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WELCOME! to my page designed with Parents in mind.
Here I will provide regular resources and information to hopefully support you and work together in your guiding role through your child's educational journey.
I look forward and encourage you to contact me with any questions or for any support I can provide to you. It will be a pleasure to discuss and collaborate on your child's educational journey!
- Dr. Barbara Blackburn.
Remember as the most important influence in their life -your relationship with your child affects all interactions between you. If you have a good relationship with your son or daughter, they will be more motivated to listen your input, they will learn how to have positive relationships with others, and they are more likely to be successful in life. If you have a less constructive relationship, it is very difficult to connect positively with them and help develop their motivation. This is of course true when it comes to supporting them through their education.
THREE WAYS TO CONNECT WITH YOUR CHILD
1] MODEL WHO YOU WANT YOUR CHILD TO BE.
2] RELATE IN A WAY THAT MATCHES YOUR CHILD'S PERSONALITY
3] CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT THAT SUPPORTS YOUR RELATIONSHIP
REMEMBER YOU ARE A PARTNER WITH YOUR CHILD'S TEACHER IN CREATING THE OUTCOME OF THEIR FUTURE
Partnering with your child's teacher provides advantages to you, your children, and to the teachers as well. As a parent or carer, you will
have a better idea of what’s happening in school, which will also allow you to help support your child at home. Students benefit when they
receive encouragement at home. And teachers benefit when learning is reinforced and supported by parents and families, so it's an important aspect for the growth and continued learning of your child.
How can you use praise in a manner that makes a difference with your kids? There are six key elements of effective praise.
Positive
Praise should always be positive. That may seem to be self-evident, but I’ve known parents who said they were praising their kids, but it was done in a sarcastic manner, with the corresponding body language. That undermines any positive effects of the praise.
Real
It's important that praise is authentic. Kids are quick to recognize phony comments, and, when you make up praise, it undermines their trust
in you.
Affirming
Praise is also affirmation, which should be unconditional.
Independence Is Promoted
It is critical that we use praise to empower our kids, rather than making them more dependent on us.
Specific
We must work to ensure we are specific with our praise. Too often, we say “Good job” or “That’s great.” -it’s general, and so overused, that kids become numb to it. Be sure you praise very detailed items.
Effort and Progress Are Noted
Effective praise focuses on effort and progress rather than ability.
There are two main types of motivation: extrinsic and intrinsic. Extrinsic motivation includes all the outside ways we try to influence a student, such as rewards, prizes or grades. Intrinsic motivation comes from within your child. With extrinsic rewards we get temporary results, but for long-term impact, we need to help students activate their intrinsic motivation.
Intrinsic motivation is what comes from within. It is internal opposed to external. With intrinsic motivation, kids appreciate activities for the sake of those activities. They enjoy learning and the feelings of accomplishment that accompany the activity. There are many benefits to intrinsic motivation. Students tend to earn higher grades, score higher on achievement tests, prefer challenging activities, and are more confident about their abilities.
It's similar to looking at the ocean. I love watching the waves, but I am only seeing the surface. I don't see the perilous undercurrents. Similarly, extrinsic motivation looks good, but we don't notice the dangers. Also, the true beauty of the ocean is underneath the surface. As we go deeper, there are beautiful marine creatures and coral. Instead of short-lives waves, I can see long-lasting beauty. And that is intrinsic motivation.
Grading is one of the most common issues parents ask me about. We all have memories of grades we received, both good and bad.
Despite my age, I remember the B I received in 10th grade Economics. I earned an A, but as the teacher wrote on the report card,
“Barbara missed a day of class to go on a trip with her father. Therefore, her grade dropped to a B.” I wasn’t upset about the B, I didn’t like
that my grade wasn’t based on my work. Grades matter.
"Be the parent today that you want your kids to remember tomorrow" - Unknown
"Have patience. All things are difficult before they become easy." - Saadi
"They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them FEEL."
- Carol Buchner
"Don't let yourself become so concerned with raising a good kid that you forget you already have one." - Glennon Melton-Doyle
"What good mothers and fathers instinctively feel like doing for their babies is usually best after all". - Benjamin Spock
"So even when it might seem easy to throw in the towel, just hang on. Things are a thousand times brighter on the other side and your children will be better for it." - Unknown
Money for Good Grades...and Other Myths about Motivating Kids
In this helpful resource, expert educator Barbara R. Blackburn guides parents through the top eight myths about motivation and reveals what really works for kids. Each chapter is filled with practical information and stories that help you understand how to handle a variety of situations related to your child’s success at school. Blackburn helps you get to the bottom of issues such as:
• Is motivating with rewards effective?
• What if your student or child doesn’t care about
school?
• How does your relationship with your child affect
their motivation?
• How can you set high expectations without too much pressure?
• Is it okay for my kid to struggle, get stuck, and fail?
• How does competition affect success in school?
• What should you do when nothing seems to be working?
Chapters also include specific classroom connections for each strategy, so you can begin proactively working with your child's teacher. With the accessible advice in this book, you’ll be able to reach your child more effectively so that he or she is more motivated from within, and more successful in school and beyond!
