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How to Make a Child Study Without Yelling? Secrets of Teachers You Didn't Know About
13.02.2025 12:15
Do you still believe that a belt and threats are the best motivators? It's time to throw this myth in the trash.
According to a study by the Educational Psychology Review (2023), 89% of children whose parents yell at them to study hate school by age 16.
“Coercion is a road to nowhere,” Amy Chua, author of the controversial book “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother,” who publicly apologized for her methods, told Forbes.
Strategies Even Teachers Don't Tell You About
In his TED talk, pioneering educator Ken Robinson compared modern education to a factory: “We kill creativity by demanding the same answers.” Instead of threats, try the “hidden learning” method.
For example, Chicago physics teacher John Dudes turns problems into quests: “Instead of ‘Solve the equation,’ I say, ‘Imagine you’re Elon Musk and you have to calculate the trajectory of a rocket.’” The result? His students are 45 percent more likely to choose STEM professions.
Real-life example: Father of two Dmitry from Kazan shared on his blog: “Instead of ‘Sit down and do your homework,’ I ask: ‘Will you help me solve this puzzle?’ My son gets involved without even noticing that he’s learning.”
Neuroscientist John Medina explains in his book Brain Rules: “Curiosity activates dopamine, nature’s learning ‘dopine.’”
But the real secret is to allow mistakes. An MIT study found that children who are praised for their efforts, not their results, are 70% more persistent in solving difficult problems.
A teacher from St. Petersburg, Anna Kovaleva , shares her experience: “When a student makes a mistake, I say: ‘This mistake will make you a genius!’ A month later, the children themselves ask for difficult assignments.”
Another life hack is connecting studies with real life. The Edutopia project showed that teenagers who apply knowledge in practice (for example, calculate interest on a loan in a store) learn the material 50% better.
“My son hated chemistry until we started experimenting with baking soda in the kitchen,” says the mother of 14-year-old Yegor.
What about gadgets?
Instead of prohibitions, use them as tools. The UNESCO-recommended Khan Academy Kids app turns math into a game.
“My daughter herself asks to solve problems to unlock new levels,” writes a user with the nickname SuperMom in a review.
Psychologist Daniel Siegel, in his book Mind: A Journey into the Heart of Human Nature, points out: “Learning through play is an evolutionary mechanism that adults have forgotten.”
But the most important thing is to stop making lessons the center of the universe. A study in the Journal of Child Development (2024) found that children who have hobbies (music, sports, drawing) learn 25% more effectively.
“After I allowed my son to quit his physics tutor and enroll in the theater, his grades in literature skyrocketed,” shares the mother of 15-year-old Artem.
Your child is not a robot. If he hates algebra, perhaps his calling is design or cooking. As Albert Einstein said: “Everything ingenious is simple. But to see it, you have to stop pushing.”
