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Effective Homework Time Management for Kids

Effective Homework Time Management for Kids

Are you struggling to help your child manage their homework effectively?

We all understand how crucial time management is, especially for our kids’ academic performance. However, homework management can sometimes appear to be an overwhelming task, especially for primary school children. But with the right approach and mindset, we can turn this challenge into an opportunity for our children to develop practical time management skills that will benefit them academically and in their future endeavours.

Developing strong time-management skills is an empowering step towards achieving academic success and beyond. Efficiently managing one’s time can enable children to easily complete their homework assignments, leaving them with ample time to engage in extracurricular activities and spend quality time with their loved ones. Furthermore, mastering time-management skills early on can foster lifelong productivity and success, helping individuals confidently and efficiently navigate their personal and professional lives.

Creating a Dedicated Homework Space

Creating a dedicated homework space is vital to ensuring your child’s academic success. A quiet, well-lit area free from distractions can help your child concentrate better and develop good study habits. Your child can focus on their work with natural or bright lighting, a desk or table, and a comfortable chair. Setting a homework routine and offering rewards for achieving academic goals can encourage your child’s commitment to their studies. With a dedicated homework space, you can give your child the tools to thrive academically and achieve their full potential.

Setting Realistic Goals

Encourage your child to set realistic goals for each homework session. Break down assignments into smaller tasks and prioritize them based on deadlines and importance. By setting achievable goals, your child will feel accomplished after every task, boosting their confidence and motivation.

Let’s say your child has a math assignment that involves completing a set of practice problems from his textbook due next week. Here’s how you could help him set realistic goals for each homework session:

  • Your child can start by breaking down the assignment into smaller tasks that he will do each day until the deadline.
  • Next, he prioritizes these tasks based on importance. If certain topics are more challenging for your child, consider tackling them first to allow more time for practice and understanding.
  • You help your child set achievable goals for each section. For instance, if he has one hour to work on the assignment, he could aim to complete a certain number of problems within that time frame, depending on the complexity of the problems.

Prioritizing Tasks

One of the best ways to help your child succeed in their homework is by teaching them the importance of prioritizing tasks. This will enable them to manage their time better and avoid procrastination. Start by encouraging them to identify the urgent assignments or tasks that require more concentration and encourage them to tackle those tasks first. 

For instance, if your child has an English writing assignment due tomorrow, your child needs to prioritize this task. Make sure your child focuses on that before moving on to other tasks. For instance, if he has one hour to work on the assignment, he could aim to complete outlining and note-taking in the first 15 minutes and then spend the remaining time writing the assigned topic.

Establishing a Homework Routine

Establishing a consistent homework routine is critical when it comes to effective time management. As a parent, working collaboratively with your child to determine a homework schedule that aligns with their preferences and daily routine is essential. Consider setting aside specific blocks of time each day for homework, such as 30 minutes after dinner or before bedtime. It’s important to factor in your child’s energy levels and extracurricular activities when selecting the best times for homework. By sticking to a consistent routine, your child will develop good study habits, feel more organized and in control of their workload, and ultimately achieve better academic outcomes.

Utilizing Time Management Tools

Introducing your child to age-appropriate time management tools and techniques can be a valuable way to help them stay organized. For example, using timers or keeping track of assignments and deadlines with planners is an effective strategy for breaking down homework into manageable chunks. Equipping your child with the right tools can empower them to take charge of their homework and manage their time effectively.

Encouraging Breaks and Rewards

Encouraging your child to take regular breaks during their homework can help prevent burnout and maintain focus. By incorporating short breaks into their homework time, your child will be able to recharge and relax before tackling the next task.

Introduce your child to the Pomodoro Technique – a proven technique to help them become more productive and focused. The method involves working for 25 minutes and then taking a 5-minute break. After completing four cycles, your child can take a more extended break of 15-30 minutes. During these breaks, suggest that they stretch, get a healthy snack, or step outside for fresh air to rejuvenate their mind and body.

Motivating your child can be challenging, but a reward system can be highly effective. Set weekly homework goals with your child, such as completing all assignments without procrastination. Celebrate their accomplishments at the end of each week by rewarding them with a small treat or privilege, such as choosing a family movie night or having a special meal together.

Teaching Self-Reflection

It is crucial to encourage your child to reflect on their homework routine and time management skills regularly. By helping them identify areas where they excel and areas where they can improve, you can foster self-awareness and accountability, empowering your child to take ownership of their learning journey and make positive changes. Creating a structured study schedule, providing necessary resources, and having open conversations about study habits can help them stay motivated and avoid burnout.

Involving Parents and Teachers

As a parent, it is crucial to maintain close communication with your child’s teachers and stay updated about their assignments and deadlines. Regularly connect with the teachers to discuss any issues or concerns your child may face. At the same time, provide guidance and support to your child without micromanaging. This will enable them to build independence and resilience.

Conclusion

By implementing specific strategies, parents can help their children develop practical time management skills for homework that will be useful throughout their academic journey. By creating a suitable environment for studying, setting realistic goals, and establishing a consistent routine, parents can empower their children to take control of their learning and achieve success. Patience and encouragement are key, especially as the child learns how to navigate the challenges of homework and time management. Together, we can help our children thrive academically and develop essential skills for their future.

At in:genius by NASCANS, we are committed to nurturing young minds and unlocking the genius within. Homework supervision is just one part of our comprehensive student care programme, which has won many accolades and awards over the past 5 years, including “Best Student Care Programme in Holistic Development” and “Top Student Care Brand”. Our team of experienced and qualified educators undergo over 200 hours of training, and are passionately devoted to moulding self-assured, confident and well-rounded individuals.

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The Power of Storytelling: How it can enhance your Primary School child’s English Abilities

The Power of Storytelling: How it can enhance your Primary School child’s English Abilities

Have you ever wondered how to help your child become more confident and articulate in English? As Singaporean parents, we understand the importance of mastering English oral communication skills in our competitive society. 

Here’s a little secret: storytelling can unlock your child’s language and communication potential. 

In this article, we will delve into the benefits of storytelling and provide some tips to help children improve their English communication skills.

Benefits of Storytelling for Primary Children

When children listen to stories, they are not only absorbing language but also learning about narrative structure, vocabulary, and social interactions. For example, children can broaden their understanding of diversity and empathy by listening to a story about different cultures.

Furthermore, storytelling stimulates the imagination and creativity of children. Engaging with stories encourages them to visualize scenes, characters, and settings, enhancing their ability to express themselves verbally. For instance, after hearing a fantastical tale about a magical kingdom, children may be inspired to create their own stories, improving their language fluency and storytelling skills.

Storytelling is an incredibly valuable tool for primary school children. It offers many benefits that can aid in their growth and development.

  1. It facilitates language acquisition by exposing them to a rich and varied contextual vocabulary.
  2. Storytelling helps develop listening and comprehension skills as children learn to follow the plot, identify characters, and understand the message.
  3. It fosters creativity and imagination, encouraging children to think outside the box and explore new ideas through storytelling prompts and activities.

Imagine when a parent reads a story about a young adventurer exploring a mysterious forest. Through this narrative, the child not only learns new words like “adventurer” and “mysterious” but also engages in critical thinking as they imagine what the forest might look like and what challenges the adventurer might face. Additionally, storytelling can be used to teach moral values and life lessons, instilling essential virtues such as empathy, kindness, and perseverance in children.

Why does Storytelling enhance English oral communication skills?

Through exposure to stories, children become familiar with natural language patterns, sentence structures, and vocabulary usage. They absorb these patterns and unconsciously incorporate them into their own speech, leading to more fluent and natural communication.

Stories introduce children to a wide range of vocabulary in context. As they encounter new words and phrases within the narrative, they learn their meanings and how to use them appropriately in conversation, thereby enriching their vocabulary and improving their ability to express themselves effectively. All of the above will enable them to comprehend spoken English more easily and respond appropriately in conversations.

How to introduce storytelling into your daily routine

Incorporating storytelling into your daily routine is easier than it may seem. For a start, set aside a specific time each day to read aloud to your child, whether it’s before bedtime or during meals. 

You can choose picture books with simple language and vibrant illustrations for younger children, while older children may enjoy chapter books with more complex plots and characters. You can also use props, puppets or role-playing to make storytelling more interactive and engaging. By making storytelling a fun experience, you can help your child develop a lifelong love for language and communication.

Overcoming Challenges

While storytelling can be a powerful tool for enhancing primary English oral communication skills, it’s not without its challenges. One common obstacle is managing distractions and maintaining your child’s attention during storytelling sessions. To overcome this, it is better to create a quiet, comfortable environment free from distractions and use expressive gestures and vocal inflexions to capture your child’s interest.

Another challenge is selecting culturally appropriate stories that are sensitive to your child’s background and experiences. It’s important to choose stories that reflect diverse perspectives and experiences, allowing your child to see themselves represented in the characters and themes of the story. By addressing these challenges proactively, you can create a more inclusive and enriching storytelling experience for your child.

One valuable tip is to select stories that align with your child’s interests and passions. Whether they’re fascinated by dinosaurs, enchanted by princesses, or intrigued by outer space, choosing a topic that resonates with your child can help keep distractions at bay and foster more profound engagement with the story. By catering to your child’s unique interests, you can make storytelling sessions more enjoyable and meaningful for both of you.

Resources and Tools

Fortunately, plenty of resources and tools are available to help parents enhance their children’s English oral communication skills through storytelling. From libraries and bookstores to online platforms and apps, there’s no shortage of stories to explore with your child. 

Additionally, consider attending workshops or joining community programs focused on storytelling and language development to gain new insights and strategies for engaging your child in storytelling activities. Parents can also choose an after-school Student Care that provides an English Excellence programme to improve their child’s communication skills. At in:genius by NASCANS , our English Excellence programme is specially designed by our in-house experts to enhance children’s English language proficiency and boost their self-confidence in the English language.

in:genius by NASCANS is an award-winning student care brand with over 15 years of experience running quality student care centres across Singapore. Our award-winning programmes have been voted Singapore’s Best Student Care Programme for consecutive years and helped children reach their fullest potential.

In conclusion, storytelling is a powerful tool for enhancing English oral communication skills in primary school students. By incorporating storytelling into your daily routine and choosing age-appropriate stories that capture your child’s interest and imagination, you can help them develop language fluency, listening comprehension, creativity, and empathy. So why wait? Start unleashing your child’s potential through the power of storytelling today!

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in:genius Open House

in:genius Open House Q1 2024

At in:genius Student Care, we prioritize your child’s safety and well-being by providing a conducive and safe environment. This setting allows our students to achieve a holistic learning experience, transforming your child into a confident team player and a joyful learner and preparing them with the knowledge to excel academically from Primary 1 to 6.

Join our Open House event on 24 February and 2, 9 & 23 March to enjoy exciting promotions and enrolment perks for school fees.

Take advantage of this opportunity to learn more about our award-winning curriculum and meet our dedicated teachers in person! Sign up now to reserve your slot to grab special school fee discounts!

Register Your Interest
for our open house

Participating Centres

in:genius @ Bukit Merah (Rubikon)

3501 Jalan Bukit Merah, #01-03/04 
(Rubikon) 
Singapore 159460

in:genius @ Choa Chu Kang

309 Choa Chu Kang Ave 4,#04-07
(Choa Chu Kang Centre) 

Singapore 680309

in:genius @ Marymount

191 Sin Ming Avenue, #01-02
(Marymount Community Club)
 Singapore 575738

in:genius @ Parkway Parade

80 Marine Parade Road, #07-03/04/05
Parkway Parade (Office Tower)
Singapore 449269

Why Choose
in:genius Student Care?

Homework Supervision & Academic Boosters

At in:genius, we understand the importance of quality time between parents and children. That’s why our team of dedicated and experienced teachers provide thorough homework supervision for students, ensuring they have the support they need to ace their assignments. As part of our commitment to academic success, we also provide a carefully curated list of assessment books and review key concepts with our students to help boost their understanding of significant subjects. Parents can rely on us to provide the essential guidance and support to help their children reach their full potential.

Cultivating the 21st Century Child Through Our Signature Enrichment Programmes

As Singapore’s leading award-winning student care brand, we offer a unique suite of signature programmes that allow students to develop holistically and acquire strong academic foundations. Our T.I.T.A.N.S programme stands at the forefront of nurturing intelligent thinking habits in students, using the Habits of Mind™ framework, a framework employed by Singapore’s Ministry of Education to cultivate the top 1% of students through the Gifted Education Programme (GEP). Our signature enrichment programmes like Impression Arts™ and Scientific Inquiry™ help unlock students’ creative and analytical potential, equipping them with problem-solving skills that will set them apart. Together, these programmes empower well-rounded individuals ready to thrive in the face of life’s challenges with confidence and resilience.

Spaces to Relax, Learn and Connect

At in:genius student care, we provide beautifully curated areas for students to unwind and participate in a range of after-school activities. From our mini-library filled with age-appropriate books and magazines to our computer stations and game corner equipped with table football, basketball, dart board, and various board games, we guarantee that your child will have a fulfilling time at in:genius student care!

Healthy Nutrition that Nourishes the Mind

Our student care centres prioritize serving healthy and nutritious meals and snacks. We know that healthy eating is a key step towards building a healthy mind, and we strive to provide students with the fuel they need to excel in their studies and daily activities. Our carefully planned meals help students feel comfortable and satisfied while away from home. You can have peace of mind knowing that your child is well taken care of and receiving the nourishment they need to thrive.

Academic Excellence Programme for Primary 1 - Primary 6

Building A Strong Academic Foundation

Is your child struggling in a particular subject in school? There’s no need for tuition over the weekends when you send your child to in:genius Student Care centre! Designed by our in-house curriculum team, consisting of former MOE teachers, HODs and expert enrichment specialists, select from a range of tuition classes for Primary school academic subjects like English, Chinese, Mathematics and Science to supplement your child’s academic learning!

ENGLISH

Developed by in-house English experts, the programme infuse grammar, vocabulary, reading and writing to build a robust foundation for Primary 1 to Primary 6 students, and help them tackle the main examination components in the English language examinations.

CHINESE

Stretch your child’s potential in the Chinese language! At in:genius, our Chinese tutorials are designed in a progressive and structured way by in-house Chinese language pedagogy experts for students to develop a love for the language and gain mastery in reading and writing.

MATHEMATICS

Concepts like Fractions, Multiplication, Percentages, Ratios, and more are covered as we equip students with the knowledge they need for the PSLE examinations. Through revision and applied practice, they build the skills and confidence they need to tackle various question types.

SCIENCE

Designed to make science learning meaningful, engaging and enjoyable, while at the same time, allows every child to discover and build strong fundamentals, including critical and creative thinking, as well as the ability to express and articulate thoughts and ideas well!

Hear What Our
Happy Parents Say

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6 Secrets To Help Your Child Excel In School

6 Secrets To Help Your Child Excel In School

A positive school experience involves more than just grades. Your child should learn efficiently, remember information, think critically, ask questions, and develop a sense of competence.

Here are some pointers to help your child get off to the right start and maintain a positive attitude and momentum throughout the academic year.

1. Promote Good Study Habits

Ask your children to describe their ideal homework schedule. Help them in developing that vision. Some children may need a break after school to release their pent-up energy, while others may prefer to finish their homework before engaging in free play. Let them pick the location as well. Simply because you planned your home with a central study area in mind doesn’t guarantee it’s their preferred location.

Children imitate our behaviour, not what we say. Therefore, allow your child to observe you working in a distraction-free environment that encourages focus.

2. Self-advocacy

Children are encouraged to speak up, communicate their needs to adults, and speak up to individuals who are not treating them fairly. A child’s sense of self-efficacy, or the knowledge that they have the ability to control and change their behaviour, motivation, and environment, is largely developed through self-advocacy.

Encourage your kids to discuss issues with their teachers and go over possible solutions. If a child is worried about the conversation, you can write scripts or have them role-play. Acting out the conversation until your child is at ease can be a fun way to calm anxiety.

If children are facing particularly stressful challenges due to bullying, special education needs, or mental health issues, school counsellors are a parent’s best ally.

3. Read More

Perhaps the most important element of learning is reading. Find topics that interest your child and encourage them to read frequently. This kind of concentration enables them to reflect more deeply on whatever subject the story addresses and to come to their own conclusions. We encounter various ideologies and worldviews through reading. Despite not experiencing it first-hand, reading from another person’s point of view or seeing something through their eyes fosters empathy. Empathy is a quality that schools must encourage because it helps students comprehend both themselves and others on a deeper level.

4. Decision-making

As parents, we want to protect our kids, but helicopter or controlling parenting work against a kid’s development. Making wise decisions requires practice, and experiences are the only source of that practice.

Don’t compel them to follow your advice, but choose to guide them. Kids tend to lose motivation if they aren’t allowed to make their own decisions. A child needs the freedom to make their own decisions to be self-motivated to learn and succeed.

5. Be Involved

Have daily conversations with your child about school and life in general. Identify their strengths and interests with your child, and foster their creativity.

Young children may be coerced into doing their homework by using rewards and punishment. However, if they dislike learning or going to school, they won’t do well.

Share your beliefs about the value of education with your children to help them develop intrinsic motivation. Learning and attending classes shouldn’t just be about getting As. It’s about learning new things and developing personally. Children are intrinsically motivated, so work to inspire your child to learn and enjoy it.

6. Achieve Balance

Lead by example of a lifestyle that prioritises a healthy diet, exercise, and restful sleep. Educate your child on the benefits of sports, hobbies, and other interests. You can only give your full attention, care, and support when you’re in good health. A child is inevitably guided to academic success and lifelong learning if these important practices are integrated into family life. Through such activities, parents, educators, and others foster curiosity, wonder, and joy in children. We also support our kids in living fulfilling lives.

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How Critical Thinking Skills Can Benefit Your Child

How Critical Thinking Skills Can Benefit Your Child

It’s pretty much impossible to imagine a situation where critical thinking skills wouldn’t be useful. For example, your child is hungry and only has two options to choose from—an apple or a cookie. If he was able to think critically about the pros and cons of each choice before making his decision, he’d probably opt for the apple with more nutritional value. Critical thinking helps your child make good decisions when you’re not around too. This means they’ll be able to get through life without having you to hold their hand every step of the way! On top of that, by encouraging them to use critical thinking skills now while they’re still young adults (in training), we can set them up for success in life when dealing with more challenging situations.

Critical Thinking Is A Valuable Skill

Critical thinking is a valuable skill that helps you think about things more carefully. It can be applied to many different situations and is an important part of your child’s education.

It’s also important to remember that critical thinking is not the same as being critical. Critical thinking simply means analysing a problem or situation and figuring out possible solutions, while being critical means making judgments about someone or something without valid reasons. As parents, we want our children to learn how to think critically so that they can make decisions for themselves—not just blindly follow others’ ideas or opinions!

The Importance of Critical Thinking Skills

Critical thinking is important for communication. As a parent, you want to raise children who communicate effectively with others. Critical thinking skills assist your child to make sense of the world around them and learn how to communicate their ideas.

They are also inevitable for learning as well. Children’s brains act as a sort of library, growing as they learn new things. They must think about how the new knowledge fits with what they already know and whether it changes any preexisting beliefs.

The Importance of Critical Thinking Skills

1. Your child can make good decisions on his own

This is important because when your child is older, they have to make decisions on their own. For example, they’ll have opportunities for college scholarships or even jobs that require them to think critically about situations and put themselves in other people’s shoes in order to solve problems. As parents, you’d like some peace of mind knowing your child can make good decisions by themselves.

When these situations arise and your child doesn’t have the skills needed to handle them well, how would this affect his/her ability (or inability) to work through it?

2. Your child develops problem-solving skills

Critical thinking is a skill that can be learned. The more your child practises critical thinking, the easier it becomes for him to solve problems. The ability to use knowledge, data, and facts to solve problems is referred to as critical thinking and problem-solving. In the workplace, employers highly value the capacity to produce a well-considered solution in a reasonable amount of time.

Aside from developing problem-solving abilities, your child can think independently, resist peer pressure, form their own opinions, and trust their judgement when asked to do things they don’t want to do.

3. Encourage Your Child To Be an Independent Thinker

Critical thinking is not just for adults. It’s important to encourage your child to be an independent thinker and think critically about the world around them.

Give kids many chances each day to exercise their judgement. Asking open-ended questions that encourage them to provide initial responses as opposed to only providing yes/no answers is a great way to accomplish this. By allowing for diverse and insightful responses, these questions aid in the development of independent thinking abilities.

4. Helping Your Child Develop and Practise Critical Thinking Skills Now Is Sure To Pay Off Later in Life

Being able to think critically helps your child succeed in life, whether it’s at school or in the workforce. By helping your child develop and practise his critical thinking skills now, you’ll make sure he’s prepared for the challenges ahead.

You give your children what will benefit them academically, professionally, and interpersonally when you teach them to critically analyse the world around them. They will eventually not only be able to think independently, but they will also develop into more competent adults.

The ability to think critically is an essential life skill, one that will help your child make good decisions and be more successful. It’s never too early to start building these skills so that one day your child will have them at his or her disposal.

We think that children who think well and intelligently solve problems more effectively and behave better. Students will develop practical skills for the real world and be enthusiastic learners if we include opportunities to promote critical thinking in our programmes and teach kids how to think creatively as a key component of lessons.

Our in-house Research & Development team has created a distinctive and comprehensive holistic curriculum framework that has earned us a strong reputation in the student care sector. Our curriculum model is in line with the school’s vision, mission, and values as well as the MOE’s framework for 21st-century competencies and is intended to support the efforts made by our partner school to help each student develop strong character values, competencies, and mindsets.

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5 Tips To Help Your Child Adapt In Primary School

5 Tips To Help Your Child Adapt In Primary School

Being a primary school student is a big change from preschool. Your child may have gone from being the youngest in her class to being one of the oldest, or she may have switched from one-on-one attention to a large classroom setting and dozens of other children to compete for the teacher’s time. No matter what kind of transition your child is going through, there are ways that parents can help their children adapt to primary school better and foster an enjoyable learning experience.

When your child enters primary school, you may be surprised by how different the school environment is from that of preschool. As a parent, you can help your child adjust to this change by following these 5 handy tips.

1. Recreate a School Environment at Home

Preparation starts at home with proper discipline, organisation skills, and good study habits. It’s a challenge for many new primary school students in Singapore to adjust to the early mornings. Although many kids may have attended full-day preschools, they may find it difficult to manage the busy schedule in primary school because they have fewer breaks and more intensive lessons.

Therefore, create a schedule with your kids and go through their day with them as they get ready for their primary journey in Singapore.

Here’s how to recreate a school environment at home:

  • Make sure your child’s school bag is packed in the morning.
  • Use a calendar to keep track of homework.
  • Create a homework routine and ensure your child knows where to find the supplies they need for their assignments.

2. Know the Difference Between Preschool and Primary School

This is important because these differences cannot be ignored or overlooked when it comes to preparing your child for his or her new environment.

Make a practice run of the route your child takes to and from school. Take your child on these trips so they can become familiar with the routes and learn who will be picking them up and when. This prevents them from being caught off guard once the journey is made familiar to them.

4. Establish a New Schedule and Routine

Talking to your child about daily activities like getting ready for school, playing with friends, and scheduling time for homework is beneficial when establishing a new routine. Your child may feel more at home if you do this.

There are also new subjects and a different schedule in primary school. Help them understand and follow these house and school rules. Given that waking time is now much earlier, be ready for the possibility that your child will need a nap or an earlier bedtime.

5. Instil Independence

Your child needs to learn independence, accountability, and responsibility for his or her possessions in addition to just concentrating on academics. They learn independence in our classes by being trusted with managing their school bags and supplies, returning and borrowing library books, and taking ownership of whatever they do.

If you are a parent who is sending your child off to primary school for the first time, you will likely experience mixed emotions.

However, for your child to adapt easily, you must prepare them well and make sure they feel comfortable from the get-go. A child who has a positive attitude towards school is more likely to succeed in their studies later on down the track. At in:genius Student Care, we are committed to assisting you and your child as they adjust to the new routines and demands of primary school life through a multifaceted support system that enhances their academic and personal development during these critical formative years.