In part 1, we established that a real challenge for your child in high school was ‘learning how-to-learn’. We also became aware that most high school classrooms focus on content or subject-matter and tend to neglect integrating study skills in a comprehensive way. While enrolling your child in Wise Goat Study Skills’ Academic Wellbeing Program will provide her/him with the key skills for academic achievement, parents still need an uncomplicated way of communicating with your high school child about learning.
RETHINK HOW YOU COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR CHILD
Let us consider the communication model that requires a shift in mindset to a much more flexible way of thinking by the student about success and failure in learning. This flexible way of processing so-called ‘failure’ in learning is critical to allow the student to see ‘failure’ as an essential part of the learning process. For example, none of us learned how to walk as toddlers on our first attempt! The truth be told, we fell on our bottoms, knees, and sometimes faces. Did our ‘failures’ stop us learning to walk? Of course not. We persevered to cheers and delight of our parents who chanted unconditional encouragement. Every time we stood up after a fall (‘failure’), we adjusted our strategy based on what did not work, and we took ‘baby steps’ to our goal: walking. So, what is the learning about learning? The answer reveals itself. ‘There is no failure, only feedback!’
MAKING MISTAKES IS A GREAT WAY TO LEARN
This “no failure” thinking means that if one is still in the game and learning from one’s mistakes (responding to feedback), then one has not failed. One only fails when one gives up; when one says: “It’s too hard.” “I really can’t bother.” “I just don’t care enough.” “I’m plain stupid.” Therefore, let us support our children make this shift to a flexible mindset.
Learn with your child
The Academic Wellbeing Program invites its’ enrolled students to adopt this new paradigm for success. At the same time, parents are invited to apply ‘There is no failure, only feedback!’ mantra when communicating with your high school child about their learning experiences. You won’t expect total success immediately, will you? Of course, you will have to persevere with your communication. There may be difficult feedback to process at the start, such as monosyllabic responses, or even silence. Yet, the promise of authentic engagement with one’s teenager is surely a delightful prospect for any parent. Have a go and enjoy your own learning journey as well.
We will share the 5 GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR COMMUNICATING WITH YOUR TEENAGER over the next two blog posts.
