While working with my son, I had the most amazing epiphany about his progress. I felt as though he had hit a plateau- as if he was becoming a little complacent in his work product. Well, I realized that this may not be all his fault. Immediately, I thought of the phenomenon that occurs when I’m trying to lose weight.
After losing weight at some point my weight loss does not occur as rapidly as it does at the beginning of my weight loss regiment. From speaking with trainers and conducting my own research I know that a plateau usually signals the need to change something in your regiment. Typically it means I need to turn up the intensity. Perhaps if I was walking 1 mile, then I need to walk 1.5 miles. If I was walking on the treadmill at 3.5 miles then perhaps turning up the speed to 3.8 can help kick the weight loss back into high gear. I’ve decided to apply this same principle to my son’s learning.
I have began to provide him with other types of learning activities at home. Recently while at the Decatur Book Festival, I visited the Usborne Books tent and purchased a deck of logic cards. They are the neatest little activities. Portable cards with a dry erase marker that consist of great age appropriate logic puzzles. My rationale is that I want to get another section of his brain firing off neurons. Additionally, we took the summer off from violin. I was a little slow about getting him back into it. The plateau I saw rearing its ugly head put me into gear. Guess who is going back to violin every Saturday now.
I’m sure I’m not the only one who has noticed a change in their child’s energy and excitement towards learning. I think as parents we have to respond to these impending slumps with a change of activity or more intense learning opportunities. Unfortunately, I know some adults who I believe their plateau went undetected and therefore unaddressed.
Have you detected a plateau in your child’s learning gains? If so, how do you address them. I would love to hear your ideas.