‘Study’! On hearing this word the immediate response from kids is usually a vehement “No!” Getting children to sit for a few minutes leave alone an hour is very difficult. On top of this, with the Covid-19 pandemic raging on, and classes being conducted online, children are getting bored very quickly and they have their own list of boring subject(s). The challenge that teachers and parents are facing is to make the lessons interesting for kids so that they can be gainfully occupied.
We have listed below some tips to make the learning content engaging and hope they will be helpful.
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Place yourself in the child’s shoes:
Before you start developing the content think how the kids would relate to the topic. This will help you simplify the concepts as per their capabilities and understanding levels.
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Cultivate a supportive environment:
Children open up more if the environment is a positive and encouraging one. They are relaxed and this helps to absorb the concepts easily. Try and cultivate such a trusting environment.
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Utilize visuals and sound for better effects:
Add animation and voice modulation to your slides and narrative. This will help capture their attention.
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Have fun:
Incorporate games, songs, and outdoor activities if possible so that kids enjoy the lessons and understand the subjects.
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Encourage hands-on participation:
Make the children do a small project or artwork related to the topic. This will remove the monotony while teaching.
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Be present:
Be attentive while teaching so that you can pick up non-verbal clues on the child’s interest. This can help you gauge the impact of the session and make appropriate improvisations as needed.
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Invite questions:
Children are curious by nature and ask questions to satisfy themselves. They should be encouraged to ask questions however irrelevant they might be. This might be time-consuming and at times the pace of the session could slow down, however, in the process, they end up learning more. Also, new insights are thrown up and their creativity gets a fillip.
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Have patience:
Every child is different and have their own pace of learning. An educator should recognize this and be patient while dealing with them. This would mean that many a time, your target for completing a particular topic for the day may not be met. The topics may also need to be repeated but this will ensure that the content is understood and the child develops an interest in the subject.
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Positive reinforcements:
The efforts put in by the child should receive positive reinforcements so that they develop confidence in themselves. This will help them be more open towards learning.
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Enjoy yourself:
Last but not the least, enjoy yourself while you are with them. Your attitude is most important as children can observe and perceive things easily.
Conclusively, every subject has the potential to entice each student, however, the interest largely depends on the teacher. With our tips, you will not only become the best teacher but your students will also master the (former) boring subject.
