HRM Parent Blog

All children are by nature active learners. They are inquisitive and curious and inherently brilliant. But often, when it comes to school learning, their natural brilliance seems to fade.  

There are a multitude of reasons why children lose their natural curiosity and encounter academic trouble. In school, they are expected to follow a certain path and conform to the curriculum. They have to learn subjects at a certain pace that may not be in keeping with their personal interests. That's when their passion for learning and exploring tends to diminish; that's when children start to become passive about learning.

As parents, we don't want to see our children have difficulties in the classroom, and we want to encourage them to use all the resources that they have available to them. Luckily, it's easy to help kids develop their active learning skills.

What active learning means

So what exactly is active learning, and how do we make sure that children are using this important skill?

Rather than sitting in a classroom writing down notes, a student who is learning actively is asking questions about the new material, seeking understanding, and relating what he or she is being taught to pre-existing knowledge. An active mind thinks about learning. An active mind is curious -- it notices detail, infers meaning, develops understanding, integrates past experiences with the present action, and judges the appropriateness and value of anything and everything. An active mind doesn't just learn; an active mind is engaged.

Even young children can develop this skill with a little coaching and behaviour modeling from parents. In fact, all students, of any age can develop and hone their active thinking and learning abilities.

Encouraging active thinking

Active learning is not a skill restricted to the classroom. Children (and adults too) should always be thinking about the world around them. In fact, the more that children develop this skill outside of the classroom, the more they are able to apply it in class.

The best way to help your children develop active thinking and learning skills is to ask questions that will them help them "turn on their brains". Do this during any adventure or activity, whether it is walking in the woods or reading a book together. Ask questions: 

  - before the activity to signal to the child that he/she need to be thinking critically about something. For instance, try asking, "What do we already know about what we are about to do?" or "What do we think that we might learn?"

  - during the activity to draw connections or highlight details: "What else is this like?" or "What does this remind you of?"

  - after your adventure, to reflect on the experience. For example, "What did you observe or learn that was new?"

And when you are having conversations with your child about their day-to-day experiences, remember to always ask "Why?" or "Why do you think?" Ask for possible explanations. Avoid general questions and seek specific answers. Rather than asking, "How was school?" ask, "What did you learn in history class?" Remind kids that there are no wrong answers, and that trying to answer questions is an important part of the active thinking process.

Like organization, or studying, and many other school skills, active thinking needs to be practised. The more that a child is mentally active outside the classroom, the easier school becomes. Once a child flips on the mental switch and becomes an active learner, that switch never turns off.

Oxford Learning offers programs for children from 3 years old through university. Our goal is to give students the skills they need to be successful in school and in life. Oxford Learning has locations in Halifax, Hammonds Plains and Bedford. For more information about our programs and services, visit us at www.oxfordlearning.com

Parents often wonder if three years old is too young for a child to begin an organized preschool program. My answer is always the same, no, three years of age is not too soon for a child to start learning. Children are actually involved in a very formal learning experience from the time they become aware of the outside world as an infant. Children learn to understand language all by themselves, a task much harder than learning math or reading.

As parents, we guide our children and teach them sounds but the real work is done by them. Before children can be told that we are trying to teach them something, they have to learn that the funny sounds Mommy is making mean something. The infant’s mind before language is a mind full of wonderful sounds, shapes, colours and movement - sensations but no words. It is not by accident that children discover that those sounds have actual meaning; it is because they have been learning. 

Their learning experience is far more structured than any teacher or program could ever be. Their minds are incredible! Kids relentlessly try to understand their world by creating categories and rules for experiences and things. Then they try to apply these categories against real life and then, just as relentlessly, create new categories and rules if the old ones fail.

Think about a baby in the kitchen endlessly arranging pots and pans. First they try to fit the big ones into the little ones, an attempt at creating a category - you can put things in other things. Once they discover that the big pot won’t fit into the little one no matter how many times you try or how hard you bang it, they may try the reverse and it works!  After much repetition, the child will create a category or rule that works all the time and may even be applied somewhere else!  Kids soon learn that it is important to find these big rules - ones that work for more than just one occurrence.

Little Readers is designed to allow children to further investigate their universe, that leads them toward greater understanding by helping them to develop new thinking and exploring skills and that ultimately teaches skills such as reading, math, a second language, music, movement, and more, can only be a positive experience for a young child.           

John Holt, an education researcher and author said that the difference between good teaching and poor teaching is the difference between being responsive and being intrusive. With that in mind, our Little Readers program was designed to be responsive rather than intrusive by applying the concepts of cognitive development and interactive coaching. By giving kids the tools of discovery, showing them how to use these tools but not forcing them to do so and by respecting the learning speed and style of each individual, we are able to work individually with each child. That is what interactive coaching means - to interact only when it is appropriate and to offer clues that the child can use to move to higher or deeper understanding. Never to tell or demand passive memorization! 

 Oxford Learning offers programs for children from 3 years old through university. Our goal is to give students the skills they need to be successful in school and in life. Oxford Learning has locations in Halifax, Hammonds Plains and Bedford. For more information about our programs and services, visit us at www.oxfordlearning.com

Developing Healthy Media Literacy Habits for the Whole Family

Laptops. Cellphones. Social media. Smart boards. YouTube. iPads... today's kids are constantly connected to and engaged with the world around them at all times. Technology is simply part of how they live, and increasingly, it's becoming part of how they learn as well.

Today's classroom looks very different from classrooms a decade or so ago; in many classrooms, students-even the young ones-are using some form of technology in class daily.

Technology in today's classroom isn't just changing how students are being taught; it's changing how they learn. 

Some classrooms are experimenting with new models of instruction, blending lecture-style formats with self-guided online learning, as well as integrating social media into the curriculum, encouraging students to interact with each other online, outside of class, and even participate in lectures via online forums.

The Digital Native generation knows how to access any information, at any time.  But that doesn't mean that they understand how to determine the value of what they encounter online. Media literacy is quickly becoming of a very important skill to develop.

Studies have shown that kids aged 8-18 are online up to seven hours a day! Studies have also shown that too much media time can lead to difficulties in the classroom, such as problems with retention and focus. Too much technology can also lead to lack of proper sleep, which has been shown repeatedly to have an impact on grades.  Kids need a proper night's sleep in order to process all the information that they have learned during the day, and to be alert and ready to learn in class.

Just as teachers and schools set the rules as to how much technology is used in class, parents need to set sound boundaries and guidelines about technology use outside of school.

Here are some tips to consider:

Keep the computer in a public space, if possible, and check the computer's search history frequently.

Go over basic online safety rules such as never using real names, never giving out addresses or phone numbers, sticking to familiar sites, asking before signing up or creating new accounts.

Challenge your kids to think actively about how and why they are using media. Is the laptop used for research for school? Are cell phones mainly to connect with peers? Do they use it in class for anything?

Encourage balance-it's important to make "unplugged" activities part of the entire family's daily routine. Set household guidelines around plugged-in time. Use a timer to track how long each person is plugged in to a particular device and set time limits.

Log out before you nod off-some studies show that technology usage before bed can impair sleep. That means logging out and shutting off all gadgets-TVs, laptops, iPads, even video games, etc.

Have kids take note of where information comes from and ask them to analyze the quality of one site or another. Ask, Who created this site? Who wrote it?  Can it be verified elsewhere?

Remember that what you do online doesn't get erased and can be searched by others.  So, don't post anything that you wouldn't want someone else to read, so always act online as though someone might be watching!

Recognize your distractions. Technology of all kinds can be very distracting when there are offline projects to do.  They can be notorious time wasters as well. When logging on to the computer to do research, make sure to avoid social media sites, and log out of any extra pages or tabs.

While we want our kids to always have the best in life-including education- sometimes it requires parents to step back and ask tough questions about where we need to draw the line and what's best for our children. Technology can be a great gift to give children, but like anything else, it has its place, both in an out of the classroom.

Discussing technology and media, and just generally being aware of its role in our daily lives leads to healthier technology usage for the whole family.

Oxford Learning offers programs for children from 3 years old through university. Our goal is to give students the skills they need to be successful in school and in life. Oxford Learning has locations in Halifax, Hammonds Plains and Bedford. For more information about our programs and services, visit us at www.oxfordlearning.com

The tree is down, decorations are put away, laundry is done and as we pack lunches we have to deal with the fact that the vacation is over.  For Christmas all we wanted was time to relax and enjoy spending time together as a family and that’s exactly what we got. It was wonderful and I only wish I could find a way to live the other 51 weeks of the year exactly the same way.

It’s now 2012, the year that my 4 year old will start school. In only 8 short months, my oldest will begin school and I find myself asking questions about what this will mean for our family.  For 12 years, I’ve guided parents and children on their journey through school but now, it’s different. Now it’s my turn to worry about whether or not he’s ready and if I’ve done enough to prepare him.  The first day of school will be here before I know it so it’s time to start thinking about what needs to happen between now and then.

As much as a new year means a new start for “grown ups”, it can also be a new beginning for children. Use the beginning of 2012 as an opportunity to implement new strategies and start the year off on the right foot. Students can put an end to the bad habits that may have interfered with the learning process by implementing some of these strategies.

Rise and Shine. Everyone can use a little extra time in the morning. By setting alarm clocks 10 minutes earlier, students can reduce the morning rush and alleviate stress.

Tune Out. TV, computers and cell phones are the biggest student distractions, especially when it comes to homework. By simply eliminating half an hour of screen time, students have more time to focus on schoolwork.

Prepare at night.  Students can check items off their to-do list by preparing for school the night before. Choose clothing, re-pack book bags, and prepare lunches at night to avoid the morning rush.

Get organized. Make a resolution to use an agenda. Agendas help students stay on track so that homework and assignments are not forgotten.

Stick to a schedule.  Hang wall calendars in a visible spot and be sure to write down all school assignments, extra curricular activities, and social engagements.

Hit the sack. A good night’s sleep ensures that students are less sluggish and more alert and focused during the school day.

Hit the books. Reading for enjoyment is one of the best ways for students to build vocabulary and develop strong language skills.

Eat right. Healthy eating keeps the brain active all day long. Avoid sugary treats and processed foods, which can cause a lack of attention.

Oxford Learning offers programs for children from 3 years old through university. If you are nervous about your child starting school for the first time this September, check out our Little Readers program. This unique program teaches children beginning school skills necessary for success in school and in life.

HRM Parents receive 10% off all programs and services at any of Oxford Learning’s three locations in Halifax, Hammonds Plains and Bedford. For more information about our programs and services, visit us at www.oxfordlearning.com 

Report cards are coming home this week. What if your son pulls his report card out of his backpack and you’re not happy. Math is lower than it should be, his teacher commented that he did not hand in all his assignments, and he got a “Needs Improvement” for effort. What should you do?  If you’re like most of us, you’ll sit down and have a little talk.

Unless you use the right language, this talk can go in one ear and out the other? When we are stressed, frustrated, tired or annoyed, we tend to use words that work against us. Often they bring about the opposite result of our intended goal.

Most of these counter-productive words occur at or near the beginning of a sentence. Words such as why, if and you can do more harm than good. 

“Why?”  is usually followed by “don’t you, can’t you, won’t you,” or “did you.” The word “why” asks for an answer, but most children do not know why they do things, they just act. In fact, for most children, this question cannot be answered. Kids will not be motivated if they feel that they are being criticized.

Leave out the “why” and change the question to a clear, precise statement such as, “I want you to be a better listener at school or I want you to hand in all your assignments.” Even if your child could answer the question, why would you want to know the answer anyway? You really just want a change to occur. Be clear about your expectations and you will achieve them more often than not. 

“If…”  In this context, the word “if” is usually followed by the word “you,” especially when it is being used as a threat. For example: “If you do that again, you’ll be sorry!” or “If you don’t get better marks on your next report card…”

“You”  is the beginning of a blaming statement and can damage a child’s self-esteem. “You’re not making me happy” or “You’re  not doing your best”.

Use the words, “as soon as” or “when” instead of “if”. These words are more precise and positive. Kids will not perceive them as a threat and they encourage you to stay rational. Tie your child’s actions to a motivating result. “As soon as you pay more attention in class, the sooner your grades will improve.”  

As parents, it is our job to motivate our children. We can make our own lives much easier if we pay more attention to what we say and how we say it. Use encouraging language, “Let’s work together to improve your next report card.” You will probably be amazed at the results. It’s also important to remember that children do not aim to disappoint their parents so if you’ve tried encouraging language, assisting with homework, working with the teacher and things haven’t changed, it may be time to look for outside help. 

Oxford Learning offers Christmas break day camps for children aged 5-10 as well as programs for children from 3 years old through university. Our goal is to give students the skills they need to be successful in school and in life. Oxford Learning has locations in Halifax, Hammonds Plains and Bedford. For more information about our programs and services, visit us at www.oxfordlearning.com