Tag: parenting tips

AI is the future of education

Posted on by pankaj.harvard
Robotic brain
Brain technology photo created by rawpixel.com

The shift to tech-enabled learning was accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic and it may not have been the most desirable driving force but what the pandemic did was push tech integration into the field of education. Companies across the world are happy about this since they can now show the world what technology can do if used in its most essential forms. Before we get into how AI technology plays a role in education, we will understand what AI means!

AI System definition, history, and the likes:

There are certain areas where manual effort can drive very little change especially if it is required to be expended on a larger scale. Some human tasks can be automated in such a way that it drives maximum impact and at a much larger scale. For all those tasks, we make use of Artificial Intelligence. While AI systems may perform tasks that we generally associate with humans, it is humans who build the framework that allows for AI principles to function!

AI is a determining tool that uses data to make recommendations, and decisions and also arrive at evidence-based research findings all in seconds. AI can save time and a lot of valuable human resources that can be used in other domains of functioning. AI can also help people make decisions based on risks and rewards. So these are just a few of the vast capabilities that AI can power. 

With the right frameworks, AI can do things efficiently, very effectively, and on a massive scale.

Robotic hand
Robot hand photo created by rawpixel.com

AI in Education:

Keeping all the aforementioned points in mind there are a few things that we can be sure that AI does- 

  1. It helps teachers understand not just the needs of their students but also more personal things about their students. For instance, teachers can learn through AI where a student’s learning interests are.
  2. AI gives evidence-based reports to teachers rather quickly so teachers can foster collaboration with their students.
  3. AI is what is revamping and revolutionizing assessments right now. What AI does is use assessments as a diagnostic tool that reflects on a child’s learning needs instead of using it as an indicator of their capabilities.
  4. AI as a feedback tool is more reliable, free from bias and cancels out any human error in the estimation process. When feedback is communicated to a student purely based on their performance, students tend to rely on that more than any other form.
  5. AI helps eliminate boundaries. AI does not see geographical boundaries. It can be used anytime anywhere, truly inspiring the idea that AI is a global experience.

There is a lot about AI that is still under research and development but what we have in the markets and in access these days makes use of some very optimal tools to give students an experience they will enjoy. Artificial intelligence is driven by innovation and if coached well, students grow to enjoy the method behind it also. What AI also does is inspire and it is important now more than ever that students appreciate their opportunities to learn and act on them with performance, drive, and passion!

Help your child manage their learning with these tips!

Posted on by pankaj.harvard
Photo by javier trueba on Unsplash

Children require a lot of attention when they are pursuing academic interests and it is not the kind of attention that you think they need. Having parents spend every learning moment with them can cause children to lose focus, feel suffocated and also dislike the process. For the sake of this article, we researched and put together a list of 5 things that work in helping your child manage their schoolwork and here’s also why these are important.

1. Time management

Children need to be taught time management from early on as it brings discipline to the growing and learning process. Help them build a timetable and hold them accountable for it. Avoid being the one who fills in the timetable for them, that is for them to figure out. However, you can oversee to ensure there is school-play balance and also time for some extracurricular activities. It would also help if you had a time management chart so that you can lead by example!

2. Create space for open communication

When your child feels burnt out or pressured, they should be able to articulate it to you. Children who cannot do that grow up to entertain more stress and anxiety. Managing a timetable also means looking at the tasks at hand and being able to say “it is too much for today, I will work on it when I have more mental energy”. This also teaches them the importance of rest.

3. Befriend the school and teachers

Do not be one of those parents who calls their child’s teachers every day. Be friendly enough with the teachers to know how your child is doing in school, if they’ve noticed any behavioural changes or if they have some tips for your child to follow. It is important you do so primarily because you can intervene wherever necessary without badgering your child too much. It is also good if you communicate regularly with the school so that you are aware of all the developments and opportunities that are available to your child at school.

4. Help them think long-term

Management essentially means building a process today so that the outcomes are fruitful tomorrow. When your child is building their routine or expressing their interests, ask them to think about it long term as well. For example, if your child wants to learn a new language, first ask them if they can continue pursuing these interests through multiple other engagements and how they seek to benefit from it in the long term. You can also help them by finding the answers to some of these questions for them!

5. Do not overschedule

Your child may be good at multiple things but it is important for them to find time for it. Also as parents, you may want your child to fulfil each one of their interests but in the worst-case scenario, you may end up turning an interest into a chore. Helping your child manage their time also means teaching them to prioritise their immediate needs and make space for other pursuits in the future.

Parents, learning goes beyond teaching charts and sitting with them while they learn. It is also about giving space, learning when to hold your child accountable and also giving in to their interests if they show interest along with commitment. We hope these tips will help you and your child!

How to successfully talk to children about exams?

Posted on by pankaj.harvard

Exams are a terrifying experience for everybody so you cannot blame children for being scared of it. However, times are changing and the way we examine student abilities has changed considerably. For that reason, we need to change the way we perceive examinations and have conversations about them that dispel the fear surrounding them. Here are some ways you can make examinations look like activities instead of a doomsday spell.

1. Teach them skills that will help them ace their exams –

Photo by Monstera from Pexels

Examples are a reflection of a disciplined process. If you teach your students or children essential skills like time management and priority-based learning, you are giving them a golden lesson in making the best use of time and resources. Most often it is how you prepare more than what you prepare that gets students acing exams. If you focus on skill development such as this, it lifts the focus from having to score more to a more balanced teaching experience where they learn essential skills that will help them long term.

2. Be careful with your words –

Students in the world today know the pressure and challenges like nobody else. The competition is higher these days and school curriculums have changed to test for multiple dimensions of learning. All this can really stress a student out and prevent them from learning to the best of their needs. Be careful not to use words like “pass” or “fail” around them. Replace that with “growth” and “support”.

3. Lead by example –

Photo by Annushka Ahuja from Pexels

It helps if your child knows your process and it is also a bonding experience in itself. When adults help students gather skills and teach them their ways, they are passing down a moment instead of a lesson! Look at it that way and help them strategise learning based on tips that worked for you!

4. Post examination feedback/communication –

Photo by Monstera from Pexels

Understand how your child has performed in their examination by asking them questions about their feelings instead of asking them how much they will score. For instance, ask if your child felt confident after writing the paper. If they say no, ask them why and help them figure out a strategy to address the same!

5. Stop worrying for them –

No amount of you worrying as an adult will benefit your child/student. Children are like sponges and they absorb the energy they receive or see. If you radiate a world of worry, they will embody it and treat exams with a detrimental amount of fear!

There are no right or wrong answers when it comes to helping children learn but examinations are tricky and if done incorrectly, it can scar children and affect their motivation to learn. What we need to do is make examinations a diagnostic tool for them to reflect on instead of seeing it as an encapsulation of their abilities. Let us know what tips you have discovered that work magically for your child or students. Write to us in the comments below or you can write in at [email protected]

5 Strategies for building motivation in your child

Posted on by pankaj.harvard
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

Children who score the best marks in exams are not the only smart kids in the class or school. In fact, a lot of students who have top-scoring potential are unable to do so because they haven’t been trained to learn in the ways that work for them. Any child who is coached to understand their learning styles and identify their limitations can excel not just in academics but also in life. Knowing how to work according to your personal style is crucial in long-serving motivation. Want to ensure that your child remains motivated to learn and study? Here are five tips that are ought to help!

1. Allow them to take the lead wherever they can

Teaching your child to articulate their strengths and weaknesses is crucial in ensuring they can express themselves in the best way possible. Ask them what they want to do, what topics they want to study and be open to the possibility of not being involved in everything your child does. Children respond better to learning when they do not feel controlled and when you are fostering an atmosphere that allows them to take charge of their academics.

2. Lead by example

Photo by Monstera from Pexels

If you want your child’s curiosity to be nurtured by motivation, you must show them that you are constantly committed to trying or learning new things. For instance, if you take up a hobby and see it through, then you are showing your child that learning is fun and fruitful if supported with discipline and dedication. The best way to do this is to also engage your child in learning a new hobby with you.

3. Make the learning count and not the performance

Regularly associating learning with performance is detrimental to a child. Children tend to stop enjoying learning if everything they do is seen as a road to A+ on their report cards. They lose the value of the learning experience if they are only measured on their final performance. For any big project to come alive, the process is what people tend to refine and that is what leads to the final outcome. So always support the process over the outcome!

4. Recognise them as their own individuals

Children respond to “I told you to do this / I told you so” the same way adults do. The idea that children do not know any better is what keeps them from learning and staying motivated. They will need parental validation on everything they do and won’t be able to make independent decisions on their own. It is important for parents to give them a space to discuss their interests, argue their case and form their own opinions.

5. Discipline and organisation

Photo by Julia M Cameron from Pexels

Encouraging your child’s interest is simply not enough. They must also be taught to commit themselves to the ideas they express or the interests they want to pursue. For instance, if a child has made a verbal commitment to learning a new language, follow up with them and ask them when they would like to initiate the process and also help them to find a time and space for it. Allowing these interests to hang in the air makes children feel like their parents don’t take their learning needs seriously enough.

As parents, you always want to curate the best experiences for your children and that holds true for academics as well. Children are sponges and they absorb whatever environments they see around them. So, it is important that we provide them with the support and mental stimulation they need as it only helps them stay focused when they grow older!

Tips to tackle the Covid-19 back to school blues

Posted on by pankaj.harvard
Photo by Alexandr Podvalny from Pexels

Covid-19 is about to celebrate its 2nd birthday. The Global pandemic has gone on for so long that it is difficult to remember what life looked like before all the Covid-19 restrictions were set in place. With this acceptance comes a new challenge; how do we go back to the lives we lived before? Most importantly, how do we prepare our children for the world outside after they have been locked in online classes for more than a year?

Some of us adults have children who have only known online classes and some others have children who have gotten so used to the online system that it unsettles them to think about going back to school in an environment interlaced with protocols and restrictions. With schools reopening in India from the month of October, how do we ensure that we tackle this dread to the best of our adult abilities? Here are some tips and tricks.

1. Transparency:

Photo by Ketut Subiyanto from Pexels

Speak to your children like equals and trust them with vital information about their own personal safety. If you have the time and resources, do a little research with them on safety protocols and communicate your fears as a parent in a rational way. Children will then look to you for vital information and as parents, you can control the narrative in the most optimum way. This eliminates the potential of your children relying on classroom gossip or fake information in any way.

2. Have a plan and get your children to participate in the process:

Make a back to school plan that includes safety protocols, nutrition, mental breaks, distress signals and communication tools. Often, children find it hard to communicate with the adults in school because they do not know how to approach them. With a plan in place that children have helped formulate, they are better equipped to communicate their anxieties and enlist help whenever necessary.

3. Prepare for separation anxiety:

It is easy for children to find comfort in the safety of their homes under crucial circumstances. Going back to school after nesting indoors for more than a year can cause separation anxiety for both parents and children. Keep a little bit of familiarity alive by packing all their favourite meals for lunch and snack time. Write little notes of affirmation and keep a fun picture of you and your child in their school bags so they can go to their happy place mentally.

4. Prepare for behavioural changes:

Photo by Anna Pou from Pexels

Children respond to tough situations by showing you what they’re feeling instead of telling you about it. Watch out for any slight change in behaviour and talk to them about it. It is normal for them to behave slightly more aggressively, or react in fear and present symptoms of anxiety. Worry not! All these changes are normal and can be tackled easily. If it persists, enlist the help of a specialist.

5. Create a Dos and Don’ts list:

It is important to have one in place so that your children know what you are okay with and what you are not okay with once they go back to school. For instance, it is important for them to know that they are no longer allowed to hug their classmates or even shake their hands in school. With constant reinforcement, you are preparing your child to preserve their safety as well as that of the others around them.

As parents, you may have had to cope with a lot during the pandemic. So don’t find it surprising if you are experiencing deep-seated anxiety instead of relief with schools reopening. Please take care of your own mental well being and look for parent groups that can pull you through this transition. If it is too much, do consult a specialist. You are not required to have all the answers and it’s completely okay to feel the stress of the moment.

However, rest easy knowing that things are getting better and schools are more flexible now more than ever about allowing parents and children to make decisions about their schooling experiences.