We are constantly bombarded with adverts which introduces quick-fix programmes and how a few days of camp could transform a child from being below average to being excellent. As ambitious as this may sound, many parents turned to this as they were clueless over how they can get their child to learn.
By creating the right environment and providing the correct guidance, we believe that every child CAN learn well. The International Baccalaureate programme did exactly this by gathering the best practices in education from around the globe and applying it effectively in their schools. Some of these you may adopt and administer at home.
Before you pull out a large piece of paper to start designing your plan, it is important that you first understand how your child learns best. One of the many factors which are frequently ignored is ‘inquiry learning’ or in layman’s terms, learn when you are curious.
Remember when your two-year-old child asked you why the sky is blue? Our usual reaction is “It is blue. That’s the way it is.” This will be registered into his mind until one day, when he is no longer interested, his teacher will make him memorise about molecules in the air and how the composition affects the colour we see in the sky. If you had put in the extra effort to do a quick google search with him on this subject, he would have probed further to understand the whole concept – building his skills to research, nurturing him to be more understanding and giving him the ability to learn on his own. Can you see how you would be able to impart knowledge while developing skills and character, just by allowing your child to learn when he is curious?
Based on a research by Professor Charles Desforges in 2003 on parental involvement in a pupil’s achievement, the provision of a secure and stable environment greatly stimulates the intellectual development of a child. The parent-teacher-child discussion should exhibit good models for constructive social and educational values. It is never too late to make changes to how your child learns. As R. Buckminster Fuller once wrote, “Everyone is born a genius, but the process of living de-geniuses them.” Together, we can make changes to the process of living.
Professor Gopi will conduct a talk on this topic on August 8 at Fairview Ipoh Campus. Come and learn about the best practices we have effectively applied for the past 36 years and how it can be done at home.
Professor Gopi is the Academic Director of Fairview International Group of Schools. He delivers his presentation in an exciting and lively manner, captivating his audiences with his vast energy. Professor Gopi is regularly invited to deliver talks at national level conventions and conferences, sharing his knowledge and expertise in education in many countries. He is also on the faculty of University College Fairview International (UCFI), the new praxis university that focuses on IB-related degree qualifications.
