We have to admit: children are not born good learners. Sure, a certain motivation to open your backpack and complete your homework without a sweat is something not every child out there has – but that does not mean it’s impossible to turn that into a habit.

Nancy Protheroe, author of the book, A Practical Guide to School Improvement: Meeting the Challenges of NCLB, said, “Reluctant learners need to be both challenged and supported if they are to develop the self-efficacy they need to take risks and succeed.”

Let’s see how a parent can make their little reluctant learner stay motivated to study:

 

Have meaningful conversations

Talk to your child more – tune into their little minds, and analyse things from their perspective. Talk to them about what they feel while studying, why are they having trouble studying something, and why they think they can’t concentrate.

Though this may seem silly for children as young as five years old, it actually helps create a motivational atmosphere for them to study in. They feel more encouraged and vocal about their educational journey, and are hence constantly empowered to do better.

 

Let them learn through failure

To motivate your child is one thing – but to baby them constantly is not effective.

In case of failures, don’t dismiss the instance as chance; teach your child that failures are part of life. Ask them why they failed, and how they think they can do better. This kind of constructive criticism gives your child space to grow better and be better at a particular subject they’re studying.

 

Celebrate even the small achievements

Whether it’s them getting a question about simple addition right, or completing their colouring book – celebrate your child’s achievements. No matter how small they may seem, you’re actually indirectly motivating your child to learn and challenge themselves to do better. Positive reinforcement of any kind – whether you reward it with sweets, or give them a warm hug – is valid and worth trying.

Set small goals

Setting small, realistic goals for your child to carry out helps keep their minds organised when having to tackle their school work. Otherwise, they’d get confused and overwhelmed when staring at the big picture, and not at the small steps in between.

“The number one reason that students feel unmotivated is that they are overwhelmed by the [enormousness] of homework and studying,” says Alexandra Mayzler, director of a tutoring company called Thinking Caps Tutoring.

Therefore, make sure you create achievable goals for your child. Completing them one after another gives them a surge of confidence, and a drive to do better at any subject.

That’s where parents dust their hands and call it a job well done – but another vital part of a toddler’s willingness to study lies in the teachers.

Teachers have to make sure the child develops an interest in studying, instead of them doing it just for the sake of it. The most effective method of instilling motivation in toddlers is fun-based learning. Nurseries in Jumeirah like Oakfield Early Learning Center have various resources that incorporate fun into education. This includes a Library with an educational software and interactive whiteboards, spacious classrooms with age-appropriate resources, movement and music rooms and more.

In the end, it’s a joint effort; once the teacher and the parent work together, only then can the child develop an interest in the art of learning.