Teachers are aware that they need to connect with their students to become effective teachers. Making that connection, however, also applies to us parents when it comes to educating children. In an article he wrote for the website ParentInvolvementMatters, Rick Ackerly quotes Edward Hallowell, who says this in his book Connect that “connecting is the most important factor in learning”. This is what he had to say.
Connecting with kids through reading
According to Ackerly, reading to them at home is a good example of how we parents can connect with our kids and create a loving and caring climate for learning in the process. Ackerly makes an example of his own granddaughters, who gets read stories at least once a day by his own daughter when they’re on vacation. Throughout the day, they engage in various other activities apart from reading and even tangle with each other just like normal siblings would. But at least once a day, they gather together to read and, to quote Ackerly, “Here, in the presence of some other voice—someone who might have written these words many years ago—they are physiologically, psychologically, emotionally, socially and intellectually reminded that they are one organism..”. Naturally, the bond that is forged here creates a safe place for them to play and learn, day in and day out.
Do things together with children
While connecting with kids through reading is great, Ackerly maintains that it’s not really important what you decide to do with them. What matters is that you do things together with children, and that you should give them your full, undivided attention while doing it. That means no phone calls or distractions. You really would not be effectively connecting with kids if you do it half-heartedly. Just connect with your children because achieving that is good, and few things are as critical in the learning process as connecting with kids in your own family.
You can read the full article here.
