Andy Williams coined the phrase “it’s the most wonderful time of the year.”
The holidays and winter break are a time when families come together to appreciate each other's company and create new memories together. It's an especially memorable time this year after the COVID-19 pandemic forced many families to remain apart for the 2020 holidays.
Being with family is an exciting time for many households. When you're with family, you can let your guard down and connect on levels that non-familial guests wouldn’t understand. The magic that this season of togetherness brings is unmatchable, and the celebrations glean memories that last a lifetime.
The holidays can also be about reinforcing education
At Sapphire Studies, we are in your corner with a deep value and appreciation for education. We're rooting for your children’s success, and that's why we provide personalized educational services to help children of all ages improve their potential.
As the Founder and Chief Learning Officer at Sapphire Studies, nothing would make me happier than knowing that I can make a difference in your child's life this wonderful time of year. I have years of experience in education, and I know exactly how challenging it can be to help kids stay focused on their learning opportunities during the break.
Holiday education tip #1: journaling has great benefits
Writing in a journal is how many people document their thoughts and process their feelings. Doctors and psychologists recommend journaling to their patients in order to cope with stressful episodes throughout the day.
But children can benefit just as much from writing down their thoughts and feelings in a private notebook. It's also a great way to teach your child how to write in an open-ended manner, discovering the merits of storytelling that could service them very well as they grow in life.
From a practical learning and skills development perspective, these are some of the ways that journaling can help your child embrace holiday education.
Journaling strengthens communication and writing skills
It improves comprehension while reading
Keeps things interesting; they can their imaginations run wild
Writing and storytelling spawns creativity
Improves attention to detail
Provides a meaningful expression of thought
Helps see things from a different perspective
Holiday education tip #2: interactive quizzing games are fun and educational
Part of the holiday season means travelling to the different homes of family and friends you intend to see over the winter break. Sometimes, those are long drives, either due to distance or traffic on the highways. In any event, long periods of time in the car can be exhausting, and children are prone to get restless.
One way to make the trip a little easier is to play a family game in the form of a quiz. Kids are prone to ask a lot of questions in the car anyway so turn that inquisitiveness into a road trip game that you can play as a family. Instead of getting frustrated with the barrage of questions, start quizzing them and challenge them to see who wins. It's a great participation effort to help your children gain knowledge and excel beyond academics, which will harbour a better reward than any prize.
Some of the key benefits of this type of quizzing are:
It helps with learning and strengthens long-term memory
Improved memory factually helps with better performance on examinations
You can test their ability to identify objects based on defining features so they learn to categorize items they see
You can also test them on their subjects, such as math facts or history trivia so that they remain ready and engaged for the new year
These types of road trip quizzes keep the drive light, lively, and fun. You can also use published guides of road trip inspired questions to help get the ball rolling. It teaches them the merits of holiday education games while helping them remain committed to learning and development while on vacation.
Holiday education tip #3: teach them the art of listening
Not only am I the Founder and Chief Learning Officer of Sapphire Studies; I'm also the father of a young toddler. Believe me when I say that I get it; it's tough getting your children to listen and pay attention.
However, this has to be done and is probably one of the most important lessons to teach your child. The art of communication requires listening skills, and children who learn how to be active listeners are more capable of paying attention, reacting in kind, focusing on necessary tasks, and able to lend a helpful hand to others in need.
Use the winter break to impart a little holiday education by teaching your children how to become active listeners. Be specific with your intentions. For example, use statements like:
“Please listen to what I have to say, and watch my mouth as I’m speaking to you so I know that you’re paying attention.”
Then keep it simple,
“Please pick up all your toys.”
Teaching your children how to be active listeners starts by getting their attention and learning how to keep it. Provide clear and simple instructions with your words so that your child learns to comprehend your meaning and react as you expect. This is tantamount to helping them become more focused listeners, which will go a long way towards helping them become more successful when they return to school and must give their attention to the teacher.
Help your children succeed with Sapphire Studies
Every child's learning style is unique as no two children experience the same journeys in life. That's why Sapphire Studies is committed to providing custom learning programs tailored to the specific needs of each individual child we help. We have a proven formula that has helped children who averaged C level grades achieve straight As in as little as 6 weeks of work.
Are you ready to help your child achieve academic success? Book an introductory call with me and let's set your child on the road to a brighter academic future!
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