A Love Of Learning For Curious Minds
As Helen Keller said “A well-educated mind will always have more questions than answers” – but how do we foster this love for learning in children? Jolene Ogle explores how to cultivate curious minds.
Learning to love learning sounds like a tricky thing to instil in children. There are iPads and video games to compete with as well as the schoolyard bully, but if these obstacles can be overcome, children can develop a real thirst for knowledge.
According to Rita Krause from Kip McGrath Education Centres, it’s completely normal for a kid to not like learning, to rather spend their day playing with mates or watching a movie, but starting work early to foster a love of learning can set them up for a life of curiosity and knowledge.
“A lot of students who come to our professional tutoring don’t like learning, so we want to get them off to a really good start,” she says.
“We need to get their work back to a good level and we do that by starting with an assessment. We work out what they can and can’t do and tailor a program from there.
“From the moment they walk in here, the work they are doing they can do well and they’re feeling success from the word go.”
The Kip McGrath learning program is all about rewarding students as they learn and master new skills, encouraging
them to continue learning.
“The kids think ‘yes, I can do this’ and they feel the success associated with learning. Sometimes when they leave their tutoring session, the kids will do their homework right away because they feel they can do it,” Rita explains.
“The number one thing we focus on is fostering and growing confidence. This is key to developing a love of learning.”
As Rita explains, a safe and comfortable space is important for helping children build confidence and want to learn more. A healthy reward system certainly helps too!
Bring learning into the everyday!
A love of learning develops when a child can see how relevant maths and English is in their everyday life. Here are Rita’s top tips for bringing the fun of learning to life:
Keep the Fun Factor
Keep learning light and fun. Maybe your child wants to improve their English but finds novels daunting. Perhaps you can read 10 pages to them and they can read the next 10. It’s a great sharing experience and you can take turns doing the character’s voices. Before they know it, they would have conquered the novel.
Make Maths a Part of Life
Anytime we shop, we use maths. Get the kids involved in helping work out the cost of the grocery items or what a half kilo of potatoes might cost. They can also practice maths when looking for clothes or toys. A 50% off sale is a great way to practice maths problems.
