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Allow Students to Take Responsibility

Tags

Social-Emotional Learning ^Extra-curricular/At-Home All Ages Strategy

Skills

Self-regulation Organization

Allow Students to Take Responsibility

All children, though parents will need to adapt their approach based on the child's maturity, motivation and executive functions

How To Apply It!

  1. Parents need to empower students to take ownership of their homework and grades, as difficult as it can be to watch your students make mistakes.
  2. Let students do their homework independently, make mistakes, and learn from them. Parents must strike the fine balance of providing the level of support a child needs, yet not helping too much that the work is no longer the student's own.
  3. Find ways to incorporate your child's input and interests into extra-curricular or family activities. Engaging in life experiences that stem from an idea or question, such as a trip to the museum or the theater, is a valuable way to encourage inquiry and offer meaningful learning experiences.
  4. Give children choice in their extra-curricular activities. Parents might have rules about playing an instrument or a sport, but they can enable children to choose within certain parameters. When students choose they are more likely to be committed and have a greater inherent interest. It also fosters self-awareness of their likes and dislikes as they make a choice.
  5. If your child has difficulty making choices and wants you to choose, this might be a signal that he needs help making decisions. Teach him how to identify his options and evaluate them.

Why It Works (the Science Of Learning)!

When children are truly interested and engaged in the material, they are far more likely to retain the information and make connections for deeper understanding. It also creates a greater willingness to continue to work hard and handle disappointment. Ideally, teachers and parents are true partners in instilling this sense of ownership.