THE final exams are fast approaching, and this time can be a potentially stressful time for both children and their parents.
Last week, Hillcrest High School educators provided tips to help learners study for the year-end exams.
This week, Caxton Local Media Durban spoke to Devon Grant-Hayes, a centre manager and educator at Kip McGrath Westville Education Centre, about tips for parents whose children struggle with academics.
Also read: Educators share five tips to better exam results
For two years in a row, Kip McGrath Westville has won the Best Educational Service for the Best of Durban.
Grant-Hates said it is usually quite easy for parents to fall into the trap of doing homework or creating a study routine for their kids by following ‘old-school’ approaches.
“We always encourage our students to maintain a routine that suits their exact needs.”
He advised that parents should not apply a copy-and-paste approach to their children’s learning habits.
“This could force their child into a restrictive pattern that may not suit the child. Especially if neurotypical parents try to use neurotypical techniques on neurodivergent children.
He said that a parent should consider and prioritise:
– What type of learner is your child or what learning style do they have, whether auditory, visual or kinaesthetic, etc?
– Focus on creating an environment that takes into consideration the child’s stimulation needs. Are they easily over-stimulated or being under-stimulated?
– Time management: It is essential to be aware of your kid’s concentration span when planning this. An hour of swotting may be good for some learners, yet others can only handle 15–20 minutes.
– Kinaesthetic learners – usually your neurodivergent children – need tools such as fidget spinners to process. About sixty-seven percent of children are neurodivergent, and this must be a big consideration when creating support structures.
– Relaxation versus procrastination: Your child needs to be in a calm and receptive space for learning or retention to take place.
– Practising mindfulness, meditation or breathing exercises can create a calm and responsive child.
– Managing stress: With exams around the corner, the best approach for parents is to keep an eye on their child’s anxiety levels. The best tip for success is to keep a cool head.
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