Online Classes: Is it Frustrating? Check your Kids Learning Style

Corona Pandemic has brought out an interesting aspect that normally remains in the shadows.  It is about the Learning Style of your kids. Few of us actually bother about it.

There are many parents who have reported to me that the Pandemic Online Classes have actually reduced the performance of their children and their kids are now no more interested in classes, the way they used to be. And mind you, I am not talking about just average children. I am talking about good, hardworking and scoring kids (above 90%).

Of course, we can all attribute it to more screen time, not having friends nearby, not able to interact with friends, or having more access to online games and other distractions. However, I realized that all kids have the same access, yet some learn very well, and some have just given up. WHY?

Since some of those parents who complained to me, had got their kids counseled from me, it was easy for me to recognize a pattern in those kids. As I pored through their reports, I found that kids who lost interest in studies during the pandemic were more Kinesthetic Learners or Experiential learners. Their Learning Style was neither Auditory nor Visual which is what the mode of learning during the online classes stresses on. Those who did not have the Auditory and Visual Learning style just could not comprehend the lessons, and they slowly lost interest or opened other windows in their computer screens to keep themselves engaged during the classes, thereby losing the plot in entirety.

Kinesthetic Learners, learn by experience. By touching and doing. A typical classroom interaction with the Teacher has board work, checking the books, making people take notes, doing sums on the board or notebook, conducting experiments, child discussing with peers during the class or during the breaks, helping each other solve the homework, or teacher asking the child to participate physically. And since online classes involves just watching the screen and listening to the audio, those who do not possess Auditory and Visual learning style lose out big time.

So as parents, what is that you need to do.

1. Do not be disheartened about low scores. These kids will pick up once the normal classes resume.
2. Do not berate them and start talking about the doomsday scenarios. The children get demotivated very fast especially when it comes from parents.
3. Talk to them about Learning styles. Find out their learning styles. You can get VARK learning style from the net.
4. If the child is a Kinesthetic Learner, please sit with the child and ensure the child writes down their notes.
5. Try practicing answers and numerical sums, by writing.
6. Ask kids to enact the class room scene of a question answer session as if they are conducting the class like a Teacher.
7. Make them solve all practice work books. Make them watch videos slowly and you may clarify the doubts.
8. Get them to rewrite their notes and making cue cards for answers.
9. Get one on one Tutors who can give our kids individual attention.
10. Allow your kids to have group study. Let them all come online on Zoom and use the Whiteboard facility in Zoom, to physically teach each other.

Hope this short note clarifies the issues faced by few parents. And may you strive to improve the child’s confidence levels. For any further information you may contact us at www.renergetics.com/careercounselling

(The author is an experienced Career Counselor who has counseled thousands of Parents and students individually and addressed more than 10,000+ students in various schools on Career Guidance. Read more about his thoughts in his blog- www.sajanspeaks.com )