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Fab Fridays 91: 7 ways to help kids WANT to learn

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Fab Fridays 91: 7 ways to help kids WANT to learn

Learning to Love Learning

Ana Lorena Fabrega
Mar 25, 2022
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Fab Fridays 91: 7 ways to help kids WANT to learn

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Happy Friday!

For the past few months I’ve been working on a very special project that I can’t wait to share with you all soon. (Hint: It’s not my book!)

I haven’t had much time to write lately, so I’ll keep it short and sweet this week.

Here are 7 ways to help your kid want to learn:

1. Encourage Projects of Their Own

We tend to see education as something we do to kids: designing lessons, assigning books, making worksheets.

But kids learn best when they voluntarily tackle projects of their own. And kids know this. That’s why they drag their feet as they walk to school in the fall and sprint as far away as they can in the summer.

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Ana Lorena Fabrega @anafabrega11
“I wouldn't want to work on anything I didn't want to take over my life.” — @paulg What if work and school revolved around projects—not curriculums, quotas, or tasks? 🧵👇🏼
1:41 PM ∙ Jun 28, 2021
551Likes44Retweets

2. Prepare Their Environment

The environment plays a key role in creating the learning experiences your kid will have.

Make it easy for kids to access engaging challenges. Put necessary tools, materials, and resources at their fingertips, a variety of books within their reach, a bulletin board on the wall to hang their creations, and a dedicated workspace organized for independence.

This empowers them to take charge of their learning whenever their interest sparks.

3. Allow Healthy Obsessions

Kids crave mastery and love going into flow. 

That’s why they might pitch a fit when it’s time to leave the park or stop playing a game. Try to recognize that their passion is natural and give them space to dive deep.

Twitter avatar for @anafabrega11
Ana Lorena Fabrega @anafabrega11
Video games have unlocked the secrets of flow state✨🎮 Let’s unpack flow, video games, and how we can make learning more captivating 👇🏽
Image
2:32 PM ∙ Sep 3, 2021
1,370Likes222Retweets

4. Let Kids Quit

Kids obsess over stuff—and then stop.

They might beg for a violin, only to get board after three lessons. It may frustrate us, but it’s important to let kids quit. Give them freedom to experiment and explore their talents.

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Ana Lorena Fabrega @anafabrega11
We’ve all been told that perseverance is the key to success. But knowing when to quit is just as important. Let’s talk about why:
Image
4:29 PM ∙ Aug 19, 2021
1,088Likes184Retweets

5. Teach with Stories

When kids ask questions, we can wrap our answers in a captivating story.

For example, if they ask about statistics, wait before opening Excel. First talk about Annie Duke and how she won poker championships by using probabilities. I expand on this idea here:

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Ana Lorena Fabrega @anafabrega11
Why story-driven learning can help you master any subject 🪡
2:55 PM ∙ Dec 10, 2021
1,990Likes371Retweets

6. Negotiate, Don’t Command

When kids are really learning, they start thinking critically, expressing their opinions, and disagreeing with adults.

Resist the temptation to “put them in their place." Instead, invite them into collaborative negotiations. Here’s how:

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Ana Lorena Fabrega @anafabrega11
How to negotiate with kids (& adults!) 👇🏼
4:05 PM ∙ Jan 14, 2022
5,852Likes1,040Retweets

7. Connect Them with Peers

Humans are social and imitative creatures. 

We naturally want to learn more when we’re around peers who want to learn as well. Find social learning opportunities like Synthesis where thoughtful kids connect, solve problems, and work together.

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Ana Lorena Fabrega @anafabrega11
On the other hand, the internet is perfect for finding “your people.” It's like a huge playground, where people can connect over their shared interests. Kids can build friendships through free play, spending hours together diving into games and working on projects they choose.
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5:19 PM ∙ Dec 17, 2021
196Likes12Retweets


With these seven tactics, we can help kids get the most out of their most formative years. And most importantly, we can help them learn to love learning for a lifetime.

What other things have you tried at home that work for your kids?

Until next week,

Ana Lorena Fabrega

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Fab Fridays 91: 7 ways to help kids WANT to learn

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