5 Factors Behind An Effective Teaching-Learning Session At Home

We often find it extremely difficult to engage the attention of our children in their studies. We send them for tuitions and also sit with them for hours for a successful teaching-learning session. There are several factors that work behind an effective teaching-learning session. So when we are sitting with our children for some extra coaching, we have to keep in mind the effects of those factors.

Essential 5 Factors:
The following factors are mainly relevant for children aged between 6 to 14 yrs and applicable for any subject.

1) Quality Teaching:
Before teaching our children we have to do a little bit of homework so that we can answer all of their critical questions. While teaching a science subject, the application of that topic in our everyday life or the information regarding the current research on that topic should be known to use. Moreover, our skills in introducing a lesson and explanation build the attention of our children to their lessons.  For example, while teaching them the reign of Akbar the Great, we can tell them the story of Akbar & Birbal to introduce the lesson to them.

2) Proper Methodology:
The selection of methodology is very important for an effective teaching-learning session. Two widely used methodologies are the Lecture method and the Conversation method. The lecture method should be avoided by the parents as it ignores the active participation of our children. We can use the conversation method asking several thought-provoking questions related to the text to our children. Their answers will help us to realize how far they understood the lesson.
For example, ask them questions like "why?" rather than "what?".

3) Time Management:
It does not matter how efficiently we are teaching our children...be sure that after a certain period of time our children will become a little bit impatient and absent-minded. So we have to make our teaching-learning session compact and well organized not dragging it for a long period of time.
For example, while explaining the summary of a poem always use simple and vivid language so that the child can get the gist of the poem easily. You can give an eloquent summary later for writing answers only.

4) Activities Related To The Lesson:
Another important factor is the use of some interesting activities related to the lesson. For example, we can ask our children to play with us the game of finding the names of the countries after teaching them a lesson on continents. Another example can be, after teaching a lesson on King Ashoka we can ask them to collect any two pictures that reflect his greatness as a king.

5) Incentives :
Small gifts like a pen or a sheet of stickers can be given to our children as a token of praise for their attention and dedication. It will work as positive reinforcement. We have to mention it clearly in front of them for what we are awarding them. It is a better idea to give these small gifts after taking a short written test.

Some other minor factors:
1) parent's capability to explain a lesson
2) parent's initiative to give and correct homework on time
3) calm and quiet atmosphere of the study room
4) parent's ability to understand the priority (if your child has a Maths test tomorrow, please teach him/her Maths first, then other subjects). 

As parents, there is no harm in taking part in our children's learning session. However, keep in mind that if you compare your children with other children during the teaching-learning session, the net outcome will be a big zero in spite of following all those above-mentioned factors. Moreover, we have to keep in mind all children do not like the interference of their parents in their studies. We should give our children ample freedom to continue their studies at their own pace.

So, what's the bottom line? We have to keep in mind the above-mentioned factors if we are coaching our children at home, as the success of a student depends on an effective teaching-learning session. We have to change or modify ourselves according to the needs of our children. All children are not the same...so, we have to maintain a balance between our role as a facilitator and a moderator while helping them in their academics.

This blog is the reflection of my 10 years of teaching experience in various schools. Here, my opinions are purely subjective. As a teacher, I found these 5 factors quite useful even in classroom teaching.

Please share your thoughts and opinions in the comment section below. Would love to know your experience.