First written post of 2018

It has been quite some time since I wrote. Indeed, it can be convenient to write about syllabus of topics or solving questions, but it is equally important to adopt to bird’s eye view of academic learning.

And, how time flies. In the blink of an eye, we are already in the third week of school term.

For learners in critical milestone years (Primary 6, Sec 4), you may find the bullet pace of school learning hard to keep up with. With supplementary classes and tuition, how should parents go about helping their children manage their time?

I have always shared with parents that it is important to have their children plan out the weekly study schedule. Planning is the fundamental step towards attaining one’s goals indeed. In managing this aspect, parents will need to be cautious about possible procrastination, as no child will want to be bound by commitment. For instance, some may go to the extent of saying “ I am already spending all my time in studies, so there is no need to plan.” However, planning extends beyond this aspect. Having a daily study schedule allows learners to allocate the exact time of each topic, possibly setting aside more time for more challenging ones.

With supplementary classes on 2-3 weekdays and tuition, how should parent manage such commitments? In such scenarios, more does not necessarily mean well. As the pace of supplementary classes is usally set to serve the masses, it makes sense to assess if your child is benefitting sufficiently in such sessions. Bearing in mind that by the time supplementary classes are over, it could be late afternoon or even early evening (depending on proximity of schools), sometimes it makes sense to endeavour letting the child have a rest at home instead, and continue with his own study after that. Of course, this option would have made assumptions that the child have other forms of external assistance, or is disciplined enough to take his or her own initiative to study.

With some parents that I worked with, there seems to be a slight misconception about letting the child develop at one’s own pace. Define and execute incorrectly, and this could manifest in the form of a laid-back approach towards work. Moderate forms of pressure have a positive impact, and can lead to humans (not just children) attaining outstanding results. At a young age, it benefits the child if parents help the former manage the stress and transform it into positive strength, rather than filtering it off with the intent of “letting the child develop at his or her own pace”.

For Primary 6 and Secondary 4 students, there is about 8 and 9 months respectively, before the academic milestone sets in. It is often possible to see significant improvement in academic work, as long as the child is motivated to excel. And this definitely goes miles further than just solving questions.

Heralding a great start ahead for all learners!

• Posted in: About this website...