Are you wondering how to help your child master a concept he’s working on in your homeschool?
Should you go over a concept repeatedly until your child masters it, or do you just move on after a little work? What if he can’t do it perfectly, should you keep going over it?
In this article, I’ll provide a few points to consider when your child meets a concept that he hasn’t fully grasped. So you know what to do if your child meets this challenge inshaAllah.
If you stop and go over every single concept until it is completely mastered, every single time, then you could be biting off more than you can chew.
So, as you watch your child grappling with this new concept, first consider, is it worth going over again?
Is the topic THAT important?
If you think this topic is SO important, it is often worth going over it again.
But aim for progression, and not perfection.
This frees you both to explore the topic and delve into how it’s working without expectations of perfection.
Bear in mind that any topics your child covers between the ages of 5-11 are revisited yearly, and progression happens gradually over time.
So, it won’t hurt too much if he’s not grasped it now, he will have the opportunity to revisit it later and he most likely will be more ready then.
Another key point to consider is….
Is your child ready to master a concept?
As you try to help your child grasp the concept more correctly, watch out for his potential right now. And assess whether or not he is even ready to master this concept.
Once you’ve tried to go over this concept a few times, it usually becomes clear whether he can master it or not.
Knowing this is crucial because if he isn’t ready to master the concept, then aiming for concept mastery is likely to backfire.
Possibly causing your child to lose interest, love and his natural curiosity in the concept he’s working on.
That’s yet another reason to aim for progression, not perfection.
Striking the balance
When you’re breaking down a concept and getting into the nitty gritty of how it works, watch out for his natural interest and curiosity.
If you feel that the further into the concept you go, the further away he seems to feel from the topic, it is always best to back off in this scenario.
Because the most effective and efficient way to teach is by harnessing your child’s existing interests and desires to learn.
So you’re always trying to strike the balance between trying to help him grasp the topic as well as he is personally capable of, whilst keeping his love of learning and interest in the topic, alive.
Ultimately, you can afford to leave off concept mastery and settle for some improvement and progression.
But you can’t afford to push through for concept mastery, if that would cause him to lose all interest and curiosity in the topic.
That’s too high of a price to pay.
The best approach when you’re trying to help your child master a concept is always to help him enjoy the concept as much as possible.
And even if he can’t perfect it right now, let him at least see, enjoy and appreciate the mechanics of how the concept is working.
This maintains his willingness and interest in the long-term.
What are your tips for helping your child master a concept in your homeschool? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.