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Lessons in Lockdown - What Defeating Bowser Taught me about Teaching my Children

Ladies and Gentlemen, my 6yo beat Bowser. I repeat he beat Bowser from Super Mario Bros.... Now, that's pretty impressive (apparently😀) or so I've been told. He made me run downstairs to celebrate with him! It was big for him so I had to pretend that I understood it.

 
In case you don't know, the little guy is my son and there on the right, that's Bowser!



 
I am constantly looking for learning traits in children, trying to understand how they learn and why they are so advanced in some areas and so reluctant in other areas. I study their motivations in areas where they are excelling and pick out qualities we can adapt into areas where they are not doing so well in. I help parents cultivate a love of learning in their children, looking out for patterns that result in success and finding ways to encourage the positive habits and responses in their children.

So, when my 6yo ran to me screaming, "I did it, I did it, I defeated Bowser", I had to ask myself - how did he learn to manipulate on his own, without any formal training, what to me are very complex buttons on a Wii remote to the point of defeating Bowser? I asked myself, what can this teach me about how children learn? And so I said to him, "son, how did you learn to defeat Bowser? His answer was simple...wait for it 😄, but first mine... 

1. Practise! I'm slightly embarrassed to say this but, he has had consistent practise since lock down in a way that he never had before. As soon as the clock strikes 3 and home-school is over, he makes a beeline for Super Mario. It's not about how long he spends playing, but what has led to his remarkable achievement is the frequency of play - daily (I must confess) even if for short periods (maybe some longer than others - I can't shake the guilt as I write this 😆). Regular 20 mins practise of any task really helps children improve their performance, confidence and willingness too. The frequency makes it familiar and that takes away the need to prepare them all over again to do the task or activity. 

2. Independence - He is not micromanaged, corrected at every turn and told what to do every step of the way. He is allowed to explore and make many mistakes which he learns from. For the most part, he can work out what he did wrong and assess what he needs to do better. When he plays with his dad and brother they give him pointers which serve as guidance and then he is allowed to carry on trying on his own. He can see that making a mistake is not critical because he has more lives and so he is willing to keep trying. 
And when he loses all 5 lives? Well he can try again the next day. It really isn't the end of the world. We really need to remember this with regards to school work too. Avoid piling on the pressure to get it all right every time, let them make mistakes that's how they learn. If they lose a life a mark, they can try again. Children lose confidence and are reluctant to keep trying when they are constantly corrected.

3. Acknowledgement, encouragement and participation from those he values - The fact that his dad and brother take an interest and sometimes play Super Mario with him makes him enjoy it even more. I've noticed that they don't need to be as involved as he is as long as they agree to play sometimes that's good enough for him. He also loves me to watch or at least be in the room whilst he's playing. Our involvement brings validation for what they are doing and naturally this makes them want to continue. Our engagement does not mean correction, it should be done through praise, questions that show interest and support and guidance when necessary.

4. By doing - There is a place for adult-led delivery of material and a place for reading manuals, but the real learning begins when the child starts doing. We have to give them the space to do, make mistakes and learn.

5. Challenge and Fun - This is usually harder, but if we realise the importance then we can find simple ways to make it fun. If a task is fun but not challenging, it loses its appeal soon enough. If it is challenging but no fun, they give up quick. Finding the balance is key. Pitching it at the right level for their age and ability is crucial. We bought Super Mario before he was born - but he's only started to play and enjoy it a few months ago. This same game would have brought lots of tears last year. By all means look for fun resources out there, but also, use what your child already has and loves to play with to help them learn.

So since you've patiently read through my answer, it's time to hear his answer 😊.

I asked my 6 year old how he managed to beat Bowser and this is what he said, 

Because I am the goodie and the goodie always wins

Thank you for reading this. Now, enjoy the lovely memorable theme tune 😁

                                    

p.s. 😬There's usually no TV allowed in the week, but since lockdown it's no TV before 3😉. Phew, I feel better now.
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