Kids & Company Blog

Unlocking your child’s full potential: Tips from expert educators

 

This blog was exclusively written for Kids & Company by Dr. Cassandra Chapman. Dr. Chapman holds a PhD in Cognitive Science of Language and is an experienced instructor at Brain Power Enrichment Programs. She has experience mentoring high-potential learners, leading them to achieve their full academic potential. She is also a proud mom of a toddler and a kindergartener, and knows the importance of preparing our children for success! 

As parents, we all want our kids to succeed. We want our happy-go-lucky toddlers to become excited kindergarteners and eventually successful adults (although not too quickly! Slow down, time!) Our children need an environment in which they can thrive. Early in their lives, we can set our kids up for later success before they even enter the classroom. In the long run, we want our children to achieve their full academic potential. There could be signs early in life that your child is a high-potential learner, and there are ways that parents and caregivers can foster effective learning skills from an early age. 

 At Brain Power, we know that students with lower grades may actually be identified as high-potential and require added guidance and support. In Brain Power’s 30 years of experience teaching high-potential learners, we know how important it is that our students are engaged in the classroom. So, how can you recognize a high-potential learner in your household? There is not a one-size-fits-all approach. In fact, recent research out of Griffith University in Australia has identified six different types of high-potential learners. Here are a few tips:

1. Successful Learner 

This child is motivated to succeed and therefore seeks their parent’s approval. They will achieve strong grades in school, but they will underperform academically. At home, they might seek their parent’s approval, but they are not doing as much as they could be. This child needs to be challenged to achieve their full potential.

What can you do: Let your child know that they don’t always need your approval. Encourage them to step outside their comfort zone. Do they always gravitate towards the same activity? For example, do they tend to choose books that they already know well? Encourage them to look at a different style of book or to get messy with art!

2. Creative Learner

This child is very creative but bores easily. They may seem like they are not listening at times because they are full of energy and bursting with creativity. This child needs to be given different types of opportunities to hone their creative self and achieve their full potential. 

What can you do: Give your child the freedom to finger paint and make a mess! Celebrate their creation and cheer them on.

3. Underground Learner

This child is seen by others as quiet and shy. They need guidance and strategies to build confidence. They do not know their own ability, and they try hard to fit in socially. This child needs encouragement to achieve their full potential. 

What can you do: Show your child how to be confident! Children learn from observation. Go up to a new family at the park and say hello. Introduce your child and guide them on how to be confident. They just might make a new friend! 

4. At-Risk Learner

This child is often seen as disruptive in an academic or child care setting. When they are school-aged, they will not earn high grades in school because their abilities do not conform to what is expected in the classroom. At home, they may not be behaving as expected. They are not achieving their full potential and need assistance to develop a sense of accountability and responsibility for their academics and responsibility at home. 

What can you do: Teach your child the importance of rules in certain settings. Take them to a museum and teach them why it’s important to follow the museum rules. Show that if we don’t respect the property, others won’t be able to enjoy it. We also need to follow rules in order to be safe. Teach them the importance of looking both ways before they cross the street, for example. They will see the importance of following the rules. 

5. Twice-Exceptional Learner

This child is both gifted and has another exceptionality. They can be viewed as disorganized and have a hard time staying on task. This student needs a specialized program to achieve success and their full potential. 

What can you do: This learner may be difficult to identify until they are school-aged, but it is important to keep an eye on distractions and what level of distractions are age-appropriate. If you’re concerned, reach out for support early on to see what you can to help facilitate your child’s learning at home.

6. Autonomous Learner 

This child is very confident in their abilities, but they may not view their academics or other responsibilities as a priority. At an early age, this child could be seen as very independent and not interested in following instructions from others. This child needs to be inspired and motivated to learn to achieve their full potential. 

What can you do: While you might love your child’s independence, teach them how to follow instructions as well. Buy a craft kit or look up a craft online that requires steps. Show them why it’s important to follow the steps. Praise their creation once it is complete!

For parents of young children, follow our tips and you will set your child up for a great deal of future success! When the time comes, book an assessment with us at Brain Power. For parents of school-aged children, Brain Power’s weekly programs are designed to tackle the needs of these high-potential learners. Our challenging curriculum combined with our expert PhD faculty ensure that our students leave the classroom motivated and inspired to keep learning. We can’t wait to meet your learner!

Kids & Company families can enjoy a 10% discount off the following Brain Power January, 2023 Winter Workshops. Register by December 31st, 2022 and use the code KIDSCO1.

To register, call Brain Power at 905-303-5457 or email info@brainpower.ca.

Workshops: 

• Public speaking workshops for Grades 4-5: Apr.  15 -May 6 – Saturdays 2:30p.m.-4:30p.m., 4 in-person lessons, $440.19
• Public speaking workshops for Grades 6-8: Feb. 5-Mar. 5 – Sundays 2:15p.m.-4:15p.m., 4 in-person lessons, $440.19
• Public speaking workshops for Grade 9+ :Jan. 8-29 – Sundays 2:15p.m.-4:15p.m., 4 in-person lessons, $440.19
• Math Master 2 for Grades 1-2 - Jan. 12-Mar. 30 - Thursdays 5:00p.m.-6:00p.m., 10 in-person lessons, $559.35
• Mechanics of writing for Grades 6-8: Feb. 6 - Jun. 19, 7:15a.m.-9:15a.m., 16 virtual lessons, $1850.60
• Spatial reasoning for Grades 5-7:  Jan. 7-28,  4 virtual lessons, $406.74

Source: 

Ronksley-Pavia, M., & Neumann, M. M. (2020). Conceptualising gifted student (dis) engagement through the lens of learner (re) engagement. Education Sciences, 10 (10), 274.

Please visit www.brainpower.ca, call 905-303-5457, or email us at info@brainpower.ca with any questions.

Posted on: Tuesday October 25th, 2022

Posted by: Kids & Company