Children and Learning

The number one problem that children and adolescentson the process of learning. Most students learn as they
who are struggling in school face is that they don'tgo along, figure out what works, and modify their
have effective strategies for learning the informationstrategies as they go. Many, though, have never
that is being taught to them. Students need strategieslearned effective strategies for learning; they often use
for how to learn, not just what to learn. Learn the moststrategies that take a long time and simply do not
effective strategy for academic tasks- like learningwork, and they struggle in school.
spelling words, math facts and reading comprehensionStudents need strategies for how to learn, not just
- and how it can change your child's entire experiencewhat to learn so they don't have to continue to
of school and learning into a positive one.struggle.
How would you like a way to help your child to feelThe most effective learning strategy for academics is
more successful at home, at school, with friends?a visual learning strategy. Tasks such as learning
How would you like to feel less stress in your life andspelling words, math facts, memorizing facts and data
have a better relationship with your child?and learning vocabulary words are learned more easily
What if your child knew simple, effective strategiesand quickly if the student learns them visually. When
that will enable him to learn easily and quickly?students learn visually, they tend to be more interested
It has been my experience that virtually every youngand learn quickly and easily. When they don't learn
person that I have worked with has had the desire tovisually, they tend to struggle. The very first thing to
do well, to be accepted by their peers, to feel prideaddress is the student's perception of his ability to learn
from their parents, and to feel good about themselves.and use his mind effectively.
If they are not doing well in school or with learning, it isOnce he realizes that he has the ability to use his mind
not because they lack the desire to learn. The numbereffectively, then we can teach him precise, effective
one problem that I find children and adolescents facingstrategies for how to learn. When he has effective
is that they don't have effective strategies for learningtools for learning, it dramatically enhances his
the information that is being taught to them.perception of his own ability to be a successful
When children feel that they don't learn well, it oftenstudent, his performance in school, his self-esteem and
affects their self-esteem significantly. As a result,relationships with friends and family, just to name a
many young people will not only experience problemsfew. When a young person understands (for many, for
around learning, but also self-esteem issues, emotionalthe first time in their lives) that he IS intelligent, that he IS
and behavioral problems, social skills problems, anxiety,a good student, that he CAN learn easily and that
depression, or family issues. Virtually every aspect ofthere is nothing "wrong" with him, that has a dramatic
their life is affected.impact on every aspect of his life! Now we can move
Our public schools, unfortunately, often work from theon to teaching strategies for mastering thoughts and
assumption that a student already knows how to learnemotions and taking action on goals.
and therefore focus on teaching content rather than