Expanding Horizons

Fostering Your Child’s Interests Outside of School

School is a time of crucial development but, for many children, the important learning takes place outside the classroom. If your child is struggling with a subject or wants to expand their knowledge, a little extracurricular encouragement can make all the difference to their long-term academic prospects.

Music

When it comes to music, the unavoidable truth about learning in school is that your child is likely to be one in a class of many. This often means that just a couple of students will receive extra attention and the rest may get slightly passed over. If you want to ensure that your child is getting their fair share of tuition, it can be worth looking into private lessons with the Young School of Piano, which currently offers online lessons, and provides a rich curriculum of gospel and jazz piano.

Math

For some kids it’s easy, for others it’s brutal. If your child is struggling with their equations, it can be important for their future GPA to provide extra help early. Luckily, there are a ton of options when it comes to tuition – some resources are available completely online and provide fun, easy-to-access online classrooms without the same time constraints as using a real-life tutor. If you want to go down the traditional route, look into directories that list local services.

Art

Unlike music, art is more often a solitary pursuit. A child may take an interest in art, in which case the best way you can encourage them is by providing the resources they need: Paint, clay, crayons and a space where they’re allowed to get messy. If there’s no room in the house, don’t be afraid to shift the focus outdoors – a garden art area can be wonderfully creative and may inspire your child to engage with and make use of the local environment.

Literature

Not all kids take immediately to social activities – some are more at home in the world of the imaginary. If your child is a natural reader, you can foster their interest easily with a constant flow of new material. There might be a few areas that you’d like your child to read into, but for the most intriguing results, it’s always best to let them pick out their own. Often, a desire for literature will nurture a sense of independence and strong self-reflection.

Take an Active Role in Shaping Your Child’s Education

Some kids have their heads buried in a book, others prefer to gaze up into the stars to learn. No matter how they like to learn, you can take a greater interest and understand the dynamics in your child’s schooling with a Bachelor of Science in Education. Through a BSED program, you can train as a student teacher, with lessons in design and implementation of teaching methods, whilst opening up new career pathways and improving your own understanding of your children’s academic development. With digital methods, it’s even possible to study and to attain your certificate whilst working full-time and without having to worry about geographical restrictions.

Whatever it is that interests your child, the most important thing is that you’re encouraging them in their own pursuits, rather than trying to direct them towards something they may not be naturally inclined towards. The extra support you put in now, may end up shaping their lives and careers in years to come.

Based in Columbia, Maryland, the Young School of Piano focuses specifically on teaching gospel and jazz piano. If you’re interested in lessons or want to learn more about our tuition, call for a consultation and visit our website.

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