Every parent wants their child to excel and grow in life, but we need to understand that as parents and teachers, we are responsible for developing that mindset in them. Either we will end up inculcating a ‘fixed’ mindset within them, else we might successfully help them thrive into a ‘growth’ mindset.
At Excelsior American School, we follow an international curriculum (Montessori, Cambridge, IGCSE and IB) which concentrate on self-inspired learning. Students are empowered to learn, grow and excel.
On a daily basis, here are some essential things we need to remember as we raise up our kids to become lifelong learners:
Remind them that they are growing each day
Just like other parts of the body develop as kids grow up, the brain also gets stronger! Reinforce this fact within your kids, so that they do what it takes to make their brain stronger – be it eating healthy food or working out brain puzzles. They should understand that it is by practically doing things, their brain gets trained to function effortlessly.
Appreciate them for their efforts and hard work
As long as they make an attempt, they are on the right track! Don’t let them bask in the idea of just being satisfied with good results wherein they didn’t require putting too much hard work. Instead, appreciate them for the time they actually spend learning or doing something worthwhile.
Encourage them to take chances
Allow them to take (read: safe) chances and experiment on their own. Even if they fail, give them a pat on the back instead of scolding them for making mistakes. As elders, we should help them to understand and take up good, independent decisions. Allow them to learn and figure!
Teach them to think from a long term perspective
Help them to understand things from a futuristic perspective. After all, it’s about what that will matter in the long run. Each decision which they will take today will propel them to reach their dreams. So empower them to make wise choices.
Encourage collaborative learning
Children learn better when they are allowed to dive deep into a topic with their peers and are encouraged to discuss with each other. Let them ask questions and gather a varied platter of opinions, and understand the topic from different viewpoints.
Encourage competency-based learning
Kids get excited about topics when they get to explain why it is important and how it will help them in the future. The goal should never be to get them to the ‘correct’ answer but to understand the topic deeply and create a learning environment.
Empower them to excel, and let the young ones soar high!
