A child of 8 years old has no interest in learning. Development of interest in learning: how to arouse and instill interest in learning in a child
Children are inquisitive people! From birth, they are interested in everything: what is happening around, how the world works, every day they learn something new. But, unfortunately, recently, many parents quite often face the problem when the child loses interest in learning. Most often this happens in the first years of schooling. It would seem that mom and dad made every effort to arrange their child in the best educational institution, with good teachers, attended preparatory courses, but the child begins to show his character and refuses to study. Therefore, parents should know how to instill an interest in learning in their children.
Why does a child lose interest in learning?
It is not enough to instill in the child an interest in learning, you also need to understand why the child has ceased to be interested in new knowledge. First of all, psychologists and educators advise finding out the reasons for refusal. They can be different, for example:
- a large load that the child can not cope with;
- lack of motivation and understanding;
- unwillingness to learn.
- problems at school with peers, classmates, class teacher and the like.
In any case, regardless of the reason for the refusal, parents are obliged to help the child, listen to him and support him. If you ask a kid if he wants to go to school, he nods his head in the affirmative, but this does not mean that he really wants to study. School for children is a new life experience, they can not only learn about interesting and exciting things, but also learn discipline, communicate with peers and adults. If the baby is not motivated, then he may be afraid of the difficulties that await him.
How to instill in a child an interest in learning?
Moms and dads need to know how to spark interest in learning. Psychologists have identified several conditions for the correct development of a child in preschool age, which in the future will help him successfully cope with the difficulties of learning and school life in general. This is the development of intelligence, communication skills, psycho-emotional preparation for school, the purpose of which is to motivate, create a good impression of the school, and arouse the passion for acquiring knowledge.
By following these rules, parents will not have to worry about how to get their child interested in learning. Possessing abilities, knowing how to use them correctly, the student himself will look for ways to realize himself.
Formation of the environment
Keep track of which peers your child interacts with closely, because they have a direct impact on his thinking and attitude towards learning. Find out what the overall performance of the class in which the child is engaged: if bad grades are considered the norm there, then the child will not have an incentive to try. In this case, consider changing classes or schools. You can more gently adjust the environment of your baby and place him in an environment of inquisitive and hardworking children by finding a sports section, a children's circle or an interest club for him.
Parenting Mistakes
Often parents themselves destroy the desire to learn in their children. Instead of helping the kid with math, mom and dad yell at him, forbid him to meet friends or deprive him of sweets. Of course, in such a situation, no one wants to understand new material. Thus, there is an aversion to learning.
In addition, adults constantly demand only good grades from schoolchildren. But even the most furious A student can find it difficult, he needs a break, he, too, can one day get a "C". Understand that now your child's load is many times greater than it was once with us. You can see for yourself what a huge heavy backpack he goes to school with and how much time he takes homework.
How can the SMARTUM school of mental arithmetic help foster a love of learning?
Smartum Children's Center will help parents awaken their child's interest in learning. Education in modern schools is aimed mainly at the development of the left hemisphere, which is responsible for logical thinking and intelligence, leaving out the right side, which contributes to emotional and creative development. Most often, the loss of interest in learning occurs precisely because of the lack of harmonious development. Each child is unique, but modern education is based on a universal methodology that does not take into account the characteristics of children. The Smartum Learning Center offers a unique mental arithmetic technique that has been known for over 2000 years. It is actively used in countries such as the UK, USA, Canada, Japan and China. This program will help:
- return the child's interest in learning;
- to form the basis and foundation for the successful implementation of the baby in the future;
- diversify personality;
- improve school performance in all subjects;
- develop personal qualities, in particular independence, a sense of responsibility and initiative.
The technique is used to teach children from 5 to 16 years old. The full course of study is 2-3 years, but the first results are noticeable after 3 months!
The Smartum Center will tell you how to instill in your child an interest in learning. The main advantages of the Smartum training center are:
- a unique training program that was developed by qualified specialists, taking into account the level of development of each child;
- fully equipped classrooms;
- convenient schedule of classes: 2 lessons 1 time per week;
- a game form of learning that does not let you get bored and lose interest in learning and new knowledge;
- small groups (up to 10 people), which allows the teacher to pay attention to each child;
- three age categories: junior (5-6 years old), middle (7-11 years old) and senior (12-16 years old) groups;
- provision of all necessary training materials;
- opening personal access to a special program that allows the child to train their skills at any convenient time;
- certified teachers and a psychologist and the like.
Help your child show interest in learning! Smartum Children's Center is waiting for you!
Does your child despair when faced with the first difficulty, inattentive, not trying? Teachers and psychologists confirm that today's children are losing interest in learning earlier. Parents are in a panic. According to polls by the Levada Center, 49% of Russians call schoolchildren's lack of interest in learning the most serious problem in the education system. At the same time, 28% of us would like to instill in our children the desire for knowledge, and 59% are sure that good schooling is necessary for a successful future career.
The parents themselves may have studied in the Soviet school and were more disciplined students, but they hardly wanted to learn more than their children. It was just easier to manage them: “It must be so.”
What has changed today? The rigid discipline was gone and the lack of interest in learning became more evident. In addition, the rhythm of life has accelerated. To involve the student in the learning process, more individual, practical tasks related to everyday life are needed.
Every child has a developmental need. All children are inquisitive, but we, adults, rather do not encourage their curiosity, as well as independence. And interest in learning is directly related to how much the student feels responsible for himself.
“The influence of parents is indirect, we cannot force the child to be interested,” insists psychologist Tamara Gordeeva, author of the book “Psychology of Achievement Motivation,” but it is we who can “start” intellectual activity, offering him something that captivates us ourselves.
Most schools do not set themselves the task of making it interesting for children to study
The situation is complicated by the influence of modern culture: today it is assumed that pleasure, success should follow instantly. It turns out that parents give their children a contradictory attitude - they encourage the immediate satisfaction of any desires, but require perseverance. “Only by directing the interest of the child, taking into account his individual characteristics, you can change the situation,” Tamara Gordeeva is sure.
“Only high school students can be motivated by the future result, the opportunity to enter a university, and get a good job,” says family psychologist Lyudmila Petranovskaya. “To captivate those who have just come to school, it is possible only by the very process of learning.” But most schools, alas, do not set themselves the task of making it interesting for children to study. This means that we, parents, have to develop a taste for participation in the school life of the child.
“Becoming a tutor in all subjects is not a way out,” says child psychologist Elena Morozova. “After all, no one can remain unbiased in relation to their own child: emotions and reasons from the unconscious interfere with maintaining equanimity.”
What does it take to motivate a child?
- Interest and meaning to learn: he needs to feel the pleasure of what he is doing, and understand why he is doing it.
- The ability to set goals and achieve them, that is, to plan, concentrate, control their actions.
- Belief in yourself, understanding that success depends on yourself.
- Perseverance in overcoming difficulties, determination to bring what has been started to the end.
Tasks for parents
We asked experts to talk about universal recommendations that everyone can use, adjusting them to suit their nature and family traditions. Every age has its own priorities. Therefore, we have identified three main stages.
Elementary School: Safety and Curiosity
Children come to the first grade with the expectation of new, interesting events. But it is the first years of study that some of us later remember as the most boring. What can parents do to keep their child interested in learning? Answers in the article Elementary School: Safety and Curiosity
Secondary school: autonomy and encouragement
Rapid growth and hormonal storms change the way you perceive yourself and your relationships with others. This revolution in the life of a teenager is also reflected in their studies. And the passion for modern technologies, new forms of communication and leisure becomes another cause of conflicts with parents. How to communicate with a teenager to maintain interest in learning, read the article Secondary school: autonomy and encouragement
Senior classes: flexibility and endurance
The life of a high school student is marked by the need to choose a university and pass the exam. On the threshold of the future, the support of his parents is invaluable for him. How to help your child see their strengths, understand desires and prioritize, read the article. Senior classes: flexibility and endurance
What is motivation? Motivation is a set of factors that motivate us to do something. It is built around the needs of a person, trying to satisfy which he is engaged in certain activities. Those. Waking up in the morning, almost every one of us has some kind of motivation, for example, to acquire knowledge, earn a lot of money and become rich, have fun, etc. And it is under the influence of these forces that we go to work, to study, or, conversely, skip classes. Without motivation, activity will be unfocused and passive.
Motivation for study
Having understood what motivation is, it is very easy to understand how important it is in a person’s life and how important it is for successful learning. If the child does not have motivation to study, he will attend classes reluctantly, be lazy, and perform tasks carelessly. And it is even worse if it has negative motivation, i.e. will try in every possible way to avoid studying (truant).
To avoid this, it is necessary to motivate the child to study. And for this it is important to know what motives of educational activity exist. They can be divided into three large groups:
- Social. These motives can be directed towards some ideals and values (for example, it’s good to be an excellent student, because it makes it possible to enter a university, and this is prestigious), to interact with other people (at school I can make new friends), to a collective activities (together it is easier to solve problems, in a team you can get a new idea).
- Cognitive. In this group of motives, knowledge itself acquires the highest value: obtaining new information, mastering new ways of solving problems. Interest can cause both the learning process itself and its end result.
- Creative. Here, the main incentive is the possibility of obtaining knowledge / skills / ways of solving problems that can be useful in any individual activity.
Methods of motivation for study
Everyone knows "I don't want to study..."
Of course, it is much easier and more effective when you do not need to force the child to go to school, and he does his homework not under duress, but of his own free will. Yes, both students and adults sometimes do not hurt motivation, especially when there is a session ahead or advanced training is required. There are several different ways and techniques to motivate a child (and an adult too) to perform educational activities.
Incentives
Rewards can be absolutely anything, depending on what is important for the student we are motivating. These are positive assessments, praise, distinctions (for example, certificates), small gifts (a computer game, chocolate, a new toy, etc.), permission for some actions (go to a disco, go on an excursion, etc.).
For younger students, praise is of great importance, as well as the approval of parents, teachers, and classmates. The desire to earn them will be an excellent driving force for learning. However, the main thing here is not to overdo it, but to praise the child really for the cause. In this case, a student of any age will develop an understanding that he receives encouragement for his real knowledge / skills / efforts, and there will be a desire to develop and improve them.
IMPORTANT! Punishment and excessive severity do not have the same effect as encouragement. Experiencing fear of the anger of parents, the child will not so much strive to go to school and study well, but to try to hide bad grades, notes in the diary, etc. from them. Surely everyone is familiar with the stories of tearing out pages from the diary, his “loss”, etc.
Perhaps not the best method of educational motivation.
Learning is a fun game
It often happens that a 6-7-year-old child is not yet ready for learning. It is difficult for him to concentrate, to perform the same activity for a long time, to be attentive and diligent. If there is no way to leave the child in the kindergarten for another year, then you can turn learning for him into an exciting game.
For example, when doing homework, it is necessary to use not only textbook material, but also colorful illustrations and various toys. To learn arithmetic, you can create pieces of colored paper, figures of trees and a person, use real fruits and vegetables. In this case, it will be easier for the child to understand and learn numbers, and it will become much more fun to work with them - there will be an interest in learning. Tasks that cannot be directly related to objects (writing letters, reading, etc.) can be included in the gameplay, for example, when playing mother's daughters, ask the mother to read a fairy tale to a doll.
Study and real life
Older children, adolescents and high school students often have problems in learning motivation because they do not understand how this is related to their real life. In this case, it is necessary to show that training can help them in the future, no matter which path they choose.
Tasks should be directly related to life (for example, calculating interest on bank deposits), any abstract concepts should be accompanied by examples (it is important to know chemistry because it is inseparable from ordinary life: medicines, detergents, cosmetics, etc.).
Studying at a university is more difficult than at school. Therefore, it is better to get used to it in advance.
It is advisable to motivate older students for the future - to explain how important study is for entering a university and building a career. Visiting open lectures at the university where the child plans to enter, talking with people of those professions that are interesting to him, etc. will help a lot.
Search for interesting topics
Any activity will be performed with pleasure if there is interest in it. And training is no exception. To interest a child of any age in learning, you must:
- Make sure that the load he receives is within his power. If a student constantly fails at something, then sooner or later he will stop trying and lose all interest in this activity. Therefore, you need to monitor the level of complexity of tasks, consult with the teacher if necessary, and help the child in mastering the material.
- Find out what subjects he is interested in. A child may have a technical, humanitarian or creative mind. Therefore, some subjects may be given to the student worse, and some better. It is important to understand what exactly the child is strong in, and to direct maximum efforts to this. However, you should not forget about other areas (subjects) either: they need to be developed as far as possible (classes with tutors, additional study, etc.), but at the same time, do not demand more from the child than he can.
- Focus on student needs. Tasks should be adequate to these needs, which are different at different ages. Thus, younger students are dominated by the need for self-esteem, reflection, satiation of the thirst for knowledge, theoretical explanation of the phenomena they observe. A child of this age needs to be explained what is happening and why (why the sun is shining, why birds fly south, etc.), constantly providing him with new interesting information, giving him the opportunity to think about some phenomena on his own. In adolescence, the leading role is played by the need for familiarization with society (to the world of adults), for self-affirmation as a person, for self-education. Therefore, it is important for adolescents that the activities they perform give the skills necessary "in the adult world", allow them to assert themselves in one way or another. Tasks for teenagers should give them room for creativity, should be related to everyday life, with topics that are relevant to them.
Parents and child - a great tandem
Leading by example is the best motivation. In order to interest a child in learning, parents themselves must be interested in it and must make it clear. For this you need:
- Perform tasks together, provide assistance when needed
- Be interested in what the student is going through at school at the moment
- Study some interesting topics/questions/aspects together
- Discuss important issues, always ask for the child's opinion and do not laugh at him
- Support and encourage the child's hobbies, his research and cognitive activities
A few last words
Poor academic performance and unwillingness to learn do not always indicate a lack of motivation. Sometimes it may be due to too much workload or poor relationships with the teacher and/or classmates. To eliminate this, talk to the teacher, look at the classroom environment, talk to the child. If there are no problems in these aspects, then we can conclude that there is a lack of educational motivation and proceed to its formation.
Title image source - igames.by
Before your child enters school, you have enough time to instill in him a desire to learn. At this age, babies are inquisitive and receptive to any new information. Their brain is in the stage of active formation, therefore, it works with the highest return.
The kid will ask you his endless questions, because he wants to know everything, understand everything, see everything and try it himself. This is a very fertile time for the development of the child. Use this time and try to expand the circle of interests of the child. After all, the more he learns, the more he wants to learn new things. Stimulate your child's thirst for knowledge. Then this habit will remain with him for life. And at school he will not have to be forced to study, because the very process of obtaining new knowledge will be pleasant for him.
Pay attention to how you communicate with your child in everyday situations. In the daily bustle, we often do not notice our mistakes in raising children, and in the future they, unfortunately, can lead to serious problems. It is very bad when a child is left to himself most of the time. When you communicate with him, play, have fun together, read books, draw? Are you always really there at this moment, or are you thinking about your problems? Do you notice the small steps forward that your baby takes every day, do you rejoice with him in his discoveries and show this joy to him? The exchange of emotions and your passion is the best help to the child in development.
Make sure that your child does not lose his enthusiasm. But this can happen if he is left to himself, will spend time in front of a TV or computer. Such passive hobbies stop the process of development and cool the ardor of creativity.
Indifference to your child is the most important enemy of development. It is able to extinguish the ardor of his enthusiasm and curiosity. If you do not show interest in the affairs of the child, gradually he will also lose the desire to learn new things and develop, and will also forget everything that he has learned before. In addition, he will be convinced of his uselessness.
Games to stimulate the desire to learn
Even the simplest games are perfectly perceived by children and lead to new discoveries.
"Where's your nose?"
You sit in a dark room and hold the baby on your lap. The meaning of the game: to determine by touch what you found on a small face: "Here is the nose. And this is your chin." Now let the child find mother's nose and eyes. Game for the development of attention. (From the age of three.)
"Similar or not?"
Offer the child two apples of different varieties. Are there any differences between them? Then cut them open: are there differences in smell and taste? Perhaps one of them is more juicy or sour? (From five years.)
"Cave people"
With the help of a table and a tablecloth, build a "cave". You can climb into it with your child and tell him stories about ancient people. (From the age of four.)
"Where does it ring?"
A child with closed eyes sits on the floor in a room. You walk around with a bell in your hands. Here is a quiet sound. If the baby is able to correctly indicate the direction from which the sound comes, then the roles change. The game can be diversified by including the creaking of the refrigerator door and other "home" sounds. (From the age of four.)
"Antennas tuned to receive!"
You should blindfold and catch a playmate, calling for help all other senses, except for vision. Then, switch roles. Or you can just crawl under the covers and crawl around the apartment like a giant amoeba. (From five years.)
"Monsters and elves - absolute reality!"
From the age of three, children awaken their imagination. They begin to invent various fabulous creatures and, most importantly, to believe in them. They have no doubt that invisible elves and fairies, terrible monsters and ghosts live next to them. This fantasy world can have both frightening and funny manifestations. Objects in it come to life: teddy bears come to life, shoes themselves go to travel the world, cars tell their stories, and a shadow on the wall turns into a giant. In many families, it becomes an evening ritual to expel a black panther from under the bed or a monster from a birch under the window. And then you have to leave the nightlight on, because only the light disperses the monsters. The reason for this phenomenon is that reality for adults and children are two different things. What we know from picture books actually exists for kids. This once again proves that children are open to everything, including everything mysterious and mystical, to incredible stories and fairy tales. With the help of fantasy, they create their own reality. They draw monsters, weave together stories of witches and wizards, fight dragon games in their games, reliving their own fears.
Do not dissuade children and tell them that monsters do not exist. After all, a child sees a monster in a birch crown and hears the gnashing of its claws. He sees the panther under the bed and notices the sparkle in her eyes, feels her sharp teeth on his arm, hears her breathing. Adults should not laugh at these childhood fears, call them stupid and take them lightly. Better be surprised by children's fiction. Ask the baby, listen to him, calm him down. Tell him a good fairy tale, in which everything ends well.
look around, see, learn
Every child is a discoverer of the philosopher's stone, a priceless treasure hidden at home and in nature... A researcher lives in every child. You must support his exploratory impulse. To do this, you need to answer all the questions of the baby and find opportunities for joint activities.
A game for those who are just starting to run. Arrange the chairs in a circle. Place a cushion on each chair. Hide a toy under one of them. Going around the chairs, the child will find the hidden. Happiness has no limit! At other times, the toy is hidden under another pillow or under a chair. Based on this game, you can come up with a lot of interesting things related to the search for toys. (From one and a half years.)
"What can be done with socks?"
There is a pair of socks on the floor. Very soon, the baby will discover that socks are a wonderful toy. They can be pulled on the legs and arms. You can play whole performances with puppets from socks worn on your hands. You can cram small items into them, and then "find" or ask someone to do it. (From one and a half years.)
"Where did the penguin come from?"
If you are interested in animals, like going to the zoo, then your child will definitely share this hobby with you. Very good if you can right there. on the spot to answer his questions. It would be better to take a book about animals with you. Or maybe the zoo workers will tell you something interesting. (From the age of two.)
"Where are the ants running?"
Find an anthill with your child. Follow where the ant trails scatter from him. Usually children are very fond of observing the life of insects. It will be especially good if you can tell something about them: about how they communicate, about the life of an anthill. From interest in ants, perhaps, scientific interest in wildlife will grow. (From the age of three.)
"Where is the smallest leaf?"
Autumn game. In the park, together with your child, collect large and small leaves: red, brown, yellow, green. Arrange them at home: by size, by color, by shape, by type of trees. Which leaf fell from which tree? You can tell it from a picture book. How many leaves will be left if you take one, two, three? (From the age of three.)
"Where are the snails hiding?"
When you go out into the garden or park in the evening, you will notice that the snails that have been hiding from the heat all day have begun to crawl out. Why? Where exactly were they hiding? You can get together and go together in search of "snail caches". (From the age of three.)
"Show me your hand!"
Consider a child's hand. Compare your hands. Smear your palms with paint and leave prints on paper.
Please note that no two patterns are the same. (From the age of four.)
"So many differences!"
Invite your child to compare pine, fir and fir cones found in the forest. What is the difference. For example, on pine branches, they can be directed upwards, unlike spruce branches. Or you can just go to collect cones, and then use them for crafts. (From the age of four.)
"How does it shine in the dark?"
Why do the eyes of cats and other nocturnal animals flash in the dark with reflected light when you shine a flashlight on them? You can go in the evening with a flashlight to the yard in search of cats. Maybe you will be lucky enough to find a "cat meeting" place. (From five years.)
"The Sun Rises in the East"
If the sun is not hidden behind the clouds, then it is easy to determine the cardinal points from it. What if the sun is hidden? Then the compass will help. (From five years.)
"Let's play!"
How grown-ups like to warn their children, who have accelerated too fast on their tricycles, play with sticks or stones, by shouting. Often shouts are premature. But at the same time, all the charm of driving or playing is lost. Adults can be understood - they are worried, but it is better to warn in cases where there is really a danger. (From one and a half years.)
"I love!"
The child shows you his drawing or demonstrates some new skill of his. Emphasize the positive aspects of what you see. You should not persistently point out weaknesses - this will deprive the child of the desire to try again. (From the year.)
"Don't drop things halfway!"
Your child has just been doing something with great enthusiasm and suddenly lost interest in the matter. He doesn't want to finish what he started. What to do? Just do not encourage his "retreat". He became uninterested because the lesson turned out to be too difficult. So help the kid by convincing him that he will be able to finish the job. You can call on the help of brothers and sisters or neighborhood children to finish the work together. (From the age of three.)
"To be continued"
Children enjoy reading their favorite book aloud. Try to break the book into several parts and each time stop with the words: "And then we will read tomorrow." This tactic stimulates the child's interest in reading. (From the age of four.)
"For you!"
Treat your child with little surprises. A gift can be very modest: a new brush for painting, children's scissors, a small ball... When small gifts can brighten up everyday life, they take on a special meaning. (From the age of four.)
"What else?"
Try to constantly keep your child interested in his favorite topics and activities. In the event that the child is interested in animals, try to talk about them during a car trip: "Which animal can race faster than a car?". While drawing: "And how many stripes does a zebra have?". Before going to bed: "Show how little bear cubs sleep!". If the kid is interested in construction, you can look at construction equipment, see new houses and even go to the hardware store together. In the forest you can build a hut, at home - a house made of paper. (From the age of four.)
Sometimes the success of the work done is spoiled by an unpleasant surprise. For example, a child built a boat and decided to put it into the water, and he suddenly sank. All the work was in vain. He is very sorry for the ship and his work. Or with such diligence, the picture drawn is hidden under a greasy blot, and the built tower falls. How to respond to the tears and disappointment of the child? Show him how you can help the cause and fix the trouble. This mobilizes his will to further studies. (From the age of four.)
Elena Kamarovskaya
Chapter from the book "Early Child Development"
