How Making Learning Relevant Can Transform Your Child’s School Experience
Raising kids is one wild adventure. Between snack requests, every five minutes, endless laundry piles, and convincing little humans to eat something green, education might sometimes slip off the radar. But here's something fascinating: helping our kids see the relevance in their learning can dramatically boost their engagement and excitement for school.
Why Relevance Matters
Ever heard your child groan, “Why do I even need to learn this?” You’re not alone. Dr. Kathy recently pointed out that many students today struggle with feeling disconnected from their schoolwork because they don't see how it fits into the real world. Research backs her up—by age 13, only about a third of kids feel genuinely excited about school.
But here’s the good news: relevance turns “Why do I need to know this?” into “Hey, I used this today!” It’s the difference between memorizing definitions and recognizing how compound words (like "cupcake") actually show up at the local bakery.
Making Learning Click
Let’s talk practicality. Kids thrive when they can connect their classroom lessons to real-life scenarios. Think about the excitement your child experiences when a math problem suddenly clicks while they're measuring ingredients for cookies, or when they spot historical facts during a family movie night. These moments ignite curiosity and transform mundane lessons into meaningful adventures.
Resilience Built Through Real-Life Connections
Now, you might wonder if it’s okay to let your kid experience boredom—after all, isn't resilience built through enduring tough things? Sure, sometimes. But constantly bored kids can quickly lose their love for learning altogether. The key is balance: showing kids that not everything is thrilling, but most things can become interesting when we see their real-world value. It's like training for a marathon—some runs are tougher than others, but each builds endurance.
How Parents Can Help
Here’s your quick-start guide:
Talk it Out: Regularly ask your kids how what they're learning connects to everyday activities.
Show and Tell: Point out real-life examples of concepts they're learning—like spotting nature’s symmetry during a hike, or calculating tips at a restaurant.
Celebrate Connections: When your child makes a connection between school and life, celebrate it big-time. Reinforce that excitement!
Connecting Using the 8 Great Smarts
Dr. Kathy’s "8 Great Smarts" gives us a fantastic roadmap to engaging our kids uniquely. Here’s how you can leverage these smarts:
Word Smart: Have them write or tell stories connecting classroom lessons to real-life events.
Logic Smart: Encourage logical puzzles and real-world problem-solving scenarios.
Picture Smart: Use visual tools—like maps, drawings, and videos—to show relevance.
Music Smart: Create songs or rhythms about what they're learning.
Body Smart: Hands-on activities and physical examples, like building models or cooking.
Nature Smart: Outdoor adventures exploring nature-based lessons.
People Smart: Group projects or community activities linking schoolwork to real-life interactions.
Self Smart: Personal reflections on how subjects matter personally and in future goals.
By bringing relevance into your child's learning experience, you're setting the stage for an exciting educational journey—one that's full of curiosity, joy, and meaningful discoveries.