Troubleshooting Student Struggles
Recently, I wrote an article that talks about finding a system of education that works for one’s family. Identifying a student’s driving motivation helps to make the teaching process easier. It also helps to increase retention of material learned. No parent likes it when their student struggles. And, since there is evidence that a student learns better about subjects they like, this is a practical strategy for making the education process easier for everyone.
Understanding a student’s struggles can be just as important as knowing what motivates them.
There are several different reasons why students may struggle to learn, even about things they are interested in. It is important to address these as they are identified, and to try and mitigate them as much as possible. All of these factors all feed into the amount of confidence a student has, and confident students perform better.
If your child struggles with learning, answering the following questions may help to isolate the problem.
Is the student getting enough sleep at night?
More than that, are they getting restful sleep? It is possible that a child may be sleeping enough hours but not getting good quality sleep. If a child mouth breathes, moves a lot in their sleep, struggles with sleep apnea, or wakes constantly during the night, these may be signs that they are not getting the sleep they need. This can lead to several issues involving focus, mood, regulation of emotion, and more. For our children, we have done a variety of things to help improve sleep. Some examples including palate expanders (to open airway and make room for adult teeth); chiropractic care (helps improve nervous system function so signals can travel through the body with ease); limit screen time- especially before bed, magnesium supplementation in the form of Epsom salt baths or magnesium on their feet; limit sugar and caffeine (good health practices for total body wellness); relaxing tea, such as chamomile or lavender; or a homeopathic remedy like calcarea carbonica if their minds just won’t slow down.
Does the student have a different learning style than the one we’re using?
Some students learn by seeing things, hearing things, or by hands on activities. A student who learns best by seeing things will struggle to internalize information if it is only told to them. A student who learns by actively doing will not retain information they see as well. Most students benefit greatly from hands-on, immersive environments because they utilize all of their different learning faculties. This way, they can come away with something regardless of their learning strengths. We try to teach in a hands-on way whenever possible. Whether it is through baking, talking about money management, good business practices, etc. there is usually a bigger picture. Smaller subjects are treated as a means-to-an-end, rather than an end in themselves. Understanding the context where something would be used can help greatly with retention.
This applies to children who are dyslexic, or have ADHD, as well.
They may not do well with education in the conventional sense, but they have their own strengths. Teaching to their strengths is important, because it not only reduces frustration, but also increases confidence. If a student struggles regularly doing things the conventional way, it’s especially important to show them their talents. It is important they understand their brain processes information differently, and that in itself is a strength.
Is my child afraid to fail?
This can be a very difficult trait to identify because it can manifest in different ways- it can look like lack of interest, protesting when asked to perform, refusing to try, etc. Ultimately, it is a form of anxiety for the perfectionist child. Our student struggles with this, and Arsenicum Album has proven to be very helpful to overcome that anxiety so she’s more willing to try.
We also make it a practice to remind our kids that we all learn through trying, and practice makes us better.
No one is a master of anything the first time, and we also want our kids to see us trying things we aren’t good at. That way, they feel like they can be bad at things, too. Our children watch us very closely, and our actions speak volumes. This means it is essential that our actions match the message we are telling our kids, even if it is a blow to our pride. I DON’T want my kids to think I know how to do everything; I want them to see me trying to learn new things. I want them to see me work to get better at the things I’m not very good at. Because, I want them to be brave enough to be bad at things, too.
You can find more information about these subjects and more in my book: The Science of Homeschooling
*Note: None of the information here should be taken as medical advice, it is intended as ideas for parents to research on their own in managing their children’s unique situations
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