Take Opportunities to Reinforce Learning Outside the Classroom

The more you can connect what your middle schooler is learning in school to the world beyond school, the more you nurture a desire to learn.

To support learning at home:

· Have your child teach you a thing or two. Find out what your child is studying at school, and ask for an explanation. When students “retell” the things they are learning, they reinforce those things in their own minds.

· Demonstrate its value. If your middle schooler just finished tackling fractions in math, head to the kitchen. Show your child the real-life usefulness of fractions. “This recipe calls for half a cup of milk, but we only have a 1/3-cup measurer. How can we figure out the right amount?”

· Expose your child to new things. Every meaningful experience your child has—from grocery shopping to a museum visit—has an impact on learning. On your next outing, challenge your child to connect the experience to something learned in school.

· Put knowledge into action. Let your child use skills to help you. For example, the next time you make a wrong turn somewhere, have your child look at a navigation app to get you back on track.

· Encourage your child to use logic. Are you working on a puzzle or riddle? Ask your child to help out.

Tennessee Middle School

Take Opportunities to Reinforce Learning Outside the Classroom

Take Opportunities to Reinforce Learning Outside the Classroom