Each fortnight at Early Years assembly, we reflect on the learning dispositions and highlight one in particular to focus on. This fortnight, we are focusing on remaining motivated, particularly when we are feeling bogged down, or when we find something challenging. Justin Coulsen, author of the “Happy Families” website that all OLSCC families have access to, has some excellent insights into the importance of embracing challenge, just as we encourage OLSCC children to do using the analogy of the Learning Pit. He has identified that growth occurs when our children are actively in a learning zone, where they need to stretch themselves beyond their current abilities. Of course, this type of challenge feels ‘hard’ and often uncomfortable, and it can take a little extra motivation to remain engaged with the learning rather than avoiding it or finding something else – anything else! -  to do. As Justin Coulsen writes:

Struggle is temporary

It’s important to help our children recognise that the feeling of struggle and discomfort that comes with being in their Learning Zone is temporary. It passes. Many children believe if they are struggling now, then the next step in learning will involve even more struggle. They believe that the further they go, the more uncomfortable they’ll feel. So naturally, they turn away from further struggle.

The reality is that effort is the currency of growth, and struggle is the price we pay for that growth. The reward is that what we experienced as hard today, becomes easy tomorrow. It doesn’t get harder and harder and harder. It’s hard, then it’s easy. Then they move on, and the next step is also hard, until they make that easy. Being in the Learning Zone, and experiencing the struggle that comes with it, is not only a normal part of learning, but also an essential part of growth.

Parenting for more skilful learners

As parents we have an important role in helping our children become more skilful learners. This begins by helping them develop a healthy relationship with challenge. By teaching them that effort is the cost of growth, and normalising the struggle that comes from being in their Learning Zone, we help them become “comfortably uncomfortable” with challenge, and put them on a path of continuous growth.

Here at OLSCC, we embed this notion into our classrooms every day, using the Learning Pit to guide our students. The language of challenge and ‘the pit’ is now commonplace both inside and outside of classrooms, however this does not mean we can rest easy. We know that embracing challenge and being ‘comfortably uncomfortable’ is a life long learning, and one that we as adults, both parents and teachers, need to continually support our students with.

Take some time to ask your child how they are going with staying motivated this week! I know I asked some of our Early Years students this very question, and they gave me some insightful responses…..

What keeps you motivated?

Matty Broadbent Year 3 -  knowing I’m learning a lot. If you do hard assessments then after a while they become easy assessments!

Lily Martin Yr 4  - when something gets hard I stay motivated by thinking of things that make me happy, like my family and friends and then after the hard is done, I feel really good about myself because I stayed motivated. 

Mrs Katrina Walton

Assistant Principal Early Years