As parents, we know that we learn as much from our children as they do from us. It is the natural course of family interaction that we grow and influence each other. BUT, that’s not what I wanted to write about today, I am thinking about how helpful it can be for a child’s education and intellectual development to be able to “teach” what he or she has learned. As parents, we can encourage our child to teach us the things he or she has learned in school or other activities and by teaching us, the lessons will become more established and the child will experience growing self esteem and confidence.
How many times have you asked your child “What did you do/learn in school today?” Only to be answered with “Nothing.” Or “I don’t know”? Then at the parent/teacher conference you actually find out your child has been learning all sorts of things. The teacher may say, “I’m sure Joe has told you about…” and, of course, Joe has NOT told you about XY or Z!
A change in the daily question to “Show me what you learned today” or “Can you teach me anything you did in school today?” might help get the flow of communication open. Or, if you have an idea of what is being taught, you can encourage your child to teach you by saying something like, “It’s been such a long time since I did my multiplication tables, I could really use a refresher course—can you teach me what you’ve been learning?”
If there is a younger sibling in the house, you may already notice plenty of “teaching” going on. As the oldest of three, I definitely did my share of teaching my younger sister to read, write, etc. She went on to be valedictorian of her high school class and I always liked to think my forcing her to get started early on academics had something to do with it! The confidence and esteem that comes with being able to share and teach something you’ve learned is incredibly positive for the child. Not to mention the reinforcement of the information as he or she goes over again in the process of “teaching.”
See Also: Summer Brain Drain
Helping Kids Discover Gifts and Talents
“Helping” Your Kids With Their Schoolwork