Hey there! I hope this week has gotten off to a great start–or that you’ve enjoyed a nice long weekend and are rested and ready to jump back in tomorrow.
This month we are focused on our kids’ clubs and getting as many Nicole the Math Lady kids as possible into the clubs we offer. Today I’d like to share a little about why I offer the All-Right Club and some of the ways to encourage children to get into it.
Let’s face it: sometimes it can be really hard to motivate a kid to do math. Sure, there are some kids who really love it and are naturally into it. But many kids don’t have that inherent love of the subject and struggle to make themselves do something that’s difficult.
There are multiple ways to motivate kids (and adults, really), with varying degrees of lasting effectiveness. But I’m a big believer in making things as relevant as possible, as detailed in this article. So, is the All-Right Club at least partly “contrived relevancy?” Sure! And that’s okay. It’s a game that kids may choose to play, risking a little extra work and concentration in return for a reward, and with a mild risk (private disappointment) if they don’t.
How to make it more successful? Celebrate where they are and help them to get to where they want to be, even if they currently think it’s not possible. Please, please make a point to congratulate them for every incremental step they make that gets them closer to all 20 or 30 questions correct. And get them the help and support they need for the concepts they are struggling with. Obviously I hope my videos are a part of that, as are re-visiting lessons and reinforcing practice with additional lesson sets. If you need additional helps, please reach out!
I hope your kid is having a great club month and that they are making progress toward joining either or both clubs. I can’t wait to feature them!