Watching a child learn can be one of the most rewarding experiences for an educator. Watching a child develop a natural love of learning is even better.
It is important because a child’s love of learning can build their intelligence, deepen their understanding of the world, open them to new ideas, and boost their self-confidence.
In KS4, young people are at an emotional time in their lives, as well as at a pivotal point in their learning journey. This means that nurturing a child’s interests and making learning fun at this stage can make a huge difference to their academic achievements.
So how can you foster a love of learning?
In this blog, we will explore how you can inspire a love of learning: how hands-on experiences can make all the difference, why the KS4 years are so important, and how being supportive and encouraging of a child’s interests can broaden their perspectives.
Five ways you can foster a love of learning in KS4
It is indisputable that children are born with innate curiosity. Toddlers are often described as ‘very busy’ when they surround themselves with toys and get into mischief, while primary school children usually skip out of school full of stories about what they have learnt that day. However, this natural love of learning can sometimes be lost as children develop, which means that the Key Stage Four years are a critical time to encourage an inquisitive mind.
What are some of the ways in which educators and parents can support the learning process during the teen years? How can we make learning fun? And how can we develop an intrinsic motivation for learning?
1. Find new opportunities
Taking learning outside of the classroom is something that both parents and teachers can do. Parents can make every experience, no matter how big or small, an opportunity to learn. Teachers can present knowledge in different ways, whether it’s through practical experiments, online collaborations, or even guest speakers on particular topics.
2. Learn together
Making sure you are part of the educational process is a great way to encourage a lifelong love of learning. Read books together, demonstrate your passions and enthusiasms, share new things you have learnt, and be brave enough to show that you are still learning. Showing that you are learning as you are teaching can be very powerful and model a growth mindset for pupils.
3. Make meaningful connections
Varying educational resources can be greatly appealing for different children. At Malvern College, for example, we teach with a variety of methods and adapt our teaching to individuals because we know our pupils so well. We do this because we understand that the brain learns better when presented with information through different media. This media could take the form of lectures, clubs, hands-on activities, experiments, trips to museums and art galleries etc. Teachers adapt based on whether pupils understand the material and that responsiveness allows us to extend pupil learning, probe for misconceptions and stretch their understanding beyond the curriculum.
4. Promote independence
Giving pupils ownership of their own learning journeys can be a great way to get them more invested in the process. Allow pupils to choose the learning method they’d like to use, and they’ll be more motivated and enthusiastic about it. Self-initiated learning in an encouraging and supportive setting can spark a lifetime of inquisitiveness.
When we spoke to David Kelland, Deputy Head of the Lower School at Malvern College, he said: “Enable children to feel like they own some element of what they are discovering. Allow them to be more curious within their own space to think about their interests and passions. It also helps to surround pupils with people who can share their own enthusiasms and passions as it means they can recognise academic drive and emulate it.”
5. Create a safe space
Creating a positive and safe learning environment helps to children feel confident and empowered enough to ask questions and explore the topic. This helps children to feel that the learning is accessible and interactive, rather than something intimidating where they need to worry about reaching the wrong answers.
Why are the KS4 years important?
Schools that are registered in England have a responsibility to their pupils to ensure that they achieve their Maths, English, and Science GCSEs. Young people can also take this time to specialise in subjects that they are most interested in.
Several studies have linked having a high self-belief in school work with better GCSE grades. This shows how providing a supportive and encouraging educational setting, making the learning process fun and appealing to a child’s love of a subject can make all the difference to their final grades.
Sheenagh Brighton-Goedhals is Head of English at Malvern College and she commented:
“At Malvern College, we distinguish between learning and attaining grades. We are much more focused on engagement and effort than we are on achieving certain grades and marks. One of the major things we report on is ‘attitudes to learning’ and pupils tend to care more about this than anything else.
“This approach creates a much more natural love of learning; the outcome of which is better results anyway!”
Broadening horizons and encouraging learning
A big part of supporting and encouraging learning is providing lots of opportunities for varied hands-on learning can encourage a fundamental and natural love of learning. It can also help to develop ‘roundedness’ within the pupils.
David Kelland gave some of the details about what kind of experiences are offered at Malvern College:
“Our overall aim is to give our pupils independence in their learning journey while broadening their own self-belief. While we do have structured tasks and assignments, they are led by the child’s interests, gifts and talents and we provide the space and environment for these passions to flourish and develop.
“We provide lots of hands-on experience for our KS4 pupils. Importantly, we allow them to work out problems for themselves and deliberately structure learning to enable our young people to experiment themselves. Our ethos is that learning should be engaging, and pupils should always enjoy their lessons and educational experiences.”
Some of the co-curricular activities, educational resources and ‘super-curriculum’ opportunities offered at Malvern College include:
· Science workshops
· Debating Society
· Politics and Foreign Affairs Society
· Literary Society
· Spotlight – Ethics and Religion Society
· Model United Nations
· Aston Society where pupils create and present their own project
· Guest lecturers. Pupils benefit from hearing from a variety of experts, including Owen Sheers and Old Malvernians Professor Chris Whitty and an expert in nuclear reactors.
Nurturing every child
A good teaching and learning experience is very relationship-based. Pupils need to feel like their passions are seen, and that somebody apart from themselves in invested in their education and development.
Having a great relationship with their teachers can make all the difference to a pupil. When there is a deep respect for an educator, it unconsciously creates a respect for learning as well.
At a private school such as Malvern College, there are many spontaneous opportunities in which to talk naturally about learning. This might be over lunch in a boarding house, between lessons with an inspiring teacher, or in the evening with like-minded peers. You never know when a conversation may inspire a love for a particular topic.
When we spoke to Sheenagh Brighton-Goedhals about this at Malvern College, she explained: “At its core, Malvern College is a community and this often makes the learning process invisible, but it is in the very fabric of what we do.
“Every pupil has a personal academic tutor who they see at least twice a week, often in an informal setting such as lunch in their boarding houses.”
When looking at each child and their natural love of learning it is also essential to consider any additional needs they may have, such as ADHD or dyslexia. Many schools will have a dedicated team who are solely focused on these individuals.
The Learning Enhancement team at Malvern College work to remove any barriers to learning by making sure that teachers are skilled at helping pupils with different challenges. Lessons should be adapted and optimised so that the same knowledge is conveyed through different mediums.
So, how can you foster a love of learning in KS4? The reality is that you can’t force it. But what you can do is give young people academic tools and hands-on learning experiences to ensure that they are motivated to love learning throughout their life.
If you would like to learn more about the curriculum and opportunities for KS4 pupils at Malvern College, take a look at our Lower School Information page, or discover the arts, sports, and co-curricular opportunities at Malvern.