Now that schools have reopened and children are back-to-school, one of the biggest issue parents will face is to push their children to understand the benefits of active participation in the classroom.
A lot of students think of it as a boon when they are not called upon in class by the teacher or professor. The fear of saying something silly and being laughed at can keep even the brightest students mum in a classroom.
In comparison, the most average students win praise for their answers sometimes only because they dared to answer, which is great too.
Sometimes, that’s the only difference between a smart student and an intelligent one.
But remember, it’s not uncommon for children to feel shy about speaking in front of their peers. Some children would rather fly under the radar rather than give the right answer and be the centre of attention.
It’s this nervousness that can hold back some students from achieving their true potential. As parents, your responsibility isn’t just providing the best education possible but also ensuring their holistic growth.
This is also a matter of self-worth where the child feels their opinion or answer isn’t strong enough. That comes from a space of lacking confidence that makes them doubt themselves.
That exactly why you should share the benefits of active participation in the classroom with your child.
Benefits Of Active Participation In The Classroom: Try These 5 Tips
Try these five ways to encourage your child for active participation in the classroom among their peers:
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1. Speak to your child about their school life
As toddlers, children are usually more than excited about sharing their day with you. This excitement though drops with every passing year. That’s why you may have to make an extra effort to ensure your child shares their school life with you.
This includes sharing the good and the bad days, where you lend an ear to their problems, no matter how trivial they may sound.
This also helps you keep track of your child’s academic progress. A free and open communication channel in the house only helps to create a stronger bond between the parent and the child. And they can count on you for advice irrespective of the issue at hand.
As a principal, ask them about how their day was, what did they study, and what are their opinions about their classmates and teachers. This will help you identify any potential issue or underlying problem even if your child does not say it explicitly.
For instance, if a certain teacher is too strict or picking on your child particularly, odds are they may not be too eager to participate in that subject. Similarly, if your kid is lagging in a certain subject and needs help, they may shy away from active participation in the classroom.
2. Keep a tab on their academics
Children who’ve studied their lessons and completed their homework are more likely to be active in the classroom. If the student hasn’t studied for the lesson, they obviously will shy away from the rest of the class in order to avoid being caught.
That’s why make sure to keep a check on their academic progress, which includes understanding their syllabus, homework, assignments and the related deadlines.
Speak to your child about where do they think they need help, and what can you do about it. Sometimes, a child may be poor at math but will not directly confront you about it. Instead, they will avoid the subject altogether till it’s too late.
You can avoid all of that by having a heart to heart conversation and letting them know that they can come to you for help. Sometimes the child may not realise they need a tutor outside of school.
If you think that’s the case, please speak to their teachers in school and engage one. Once they start grasping the concepts, they’ll automatically become more confident to speak up in class.
3. Encourage your child to sit in the front rows
Now, don’t take this the wrong way. We have nothing against the backbenchers. On the contrary, the wisecracks of every class are found towards the other corner of the room.
However, if your child feels a little shy and isn’t too confident about speaking in front of a classroom, it will be nice to gradually move them up in the front rows.
This enables one to ask questions without having to be loud and attract too much attention. And that will help your child develop their self-esteem with every right answer. Slowly and surely, you can expect them to participate more actively in the classroom.
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4. Connect with your child’s teacher for regular updates
Communicating with your child’s school teachers can really help you understand why your child is shy in the classroom. Sometimes, kids may be extroverts and mischievous at home but will be timid and shy in school.
So, make sure to speak to your kid’s teacher about their academics, behaviour, mistakes and more. Schools do have quarterly parent-teacher meetings, but if you think your child needs extra attention, you can speak to the teachers separately on a monthly basis.
For children with severe self-esteem issues, you could speak to the teacher about encouraging them more actively to participate in the class. This could include asking questions that do not have a right or wrong answer. This helps the child open up and then speak to the teacher and in front of the entire class in a staggered manner.
Do make sure you have the teacher shares the same emotion as you and is equally involved in the process. A lot of teachers may not like being disturbed outside the school, so please make sure you do not call them too frequently with your concerns.
5. Enrol your child in extra-curricular activities
Encourage your little one to participate in more activities inside and outside of school. You must encourage them to sign-up for extra-curricular activities in school, or enrol them in different enrichment classes after school hours. They not only help your child discover new talents but also help achieve holistic growth.
When you sign-up your child for something they like to do, your junior will feel in control of the situation, unlike the classroom. That instils more confidence in them to speak up in a crowded room. This will help them interact more comfortably and come out of their shell.
Children have the ability to surprise you and in most cases, it’s the fear of the unknown that keeps them holding back. When feel they are in a safe space, they are more likely to be open about their thoughts and opinions without feeling too guilty about being judged.
The idea is to create a secure environment at home and in school for your child’s personality to grow.
5 Benefits Of Active Participation In The Classroom
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Active participation helps kids achieve a number of learning goals and also prepares them for higher classes and college, where it holds more value. Here are five benefits of active participation in the classroom that you must know about:
- It adds interest
- Provides the teacher with feedback about the student
- Ensures the students come prepared to class
- Keeps the students more active and involved in the subject
- It helps students form an opinion about different things
Remember, that you need to be involved actively in your child’s education and keep them motivated to learn, grow and most importantly get up after a fall. And the best way is by encouragement.
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