It's easy to get frustrated when children, especially preschoolers, don't show interest in learning from home. That's why teacher Jojie Jugo-Velasco volunteered to share her expertise with parents through a Smart Parenting interview.
Teacher Jojie graduated with a bachelor's degree in behavioral sciences, and took teaching units in Mirriam College Graduate School. She was a preschool teacher for 16 years at the Integrated School in Marikina City handling toddlers, junior nursery, senior nursery and kindergarten classes before moving to New York with her family in 2018. In 2020, because of the pandemic, she opted to homeschool her bunso, Julio, rather than send him to face-to-face school in the middle of a raging pandemic. Julio was then almost four years old.
Teacher Jojie understands the frustration of parents who are suddenly forced to learn how to teach their kids, while juggling a lot of other responsibilities at home. For parents who get frustrated because their children do not seem interested to learn yet, Teacher Jojie has these pieces of advice:
6 ways to become a more patient parent teacher at home.
1. Make time for your child every day.
When your little one starts playing, sit and play with them. Integrate some learning into their play. For example, you could start counting the toys or identifying their colors. But also, play with your child just for the sake of having fun.
2. Manage your expectations.
Refrain from holding very high expectations of your child. Avoid comparing your child to other children. Instead, set reasonable goals for your child’s learning starting from the very basics.
ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW3. Start when your child is ready.
To make learning fun for your child, do not force them to sit and “study.” Instead, only let them do any learning when they are ready and willing.
4. Work according to your child’s attention span.
Do not expect your child to have focus or sustained interest in studying for one to two hours. Teacher Jojie says 10 minutes of learning activities is enough for a beginner. As their attention span improves, gradually add five minutes to your child’s learning time. Do you need to teach your toddler or preschooler every day? It really depends on your child’s interest, says teacher Jojie.
5. Make an effort to catch your child’s attention.
Find what your child loves and start with those. Does your child like cars or dinosaurs, Shopkins or unicorns? Use these favorites as their learning tools. Also, do not be shy to animate your voice when teaching your child.
6. Read books at bedtime.
Reading books to young children is an important preparation for learning to read. Eric Carle's books are Teacher Jojie’s personal favorites. She says parents should not just immediately close the book after reading. Instead, she recommends that parents always check for comprehension. Ask simple comprehension questions like "What do you like best about the story," or "What was your favorite part?", or let your child “read” the book themselves so they have a chance to retell the story. Aside from improving vocabulary, reading to and with your child helps expand their attention span too, says teacher Jojie.
CONTINUE READING BELOWwatch nowTeacher Jojie Jugo-Velasco taught preschool in Marikina for 16 years before moving to New York with her family. Now she is a stay-at-home mom who fully supports her husband's nursing career while raising her two boys who are nine and five years old.
Grace Bautista is a homeschooling mom who taught her first two children (now in high school and grade school) how to read, and, inspired by Teacher Jojie’s tips, is now more intentional in preparing her 3-year-old bunso to learn to read and write.
What other parents are reading
