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Brain teasers are a great way to increase your child’s aptitude. Learning is much more than completing assignments that lack a challenging aspect or that require no thought. If your child is completing an assignment very quickly this is a sign that they need to go to the next level. It is our job as parents to see and know exactly what our children are learning, regardless to who’s doing the teaching.
I have found that many public school students are falling victim to the no child left behind policy. How so? Well, what I have come to know is that a lot of parents don’t really get involved in their children’s education. They believe that if their children are bringing home good report cards, they must be learning. What they don’t know is that many schools are giving students work that’s 2 or 3 grades below their level. The child is believed to be achieving but is actually being left behind. If that parent were to test their child on work for the correct grade level they’d find that they don’t know what they think they know. This is not to say that the child is unable to do the work if taught but that their aptitude is being hampered and suppressed. It is not fair to give a 5th grader 2nd grade work and pass them along as an honor roll student. This is the beginning of failure when the test of true knowledge comes into play. Public school doesn’t necessarily teach on a level that is conducive to all students.
It is very important that we use educational strategies and materials that are above our child(ren)’s grade level in order to invoke thought and challenge their minds.
Just because your child is in 3rd grade doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to give them 3rd grade work. I have found it very rewarding to see my 3rd grader doing most of the same work as our 5th and 6th grade students. Likewise my 6th grader is able to tackle the same work as my 9th grader. Now my 9th grader uses his sister’s 12 grade text books with ease. He also uses college level Psychology textbooks given to him by a good friend of ours. These are the things that interest him so therefore we encourage it. We as their parents insist on giving them work that challenges them and can see the benefits of doing as such.
Our use of brain teasers and rewards have caused them to gain a competitive edge in education. They are now viewing education as something to enhance their everyday lives instead of just an interference with time. Sadly, many that are in public school tend to lose interest in education because of various factors. It has always been our goal as parents to instill good study habits as well as provide an interesting learning environment.
Please feel free to share your brain teaser ideas for different grade levels as your children will also have fun in the process.
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