How To Engage Children In A Homework Club: Advice For Teachers
One of the key ingredients to starting and running an effective homework club for children is making it engaging so much that its participants are evenly challenged and motivated to do their absolute best. There are a number of different strategies, but we decided to break down the most effective techniques into a simple, easy-to-follow plan that works great. Here’s some valuable advice for teachers:
Encourage direct relationships:
The first step in creating a club that engages children is to build direct relationships with your students. You may know them from your class but it’s time to get to know each one of them individually in order to develop a healthier and more efficient approach towards individual learning styles.
Develop clear rules to follow:
One of the most important things you will need to do before holding your first homework club meeting is create distinct rules for students to follow. You should leave keep the sessions light and fun, but you don’t want to leave much room for students to act out without the presence of order. State these rules in the first session and remind students constantly of those rules in the first few meetings until they can habitually keep in bounds.
Get children involved with decisions:
A great way of encouraging confidence and a sense of responsibility in children is to get them involved in the decision making process of the club. As you develop a schedule try to get the children to chime in on what subjects they would like to focus on, how the lessons will be conducted and how they can go about forming in different groups. This level of involvement is sure to keep them engaged throughout the semester.
Think of creative ways to share talents:
After you get to know your students and have built several direct relationships, you should encourage them to get to know one another on a personal level. A fun way to do this is to come up with several creative ways to share your students’ talents with each other. Consider putting together a talent show or perhaps get a handful of students to lead homework club sessions under your guidance.
Plan special activities and events:
Provide plenty of incentives for participating in the club. A great way of achieving this is to plan special activities and events. Consider holidays, birthday parties, achievement celebrations and more to keep children motivated throughout the semester. Get parents involved to help with expenses and responsibilities. The more involved they become the more likely it will be that your students will excel in their studies.