What Determines School Success In Children?
Nowadays, school success in children is determined by the conjunction of multiple aspects that go from their social and family interaction, a suitable guide and stimuli, to a good diet.
Success in school has nothing to do with whether the child studies more or less compared to his peers. What is certain is that there are a series of stimuli and conditions that, if present in the lives of our children, will greatly favor their academic performance. Next we will review the aspects that lead children to excel.
What is meant by school success?
When we talk about school success we mean a comprehensive concept. It has nothing to do with the old conception that our child is successful if he has the best grades. In fact, it is proven that the best grade does not necessarily reflect a high degree of knowledge, or even that such learning lasts over time.
From there we start from the idea that school success should actually reflect a high degree of integration with society. In other words, the child must be able to cope well with his peers and with his teachers; and among other things, it must be able to process the information correctly.
In view of the above, in recent decades the concept of school success has changed. The best student is no longer considered to be the one with the highest grades, but rather the one who manages to have all aspects of his life balanced. In contrast, in the past, many of the students with the best grades had:
- Behavior problems
- Difficulties to socialize.
- Psychosomatic illnesses.
- Among others.
Who then becomes a successful child? One who manages to learn the precepts instilled, both by parents and teachers, and who also can integrate into society efficiently. This is not to say that a student with social difficulties is inferior, but that their school success should not be based solely on their grades.
Incentives to achieve school success in children
Here are some recommendations for your child to achieve comprehensive development and school success:
Healthy habits
Good habits contribute greatly to the well-being of people and, therefore, must be cultivated from childhood. A good rest and proper nutrition will give children the energy they need to be able to carry out all the necessary daily activities.
It is estimated that breakfast provides 25% of the daily calories that the body needs to function properly. Children who do not eat breakfast present: low energy during classes, attention deficit, headaches and they cannot retain information. The same is true when they don’t get enough rest at night. Hence the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle.
Beware the Pygmalion effect
We must be careful with our expectations and the Pygmalion effect. On the other hand, we must be careful with the demands we make on our children. It is often counterproductive to demand high marks and recognition from them if they are not supported or helped through the process. Likewise, it is not convenient to teach them that high grades are everything, they must also be taught to value the learning process.
Many children suffer from stress because they cannot achieve the highest marks required by their parents. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate to what extent it is good to demand them without knowing their capabilities. Let us remember that every child has the potential to learn, but it is necessary to respect his rhythm and know how and when to help him so that he can benefit from the knowledge.
External motivations
For a child to be successful, it is not enough to take him to school every day. They need to be helped in a variety of ways to be interested in learning. From asking him how his tasks are going to sitting down with him to do them. A very simple and useful way to support them is to provide them with the tools they need to feel comfortable studying.
A good study area can significantly enhance your interest in school activities and can even help you develop other related interests, such as: reading, writing, painting, drawing, and so on. You can also promote conversations at the table so that your child can intervene so they can feel more comfortable doing it in class.
Teamwork
Together with his teachers, evaluate how the child is doing with his classmates. It is important that you know if your child has friends in the classroom, or if he is not comfortable in his school. If so, don’t rush and blame him for not having friends. Instead, take stock of the landscape and gently teach him to socialize. It is also good that:
- Educate in values.
- Provide affection.
- Encourage their self-acceptance.
- Listen to what he has to say, without judging him.
As a parent, it is important that you be your child’s number one guide and partner. Do not skimp on providing all the help that he asks you: take him to classes on time, help him with his homework, and if he needs to do group work, allow the children to come to your house.
These simple tips allow you to be alert to your child’s learning needs, and by being his partner and guide, he will surely find all-round success to succeed in school.
