A while back, my six-year-old son and I were having a conversation about what is important to him. This conversation began because I held a perception he was not taking his learning seriously. His struggles with the enemies of learning were causing him some unnecessary suffering.
He is a very bright creative kid full of incredible wisdom. Some of the things he says and does are truly amazing. He loves to learn new things and he is constantly trying to figure out how to solve big complex problems. His thirst for knowledge is unending. It pains me to see him struggle with traditional class work. I want to help him figure out how he can make friends with traditional classroom learning.
As I assessed his situation, I believe he struggles to admit he does not know, wonders why he does not already know, and is confusing acquiring information with learning. By asking a few simple questions, a much richer story began to emerge. The pressures of first grade emotionally challenge him.
Classroom and at home pressures have sent him sideways with his learning. Particularly in areas that do not come as naturally to him. He feels pressure from Mom and Dad to do his homework, learn to spell, write sentences, and read for 20 minutes every day. In the classroom, there is a divide. He has been grouped in a lower perform reading/writing skills group. Many of his friends are proceeding with new material, while he is repeating material again. Confusion and unfairness are present in his language and emotions. He does not understand why this is happening to him. Reading and writing is no longer fun to him.
The light bulb went on. What do kids value most? FUN!!!!
Learning how to read and write are left-brain activities. His 1st grade teacher teaches reading and writing using a mechanically structured linear methodology. My son is a right-brain thinker. The employed learning process is way to linear and structured for him. This process sucks all the fun out of it. He resists and fights this structure with every ounce of energy in his body. He needs a more creative methodology to ignite his interest level. He associates any right brain activity with fun.
Keeping activities loose and unstructured is the key for him to embrace the friends of learning.
I have a request to make. I request you put on your creative thinking hats and share your thoughts on the below question.
What makes learning fun for you?
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