In today’s society, people are required to attend some kind of continuing education in order to have fulfilling careers. This means that achieving academic success is crucial at every stage along the way. Building and following a concrete educational plan is an essential component. Parents with children of all ages, the tips suggested in this article will help you assist your kids in creating and following educational plans that will ensure academic success and instill an efficient work ethic to last a lifetime.
Lists, Schedules, and Calendars
Regardless of whether your kids prefer the digital or old school hand written approach, every component of the educational plan needs to be visible. Buy a journal, planner, and calendar. Or, open up the notes or reminder app on your smart phone or tablet. Start by making a list of your kids’ goals, both short and long term. Motivation depends on having an end goal, such as a dream job. Productivity depends on breaking that large goal into smaller goals, such as improve math grade, participate in extracurricular activities, graduate with honors, earn a scholarship, and get into college. Next, turn those goals into immediate to-do lists.
What can you and your kids do each day to get the process into motion? Set reasonable time lines for each item. Physically check off each item when completed for the motivating sense of completion. Finally, keep a schedule and calendar. Use different colors for different categories of obligations, tasks, and activities. This prevents you and your kids from overbooking them and missing items.
Learning Styles
Get to know your kids’ learning styles. Do they learn best by seeing, hearing, or doing? Do your kids work best right after school or in the evening? Do they work best in a silent environment or one with background noise? Are they more independent workers, or do they need the structure of a tutoring or after school program? Explore each of these areas together until you find the answers, and then work that into the educational plans.
Online Public School
As you and your kids answer the above questions, you may find that traditional learning environments do not support their learning styles or your family structure. For this reason, many online schools in Arkansas programs are now available. Kids can complete their entire education online, or they can attend brick and mortar schools and take advantage of supplemental online programs. Use this helpful guide to explore options and choose the best ones for your kids.
Some Work and Some Play
When creating your kids’ goals, lists, and activities, they are the voice and you are the guide. When they have a choice of elective classes and extracurricular activities, let them pick what they are passionate about. This will help them stay motivated to work harder on the core subjects they struggle with. This is a built in reward for hard work. Create an external reward system, as well. Perhaps your kids get one point for each item checked off the to-do list and one point for each passing grade on an assignment. When they accumulate a set number of points, they get a reward that you both agree on. Make sure to add breaks and fun time into the schedules.
Creating concrete educational plans is crucial yet challenging. It is common for parents and kids to either put it off or discontinue its use. Following the suggestions provided in this article will help you get your kids started on a plan they will stick to! Once the plan is in motion, find fun and creative ways to make it their own.
Rachelle Wilber is a freelance writer living in the San Diego, California area. She graduated from San Diego State University with her Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Media Studies. She tries to find an interest in all topics and themes, which prompts her writing. When she isn’t on her porch writing in the sun, you can find her shopping, at the beach, or at the gym. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook: @RachelleWilber
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