5 Things Parents of Young Children Should Know About Education
Published 30 July 2023 at 18:00
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Good education is an essential part of your children’s development, as it sets the course for their future endeavours. And as Singaporean parents, it’s important to understand the effects of providing your children with the best possible educational foundation. In their early years, your children’s young minds are most impressionable and eager to learn. This phase in their lives makes it the best time to lay the groundwork for a successful academic journey and personal growth.
However, securing your children’s educational success can come with its fair share of challenges and concerns. From navigating the scholastic landscape to understanding the diverse learning needs of each child, you may often find yourselves seeking guidance on how to best support your children's learning journey.
In this article, we’ll explore the key things parents should know about their young children’s education. In particular, we’ll talk about the essential aspects that can significantly influence your children’s learning experience.
Parents Can Influence How Their Child Learns
Parents are the primary influencers in their children’s life. As such, your involvement in your children’s education plays a key role in their academic success. Parents who are engaged and actively participate in their child's learning journey provide essential support and encouragement, contributing to their child’s overall development and academic achievements.
By fostering a positive learning environment at home and showing a genuine interest in your children’s education, you instil a love for learning and curiosity in their young minds. Your kids will also be more inspired to learn new things and take their studies more seriously if you demonstrate a positive attitude towards their education. Moreover, they’ll likely develop an interest in lifelong learning that can give them the drive to enrol in skills upgrading courses in the future. These can help them adapt and stay marketable in the ever-changing job landscape.
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Learning Can Happen Outside the School
The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) in Singapore is a firm believer that outdoor education is an integral part of children’s everyday life. Children are natural explorers and they see the world around them as a vast playground where they can learn more deeply with their five senses. The outdoors also provides children more opportunities to improve their physical fitness, develop their motor skills, and strengthen their immune systems.
As parents, embracing non-classroom learning opportunities and incorporating them into your children’s education can enrich their learning journey and provide them with a more holistic understanding of various subjects. Consider taking them to nature parks, museums, libraries, and other places where they can discover new ideas and experiences. Also, join them in different child-friendly and family-oriented community activities. When you expose your children to different learning environments, you can stimulate their creativity and critical thinking, as well as broaden their understanding of the world.
Being Involved in Your Child’s Schooling Matters
Parental involvement in a child's education goes beyond helping with homework. It also means actively participating in school activities, signing up as a parent volunteer, and joining parent-teacher associations. These can strengthen the partnership between parents and teachers, and also allows you to create a supportive educational community for your kids. Moreover, being present in your kids’ school life gives you insights into the school's culture, curriculum, and social dynamics. This understanding allows you to provide your children with better support and advocate for their needs.
Failure Is Part of the Path of a Child's Success
Failure is a natural and inevitable aspect of learning. As parents, it’s essential to reframe failure as an opportunity for growth and learning rather than a source of discouragement. Explain to your children that encountering setbacks is a part of life, and that mistakes are something they can learn from. By changing your kids’ perception of failure, they can build their resilience, improve their problem-solving skills, and recognise the value of perseverance. It also gives your children a growth mindset, where they believe their abilities can be developed through effort and dedication.
Fostering your children’s willingness to take on challenges also builds their confidence and self-esteem. Just ensure that you’re creating a safe space where children can experience failure without fear of judgement. Moreover, it’s important to celebrate your kids’ efforts, resilience, and progress—regardless of the outcome—to reinforce the idea that mistakes are stepping stones on the path to success.
Praise and Encouragement Go a Long Way
Positive reinforcement plays a significant role in your kids’ educational journey. Praise their efforts, achievements, and improvements to acknowledge their dedication and hard work and give them a sense of pride in their accomplishments. This positive self-perception influences their attitude toward learning, making them more motivated to excel academically. Praise and encouragement also help strengthen the parent-child bond and create an environment of open communication and trust. A supportive atmosphere at home builds emotional resilience, enabling children to navigate challenges with optimism and self-assurance.
Ensuring the educational success of your children is a journey filled with challenges and complexities. As Singaporean parents, you hold a critical role in shaping your child's academic and personal growth. However, when you’re armed with the valuable insights provided in this article, you can approach this journey with confidence and determination.