How to get your child motivated for online learning?
Many children don’t do well in distance learning. They cannot focus, and they’re unmotivated. Here are the reasons why distance learning is not working and how parents can motivate students during distance learning.
For many working parents, distance learning is synonymous with stress. Plenty of working parents were stressed out when schools were suddenly closed, and children had to learn at home using only online resources. It was a bumpy ride and distance learning was to blame. But it doesn’t have to be the case. When a child is motivated, they can learn well online and offline. So why are children less motivated in distance learning?
What is motivation? Motivation comes from the “reward centre” of the brain that releases the neurotransmitter dopamine. Dopamine is the chemical that makes us feel good. It activates and energies our brains. When we experience a positive reward, the level of dopamine rises, and we’re motivated. When the level of dopamine levels is low, we don’t feel like doing anything.
Some ways to eliminate stress include having a balanced diet, getting enough sleep, and studying in a relaxed environment. Motivating children to learn better in distance learning is not that hard if parents can let go of our own security and support our kids to flourish in their own ways. We cannot hold our kids’ hands forever. The sooner they learn to be independent and responsible for their own education, the more self-motivated they are.
Being at home does not make it any easy especially when both parents and children are home trying to complete their respective tasks for the day. However, there are some ways you may help your child be motivated for online learning.
You should also encourage your child to always wake up at least an hour before online school to ensure he/she is ready for the lesson. Try to avoid letting them do their learning in a place where they can easily get distracted such as their toy-rooms or their bedroom as it is quite pertinent that they sit in a conducive environment.
You may confiscate devices that are not being used for online learning such as their phones or gaming devices until they are officially on their break or, even better, until it’s the end of their school day. Doing this creates a good habit that your child can pick up as they would focus more on what’s happening during their class rather than being distracted from other unnecessary devices.
In conclusion it will take some time to get used to however, cultivating these small good habits can go a long way especially in these trying times when online learning is becoming more prevalent.
