As a teacher, I loved to focus on the processes of learning. In other words, the habits of mind and the reasoning and logic skills that students need to develop. As a parent, I bemoan the focus of content over process in many of our schools. A high school in California is a shining example of the exception. Rather than reading about and memorizing the names, dates and events leading up to the First Continental Convention, these students used process learning as they adopted roles, conducted research of primary source documents, and fielded questions during a mock “convention.” The “content covered” remains the same as in traditional textbook and multiple-choice-test styles of teaching, but the learning that occurs when instructors focus on process rather than just content is so much deeper and longer-lasting. Not only that, learning becomes an active and engaging activity that students look forward to rather than despise. As a parent, what can you do to deepen your child’s learning? Here are three ideas to get you started:

1. Whenever you discuss what your child is learning in school, try to focus on “higher level” questions that force the learner to think beyond the traditional who/what/when/where of a topic. For example, if your child is learning about the American Civil War, ask questions such as: “What motive might Southern soldiers have had to join the fight?” (analyzing information) or “What alternatives were available to Lincoln in 1863?” (synthesizing information). Questions like these challenge the learner to make connections and to see a topic through a more ‘human’ perspective (we all have motives; we all must evaluate alternatives – how did they do it then?).

2. If your student is taking a science class, focus on the scientific processes and encourage a “I wonder what would happen if…” mode of thinking. For example, if your child is learning about Chemistry and acids and bases, they might ask, “I wonder what would happen if we tested the pH of tomato juice, then added antacid tablets and re-tested?” If you can supervise, experiment at home – the kitchen is the perfect lab!

3. Go out and see! The best way to make learning come to life is to take it out of the classroom. The world is full of amazing art, architecture, history, and nature. Visit a botanical garden when your child is studying butterfly life cycles. Visit an airport or aviation museum when your child is learning about the science of flight. Look for experiential, hands-on programming at these places to enrich your child’s classroom learning and give it a new dimension!