Parents need to be patient.

Self-learning ability is one of the general competencies emphasized in the 2018 General Education Program for primary school students. However, forming the habit of self-learning requires cooperation between family and school.

Ms. Bui Thi Cam Tien, whose son is in 4th grade in Hoc Mon District (Ho Chi Minh City), said: "At home, my son never sits down to study unless I remind him. Every day I have to closely supervise him, which is both tiring and stressful. The new curriculum doesn't require a lot of homework, but there are still a few small assignments each day. Sometimes I work late but still have to force him to sit down and do his homework. Although I always tell him to do his homework independently, he only does it when I'm home."

Elementary school students study at home.

Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tung, a parent with a 4th-grade child in Tan Phu District (Ho Chi Minh City), also shared his difficult journey in helping his child learn independently. He said that initially, he often punished his child for not completing homework. However, this method only increased pressure instead of motivating the child. "After a while, I realized that using punishment didn't yield good results. My child only studied to cope, and the more I pressured him, the more frustrated he became," Mr. Tung said.

This shows that the habit of self-study is not easily formed simply through reminders, coercion, or rewards and punishments from parents, especially when there is so much to learn, and the biggest distraction is the smartphone.

Ms. Nguyen Minh Thuy An, a teacher at Nguyen Van Triet Primary School (Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City), shared: "Setting a good example for children is the first and most important step. The whole family learning together serves as a role model and motivation for the children."

According to Ms. Thuy An, students' attention spans are not yet very high, so parents need to understand this characteristic of their child's psychology and patiently train them to sit at their desks for 5 minutes at a time, then gradually increase it to 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes... with an amount of work appropriate to their abilities. Ms. An believes that parents only need to cultivate self-study skills in their children to help them spread their wings of freedom and develop long-term independence.

Ms. Tran Thi Hoai Nghi, a teacher at Kim Dong Primary School (Go Vap District, Ho Chi Minh City), noted that to develop self-study habits, parents should absolutely not do things for their children, but instead encourage them to think for themselves and strive to find solutions.

"Children need a quiet study space, minimizing distractions in the home. We can't expect them to do homework when parents are engrossed in their phones, watching TV, or when family members are engaged in lively conversations…," Ms. Nghi said.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ren-thoi-quen-tu-hoc-cho-con-phu-huynh-can-kien-tri-185241010185245479.htm