I am often asked what key areas I focus on when helping children learn. I get asked questions like,  "Do you read with them regularly and make them answer comprehension questions? Do you give regular spelling and times table tests? Do you make them complete worksheets regularly? and so on... The truth is, when it comes to learning, there are only two skills I aim to develop in children. And no, I don't mean numeracy and literacy 😉 When it comes to helping children learn, my main focus is NOT on developing their numeracy and literacy skills! Join the conversation here  Help your Child Love Learning  and  follow  for more tips, quotes and videos and to get your questions answered directly The number of worksheets I give or activities I do or don't do with them is less important to me than developing these two skills I am about to talk about.  In my opinion, they are the most important skills to nurture and develop in children when it comes t...

One of the key areas I focus on with pupils is self correction . Self correction improves confidence and increases independence in learning. When it comes to learning, I allow children to make mistakes and I don't always jump in to correct them at the time. Instead, I focus on the positive outcome of their learning and create an environment for self correction . This could be as simple as keeping a dictionary handy or a poster with the correct answers which they can check themselves. The analogy I usually use is this: Imagine your little one makes you breakfast in bed on Mothers' or Fathers' day. The child walks up to you carrying a tray of food, beaming excitedly. They search your eyes and wait for your songs of praise for what they've done! And then you respond, with a smile of course, "thank you [insert name], how thoughtful of you. You've done a really good job, but look there are visible egg shells in the omelette, you spilled juice in the plate ma...

Me to my six year old: It’s 6 o’clock, time to start getting ready for bed Him to me: No mum, it’s two minutes to six. I have two minutes! You may be thinking, cheeky child but I’m thinking, he can tell time to the minute now? And on and on it goes with his detailed time telling. It makes me smile because at the start of the summer (at the end of Year 1) he couldn’t confidently tell me the time at o’clock or half past. Never have I sat down with him to teach him the time, nor has one worksheet been used to formalise his learning of time. So how did he learn? I decided to share this to explain how I help my kids and other kids I have the privilege of teaching, learn.  I help them learn! And that’s my focus. I don’t focus on teaching , I focus on helping them learn. They do the learning, I help them achieve what’s already in them, the ability and the desire to learn! IT STARTS WITH CREATING THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENT: I have a time teaching clock on the wall i...