAL SETTING
If they don’t already have their future nailed down, they are bound to have a vague idea of what they want to do. Help them combine their skills with their interests and work with them to set some SMART goals for the school year - this could be what subjects to study or desirable grades.
2. KEEP THEIR GOALS ALIVE
Having a goal to work towards will automatically put a student ahead in school as they study with a purpose. However, it’s easy to get caught up in the day to day social environment, and if these personal goals aren’t kept alive, their focus and motivation will start to fade.
Encourage them to revisit their goals based on their preferred learning style. For example, visual learners might make a vision board they look at each morning before heading out, while some students might prefer to write their goals down in a journal on a regular basis or consistently talk about their goals. By keeping their goals alive and foremost in their minds, they will be more likely to persevere through difficulties to reach success.
3. PERSEVERANCE IS KEY
As we discussed in our blog, Building Perseverance through Extended Learning, real learning and understanding takes time, grit and failure. It takes perseverance and self-discipline to study when it isn’t fun and it’s key to encourage your child(ren) to keep going during these tough times so that they can build the perseverance they need to carry them through.
4. IT’S OK TO FAIL, BUT NOT TO GIVE UP
Further to building perseverance, help your child(ren) to understand that sometimes things won’t go as planned, and that’s ok. Failing is a normal part of learning and actually helps pave the way to success. The important thing is that they don’t give up and are able to refocus and reach their goals.
5. RECOGNISE SUCCESS
Last but not least, recognise success. Yes, true learning can be hard, but it can also be exciting and rewarding. Encourage your child(ren) to celebrate their achievements - even the little ones - because each success is one step closer to achieving their goals. By recognising success, their confidence will grow and they will be more motivated to follow through with their goals.
Those are our top 5 tips for a successful school year. We can’t stress enough how important education is and we hope this helps you and your aspiring student(s) as they embark on another year of learning!
Is there anything you would add to the list? We’d love to hear about them in the comments below.