The first two “apps” for organizing tasks and homework reminders were simple: paper notebooks and sweaty palms. Today, there are approximately 405,000 education apps available across the Apple and Google Play stores.
With all this tech, why aren’t we seeing a renaissance of students knocking out their work?
Utopia is always elusive, but the discrepancy between the surge of education apps and student success proves that tools can only do so much on their own.
Still, many of those tools are indeed incredible. The real challenge is as old as time: how can our children acquire the mindset to build for themselves—to want to fix their own mistakes? How do we help them see these tools as being just as valuable as we parents know they are?
I have seen students of all personality types gain sudden boosts in motivation. Sometimes it’s a specific career path that makes graduation feel relevant. Other times, a student realizes their friends might move on to the next grade without them—an epiphany that can unlock enough motivation to solve nuclear fission.
It is during these “high crests” of motivational waves that we want to channel a student’s willingness. We want to turn that temporary energy into an environmental change that pays long-term dividends.
It’s a difficult pivot, asking a child to shift their effort from meeting an immediate deadline to fixing their foundational habits. Those “urgent” due dates are usually a surprise for a reason; without changing the underlying habits, they are doomed to repeat themselves.
We all want to “make hay” while the sun shines. When a student is finally ready to work, their motivation should be invested, not just spent. In these moments, we encourage students to find libraries or study spaces away from the distractions of gaming and TV. This is the time for them to build a digital suite that organizes their productive apps and blocks the distracting ones. This is when students are most likely to agree to parental boundaries, like keeping consoles out of the bedroom during the school week.
The strategies are endless, and experts can provide the tools to build a magnificent productivity machine. Ultimately, timing is still everything. Don’t feel alone in needing help catching those waves. We are honored to help you find the right moments to build.