Parents as educators
During lockdown, many parents were feeling the pressure. Breadwinner, caregiver, chef/cook, cleaner, enforcer and all things in between. Then add teachers/educators to this list! That’s a lot of roles to play and it’s been even harder for working parents and business owners. The teachers at Matahui School have learned a few things over these lockdowns, and want to share a few practical tips parents can use to bolster their educating skillset.
We’ve all had to do a fair bit of problem-solving lately. As parents or teachers, we can’t always be there to solve every problem for our children. In fact, this isn’t our job. Our job is to teach our children how to solve problems by themselves. This way, they can become confident, independent, and successful individuals. When you encounter a challenge, think aloud for the benefit of your child. Model how to apply the same problem-solving skills you’ve been working on together, giving real-world examples that they can implement in their own life. At the same time, show your child a willingness to make mistakes. Everyone encounters problems, and that’s okay. Sometimes the first solution you try won’t work, and that’s okay too! When you model problemsolving, explain that there are some things that are out of our control. As we’re solving a problem at hand we should focus on the things we can actually control. Naturally, these abilities go hand-in-hand with a growth mindset.
Matahui School has a proud tradition of instilling problem-solving skills. Our senior class recently won the EPro8 science and engineering competition where their problem-solving skills were put to the test against other schools in the Bay of Plenty Region.
We’ve all heard the saying “Whether you think you can or can’t - you’re right”. This is important to Mrs McDonald, junior teacher at Matahui School. “This term we’re focussing on building a growth mindset and using the power of the word ‘yet’. If your child says, “I can’t do this”, we add the word ‘I can’t do this yet’ to build self-confidence”, says Mrs McDonald. The word ‘yet’ can change disparaging sentences into positive ones, promoting growth. This linguistic trick works especially well with sentences that include ‘can’t’ or ‘don’t,’ because it reverses the negative connotation.
What’s happening in the junior school at Matahui this term?
This term’s inquiry project is all about light. Where does it come from? What is light? How do light sources work? What is energy? Who would have guessed that 5 to 7-year-olds would be so interested in physics, astrology and electricity budding scientists in the making who thirst for more knowledge. They really are developing a love of learning through their own inquiry.
For more tips or to find out more about Matahui School - visit our website www.matahui.school.nz