(ThyBlackMan.com) Nothing is more embarrassing to a parent or teacher than to speak with a child for a period of time and get no reaction, the natural response is to say, “Did you hear me?” When children listen, it makes adults feel that what we are saying is really important, and that our listener really cares about us and our message. I say this from the perspective a parent that has homeschooled two successful children. The truth of the matter is most people including children, sometimes listen with only “one ear,” while our minds are out to lunch, this can create problems when a child’s ability to learn is at stake.
Teachers routinely complain to parents that children “don’t listen,” which translated means, “I wasn’t quite able to make any subject matter interesting today,” or “I really need to go back to the drawing board (or chalkboard as the case maybe)” on this particular lesson. It is not in a teacher’s best interest to discuss his or her shortcomings when speaking to parents, yet, sometimes a child’s “attention span” is lost due to the lack of interest in the subject matter. This is especially a big problem for teachers of reading because it touches every area of the curriculum. In other words, reading teacher of reading; specifically in Urban Centers of America, must find ways to capture the pulse of a child in order to make learning fun and enjoyable.
Parents must take the time to listen and respond to a child’s concerns relative to the classroom. For example, some children prefer mysteries and some suspense, when reading material is 
purchased as gifts (books, magazines, tablets, phones, CD ROMs, etc.) great care must be taken to match the material with the child’s interest. Parents in some cases do not know their children as well as they think they do when it comes to their learning styles (Visual, Auditory and Kinesthetic learners). This is why communication between home and school is so important, it gives parents an opportunity to compare notes on what they feel is in the best interest of the child in question. This can only be done by listening and more importantly responding to needs as they arise.
Getting Started
The following tips were offered in preparation for my first book: Not All Teachers Are Parents; But All Parents Are Teachers! A concerned parent/adult should always present new information or skills in short, but useful sessions, no more than an hour at a time, followed by immediate opportunities for your child to process what has been presented. The brain will usually perform best when new information is presented and digested gradually. The learner will then be allowed to absorb and retain this new information based on his/her individual capacity to accept it.
Remember, it is important to allow frequent breaks early on to ensure you do not “lose” the learner. Learners have what is called “styles” as a way of making sense of what they are exposed to. The variety of learning “styles” and the ability to follow?through will be a key to their success. Learners will process information in one of three (3) ways.
A. Visual (seeing)
Visual learners learn by being exposed to what they see.
B. Auditory (hearing)
Auditory learners learn by being exposed to what they hear.
C. Kinesthetic (sense of motion)
Kinesthetic learners learn by being exposed to a number of opportunities at “hands on” experience.
Put yourself in the shoes of the learner; listen carefully to what is being said. Your responsibility as an adult is to take them from where they are, not from where you think they should be. When you place value on their ideas and concerns they will be much more willing to be agreeable as the vital link in the process. You also increase their self worth and determination to succeed. These concerns will motivate a learner to do their best as well as create a pleasant mood or an “atmosphere that is conducive to learning” as some educators put it. You are the adult! Stay focused to ensure your child gets a quality education in the public, private, parochial and charter schools of Urban America.
Staff Writer; Stanley G. Buford
Feel free to connect with this brother via Twitter; Stanley G. and also facebook http://www.facebook.com/sgbuford.
