And To Value Education By Edward M. Hallowell, MD Reprinted by permission from Mind Matters July 1999 This summer, as you sit on the beach, or by the pool, or under the cool shade of a tree, thinking about how to help your child do better in the next school year, you may want to consider some of the practical tips that I have found to be helpful with my own family, and with the children I treat. These suggestions apply to all children at all ages and are not specifically geared toward any one temperament, learning style or emotional state. I offer these tips in the spirit of creating a home and family environment that supports, encourages, and nourishes the pursuit of learning and the value of education. My experience has shown me that the philosophy and attitude that your child experiences at home is often the most powerful determinant of educational success.
Kids can learn to love learning at home.
Here then are my tips to ponder and perhaps to put into place. The tips are not listed in order of importance. Unlink fear and learning. Many of us parents grew up in an educational system that used fear, shame, and humiliation as pedagogical tools. While fear may promote learning in the short term, in the long term it turns children off to the whole process of education.