Learning: Why Do Our Kids Need To Practice or Prepare?
April 2nd, 2009I just got back from a 3 day seminar that I had spent the past two months getting ready for. In fact, I arrived two days early so I could spend more time preparing for it – so that I would be able to get the most out of the seminar. The gentleman who sat next to me had not done the preparation he had wanted to and as a result he was ‘lost’ during most of the three days. He ended up spending most of his time at the seminar sitting there, in the third row, frustrated as the presenters moved along with the content of their presentations.
So what does this have to do with our kids? Think about it, when they aren’t prepared for class, they end up missing out on much of what is being taught. And, they may even sit in class feeling stressed because the class is moving faster than they can follow.
This is one of the critical reasons that we as parents and teachers need to be sure we lay a good foundation so that as we move on to more in-depth learning our kids are prepared and are able to confidently move on with us. Our kids don’t have time to get left behind. It is our job to lay the foundation and be sure it sticks.
Sometimes laying the foundation can be as simple as helping our kids improve their reading fluency. Then they are able to keep up with the content they need to read. Other times it may be helping them to improve their comprehension or their note-taking skills. These are all core skills that help our kids be prepared learners. So, spend five, ten, or even fifteen minutes a day and help your kids have a solid foundation.
